AphaRock

Is Marketing Management a Scientific or Artistic Exercise?

2010-10-21T23:53:00.003+08:00

In today’s modern society, marketing occurs in each individual’s daily activities either knowingly or unknowingly. It is embedded in the task we perform everyday; from the time we take our breakfast, to the billboards we see while driving to work along the highway, to the Web sites we click on. “Marketing is everywhere. Good marketing has become an increasing vital ingredient for business success” (Kotler et al. 2009, p. 3). Firstly, this article and its discussion content will introduce and define marketing management which is the core subject matter. The discussion will then show some examples and support for the science approach followed by some examples and support for the artistic approach. The author will then provide further evidence and arguments to support his stance that marketing management is a scientific or artistic exercise.

Marketing management may be viewed as a problem to regulate, time and characterize demand for an organization’s products. Kotler (1973) listed down eight tasks related to the various demand situation and all these tasks require managerial response to analyse, plan, implement, organise and control. Marketing management is a process of planning, organising, implementing and controlling marketing activities (Pride et al. 2008). It is about planning and executing programs designed to influence the behaviour of target audiences by creating and maintaining beneficial exchanges for the purposes of satisfying individual and organizational needs and wants (Andreasen & Kotler 2008). Kotler (1973) further stated that these processes utilizes the two basic steps of marketing strategy development, namely, defining the target markets and formulating a marketing mix out of the elements of product, price, promotion and place. A key ingredient of the marketing management process to an organization is its own insightful, creative marketing strategies and plans that guide their marketing activities. Marketing management is a compulsory pre-requisite to any successful organization. It is practised by profitable organization, non-profit organization, governments, and educational institution to boost their images (Kotler & Keller 2009).
A popular scientific approach to marketing management is Porter’s 1980 model which has had a major impact in business strategy. Porter’s model is well structured and is general and simple for firms from any industry to follow. To attain competitive advantage a firm is recommended to follow Porter’s model for a competitive strategic behaviour. The application of such a model to real life situations becomes feasible since identifying and selecting those firms that have achieved competitive advantage and the chosen relevant targets becomes a straightforward process. Porter proposes that business strategy should be viewed as a product of how the firm creates customer value compared with its competitors ( Olson, Slater & Hult, 2005, p. 52). In studying the performance of the airline industry (Kling & Smith 1995) in the U.S. the five airlines identified as pursuing one of the three generic Porter strategies perform better in terms of profitability compared to those that did not.
Another scientific approach used by strategic planners is the growth/market-share matrix, developed by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The BCG approach is based on the philosophy that a product’s market growth rate and its market share are important considerations in determining its marketing strategy (Elliot et al. 2008). The BCG matrix enables a company’s products to be classified into four basic types: stars, cash cows, dogs, and question marks. Stars are products with a dominant share of the market and good prospects for growth. Cash cows have a dominant share of the market but low prospects for growth. Dogs have a non-dominant share of the market and low prospects for growth. Question marks have a small share of a growing market and generally require a large amount of cash to build market share.
Peter F. Drucker is widely regarded as one of the most influential management thinkers. He is generally acknowledged to be the father of the modern marketing management concept (Webster 2008). Drucker has had enduring and significant influence not only in management but also in the realm of marketing. Drucker’s work has stood the test of time, and remains a pivotal starting point for marketing scholars (Uslay, Morgan & Sheth 2008). Drucker himself is convinced that managing is an “art”; the talent, experience, vision, courage, and character of the managers will always be major factors in their performance. Primary efficiency in parts of management science is therefore bound to do damage (Drucker 1959). He stressed the necessity of principles, values, and theory as guides for management action. His focus was always on management in general, not marketing per se, with an understanding of customers’ ever-changing needs, wants, and preferences as the driving force for business success (Webster 2008).
Though it is important to be ever responsive to the ever-changing needs of customers, it is equally important to also understand the buying behaviour of buyers either as an individual or as business buying. The criteria that the buyers look for in a product or the factors affecting their buying behaviour have to be studied. Even stress plays a crucial role in influencing the buyers either as a result of buying or the pre-requisite for the buying process (Moschis, 2007). Consumers purchased products and services to satisfy their current and future needs and in terms of what Pride et al. (2008) refers to the consumers as engaging in problem solving. There are basically three possible influences on the buying decision process, that is, situational influences, psychological influences and social influences. Situational influences include physical surroundings, social surroundings, time, purchase reason, and buyers’ mood and condition. Psychological influences include perception, motives, learning attitudes, personality and self-concept, and lifestyles. Social influences include roles, family, reference groups and opinion leaders, social classes, and culture and subcultures.
The above arguments provide evidences for marketing management with a scientific nature and for marketing management with an artistic nature. However, not with-standing the time tested model of Boston Consulting Group’s market growth/market share/matrix and the numerous application of Porters generic typology the author will take the stance that marketing management is an artistic exercise.
According to Elliot et al. (2008) the marketing environment which takes into account the competition, the economic environment, political, legal and regulatory, technological and socio-cultural forces is ever present in the customer surrounding and that the effects of these forces on buyers and sellers is difficult to predict.
The socio-cultural forces play an important role in many societies today. In Australia and in Malaysia the population demographics are made up of people from various cultural back-ground due to their ancestry background. The buying pressure from one cultural group may vary to another cultural group and the types of products sort out by these various groups may vary accordingly. Children’s purchase influence (CPI) is an important factor in understanding family consumption behaviour (Laroche et al. 2007). The study investigated the effects of cultural adaptation, including the role of acculturation and ethnic-identification, on children’s role in family purchase decisions. It went on to hypothesize that children’s influence on family purchase decisions is positively related to the level of acculturation of fathers, mothers, and children themselves. Levy et al. (2008) in their study on family decision-making process when buying a house in the New Zealand property market, argued that the buying process and the decision process is subjected to internal (power relations) and external influences. The final decision to purchase is affected by emotions and social collectivities (households, extended family members and trust relationship with agents). Gender plays a key role too in the buying process where the adult male member of the family tended to have more influence than the adult female. Even though these distinct gender roles were ascribed to the decision makers within families, it was also identified that other factors such as financial power, culture and ethnicity as affecting family decision-making process.
According to the marketing concept, an organization should try to provide products that satisfy customers’ needs through a coordinated set of activities that also allows the organization to achieve its goals (Elliot et al. 2008). The organization must also continue to alter adapt and develop products to keep pace with customers changing desires and preferences. Early proponents of the marketing concept recognized that it was a management philosophy, not just a bundle of market information and analytical tools (Webster Jr. 2008).
Another artistic approach to marketing management is in the focus of market orientation of an organization. In this aspect of market orientation the organization including its resources are dedicated to collecting and disseminating market data and intelligence throughout the organization. Market orientation has three main elements namely collecting and generating market intelligence, disseminating market intelligence and responding and the degree of responsiveness to the market intelligence. The main point is that the generation of market intelligence does not stop at obtaining customer opinions, but also involves careful analysis and subsequently interpretation of the forces affecting customer needs and preferences (Kohli & Jaworski 1990). Though market intelligence pertains to customer needs and preferences it includes an analysis of how they may be affected by exogenous factors such as government regulation, technology, competitors, and other environmental forces.
These forces are clearly defined in PEST analysis. These variables lie well outside the control of the organization. PEST analysis is a broad-brush instrument that can be used in attempts to define and measure their effects. PEST is an acronym of the four categories of change factor: Political, Economic, Social, and Technological. It is therefore essentially an environmental checklist of those external elements which both influence and constrain the attraction of industry profitability (Norburn 2005).
And finally, Elliot et al. (2008) went on to argue that the evolution of the marketing concept showing a time lapse of 50 years interval started with the production orientation which was a result of the industrial revolution followed by the sales orientation 50 years later. The marketing concept then shifted to organization orientation whereby organization was required to be responsive to the gathered market intelligence pertaining to current and future customer needs and the dissemination of the intelligence across the departments. These means responding to the ever-changing customer needs and want. The final evolution is when an organizational marketing concept not only put customers as the focal point of all marketing decision and considering their current and future needs and wants but additionally by considering the long-term needs of society. The demographics of society and their future long term and preference and the economic and political situation are difficult to predict and thus the author stand by in this conclusion that Marketing Management is an artistic exercise.
References
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11. Norburn, D 2005, ‘PEST Analysis.’, Blackwell Encyclopedic Dictionary of Strategic Management, pp. 1-251
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Is Marketing Management A Scientific or Artistic Exercise?, written by Christopher Lim

SERVICE QUALITY AUDIT BASED ON THE CONCEPTUAL GAPS MODEL OF SERVICE QUALITY

2010-10-16T03:47:00.003+08:00

Executive summary
Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1985) developed a conceptual framework called the “GAPS model”. The primary thesis of this model is that the service quality shortfall (i.e. GAP 5, the gap between customers’ service expectations and perceptions) is a result of a series of shortfalls within the service provider’s organization (i.e. GAPS 1-4). Thus, improving the quality of service experienced by customers (i.e. GAP 5) requires diagnosing the causes and correcting the internal deficiencies (i.e GAP 1-4).
A service quality audit was conducted for Aphalodge Hotel based on the conceptual GAPS Model of Service quality. A sample of the result is shown in Appendix 2 of this report. The scope covers a sample size of ten respondents (employees). The purpose of the Service Quality Audit is to identify any service deficiencies in Aphalodge Hotels’ services by applying the results to the Gaps Model of Service Quality and then analyzing them. The respondents had to fill in questionnaires comprising of 31 questions covering the five GAPS (i.e GAP 5, and GAP 1-4). The objectives of the report are then to analyse the Customer Gap (GAP 5); one of the Provider Gap (GAP 1-4); and to recommend effective strategies for implementation to close two of the Provider Gap (GAP 1-4).
Findings for GAP 5, showed that the perception was lower than expectation which means customer is dissatisfied with the service level. Aphalodge has a reasonable understanding of customer expectations but not the customer perception of service.
Findings also show that for closing the “listening gap” (Gap 1): Aphalodge have some form of mechanisms in place for channelling feedback from front-line staff to management; management have some direct contact with users; and management at least occasionally perform customer-contact roles.
Aphalodge in closing the “service design and standards gap” (Gap 2): management are quick to dismiss user expectations as unrealistic or unreasonable; have an informal, non-continuous process for setting service specifications; and performance-evaluation criteria do not take “input” and “efficiency” type measures. Improvements have to be made here.
In closing the “service performance gap” (Gap 3): Aphalodge have reasonable support for front-line staff with reasonable technology and information systems; does provide adequate training to front-line staff; recognize and take steps to reduce potential role stress among front-line staff.
In closing the “communications gap” (Gap 4): mechanisms are in place to encourage communication across different functional areas; do communicate to customers about what will be provided to them; do scrutinize all external communication intended for users to prevent over-promising; and are careful to price their service so as not to raised customer expectations.
The report critically analysed in detail the strategy of Aphalodge for closing Gap 2. The report also recommended two strategies to close Gap 1, and Gap 3. In closing Gap 1, it is recommended to have effective service recovery efforts and plan for service failures. It is also recommended to have good customer relationship and to provide service guarantees. For closing Gap 3, Aphalodge is recommended to implement human resource policies strategy. This strategy is focused on the importance of effectively recruiting, hiring, training, compensating and empowering employees. It is also to ensure that service quality delivery is consistent across employees, teams and units. Finally, the report includes the implementation plan to activate these two strategies.

1.0 Formal introduction
1.1 Authorization
General Manager, Aphalodge Hotel Malaysia
1.2 Aim/Scope
The Aim of this report is to conduct a service quality audit for Aphalodge Hotel Malaysia based on the conceptual Gaps Model of Service Quality. The scope covers a sample size of ten respondents. The purpose of the Service Quality Audit is to identify any Service Gaps in Aphalodge Hotel services by applying the results to the Gaps Model of Service Quality. The objectives are then to analyse the Customer Gap; one of the Provider Gap; and to recommend effective strategies to close two of the Provider Gap.
1.3 Sources of Information
Primary Data were collected using questionnaires sent to employees of Aphalodge. Secondary data from Aphalodge internal, external reports, and surveys were obtained. Other sources of information include academia journal articles.
1.4 Limitations
Small sample size. Discrete flashed sampling.
2.0 Brief description of service firm and service offering and service blueprint
Organization: Aphalodge Hotel Malaysia
Established: 18 July 1994
Location: Selangor, Malaysia
Accommodation: The hotel offers 118 guestrooms and suites. Features include a one-touch-butler call system, broadband internet, electronic safe, cable television, and hot beverage making facilities.
Hotel Service & Facilities: 24-hour room service, limousine service, valet parking, restaurants, bar, business centre, gymnasium, health club, Spa, meeting and Grand room (Aphalodge).
Service Blueprint (Appendix 1: Blueprint for Aphalodge Hotel Overnight Stay Service) visually displays the service by simultaneously depicting the process of service delivery. The key components of service blueprint are customer actions, onstage/visible contact employee actions, backstage/invisible, contact employee actions, and support processes (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009). Potential service fail-points occur upon check-in is in the matching data of reservations to person checking in. Another potential service fail-point is in the preference of room whereby, if the guest requested a non-smoking room prior to checking in instead gets a smoking room upon entering the guest room. Other potential fail-point occur when guest orders room-service and delivery is late and the food cold.
3.0 Service Quality Audit
(Appendix 2: Service Quality Audit)
4.0 Analysis of customer gap (gap 5)
Customers hold different types of expectations about service. The highest type, desired service, being the service they hope for and the lowest type, adequate service, being the minimum level service performance acceptable (Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman 1993). Grewal, Monroe, and Krishnan (1998) support a positive relationship between customer perceptions of quality and perceived value.

Chart 1: Customer Gap Service Quality Audit Mean Score
4.1 Disconfirmation of Expectations Model
Disconfirmation occurs where there is a difference between expectations and perceived performance. Oliver (1980) proposed that satisfaction is a function of the disconfirmation of performance from expectation.

Figure 1 Disconfirmation of Expectations Model (Source: Lovelock et al. 2007)
Aphalodge’s Service Quality Gaps Model Audit showed an average result of E= 5.5 and P=4.5, a negative disconfirmation. When service performance is not as good as initially expected, there is a negative disconfirmation between expectations and performance that results in customer dissatisfaction. Whereas, when service performance is as expected, there is a confirmation between expectations and perceptions that results in mere satisfaction. In contrast, when service performance is better than expected, there is a positive disconfirmation between expectations and perceptions, which causes delight.
Teas (1993) argued that perceived quality is positively linked to customer satisfaction. In a study done by Burton, Sheather and Roberts (2003), they established that perceived performance is positively associated with satisfaction.

4.2 Key Factors that Influence Customer Expectations of Service
Service expectations are formed by factors from the experience of customers with other companies and their advertising to a customers’ psychological state at the time of service delivery (Zeithaml, Berry, and Parasuraman 1993).

Figure 2 Factors that Influence Customer Expectations of Service (Source: Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman 1993)
Service intensifiers factor elevate the level of desired service (Zeithaml, Berry, and Parasuraman 1993), e.g. a person organizing a seminar in the hotel.
The higher the customer’s self perceived service role, the higher the level of expectation of adequate service (Bitner et al. 1997), e.g, a customer informing for a wake-up call, and the narrower the Zone of Tolerance (Appendix 2).
5.0 Overview and brief discussion of strategies contributing to provider gaps 1–4
Result shows that Aphalodge’s four provider gaps, was adequate in the Listening Gap, ineffective for Service design and Standards Gap, effective on Service Performance Gap, and performed well in the Services Marketing Communications Gap.

Chart 2: Provider Gap 1-4 Service Quality Audit Mean Score
5.1 Provider Gap 1, the Listening Gap
Aphalodge Gap 1 (Listening Gap) is adequate with a mean result of 5.69. Services research, need to consider and monitor the gap between expectations and perceptions. This gap is dynamic because both perceptions and expectations fluctuate.
To improve, Aphalodge has to find out what customers expect. This is essential to providing service quality, and marketing research is a key vehicle for understanding customer expectations and perceptions of service (Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler 2009).
Aphalodge may also embark on activities to improve communication between customers and management and the other between employees and management.

Table 1 Elements in an effective Program of Upward Communication (Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler 2009, p. 166)
5.2 Provider Gap 2, the Service Design and Standards Gap
Aphalodge is ineffective in closing their Gap 2 (Service design and Standards Gap) with a mean result from Service Quality Audit of 4.23. Their new services are not well defined for employees.
Improvements can be made in the service design and Customer-Defined Standards.
A service blueprint portrays the service system so that the different people involved in providing it can understand and deal with it objectively, regardless of their roles or their individual point of view (Zeitthaml, Bitner and Gremler 2009).
To be competitive, Aphalodge must support customer preferences with effective process design. Thus, customer preference information must be translated and fed back into design and day-to-day management of service processes (Zomerdijk & Voss 2010).
5.3 Provider Gap 3, the Service Performance Gap
Aphalodge Hotel Service Quality Gaps Model Audit returned with a mean of 5.31 for Gap 3 (Service Performance Gap). The Service Performance Gap occurs when there is a discrepancy between the specifications and the delivery of service (Parasuraman et al., 1985).
The foundation of maintaining service relationships is the fulfilment of promises made to customers (Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler 2009). These promises must be delivered, often in real time, by employees and service delivery systems (Bitner 1995).
Improvement in the Human Resources policies is needed in Aphalodge.
5.4 Provider Gap 4, the Communication Gap

Aphalodge’s Gap 4 had a mean result of 5.33 from the Service Quality Gap Model Audit.
Because Aphalodge’s promises about services what people do and because people’s behaviour cannot be standardised, the potential for a mismatch between what is promised and perceptions of actual service delivery provider Gap 4 (the communication gap) is high (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009).
One strategy to match service promises with delivery is to address service intangibility and marketers address that by adding tangibility to the service offering through advertisement (Lovelock 2001).

Figure 3 Aphalodge Hotel adding tangibility to the service offering through advertisement

6.0 Critical analysis and evaluation of Gap 2
6.1 Analysis and Evaluation of Aphalodge Hotels’ Service Design and Standards Gap strategy
Aphalodge does adequate market research to understand customer expectation (Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler 2009). However, they do not use this information in decisions about service provisioning.
Aphalodge Hotel can close the company’s Service Design and Standards gap by having a structured process for designing services that maps customer requirements to required functions and means (Berkley 1996).
These functions and means will be detailed in the hotel’s service blueprint. A service blueprint portrays the service system so that the different people involved in providing it can understand and deal with it objectively, regardless of their roles or their individual point of view (Zeitthaml, Bitner and Gremler 2009).
Zomerdijk and Voss (2010) suggest that service organisations are increasingly managing customer experiences to promote differentiation and customer loyalty. The delivery of experience centric services requires the systematic management and design of customer experiences through the careful planning of tangible and intangible service elements in the service delivery system (Zomerdijk and Voss 2010).
A study by Magnusson, Matthing and Kristensson (2003) found that customers are valuable contributors to new service and their involvement resulted in ideas for new innovative and useful services.
Incorporating customer preferences and choices into managerial decisions is important to all service businesses because customers generally evaluate offerings on more than one criterion such as price and quality. Yet, it probably is unrealistic to think that a typical service provider can excel on all competitive dimensions simultaneously. Hence, understanding how customers integrate information about (and trade off among) different service attributes can help firms effectively position their service offerings (Verma, Thompson, and Louviere 1999).
To be competitive, Aphalodge Hotel must also support customer preferences with effective process design. A product-service package designed to appeal to the needs and desires of particular segments of customers may deliver less than the firm expects without the ability to efficiently manage, control, and improve back-end processes. Thus, customer preference information must be translated and fed back into design and day-to-day management of service processes (Zomerdijk & Voss 2010). Aphalodge in their service design should incorporate customer expectations into their service standards.
The most visible aspect of Aphalodge’s distinctive brand strategies is the “servicescape” or the physical environment where the service is delivered-the hotel design itself. The hotel’s physical facilities, equipment and other tangibles have to be attractive and effective. In addition, they have to be appropriate to their service offering. Aphalodge’s suites offer spacious luxury living, with a comfortable living room, bedroom, balcony and plush furniture with carved wooden accents, all rooms feature 32-inch flat screen satellite television with DVD entertainment system. Suites include a spacious bathroom with a deep Jacuzzi tub and separate shower (Aphalodge.com).
A study by Reimer and Kuehn (2004) showed that the servicescape plays a greater role than was supposed in most previous studies. The servicescape is not only a cue for the expected service quality, but also influences customers’ evaluations of other factors determining perceived service quality. Thus, the servicescape has a direct and an indirect effect on perceived service quality, which leads the servicescape to have a high overall effect.
Service providers should give careful consideration to their servicescape. In accordance with findings from environmental psychology, the servicescape may not remain limited to tangible elements, but must also consider ambient components such as odours and background music (Reimer and Kuehn 2004). Each room in Aphalodge hotel has a unique nature theme, such as bamboo, palm, water plants and aromatic herbs, subtly etched in the room accents (Aphalodge.com). The collection of tangible service elements specifically the physical environment in which a service is delivered or experience is created, is often considered a key variable influencing customer perceptions and behaviour (Zomerdijk and Voss 2010). Grewal, Monroe, and Krishnan (1998) support a positive relationship between customer perceptions of quality and perceived value.
7.0 Recommendations for closing two of the provider gap
7.1 Closing the Listening Gap (Gap 1) through Service Recovery
Aphalodge Hotel Service Recovery strategy is ad-hoc but mainly include corrective or no action taken.
The nature of service: its intangibility, the inseparability of service production from service delivery, and finally, its ultimate dependence on the human factor result in service recovery (Becker 2000) as being an important factor in customer satisfaction. From the customer’s point of view, the most vivid impression of service occurs in the service encounter or moment of truth, when the customer interacts with the service firm (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009). For example, among the service encounters that Aphalodge hotel customer experiences are checking into the hotel, being taken to a room by a bellboy, eating a restaurant meal, requesting a wake-up call, and checking out.

Figure 4 Service Encounter Cascade for a Hotel Visit
It could be thought of the linking of these moments of truth as a service encounter cascade (see Figure 4). It is these encounters that customers receive a snapshot of the organization’s service quality, and each encounter contributes to the customer’s overall satisfaction.
For customers who have voiced their dissatisfaction to the service provider, initial negative affect is believed to impact on the satisfaction judgement of service recovery and future repurchase intentions (Andreassen 1998). In a study done by Burton, Sheather, and Roberts (2003), they established that perceived performance is positively associated with satisfaction and that for experienced customers’, satisfaction is likely to be a function of previous encounters with the service.
Resolving customer problems effectively has a strong impact on customer satisfaction, loyalty, word-of-mouth communication, and bottom-line performance. This becomes critical as research suggest that only a portion (45 percent) complain to the people serving them and only 1-5 percent complain to management level of the company (Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler 2009). Customer’s experience with the service, have an effect on satisfaction by influencing customer’s expectations and/or their perception of performance (Mattila 1999).
Smith and Karwan (2010) went further to suggest that service organizations should understand the structural dimension of a service recovery system and take systematic approaches to developing, an effective service recovery systems. Service Recovery strategies should be planned, analysed, evaluated, and implemented as carefully and thoroughly as any other element in the hotel’s arsenal for competitive advantage (Becker 2000). Service Recovery strategies should be viewed as a means to re-establish and confirm relationships with customers (Hoffman and Chung 1999).
7.2 Closing the Service Performance Gap (Gap 3) through Human Resource Policies
To close Gap 3, Aphalodge must be effective and consistent in their Human Resource Policies (Carter 1996).
A “people” focus, within hospitality, is by no means new and successful organizations such as Marriott and Ritz Carlton have developed strong reputations for their recognition of the role which their employees play in meeting customer expectations within their sector (Baum, Amoah, and Spivack 1997).
The importance of people in the marketing of services is captured in the people element of the services marketing mix (Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler 2009, p. 351). In many cases, the contact employee is the service. Even if the contact employee does not perform the service entirely, they still personify the firm in the customer’s eyes. Service employees are the brand. Because contact employees represent the organization and can directly influence customer satisfaction, they perform the role of marketers. They physically embody the product and are walking billboards from a promotional standpoint (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009).
Today, customers expect more from the companies they do business with, and the best companies are figuring out ways to deliver on these expectations. One expectation of customers is to be treated as individuals and to be provided with the services they want, not a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Service employees are at the heart of a firm’s ability to deliver this type of customized service through their adaptive behaviours on the front line (Gwinner et al. 2005). Encouraging adaptive behaviour in the workforce starts at the point of recruitment. Those employees who are more comfortable and familiar with the task of adapting can be selected for positions requiring such behaviour. A study by Carter (1996) on Sheraton Hotel Australia affirmed that selecting employees that is suitable for the organizations structure and service philosophy is important for success in service performance.
Aphalodge to effectively deliver service quality (Zeithaml, Bitner, and, Gremler 2009), considerable attention should be focused on recruiting, hiring, training and developing employees. To deliver service, employees and system must be enabled through appropriate skills, training, and the right equipment (Bitner 1995). In addition, employee’s competitive pay, benefits and working conditions experience job satisfaction (Carter 1996). Higher job satisfaction will translate to higher productivity and improved service performance. Retention program is equally important as staff turnover, can be very high, and can be a major inhibitor for Aphalodge seeking to achieve overall enhancement of service and product quality (Baum, Amoah, and Spivack 1997).
8.0 Implementation plan
8.1 Implementation Plan to Close Gap 1 through Service Recovery

No	Description	Responsible	When	Resources	Measurement
1	Encourage and Track Complaints (Tax and Brown 1998)	Marketing	Weekly	Marketing executives	Number of complaints
2	Act quickly (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009).	Service	Daily	Front-line service employees	Time taken to act on service complaint
3	Provide adequate explanations (Berry and Seiders 2008)	Service	Daily	Front-line service employees, Managers	Customer satisfaction after Service Recovery
4	Cultivate Relationships with customers (Gwinner, Gremler,and Bitner 1998)	Service, Marketing	Daily	Frontline service employees, Managers, Marketing personnel	Number of Customer Survey Feedback and Customer Expectation data
5	Service Guarantees (Björlin- Lidén and Skalén 2003	Marketing	Yearly	Marketing Executives	Customer satisfaction Survey, Type and amount of Service Guarantees

Table 2 Implementation Plan to Close Gap 1 through Service Recovery
1. Aphalodge can encourage and track complaints by having a mindset that complaints are good, and make complaining easy (Tax and Brown 1998). A customer who does not complain to the firm when dissatisfied is cause of concern to management (Stephens and Gwinner 1998). Customer research can be designed specifically for this purpose through satisfaction surveys, critical incident studies, and lost customer research (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009).
2. Complaining customers want quick response. Thus, if Aphalodge welcomes, or encourages complaints, they must be prepared to act on them quickly (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009).
3. In many service failures, customers look to try to understand why the failure occurred. Explanations can help diffuse negative reactions and convey respect for the customer (Berry and Seiders 2008)
4. The importance of developing a mutually beneficial, customer relationship has been emphasized in marketing literature (Gwinner, Gremler, and Bitner 1998). One additional benefit of relationship marketing is that if Aphalodge fails in service delivery, those customers who have a strong relationship with Aphalodge are often more forgiving of service failures and more open to their Service Recovery efforts (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009).
5. To know how and to what extent a service guarantee affects the consumer’s buying decisions is critical (Hogreve and Gremler 2009). Furthermore, Service Guarantees provide an effective service recovery instrument (Björlin- Lidén and Skalén 2003).
8.2 Implementation Plan to Close Gap 3 through Human Resource Policies

No	Description	Responsible	When	Resources	Measurement
1	Hire the right people (Carter 1996).	HR, Marketing	Quarterly	Hiring manager, marketing manager	High number and quality applicants for job openings
2	Develop people to deliver service quality (Bitner 1995)	HR, Training	Half yearly	Trainer, Consultants	Number of trainings each employee attends per year
3	Provide needed support systems (Bitner 1995)	HR, IT, Operations	Daily	Support staff, Managers	Data/Support availability, Service failure rate
4	Retain the best people (Baum, Amoah, and Spivack 1997)	HR, Management	Yearly	Managers, Supervisors	Staff Turnover Rate.

Table 3 Implementation Plan to Close Gap 3 through Human Resource Policies
1. To get the best people, Aphalodge need to identify them and act like a marketer in competing with other’s to hire them. One way to attract the best people is to be known as the preferred employer. Strategies that support the goal of being the preferred employer include extensive training, career and advancement opportunities, excellent internal support, attractive incentives, and quality services with which the employees are proud to be associated (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009).
2. To grow and maintain a workforce that is customer oriented and focused on delivering quality, an organization must develop its employees to deliver service quality. That is, once it has hired the right employees, the organization must train and work with them to ensure service performance (Bitner 1995).
3. To be efficient and effective in their jobs, service workers require internal support systems that are aligned with their need to be customer focused. One way to encourage supportive internal service relationships is to measure and reward internal service. Service employees need the right equipment and technology to do their jobs effectively and efficiently (Bitner 1995).
4. An organization that hires the right people, trains and develops them to deliver service quality, and provides the needed support must also work to retain them (Baum, Amoah, and Spivack 1997). Employee turnover, especially when the best employees are the ones leaving can be detrimental to customer satisfaction, employee morale, and overall service quality (Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009, p. 371).
9.0 Conclusions and recommendations
Managers should recognise that a service-quality audit is a first step to service-quality analysis. The analysis can help managers identify the source and magnitude of service-quality deficiencies and assist them in deciding where to focus in service-quality improvement. It is important that managers view their organizations as an inter-dependent system of work processes. This interdependency creates internal customer relationships, and a service failure in one department may have an impact on other departments. For example, a simple room change may involve front desk, reservations, hotel operator, bell staff, and housekeeping. Finally, the recommendations made are but a sample of what service-quality improvements to be implemented. Aphalodge has to evaluate the overall service-quality gap and implement strategies to improve the service-quality of the hotel for competitive advantage.
List of references
1. Andreassen, T 1998, “Antecedents to satisfaction with service recovery,” European Journal of Marketing, vol.34 No.1/2,pp. 156-175
2. Baum, Y, Amoah, V, and Spivack,S 1997, “Policy dimensions of human resource management in the tourism and hospitality industries,” International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 9 1997, pp. 221–229
3. Becker, C 2000, “Service Recovery Strategies: The Impact of Cultural Differences,” Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, vol. 24, 4, pp. 526-538
4. Berkley, B 1996, “Designing Services With Function Analysis,” Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, vol. 20, 1, pp. 73-100
5. Berry, L, and Seiders, K 2008, “Serving Unfair Customers,” Business Horizons, vol.51, pp. 29-37
6. Bitner, M 1995, “Building Service Relationships: It's all about Promises,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 23, 4, pp. 246-251
7. Bitner, M, Faranda, W, Hubbert, A, Zeithaml, V 1997, “Customer contributions and roles in service delivery,” International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 193-205
8. Björlin-Lidén, S, and Skalén, P 2003, “The Effect of Service Guarantees on Service Recovery,” International Journal of Service Industry Management, vol. 14, pp. 36-58
9. Burton, S, Sheather, S, and Roberts, J 2003, “Reality or Perception?: The Effect of Actual and Perceived Performance on Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention,” Journal of Service Research, vol. 5, 4: pp. 292-302
10. Carter, R 1996, “Implementing the Cycle of Success: A Case-study of ITT Sheraton's Pacific Division,” Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, vol. 34, 3, pp. 111-123
11. Grewal, D, Monroe, K, and Krishnan, R 1998, “The Effects of Price-Comparison Advertising on Buyers’ Perceptions of Acquisition Value, Transaction Value, and Behavioral Intentions,” Journal of Marketing, 62 (April), pp. 46-59
12. Gwinner, K, Bitner, M, Brown, S, and Kumar, A 2005, “Service Customization Through Employee Adaptiveness,” Journal of Service Research, vol. 8, 2, pp. 131-148
13. Gwinner, K, Gremler, D, and Bitner, M 1998, “Relational Benefits in Services Industries: The Customer’s Perspective,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 26, 2, pp. 101-114
14. Hogreve, J, and Gremler, D 2009, “Twenty Years of Service Guarantee Research: A Synthesis,” Journal of Service Research, vol. 11, 4, pp. 322-343
15. Hoffman, D and Chung, B, “Hospitality Recovery Strategies: Customer Preference versus Firm Use,” Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, vol. 23, 1, pp. 71-84
16. Lovelock, L 2001, Services Marketing:People, Technology, Strategy, 4^th Edition, Prentice-Hall.
17. Magnusson, P, Matthing, J, and Kristensson, P 2003, “Managing User Involvement in Service Innovation: Experiments with Innovating End Users,” Journal of Service Research, vol. 6, 2: pp. 111-124
18. Mattila , S 1999, “An Examination of Factors Affecting Service Recovery in a Restaurant Setting,” Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, vol. 23, 3: pp. 284-298
19. Nadiri, H & Hussain, K 2005, “Diagnosing the zone of tolerance for hotel services, Managing Service Quality, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 259-277
20. Oliver, R 1980, “A cognitive model of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction decisions,” Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 17, pp. 460-9.
21. Parasuraman, A, Zeithaml, V, and Berry, L 1985, “A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research,” Journal of Marketing, Vol. 49, pp. 41-50.
22. Reimer, A, and Kuehn, R 2005, “The impact of servicescape on quality perception” European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 39 No. 7/8, 2005, pp. 785-808
23. Aphalodge 2010, website: www.Aphalodge.com, viewed at http://www.Aphalodge.com/en/property/kualalumpur/putrajayashangrila
24. Smith , J, and Karwan , K 2010, “Empirical Profiles of Service Recovery Systems: The Maturity Perspective,” Journal of Service Research, vol. 13, 1, pp. 111-125
25. Stephens, N and Gwinner, K 1998, “Why Don’t Some People Complain? A Cognitive-Emotive Process Model of Consumer Complaint Behavior,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 26, 3: pp. 172-189.
26. Tax, S, and Brown, S 1998, “Recovering and Learning from Service Failure,” Sloan Management Review, vol. 40, pp. 75-88
27. Teas, R.K 1993, “Expectations, Performance Evaluation, and Consumers’ Perceptions of Quality,” Journal of Marketing, Vol. 57 (October), pp. 18-34.
28. Teas, R. K. and DeCarlo T. E. 2004, “An Examination and Extension of the Zone-of-Tolerance Model: A Comparison to Performance-Based Models of Perceived Quality, Journal of Service Research, vol. 6, 3, pp. 272-286
29. Verma, R, Thompson, G, and Louviere, J 1999, “Configuring Service Operations in Accordance with Customer Needs and Preferences,” Journal of Service Research, vol. 1, 3, pp. 262-274
30. Zeithaml , V, Berry , L, and Parasuraman , A 1993, “The Nature and Determinants of Customer Expectations of Service” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 21, 1: pp. 1-12
31. Zeithaml, V, Bitner, M, and Gremler, D 2009, Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm, McGraw Hill.
32. Zeithaml , V, Parasuraman , A and, Berry , L 1985, “ Problems and Strategies in Services Marketing,” Journal of Marketing, vol. 49, pp. 33-46
33. Zomerdijk, L and Voss, C 2010, “Service Design for Experience-Centric Services,” Journal of Service Research, vol. 13, 1, pp. 67-82,
Appendices
Appendix 1: Blueprint for Aphalodge Hotel Overnight Stay Service

Figure 6: Blueprint for Aphalodge Hotel Overnight Stay Service (Source: Zeithaml, Bitner, and Gremler 2009)

Appendix 2: Service Quality Audit
SERVICE QUALITY AUDIT QUESTOINNAIRE – APHALODGE HOTEL PUTRAJAYA
This questionnaire is part of the Service Quality Audit study performed by a USQ MBA student for his term paper. The objective of the Service Quality Audit is to look for Service Gaps in Aphalodge hotel by applying the results to the Gaps Model of Service Quality and analyzing them. The purpose of the service quality audit is to find the service gaps and to recommend strategies to managers on closing these service gaps.
There are no right or wrong answers. The research conducted is for academic study purpose only and all company information provided will be kept private and confidential.
The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

GAPS MODEL OF SERVICE QUALITY AUDIT
For each of the following factors in the gaps, indicate the effectiveness of the organization on that factor. Using a Likert Scale of 1 to 10 scale where 1 is “poor” and 10 is “excellent”.
Customer Gap
1= Poor
10 = Excellent

How well does the company understand customer expectations of service quality?
How well does the company understand customer perception of service?

Provider Gap 1, the Listening Gap

Market Research Orientation

Is the amount and type of market research adequate to understand customer expectations of service?
Does the company use this information in decisions about service provision?

Upward Communication

Do managers and customers interact enough for management to know what customers expect?
Do contact people tell management what customers expect?

Relationship Focus

To what extent does the company understand the expectations of different customer segments?
To what extent does the company focus on relationships with customers rather than transactions?

Service Recovery

How effective are the service recovery efforts of the organization?
How well does the organization plan for service failures?

Provider Gap 2, the Service design and Standards gap

Systematic Service Design

How effective is the company’s service development process?
How well are new services defined for customers and employees?

Presence of Customer-Defined Standards

How effective are the company’s service standards?
Are they defined to correspond to customer expectations?
How effective is the process for setting and tracking service quality goals?

Appropriate Physical Evidence and Servicescape

Are the company’s physical facilities, equipment and other tangibles appropriate to the service offering?
Are the company’s physical facilities, equipment and other tangibles attractive and effective?

Provider Gap 3, the Service Performance Gap

Effective Human Resource Policies

How effectively does the company recruit, hire, train, compensate, and empower employees?
Is service quality delivery consistent across employees, teams, units and branches?

Effective Role Fulfillment by Customers

Do customers understand their roles and responsibilities?
Does the company manage customers to fulfill their roles, especially customers that are incompatible?

Effective Alignment with Service Intermediaries

How well is service intermediaries aligned with the company?
Is there conflict over objectives and performance, costs and rewards?
Is service quality delivery consistent across the outlets?

Alignment of Demand and Capacity

How well is the company able to match supply with demand fluctuations?

Provider Gap 4, the Communication Gap

Integrated Services Marketing Communications

How well do all company communications – including the interactions between company employees and customers – express the same message and level of service quality?
How well does the company communicate to customers about what will be provided for them?
Does the company avoid over-promising and overselling?
How well do different parts of the organization communicate with each other so that service quality equals what is promised?

Pricing

Is the company careful to price so high that customer’s expectations are raised?
Does the company price in line with customer perceptions of value?

Source: Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler (2009)

Appendix 3: Zone of Tolerance
Services are heterogenous in that performance vary across employees from the hotel and even within the same service employees (Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Berry 1985). The extent to which customers recognise and are willing to accept heterogeneity is termed the Zone of Tolerance (Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman 1993).
Marketer must understand not just the size and boundary levels for the zone of tolerance but also when and how the tolerance zone fluctuates for a given customer (Zeithaml, Bitner & Gremler 2009, p. 80)

Figure 5 Zone of Tolerance (Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler 2009)
Performance standards components of the Zone of Tolerance (ZOT) model may increase the explanatory power of performance-based models in the prediction of consumer satisfaction (Teas and DeCarlo 2004). The zone of tolerance thus provides a range within which customers are willing to accept variations in service delivery. Teas and DeCarlo (2004) observed that it also provides diagnostic value by capturing the range of service within which a firm meets customer expectations.

Service Quality Audit Based on the Conceptual GAPS Model of Service Quality, written by Christopher Lim

Anil Kapoor to star in Mission: Impossible 4

2010-10-10T18:29:00.000+08:00

Anil Kapoor

Anil Kapoor has been signed to an important role in one of the biggest film series of Hollywood, Mission: Impossible 4 (MI4), according to media reports.
Mission: Impossible 4 will be filmed in Dubai among other cities.

Tom Cruise

Along with Anil Kapoor and Tom Cruise, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star Michael Nykvist, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg are also said to be starring in the film.

The source said, "Anil got the confirmation this week that he's starring in MI4. Though his role is a tight secret at this point of time, it's an important one nonetheless.

MI4 adds another international feather to Anil's cap after he landed a role in Oscar winning Slumdog Millionaire followed by US TV series 24, one of the most watched television series in USA.

Anil Kapoor said: "At this point of time, I can only say that I have been contacted for Mission Impossible 4 and I have said yes to the role."
Sources said that the actor has been asked to be tight-lipped about the role by the Hollywood studio.

Why So Sad....

2010-10-09T20:12:00.001+08:00

Why So Sad....

Why so sad....
High expectations, high hope.....
Listen young, listen close......
Said I will, said I shall......
Life is not what, life is not how.....
.
Why so sad.......
I was up, I was high....
I had joy, I had hope....
Where to now, what to do....
Life goes on, life cannot stand still.....

Why so sad.....
To myself, to my own....
Solitary me, sorrow me...
Shameful me, hurting me....
Why so deep, why so blunt...

Why so sad......
Where is hope, where is joy....
Where is light, why so dark....
Why so silent, why my heart...
What went wrong, why so cruel...

Why so sad.....

Look high up, look beyond.....
Look for joy, look for hope.....
Find the hope, find the joy....
Find the peace, find the strength...

Why so sad....

Hope today, hope beyond....

Hope on give, hope on learn...
Hope on pure, hope on love...
Hope on young, hope on new...

Written by Apharock

STRESS FROM DRIVING

2010-10-07T17:16:00.001+08:00

Today is the worst day on the road if you are in PJ. Every road is snarled with traffic. Worst of all, the usual inconsiderate motorist are at their worst during these times.
What day is it today that everybody decide to go out on the road. Can't they just stay in the office and work and be productive.
It seems the bad jive is out. Even people are walking on the car path......what's wrong with walking at the pavement.
Is there someday like this where the bad jive collides to make driving hell?
Everybody seems to be in such stress. Is it the exam week? Are all the parents out there fetching their kids from school?

I am glad I finally reach home. I guess when you have a bad day, you have a bad day and nothing seems to go your way. It seems like a dark cloud just hang over your head and you have a personal dark rain cloud that pours rain on your head. Ever watch a cartoon like that? I wish that personal rain cloud would go away. I have never written like this before. I have never used my blog as my personal psychologist. Every time I see a blog such as this one I am writing, I always think that people believe that the blog is their personal psychiatrist. Today, I am using my blog as my personal psychiatrist and my blog post as my psychiatry session.

With this kind of mood and bad jive the only safe people to talk to is to the readers. Can you feel my pain.
I am also stressed from my term paper. So why do motorist have to add to this stress level. 3rd formers are having their PMR so why do motorist have to stress them out instead of letting them relax after a hard day in the exam hall? Parents are stressed from their kids having stressed and so why does motorist have to add on to that stress level.
I had to experience it three times today. Fetch my daughter at 12pm from school after her morning PMR paper, stuck in traffic snarl. Bring her back to school at 2pm for her afternoon history paper, stuck in traffic. Brought my elder daughter back from school after her form 5 trials, stuck in traffic. The worst of them all was when I went and pick my daughter up at 4pm after her history paper, the traffic got worst. I wish you motorist good luck when you are rushing hoem tonight after work.
However, please remember one thing when you are on the road, others are trying to get home or get somewhere too. Please be courteous on the road and not stressed other motorist up. There is too much stress already. And pedestrian, please walk at the sidewalk or pavement. You don't want to get knock down, do you.
Now I have to look for some papaya to eat as papaya is known to lower stress level. Luckily tomorrow, no PMR paper and no trial exam, no traffic snarl. Don't get me wrong, I mean, I like traffic but only if it traffic to my blog not the road. I don't mind traffic jam at my blog. Why don't all the traffic come to my blog instead of the road? Why don't people just stay at their office or at home and get to their computer and create traffic to my blog and keep the traffic away from the roads. That will be the solution to save the earth from carbon emission.

Cheers!

Lady Gaga and Yoko Ono - The Sun is Down - A bad video take

2010-10-05T08:55:00.001+08:00

Only suitable for Lady Gaga fans. A bad video take of Lady Gaga performing with Yoko Ono for Plastic Ono Band tribute concert.

You can see her transparent dress but no shots of her butt so sorry for those waiting for that. See Apharock's previous post if you can't get enough of her butt.

Credits to : YouTube Uploader

Compiled by Apharock

Readers Discretion Adviced: Go Gaga with Lady Gaga's Tranparent Pants

2010-10-04T21:10:00.000+08:00

Lady Gaga took the stage with Yoko Ono on Saturday night, and the pop star gave the crowd much more to admire than the duo's famous faces.
Gaga, 24, dressed in an outrageous bedazzled one-piece jumpsuit to join forces with Ono's "We Are Plastic Plastic Ono Band."

The singer's outfit deliberately flaunted her rear end, covered only by sheer panels of fabric and a smattering of crystals.

Lady Gaga exposing her rear end

I guess she save some money from buying underpants. Please don't wear this to work or college.

Compiled by Apharock

GOOD LUCK TO ALL THIRD FORMERS SITTING FOR PMR EXAMS

2010-10-03T23:03:00.000+08:00

Good luck to all third formers sitting for PMR Exams on Tuesday 5th October.

Stay cool and relax and remember to smile and the papers will smile at you.

Rest well and stay healthy and have confidence in yourself. And whatever happens, do your best and be happy.

Here is something to keep you steady and calm for the exams.

Credits to: YouTube Uploader

Compile by Apharock

APHAROCK'S FEATURED MUSIC VIDEO OF THE MONTH

2010-10-03T13:05:00.000+08:00

Apharock is starting a new category called Featured Music Video of the Month. In this category Apharock will feature his favourite music video.

Apharock listens to these music videos when researching for his term papers.

This is Apharock's Featured Music Video of the month of October -

B.o.B - Airplanes (Feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore)

Credits to: YouTube Uploader

APHAROCK'S FEATURED MUSIC VIDEO OF THE MONTH, compiled by Apharock

I AM SO LONELY I DIDN'T GET INVITES TO LUNA PARTY

2010-10-02T18:47:00.000+08:00

Who is like me tonite and didn't get a pair of invites to the Luna Party? Let's share together coz I am so lonely.

Why, because my daughter got a pair of invites and my wife gets to go instead. A girls nite out and left me all alone here.

Anyway, to remind me what I am missing I am putting the images of the party here again.

Now you know why my wife is going instead of me. It's Jojo after all.

Luna Bar in the sky: I would have enjoyed a drink overlooking the skyline of KL.

Luna Bar in the sky: What a relaxing time I would have had.....missed.

Luna Bar in the sky: They knew I would have pushed the winner into the pool or possibly jump in myself.

For those guys who got invited, please share your post with us. I really want to feel more miserable by looking at your wonderful pictures and seeing how you all enjoyed yourself without me.

Rantings by Apharock.

DiGi iPhone 4 Life

2010-10-01T19:20:00.000+08:00

DiGi iPhone 4 Life - Apharock's Life


Apharock in 1964: Apharock in diapers looking for the DiGi iPhone 4?

Apharock in 1966: Weeee, I'm going to get a DiGi iPhone 4 in 2010

Apharock in 1969: Apharock looking for the DiGi iPhone 4 on Satok bridge.

Apharock in 1971: DiGi iPhone 4 with 70's design?

Apharock in 1972: This big fish didn't get away, will the DiGi iPhone 4?

Apharock in 1974: Close your mouth Apharock, you haven't won the DiGi iPhone 4 yet & wear your shirt.

Apharock in 1981: What huge glasses you have Apharock, a DiGi iPhone 4 will go nicely with that.

Apharock in 1985: With your girl in Wave rock and looking bored? No DiGi iPhone 4 leh.

Apharock in 1991: His big day would be really complete with a DiGi iPhone 4.

Apharock in 1993: 4 generation of Apharock's. Hmmm DiGi iPhone 4 would be nice too.

Apharock in 2009: Thanks for the birthday gifts guys, I love you, but is there by any chance a DiGi iPhone 4 in there?

Apharock in 2010: DiGi iPhone 4 Life, Apharock's life.

Thanks DiGi, thanks Nuffnang.

DiGi iPhone 4 Life, created by Apharock.

Say NO to click Fraud - Spreading word to my readers

2010-09-30T21:04:00.001+08:00

IMPORTANT TO SEE MESSAGE BELOW.
Thanks to Apharock readers for your attention
========================================================================
Dear Nuffnangers,

We take a break from our regular programming to bring you a community service message about something that is rather worrying to us lately.

As you might already know, there are 2 types of Nuffnang campaigns that bloggers may earn from: Metered Cost per Impression (mCPM) Campaigns, which pay according to the number of blog visitors who view the ads running on blogs; and Cost-Per-Click (CPC) campaigns, which pay bloggers based on the number of clicks generated on the ads.

We've noticed that certain groups have been engaging click fraud, which is defined as clicking on CPC advertisements intentionally just to generate earnings for a blog's owner. We understand that some of you may just be anxious about earning some side income from displaying the banner ads, but do note that this is in fact a violation of our Terms & Conditions under Section 6.

Among some of the actions which constitute click fraud are;
- clicking on other bloggers' ads and leaving a comment behind asking/hinting to the owner to click on their ads back
- asking for blog visitors' help to click on the ads
- registering a large number of blogs and clicking on ads on each of them
- repeatedly switching to a different IP to click on own ads

Banner ads spaces are bought by advertisers to promote their advertising campaign. Ads are are only supposed to be clicked on if the viewer is interested to find out more about the advertising campaign, not for the intention of earning extra money. Merely clicking on banner ads for the intention of earning extra money would jeopardize the effectiveness of a campaign. It may seem harmless, but click fraud benefits no one in the long run because should this situation worsen, the frequency of ad campaigns might be significantly reduced as advertisers will be selective to only advertise on blogs with no records of click fraud, reducing the number of ad space available to advertisers.

Our system is capable of tracking these actions mentioned above, which are documented and if necessary, be used as evidence for any legal purposes. In the past, Nuffnang has suspended and banned various individuals and groups for involved with this offence. However, as the number of bloggers who engage in click fraud has been growing in an alarming rate within our community, we are forced to be more vigilant to bring this to an end. We would take the necessary action to preserve the quality of blogs and ad space available to advertisers so other members of the community are not affected by those who engage in click fraud.

We realize that many Nuffnangers may not be aware that they might unintentionally be involved with click fraud, therefore we ask that you please help us spread the word. If you are aware of any of your friends or other Nuffnangers who have been engaging in such acts, we would appreciate it if you could kindly educate them on the harms of engaging in click fraud activities.
Thank you for your attention.

Say NO to click Fraud.

Cheers
Robb Chew
Blogger Relations Department
Nuffanng Sdn Bhd
========================================================================

Say NO to click fraud - Spreading word to my readers.

Thanks for your understanding. From Apharock

Australia's Next Top Model Finale - Announced Winner Blunder

2010-09-29T20:11:00.002+08:00

Australia's Next Top Model Finale - Announced winner blunder by the host Sarah Murdoch. After congratulating the "winner" 19 year old Kelsey Martinovich and giving encouragement to the "runner-up" Amanda Ware, Sarah after receiving word from control over her ear-piece began to look shocked and begun muttering apologies.
After repeatedly saying "sorry", "sorry" she revealed that she had made a mistake and that Amanda was the winner of Australia's Next Top Model.
Sarah's humility in making a live-on-air mistake, Kelsey's humbleness in accepting the mistake graciously and Amanda's lighthearted reaction and candid acceptance speech make this for me, Australia's Next Top Model real and a most humbling experience.
I must admit I was never keen on the top model series but now after watching the Australia's Next Top Model Finale, I am a converted fan.

Credits: Youtube uploader

IMC PLAN - A CONCEPT PAPER FOR NISSAN HYBRID SPORTS COUPE

2010-09-28T12:57:00.003+08:00

IMC PLAN - A CONCEPT PAPER FOR NISSAN HYBRID SPORTS COUPE, by Christopher Lim
1.0 Introduction
This integrated marketing communication plan outlines the communication objectives, strategies, and tactics required for a successful execution of integrated marketing for Nissan Hybrid Car Sports Coupe. Additionally, this plan provides the framework for product launch communication activities. The 2011 Nissan 370Z Hybrid Sports Coupe will be launched in 2011 and thus production units are not readily available for public testing feedback.

2.0 Background
Company

2.1 History
Established in 1933, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. was a pioneer in the manufacturing of automobiles. Nearly 70 years later, Nissan has become one of the world's leading automakers, with annual production of 2.4 million units, which represented 4.9 percent of the global market. Domestically, the company sells 774,000 vehicles on an annual basis, placing it second behind Toyota Motor Corporation. About 35 percent of Nissan's vehicles are sold in Japan, 25 percent in the United States, and 20 percent in Europe. In the North American market, the company's top models include the Infiniti, Maxima, Altima, and Sentra passenger cars, the Quest minivan, the Frontier pickup truck, and the Pathfinder sport utility vehicle. After losing money for most of the 1990s, Nissan entered into a global alliance with Renault S.A. in March 1999, with the French company taking a 37 percent stake in Nissan. A massive restructuring was then launched (Nissan 2010).
2.2 Company’s perspective
Nissan's challenge is to enhance its corporate value and to build a corporate foundation that will enable the Company to win out in the competitive environment of the 21st century. The management team is also keenly aware of its responsibility to meet the expectations of shareholders by reinstating dividend payments as soon as possible (Nissan 2010).
2.3 Product

The all new Nissan Z sports coupe is powered by a Mercedes 2.2-liter four-cylinder E300 BlueTEC diesel-hybrid engine. This comes from a partnership between Renault-Nissan and Daimler. The gasoline hybrid is fitted with the 3.5-liter V-6 hybrid from the S400. The all new futuristic Nissan Z sports coupe hybrid was designed on a blend of performance and efficiency.
The major salient features of the all new Nissan Z sports coupe hybrid include:

High performance	The car provides a new dimension of sporty performance, enabling anyone around the globe to enjoy the pleasure of sporty driving.
Design	The innovative design boldly blends unique Z-ness in a fresh, new styling.
High value	Customers will enjoy performance, design and perceived quality far beyond what one would imagine
Efficiency	Environmentally friendly with fuel efficiency and lighter carbon footprint of a hybrid powertrain.

3.0 Communication Objectives
Objectives are important to clarify and set an objective set of targets that ought to be achieved by the planned actions. Objectives exist on three levels; Corporate, marketing and communication.
Corporate objective can be summarized as shareholder wealth maximisation and is ultimately achieved through higher profits and increased sales.
Marketing objectives are the successful introduction of a new car to the market. The 370Z hybrid was derived from a research project and its conversion to a production car might be more with the intend to improve Nissan’s image, a kind of practical socially responsibility report, showcasing Nissan’s engineering capabilities at the same time.
3.1 Communication Activities
Marketing communication activities are a vital part (Clow and Baack 2010) in achieving the above two and have to be coordinated with all other company activities (production, sales, purchasing).
- Increase the consideration of Nissan when planning a new car purchase.
- The target market should be reached as fully as possible
- Customer and Consumers have to be made aware of a new product and its brand name.
- Being a new product with a new technology, a prime objective is to educate consumers and explain the working of the 370Z hybrid and advantages of this.
- Target markets should be excited about the new 370Z hybrid and spread buzz/ word of mouth.
- Communications should motivate consumers to find out more about the 370Z hybrid; visit the website, order brochures, visit a local dealer, order a test drive.
- The 370Z hybrid should be considered as a full and valid alternative to traditional sport cars.
- Ultimately communications should lead to a purchase, a higher percentage of showroom visits should be turned into sales

In a perfect world communications will guide the target through the AIDA chain. As this product is new there are no historical data that would allow some form of trend extrapolation to determine what is possible or what is realistic. The 370Z hybrid will be launch in Japan and the USA, and followed by the EU, UK and Australian market. However, these markets may be different from the Australian with a different environment and therefore only to some degree of valid to be compared with the Japan, USA, EU and UK market.
Post campaign research which should start during the campaign and be continued in intervals to monitor the situation to determined if all or some of these objectives will be met.
With only two cars in the hybrid market the 370Z hybrid could challenge to become the market leader.

4.0 Target Market
The 2011 Nissan 370Z Hybrid Sports Coupe is a hybrid vehicle that belongs in the sports car segment. However the Nissan 370Z Hybrid Sports Coupe is a “hybrid sports coupe” therefore the market for this kind of car is very new and competition very light.

Other manufacturer offering hybrid sports coupe is Honda with 2011 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe. The CR-Z is a 1.5 liter, 16-valve 4-cylinder engine (Honda 2010).

It is the only other hybrid sports coupe car that is currently on the market but not offering the same performance as the Nissan 370Z.
Toyota has taken off the cover off of their upcoming MR2 based Hybrid Sports car. The MR2 has a 3.3 liter V6 petroleum engine. No production timeline has been made officially for the MR2 hybrid sports coupe (Toyota 2010).

A whole lot of other competitors are only offering concept hybrid sports car and production from them will not be earlier than 2012.
The market for this car is only the private consumer buyers and corporate buyers. The environmental features make the 370Z particularly interesting for corporate buyers, because of its low operating cost. Car dealers are also customers but to a lesser extent as they are not as free in their choice as other parties. They will have to buy and sell the cars what Nissan produces.
4.1 Demographic
The private consumer is the most important market. The consumer is either male or female and between 30 and 50 years old (Sangkapichai and Saphores 2009). They are either single or married with a career. They are affluent and well-informed and educated adults, classed in the AB socio-economic segment. Therefore they are in higher managerial, administrative or professional occupations and of upper middle class. Hence they are not only prepared to purchase environmentally-friendly but also able to pay more for it (higher disposable income). They either a property owner or rent privately. They are most likely to already own a sports car or similar. They are either Australian or living in Australia and of no specific ethnic or religious background.

4.2 Psychographic

Within the demographic profile three main mindsets of probable buyers could be identified.

4.2.1 Early Adopters/ Technology pioneers

- those who are interested in the latest technology/ innovation, and must be the first on the block to own this technology and embrace it.
Media Usage:
- Print: Quality Daily Newspapers (Daily Telegraph, Australian, Herald Sun, Courier Mail ), Stuff, New Scientist, Wired, Trade Press, Car Magazines
- TV: SBS, ABC, Discovery Channel
- Other: intensive use of the internet, possibly WAP (internet over the mobile), heavy cinema goer, little radio (has mp3 CD-player in car, or listens to internet radio)

4.2.2 Environmentally Friendly

- those who are recognising the environmental impact of motoring and would like to do something about it.
- those only “somewhat concerned” and seeking to express their concern and ease their conscience without causing themselves too much inconvenience. The socially aware mainstream, but more hesitant to buy new technology.
Media Usage:
- Print: Quality Daily Newspapers, National Geographic, Vanity Fair, Financial/ Business press
- TV: ABC, Channel 7, Channel 9, SBS
- Other: ABC Classic FM, Mix, occasionally use the internet

4.2.3 Performance Driven

- those who are looking for the ideal combination of high fuel economy and low maintenance while maintaining the performance of a sports car.
Media Usage:
- Print: Quality Daily Newspapers, Car Magazines
- TV: ABC, Channel7, Channel 9, Ten
- Other: Triple M , Galaxy, occasionally use the internet
- All three groups are likely to be exposed to the same degree of outdoor and ambient advertising.
It is difficult to estimate the exact size of each group, but most buyers will be a mix of all three and not only one reason will motivate a purchase. The overall size of these groups is probably fairly small and will explain why Hybrids are not more common yet.

4.3 Geographic

The private buyer will be from anywhere in Australia, but a higher share of people in New South Wales are prepared to buy a car with environmentally friendly features. This can be attributed to the problems of pollution and congestion being more widely perceived as a problem in New South Wales. Consequently the target buyer is more likely to come from an urban area or a large city.
5.0 Positioning
The 370Z is positioned in the sports car segment and for people who wants style, performance and value but thinking about the environment and the effects of carbon footprint from fossil fuel usage.
The 370Z was conceived as an “Everyday Sports Car” (Topspeed 2010) targeting segment-leading performance. The new 370Z hybrid is positioned as a performance, style and value sports car. It’s an authentic sports car that the buyer does have to make sacrifices to own or drive every day.
The 370Z’s new styling offers dual benefits – a more aggressive appearance and a tighter structure for enhanced performance. Nissan expects the 370Z hybrid to be 90 percent more fuel efficient than other competitors. The hybrid engine took six years to developed and will compete against the Honda CR-Z and the Toyota MR2

5.1 SWOT Analysis, Overview

Internal strengths

Nissan is the world’s 8th largest car manufacturer. As such Toyota has production facilities in more than 25 countries and can achieve benefits from economies of scale. Nissan uses the concept of “Just in Time” production that allows to reduce operating cost and overheads and to respond to customer demand quicker.
The yearly budget for R&D is set at ¥430 billion (Nissan 2010) for various research centres around the world. This willingness to invest has brought Nissan an innovative image and created products such as the 370Z hybrid.
Reliability and quality are regarded as Nissan’s major strength. The Altima is a top selling car.

Internal weaknesses

American buyers, yet their reputation of reliability is often not enough to convince Australian buyers who like to express themselves with their choice of car and therefore prefer cars with higher prestige from manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes, Audi or GM and Ford.

External opportunities

Concerns of the environment provides the opportunity of reduce carbon print cars (Sangkapichai 2009). Nissan could obtain the benefits of being the first in this market. The introduction of new models in growing segments in general offers opportunities.
The new medium internet (Perren 2010) offers a wide variety of opportunities for the marketing of cars but also improve communications and to reduce operating cost (i.e. online showroom, online booking of test drives, nearest dealer locator, online purchasing, e-brochures).

External threats

The major threat comes from rich and big competitors who dominate the Australian market. Indirect competition comes from alternative methods of transport of which none can really replace the convenience of the car, just as very few people are prepared to use public transport. Other government incentives are also aimed at reducing the usage of cars, e.g. tax increases and fuel prices increases. These actions can reduce the number of car purchases and reduce eventual profits.
6.0 Creative Strategy
The 370Z hybrid offers features that no other car offers. These unique selling positions should be emphasised in the promotions (Smith 1997) ) and any barriers to purchase be weakened at the same time (unique selling proposition strategy). Promotions messages are like to change over time, early promotion should concentrate on the awareness and education aspect, whereas later executions can focus on creating excitement and focus on specific benefits.

To appeal to the target market, promotions (Belch and Belch 2007) should promote the car and its users to be innovative, imaginative, bold, intelligent, revolutionary and pioneering. Identified barriers to purchase (high initial cost, unproven technology, product ignorance) should be overcome by stressing the long run efficiency, success in Japan and product information/explanation. It is important to stress that the 370Z hybrid does not need any external recharging (confusion with traditional electric vehicles) and offers the same convenience as a normal sports car, the 370Z hybrid should therefore perceived as ‘least brown’ and not ‘green’ (and all the disadvantages associated with that).
It would make sense to create different executions to target one of the three mindsets identified in the target market and emphasising their reasons to buy and refute their individual barriers to buy. This can be done in a subtle style and will not change the style of the promotion (Clow & Baack 2010). Consequently promotions should appear in media where one psychographic profile is more dominant then the others.
The tone of voice should be modern, intelligent and witty/ humours if possible, maybe screening one of the USP against a conventional competitor.
7.0 IMC Mix
There are various communication methods (Belch & Belch 2007). Two important factors have to be considered when selecting the communication for the 370Z hybrid: The type of product (high involvement) and its stage in the product life cycle (introduction). These two factors influence the consumer/customer buying behaviour and therefore the mix has to be adjusted to fit these conditions.
Public relations are essentially information within an independent medium (e.g. magazine, newspaper) that occurred because a company provided them with those (e.g. press release). Public relations are useful (Vaitalingam 2010) because they enjoy a high credibility at a low cost, but the exact message cannot be controlled. This communication form will be of major importance for the 370Z hybrid campaign as many buyers draw their information from the media. Being represented, talked about in those will be an essential step in at least being considered as a choice.
“Nissan 370Z Hybrid Sports Coupe
Innovation and Styling at its Best
Increase Performance Reduce Emission”
Personal selling is very important (MacLeod et al 1999) because a car is a high involvement product and affords more conviction for purchase which is given by PS. Personal selling will be carried out by the local dealers who in advance should have been trained to be familiar with the 370Z hybrid car (dealership launch material, conferences) and its advantages and how to overcome objections.
Personal selling will also be of major importance (MacLeod et al 1999) when targeting the corporate buying segment, because these customers buy in bulk they expect to be given a presentation by a Honda’s representative to convince them that 370Z hybrid is suitable for their purpose.
The cost of training and personal selling are assumed to be covered in dealer’s and Honda’s overheads.
Sales promotion (Belch and Belch 2007), monetary incentives to buy, is most effective to trigger a decision or purchase. SP is useful at the beginning of the product life cycle to increase acceptance or provoke a trial. Honda will be selling the 370Z hybrid at a premium. However an additional third party sales promotion mechanism has been put into place: PCFV, a government partnership backed agency, charged with encouraging cleaner fuels, will refund a AUD1000 to the first 50 buyers of the 370Z hybrid. To get the biggest benefit out of this Honda should advertise this fact. Otherwise SP should be used spontaneously once a slowdown in sales can be detected (PLC).
Advertising, a paid form of non-personal mass communication from an identified sponsor, should be the major communication mix ingredient for this campaign. Advertising is controllable, but expensive especially TV (Perren 2010). Advertising can be used to increase awareness, create interest and inform about 370Z hybrid USPs.
Customers or consumer are reached by placing adverts in their target media.
Direct mail in the form of newsletters can useful for this campaign to create awareness (pre launch) and inform or offer of opportunity to book a test drive. Honda has already a database in place but can also buy further data. Direct mail is also important when targeting the corporate buyers and provides them with detailed information about the 370Z hybrid. People who receive direct mail in error or those who are not interested in the offers might feel annoyed and lower their image of Honda.

7.1 Messages
The Nissan 370Z hybrid message is:

The message appeal to buyers whom appreciates a sports coupe, being well-heeled would like to enjoy life in the fast lane driving a high performance car. At the same time it appeals to the buyers that are not only conscious of their status in society but also the consciousness of environment and how their actions contribute to society as whole. The appeal of a hybrid car with reduce carbon emission is alluring to these buyers (Sangkapichai, M 2009).

Figure 7.1 Billboard Ad
7.2 Recommended Campaign
Pre-testing is important especially for a totally new product, to check if the message sent is conceived as intended by the target market (Clow & Baack 2010). Testing will help to determine the optimum mix between imagery and copy and reduce the risk of failure in general.
Testing with test audiences who represent the general public and the target audience should include concept, style and creative strategy of all intended communications and executions. A share of the budget has to be allocated for pre-testing.
Direct mail should be one of the first activities with pre-launch awareness letters being sent to existing Honda customers. Honda can also buy additional databases from media that their target has subscribed to (e.g. Daily Telegraph, as far as legally possible) and then filter these for the target demographic profile.
A second wave of direct mail upon the launch with more discrete information should follow and formally announce the launch of the 370Z hybrid. On this occasion the audience should be given the opportunity to either pre-order the car (benefit of Nissan loyalty) or request a test drive at a local dealer. It will have to be integrated/tuned with local dealer’s own mailing efforts. Direct mail should also be sent to corporate buyers, which ought to be included in Nissan’s database.
Direct mail should also be used in a digital form (email) to underline the 370Z hybrid contemporary image. Emails could be designed to enable to directly pre-order the car and purchase the car online, something that would appeal to the pioneer mindset. Newsletters should include detailed brochures and eventually a CD-Rom (Perren, A 2010).
Press releases and press conferences can create positive public relations (Sangkapichai 2010). These can be used for the launch and early stages of the 370Z hybrid to raise awareness and create interest for the new product just as educate the public about the 370Z hybrid’ working and advantages. Effectiveness will be increased when PR appears in media consumed by the target market. Considering the 370Z hybrid revolutionary technology media will be prepared to talk about this product and even a certain amount of requested coverage could be expected.
The 370Z hybrid will be exhibited in suitable shows and exhibitions in the motor industry to initiate some buzz and prepare the market.
Sponsorship, related to PR, offers a good opportunity later in the product life cycle, to enhance awareness and image. Especially for activities that stand for the same social benefits as the 370Z hybrid or are associated with the target group.
Advertising will be utilized as one of the most important communication methods (Greenberg 2005), along with PR. The use of TV, Print, Internet and Outdoor seems most promising to reach and affect the target market. The creative strategy will used to place advertising in target media, with slightly different executions to meet each of the three mindsets in their individual media.
Advertising will go through different stages to aware, educate and interest the target audience and then hopefully result in a dealer visit.
Personal selling (discussed above) is very important to win over both consumers and customers in the car market. Internal communication has to make sure these are executed integrated and in line with other communications.
Sales Promotion has been discussed above and a AUD50,000 mechanism is already in place (PCFV) and should suffice for the start. Providing up to 2 vehicles as prizes in several prize-draws is recommended, which should be conducted in target market consumed media.
Obviously the campaign will be a mix between push and pull, the consumer market should be driven rather by a pull predominated strategy whereas the corporate customer market is recommended by a slightly more aggressive push strategy.
7.3 Television Ad Mockup

Scene 1	Two 370Z are racing each other across the dessert
Scene 2	They swerve and turn overtaking each other creating a dusty scene
Scene 3	The scenery changes slowly from dessert to greenery with leaves and trees
Scene 4	The two 370Z are now racing each other but in a forested road
Scene 5	The two 370Z complete the race in a screeching halt but a mountainous lake with clear blue sky, crystal clear lake water and a forested mountain on the background
Scene 6	Next to the lake waters Fernando Alonso steps out of his stationary silver 370Z. Cameron Diaz steps out of the other red 370Z steps.
Final Scene	They look at each other smiling and the message comes across the screen “Nissan 370Z Hybrid Sports Coupe Innovation and Styling at its Best Increased Performance Reduce Emission”

8.0 Media Strategy
8.1 Vehicle Selection
TV is a favourite medium because of its wide reach and its high impact that is useful for showcasing a high impact product such as a car. The volume of TV ads however is limited by its costs but popular target group programmes (consult research) and times should be used as extensively as possible (Perren 2010). Identified TV stations: ABC, SBS, Channel 7, Channel 9
Print adverts will be placed in quality newspapers and especially their weekend supplements (back cover & second page). Additional ads are placed in car industry magazines and those read by the target group.
Titles identified to read by the target audience: Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier Mail, Financial Times, National Geographic, Stuff, New Scientist, Vanity Fair, MotorTrend, Automobile, CarandDriver, RoadTrack etc.
PR activities will concentrate on target audience print publications but also involve TV programmes that deal with cars (Top Gear, 5^th Gear, new technology programmes) the environment and maybe even radio programmes. Press releases will be provided to car industry and target group used media (see above).
Outdoor billboards should be placed in urban areas to reach the broad audience of car drivers at a low cost. Placing these at busy junctions will complement TV and print advertising and be visible where the 370Z hybrid is of best use: on the street.
Internet plays an important role (Vaitilingam 2010), direct mail will be sent as email where possible and enable buyers to purchase the 370Z hybrid online. A 370Z hybrid specific microsite will offer all information e-brochures for download. All adverts should bear the 370Z hybrid web address to make it easy for users to find.
Direct mail and sales promotion have been discussed above.
We will not use cinema because a low usage amongst our target has been detected and the extra expenses are not likely to pay off. Directories are not suitable for the image of the 370Z hybrid. Regional press will not be considered because traditionally these media are used by local dealers. Radio advertising might be useful but we feel that radio will not be able to exert the necessary impact to convince; the 370Z hybrid should be visible to make sure the audience understands that it is a modern and full car.
8.2 Media Budgets
It is important to notice that marketing communications should start before the product is actually launched, for launch activities to unfold their full potential. Even long before that all departments that contribute to the product and communication will have to meet regularly to tune into an integrated strategy (Gooding & Metz 2010).
Pre-Launch: The setup of a microsite round the 370Z hybrid will happen once the 370Z hybrid has been shown on exhibitions. Direct mail will be sent before and after the launch. PR will be provided scarcely before and fully after Launch. Advertising and will set in once the product is available. TV adverts will start in a ‘wedge pattern’ (initial ‘Blitz’)(Rossiter and Danaher 1998) and flow into a ‘awareness pattern’ (Rossiter and Danaher 1998) after six months to maintain awareness for a product that has a long purchase cycle and a long decision time.
Considering the small target group of the 370Z hybrid and the small projected sales figures a budget of AUD9million over three years seems appropriate, however we would recommend to re-allocate the budget. AUD4m should be spent in the first year, AUD3m in the second and AUD2m in the third. That way the launch period communications can be intensified. Three years are also likely to correspond to the approximate life of this car model since car manufacturer have increased their model output to keep demand high.
8.3 Scheduling

9.0 Evaluation
Post-testing (during and after campaign) is important because it helps to evaluate the actual success of the campaign (was the money worth spending, were objective achieved) and feedback can also help when planning future campaigns (Belch & Belch 2007).
Post-testing will be conducted by an agency that specialises in conducting surveys to determine the public’s reaction to the communications. These tests should include the recognition/ awareness of adverts, recall rate and how it has influenced people’s feelings/ attitude. Was the target group reached and was the right message received?
These results can then be compared with results measured before the campaign launch to state the impact the campaign had. Budget has to be allocated for this.
10.0 Summary
We recommend a communications strategy that makes use of advertising, PR, new media and direct mail. Personal selling will be provided by the existing network of local dealers. Advertising will use TV, Print and outdoor media to initiate purchases. The Internet will play an important role for both advertising and direct mail, using a modern medium to underline the advanced character of this car.
However, this plan is only a model/ plan, and not definitive, it can and is likely to change especially if pre or post-testing give negative results.
Before realizing the proposed action a long planning period with frequent meetings of all parties is necessary to ensure the integrity and unanimous messages of the campaign.

References
1. Belch, G & Belch, M 2007, “Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective”, McGraw-Hill
2. Clow, K, & Baack, D, 2010, “Integrated Advertising,Promotion, and Marketing Communications”, Pearson.
3. Gooding, J & Metz, B 2010, “Connecting the Dots between Consumer Protection, Skepticism, and Science, Science Activities, vol. 47, pp.41-46
4. Greenberg, K 2005, “Auto Mobility”, MediWeek, Vol. 15, Issue12
5. Honda 2010, Retrieved September 10, 2010 from http://automobiles.honda.com web site: http://automobiles.honda.com/cr-z/
6. MacLeod, MD.; Garber, J, Lawrence, L, Dotson, MJ, Chambers, TM 1999, “The Use of Promotional Tools in the Motor Carrier Inductry: An Exploratory Study”, Transportation Journal, Vol. 38 Issue 3, p42-56, viewed 15 September 2010 EBSCOhost, Academic Search Complete, item: AN1843239
7. Nissan 2010, “Annual Report 2010”, Nissan, Japan
8. Nissan, Retrieved September 10, 2010 from www.nissan-global.com web site:http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/COMPANY/
9. Perren, A 2010, “Business as Unusual: Conglomerate-Sized Challenges for Film and Television in the Digital Arena”, Journal of Popular Film & Television, Vol. 38 Issue 2, p72-78, viewed 16 September 2010 EBSCOhost, Academic Search Complete, item: AN52016830
10. Pickton, David and Broderick, Amanda. 2001. Integrated Marketing Communications. Harlow: Prentice Hall
11. Rossiter, J. and Danaher, P. 1998. Advanced Media Planning. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
12. Smith, G 1997, “What is your USP?”, Australian Artist, Vol. 13 Issue 10, p14, viewed 14 September 2010 EBSCOhost, Academic Search Complete, item: AN9709070894
13. Sandkapichai, M 2009, “Transportation and the Environment: Essays on Technology, Infrastructure, and Policy”, eScholarship University of California Transportation Center, UCTC Dissertation No. 155,University of California
14. Sangkapichai, M & Saphores, J 2009, “Why are Californians interested in hybrid cars?”, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, vol.52, issue 1, pp.79 - 96
15. Toyota 2010, Retrieved September 10, 2010 from web site: http://www.toyota.com
16. Vaitilingam, R 2010 “Developing a Media Strategy”, Economic and Social Research Council
IMC PLAN - A CONCEPT PAPER FOR NISSAN HYBRID SPORTS COUPE, written by Christopher Lim

DiGi iPhone 4 Real

2010-09-26T13:27:00.000+08:00

If you fail to plan, you plan to......wait....do not fret,

DiGi has a Plan for you


Most affordable plan, click for more

iDiGi Postpaid Plans

Thanks DiGi for the plan. I like the iDiGi 88 plan especially. The wonderful plan doesn't stop there. If I feel that my communication needs have expanded I can choose to upgrade after 90days from the current iDiGi plan to iDiGi 138 or iDiGi 238.

Save with iDiGi Plans

Free local calls, Free Internet, 0% installment payment plan and low monthly fees. This iDiGi plan is crazy and if you and I Failed to Plan, better still, coz DiGi already planned for me and you to save and still enjoy all our communication needs.

DiGi has also facilitated a comprehensive payment plan. We can choose to pay cash (for the loaded people) or pay by credit card. They also have a plan to pay in installments (EPP) with 0% interest. Check it out below.

Cash and Credit Card Payment Option

Easy Payment Plan Option

So, what are you waiting for. Be one of the first in Malaysia to own an iPhone 4 from DiGi.

iPhone 4

I am not waiting......no.....I am waiting.....waiting for the phone from DiGi when I win the contest but if not....then I will rush to the nearest DiGi store for one.

DiGi iPhone 4 Real

Yes for real, get the iDiGi Plan and the iPhone 4 right now from DiGi.

DiGi iPhone 4 Real, created by Apharock

DiGi iPhone 4 Play

2010-09-25T20:02:00.001+08:00

When I travel to Paris I usually book into good hotels, 5 star hotels at least. I especially like the Hilton which is located at a strategic position.

After a whole day business meetings with client I will go for a swim in Paris Hilton. The pool is nice and warm and I love to lay there by the poolside and then read through my favourite news.

Luckily for me, my iPhone 4 has the cool apps: Entertainment Tonight - ET

iPhone 4 ET apps

I can keep up with today’s hottest celebrities using Entertainment Tonight. Get the latest news and gain access to set visits, upcoming projects, and have one-on-one interviews with my favorite stars.

I can keep updated on what's happening with Paris Hilton. She's hot!

iPhone 4 ET view

Too bad she canceled her trip to Malaysia.

At least I can still keep track of the Hollywood happenings from my iPhone 4. What will I do without the iPhone 4 ET - Entertainment tonight apps. So hot!!

iPhone 4

Thanks DiGi for the phone. You're so hot!

DiGi

DiGi iPhone 4 Play, written by Apharock

DiGi iPhone 4 me

2010-09-24T17:03:00.002+08:00

Why I want an iPhone 4 from DiGi?

Who doesn't want an iPhone 4. Free from DiGi, of course I want.

Look at my old phone. Don't get me wrong. It serve me well for 3 years, still has a 2 megapixel camera. Lost the cable though long time ago so cannot download any pictures taken.

Good ole buddy

Look at that poor phone, the screen coming out. Compare to this below.

iPhone 4

What.., are you kidding me. You beauty. Sorry ole buddy, I have to say goodbye.

I especially love the camera of the iPhone 4.

iPhone 4 with 5 megapixels in-built camera

You betcha, I don't have to fork our RM2xxx for a DSLR. The 5-megapixel camera built into iPhone 4 — with optional HDR setting — captures amazingly detailed images. A built-in LED flash illuminates low-light scenes. And the 5x digital zoom gets me closer to the action. I will never miss another photo opportunity. I can even shoot self-portraits with the front camera.

And what about apps?

iPhone 4 Apps: iBooks

I absolute desire the iPhone 4 for the apps: iBooks. I can download now and its free. I can read my favorite books anywhere. On iPhone 4, the high-resolution Retina display renders every page beautifully. Vibrant colors, rich illustrations, and crisp, sharp text make reading a pleasure.

iPhone 4 iBooks supports PDF format

iBooks also supports PDFs, so I can sync my reference papers in PDFs and read them using iBooks.

I could continue with a long list of iPhone features and Apps that has me drooling but "iPhone 4", "you got me at camera and iBooks".

Written by, Apharock

WE ARE PROUD OF YOU DATUK NICOL ANN DAVID

2010-09-23T17:44:00.001+08:00

Datuk Nicol David overjoyed with her 5th World Open squash title

Datuk Nicol David did Malaysia proud again by winning the 2010 World Open squash title. Malaysian sports superstar Datuk Nicol David has equalled the record of five World Open squash titles held by Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald.

Datuk Nicol David cruised to a 11-5 11-8 11-6 victory over Egyptian fourth seed Omneya Abdel Kawy in Wednesday's final crushing the home crowd's hopes of a win.
It was the latest chapter in the 27-year-old's illustrious career, which was marked earlier this month by her 50th successive month atop the world rankings.

"My focus was strong throughout the tournament," said David after the successful defense of the title in which she did not drop a single game.
"I really wanted this. I didn't want to let it slip.
"It's amazing that I can do something that Sarah has done, because she's such a great player."

David, now the winner of 48 WISPA World Tour titles from 63 finals, will now fly to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games as overwhelming favourite to capture the only significant title missing from her collection.

Good luck for the upcoming Commonwealth games, we are proud of you Datuk Nicol Ann David.

TODAY APHAROCK CELEBRATES MOONCAKE FESTIVAL

2010-09-22T21:42:00.000+08:00

Today we celebrate a festival popularly known in Malaysia as Mooncake Festival. It is also known as Mid-Autumn festivals for countries that has four seasons. We here in Malaysia only have summer all year round, so mooncake festival it is.

Most years as far as I know the moon is covered by the clouds and today it was pouring and again the moon is hiding herself. But it would not be a mooncake festival post if I don't at least insert an image of the moon so here it is.

Full moon sitting on top the Tokyo Tower, Japan

I took this photo the last time I visited Tokyo Tower and it was a perfect moonlit might with the moon sitting right perfectly on top the Tokyo Tower.

Mooncake festival must of course have mooncake. It come in all sorts of packaging and I think the packaging cost more than the cake themselves.

Mooncake packages

Mooncake

Lotus with single egg yolk mooncake

Mocha mooncake

You have all sorts of typesof moon cake and the above pictures I have shown two types. For the children, the best time of the mooncake festival is the lantern playing time.

Lantern set up

The whole neighbourhood join in the fun

Lantern strung up on bushes

Traditional lanterns are still the best

Even if you don't celebrate mooncake festival, take your partner's hand and go for a romantic stroll under the full moon.

Happy Mooncake Festival to all from Apharock.

FIRST BUFFERED EARNING CAME AND ZOOM AWAY FASTER

2010-09-21T20:20:00.000+08:00

I finally got my first buffered earning after two months of blogging. Quite an achievement since I never expected it.

Apharock first buffered earning

But before I can jump for joy and say hurrah, it left in a hurry and I never saw it back again.

I miss you buffered earning, when are you coming back again...sniff sniff.

Latest Viral Video in YouTube, Hand Dancing

2010-09-20T19:59:00.004+08:00

You've heard of tap dancing, ballroom dancing, heck dancing with the stars. Have you ever of hand dancing. Watch the video below of the latest viral video in Youtube called hand dancing.

From Youtube: Performed and choreographed by Suzanne Cleary & Peter Harding

Credits to: Youtube Uploader

By Apharock.

2011 HONDA CR-Z HYBRID SPORTS COUPE FEATURED CAR FOR SEPTEMBER

2010-09-16T01:35:00.001+08:00

It is time to go green.Even when it comes to sports car, the trend is pointing towards green cars.

2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid Sports Coupe featured car for September

Photos: With such a sleek body, the CR-Z is both aerodynamically efficient and aesthetically pleasing

Photos : Exciting rear view

Photos : The rear hatch provides easy access for items both large and small

Photos : Aggressive front design sets this hybrid apart

Photos : Available HID headlights give the driver great visibility at night

Photos : It may not look the part but it is a hybrid

Photos : LED brake lights add to the high-tech feel of the CR-Z as well as providing enhanced visibility to other drivers.

Under the hood, you'll find the eager 1.5-liter, 16-valve, i-VTEC^® 4-cylinder engine with IMA

Photos : The CR-Z's interior was designed for functionality and to enhance the driving experience.

Photos : Silver-mesh sport seats are both comfortable and supportive

Photos : Driver-centric controls are within easy reach

Photos : Steering-wheel mounted controls provide convenient access to the most-used features

Photos : The standard automatic climate control allows you to set the temp and forget it

Photos : With the 3-mode drive system the driver can customize the CR-Z's performance

Photos : The tachometer color provides a visual reminder of your driving performance. In both Normal and ECON™ mode, the glow transitions between blue and green. In Sport mode the color stays red.

Photos : The Eco Guide monitors and rewards efficient driving habits

Photos : The audio system offers compatibility to a number of different music storage devices.

Photos : The available Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with Voice Recognition helps you get where you need to go.

Photos : The CVT takes the simplicity and ease of an automatic transmission and adds the option of control.

Photos : Textured aluminum pedals give the CR-Z EX a racier feel.

Photos : The navigation screen provides the added convenience of displaying song and track information.

Photos : 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid Sports Coupe in red

2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid Sports Coupe featured car for September, By AphaRock

I MUST HAVE MY CHILLI

2010-09-15T17:26:00.002+08:00

I must have my chilli.

Photos : Cilli

In any meal, if I don't have chilli as a condiment, the food seems a little bland and the feeling not quite satisfying. And not any mild chilli for me but the cili padi. I tried the habanero which you can sometimes get from the wet market but I don't quite like the taste. The Thai cilli is similar to our cili padi and nowadays, the really small cili padi seems a bit hard to find. What we find mainly are the ones in the picture which I bought fresh from the market and I am glad they are rather cheap. Some fact about chilli below.
Chilli Intensity
The "heat" of chili peppers is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU), which is the number of times a chili extract must be diluted in water for it to lose its heat. Bell peppers rank at 0 SHU, New Mexico green chilis at about 1,500 SHU, jalapeños at 3,000–6,000 SHU, and habaneros at 300,000 SHU. The record for the hottest chili pepper was assigned by Guinness World Records to the naga jolokia (from northeastern India), measuring over 1,000,000 SHU. Pure capsaicin, which is a hydrophobic, colorless, odorless, and crystalline-to-waxy solid at room temperature, measures 16,000,000 SHU. (What's the measurement of cili padi?)
Nutritional Value
Red chillis contain high amounts of vitamin C and carotene (provitamin A). Yellow and especially green chilis (which are essentially unripe fruit) contain a considerably lower amount of both substances. In addition, peppers are a good source of most B vitamins, and vitamin B₆ in particular. They are very high in potassium, magnesium, and iron. Their high vitamin C content can also substantially increase the uptake of non-heme iron from other ingredients in a meal, such as beans and grains.
Source: Wikipedia

Photos: Bottled Chilli

Fresh chillis give me a certain zing in my mouth when accompanied with tasty food and especially rice or noodles. It somehow brings out the flavour of the food I am eating when accompanied with a little fresh cut chillis. When fresh chillis are not available there's always bottled chilli sauce. I have all sorts for different meal types. Chili sauce is especially a must with fried meehoon/beehoon (vermicelli). I don't go for the sweet type as you can see from the bottle, they must be the hottest ones, cili padi sauce.
At least I know that not only I enjoy my food more but at the same time I am getting my vitamins and iron intake by having chilli with my meal. Whatever meal time it is, breakfast, lunch or dinner, I must have my chilli.

ROLE OF THE ORGANISATION'S CULTURE AND DESIGN IN THE CHANGE PROCESS

2010-09-14T22:27:00.003+08:00

Photos:
Role of the Organisation's Culture and Design in the Change Process
Organisation Design

The process of choosing and implementing a structural configuration is referred to as organisational design. Some particular factors will have impact on the choices made when designing the organisation: scale; technology; environment and strategy. Organisational design involves the choices made about how to structure the organisation, and the implementation of those choices.¹⁰
An effective organisational design reflects powerful external forces as well the desires of employees and managers. In time of change, investments quickly become outmoded and internal operations no longer work as expected. The obvious organisational design response to uncertainty and volatility is to opt for a more flexible structure. However, these pressures may run counter to those that arise from large size and technology and the organisation may continue to struggle while adjusting its design a little at a time. In a change process, it is imperative to consider the organisational design for an effective organisation.
Based on Flood⁴, it has been argued that organisational change² can be classified into four types of which changes in organisational functions, their organisation co-ordination and control are one of them. For example, there may be changes in horizontal and vertical structures; in the decision systems or policy and resource allocation mechanisms; and in the criteria used for recruitment, appraisal, compensation and career development³.
In developed industrial societies, for example, there is evidence that organisational forms tend to be changing from the rational bureaucratic structures to a flexible, network-based configuration, characterised by a flat authority structure and multiple horizontal linkages between the inner core of a firm and its outside suppliers, contractors and customers.⁶

Organisation Culture
Organisational culture refers to a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organisation from other organisations. This system of shared meaning is a set of key characteristics that the organisation values.⁷ Culture performs a number of functions within an organisation.
First, it has a boundary-defining role; that is, it creates distinction between one organisation and others. Second, it conveys a sense of identity for organisation members. Third, culture facilitates the generation of commitment to something larger than one’s individual self-interest. Fourth, it enhances the stability of the social system. Finally, culture serves as a sense-making and control mechanism that guides and shapes the attitudes and behaviour of employees.
Culture is a liability when shared values are not in agreement with those that will further the organisations’ effectiveness. This is most likely to occur when an organisation’s environment is dynamic.⁸ Historically, the key factors that management looked at in making acquisition or merger decisions were related to financial advantages or product synergy. In recent years, cultural compatibility has become the primary concern.¹
The merging of distinct cultures also presents challenges for an organization implementing a merger. When a cultural change is pervasive, permanent, and implemented suddenly, the transformation for people in the organization can be troubling.⁹ While a favourable financial statement or product line may be the initial attraction of an acquisition candidate, whether the acquisition actually works seems to have more to do with how well the two organisations’ cultures match up. Fulop et. al ⁵ in their study of the context and processes of provider mergers in the NHS in England found that the difficulties in the merger process included perceived differences in organisational culture and perceptions of ‘takeover’ which limited sharing of ‘good practice’ across newly merged organisations. Merger policy was based on simplistic assumptions about processes of organisational change that do not take into account the dynamic relationship between the organisation and its context and between the organisation and individuals within it.
Reference
1. Buono, AF & Bowditch, JL 1989, The Human Side of Mergers and Acquisitions: Managing Collisions Between People, Cultures, and Organizations, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco
2. Cao, G, 2001, Contemporary Systems Thinking and Organisational ChangeManagement, PhD thesis,University of Luton
3. Cao, G & Mc Hugh, M 2005,’A systemic view of change management and its conceptual underpinnings’, Syst. Pract. Action Res., vol.18, issue 5, pp. 475–490
4. Flood, RL 1995, Solving Problem Solving, Wiley, UK, cited in Cao, G & Mc Hugh, M 2005,’A systemic view of change management and its conceptual underpinnings’, Syst. Pract. Action Res., vol.18, issue 5, pp. 475–490
5. Fulop, N, Protopsaltis, G, King, A, Allen, P, Hutchings, A & Normand, C,’ Changing Organisations: a study of the context and processes of mergers of health care providers in England’, Social Science & Medicine, Jan, vol. 60, issue 1, pp. 119-130
6. Reed, MI & Hughes, M 1992, Rethinking Organization: New Directions in Organisation Theory and Analysis, Sage, London, pp. 1–15
7.Robbins, SP & Judge, TA 2009, Organizational Behaviour:13^th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
8. Sorensen, JB 2002,’The Strength of Corporate Culture and the Reliability of Firm Performance’, Administrative Science Quarterly, November, pp. 70-91
9. Trice, H & Beyer, J 1993, The Culture of Work Organizations, Englewood Cliffs, Prentice-Hall,
10. Wood, J, Zeffane, R, Fromholtz, M & Fitzgerald, J 2006, Organisational Behaviour: Core Concepts and Applications, John Wiley & Sons Australia
Role of the Organisation's Culture and Design in the Change Process, Written by Christopher Lim

ANOTHER LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOON

2010-09-12T16:52:00.003+08:00

It was another lazy Sunday afternoon for me. It is not unlike any other Sunday's though. I wish I could laze in the pool under the coconut tree but that was last week when we were at Cherating. My wife prepared lunch, not bad for her first try at spaghetti olio and chicken parmigiana.

Photos: Apharock Chicken Parmigiana with cheese on the oven grill

Photos: Apharock Grilled chicken parmigiana with more parmesan cheese on top of the melted mozarella cheese

Photos: Apharock Chicken parmigiana served with spaghetti olio. A perfect Sunday lunch.

Photos: Food & Tea Hong Kong cafe @ Tropicana City Mall 1st Floor

Photos: Nice comfy chairs to chit chat or just chill

Photos: Lemon Juice to cool you down

Photos: Apharock strawberry slush

Photos: Playing PSP FIFA World Cup on comfy chairs

Photos: Hong Kong waterfront view photo to make you feel at home in a Hong Kong style cafe.

Another lazy Sunday afternoon, Compiled by AphaRock

Are You Moist Enough?

2010-09-10T14:08:00.000+08:00

I dislike dry skin especially my dry skin on my legs and hands.

Hey I don't want my skin to feel like this crinkly stuff. It doesn't smell, thank goodness but it does itch when it is dry and my wife would not dare get near me let alone touch my skin. That is horrible.

Don't think I was not using any moisturiser. Maybe not mine, but I do secretly use my wife's moisturiser. Let me tell you, not one but a dozen of them. Somehow, it doesn't work for my skin.

Maybe I should throw them away, but then my wife would know that I have been using them and now throwing them away too.

Well, what do you know,I saw an ad on my blog.

It was a Nuffnang ad from Vaseline with the question "Are you moist enough?".

It was an ad on their range of skin moisturizer including Total Moisture, Healthy White, Intensive Rescue, and Aloe Cool and Fresh. It asked me to scratch my skin to see whether it leaves a scratch mark. I don't have to tell you how much scratch my skin had after a scratch.

My skin before I went out to buy me a bottle of the Vaseline Intensive Rescue Moisture Locking Lotion for RM12.90 at the local pharmacy. Help, my skin needs rescue immediately.

Apply the Vaseline Intensive Rescue Moisture Locking Lotion on my dry skin.

Rub the Vaseline lotion all over my arm.

Almost immediately I can see the moistness and feel the cool smoothing Intensive Rescue lotion on my hand. See the difference yourself and this is only after one application.

It was worth the money and my skin feels good. I am happy and so does my wife.Why it is she who is now secretly using my Vaseline Intensive Rescue, don't think I don't know :-)

Well what do you know, it gets better. If I can tell them – Are You Moist Enough? – in the most creative way possible, I could win invites to the Celebration of Amazing Skin by Vaseline poolside party, exclusively for Nuffnangers! Woo hoo, I love it.

Of course my submitted blog post have to be one of 75 best written blog posts and I will win a pair of invites to the poolside party at Luna Bar.

I hope so, coz I am going to meet and listen to these fabulous artistes in person. Like Wow.

It gets better. Look at the prizes below for the best written posts.

Best Written Blog Posts
1st Prize – RM3,000 cash + Vaseline products
2nd Prize – RM2,000 cash + Vaseline products
3rd Prize – RM1,000 cash + Vaseline products
5x Consolation Prizes – RM200 cash + Vaseline products

During the party itself, there’ll be prizes for games and lucky draws too! I hope to be there with body covered in Vaseline body lotion to look absolutely glowing at the party, but maybe I could pose as a female because the female blogger with “The Most Vibrant Skin” will win a Coach Handbag worth RM2,000!

Details of the Celebration of Amazing Skin by Vaseline party are as below:
Date: 2 October 2010 (Saturday)
Time: 5pm – 9pm
Venue: Luna Bar
Dress Code: Green, Yellow, Pink or White (Killer heels are optional; elegance is a must – it’s the cocktail party of the year!)

So Nuffnagers, don't forget to put your post in before the dateline or I will surely win them all, yeah!

Special thanks to Nuffnang.com and Vaseline for organising this contest. You truly gave us the best blogging community in Asia Pacific.

Cheers!

WHY I LOVE HARI RAYA

2010-09-08T16:51:00.002+08:00

Although I don't celebrate Hari Raya I wish I could and I will tell you why I love Hari Raya.

1. FOOD

Photos:Abundance of Traditional Malay food

Photos: During Ramadhan period, pasar Ramadhan sells home based cooked meals.

Photos: Locals sellingMalay cusine of various taste.

Photos: Nasi Minyak & Nasi Dagang

Photos: Ayam Masak Merah

Photos: Grilled Burung Puyuh

Photos: Nasi Kerabu

Photos: Ayam Percik on the grill

My all time favourite food for Hari Raya are:

Photos: Beef Rendang and Chicken Rendang

Photos: Lemang slowcooked on open food fire

Photos: Jelly Cake

Photos:Pandan flavour Jelly Cake

Photos: Sago Jelly Cake

Photos: Freshly made Popiah

2. HARI RAYA SONGS

I just love the nostalgia and that Balik Kampung feel when you hear these songs.

Create a MySpace Playlist at MixPod.com

Don't believe me, have a listen.

3.Hari Raya Decorations and Lights

Photos: Raya lights for pavement

Photos: Ketupat Decorative Lights

Photos: Ketupat with Coconut Shells Decoration

Photos:Plastic Tropical Flowers

Photos: Raya deco in Tropicana City Mall, PJ

Photos: Mock Palm Tree with Huge Ketupat Deco

And finally, why I love Hari Raya is beacuse of the long holidays and the many open houses by friends. So see you in the open house and to all Muslim readers,

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI, MAAF ZAHIR DAN BATIN

Why I Love Hari Raya, compiled by AphaRock

THE BEAUTY OF MALAYSIA'S NATURE WALK

2010-09-08T10:24:00.000+08:00

This post I would like to call The Beauty of Malaysia's Nature Walk. It is merely images of Malaysian Nature from my recent trip to Pahang and Terengganu.

Flower by the road.

Conifer trees by the beach.

Long stretch of sandy beaches along the coast of East Malaysia.

Chalets among the coconut grove.

Moss on rocks.

Ferns on a water fountain.

Hibiscus, Malaysia's national flower.

Monkey walking the wire.

Koi Fishes.

Flowering Fern.

Snail on the slide after the rain.

Crab by the beach.

Water plant.

Fruting Mango tree.

Banana Fruit.

Monkey by the road.

Yellow flowers aplenty in Malaysia.

Thorny flower.

Paper flower.

Trained monkey to pluck coconuts. Noticed the coconut on the ground and the owner walking around picking it up.

Could not catch a good shot but it actually is a shot of a hornbill on the oil palm tree. Maybe just a tiny glimsp of his yellow white beak. I didn't know they actually live in this parts of the country.

JOURNEY FROM CHERATING TO KUALA TERENGGANU

2010-09-06T22:26:00.000+08:00

On the second day of our vacation in Cherating we decided to make a trip up north towards Kuala Terengganu. We started our journey around 10:30am and along the way we made a few stops.

Our first stop was the Turtle Sanctuary which was located just next to Club Med Cherating.

It is a Sanctuary for young turtles.

And baby turtles.

Of course you cannot leave the place with buying a toy turtle souvenir.

We continued our jouney passed Kemaman town and right outside Kamaman town we saw a Gerai Lemang and decided to stopped to get some.

They were selling an interesting food called Sata.

We couldn't wait. Immediately ate the lemang with dried beef. It was the best lemang in my life, soft and coconut flavoured rice was just exquisite. Sata was actually fish paste on banana leaf and panggang (grilled) with a hint of spice.

Next, we went and checked out Awana Golf Resort Hotel.

Lobby area.

Awana swimming pool.

Beach actvities at Awana.

We passed the Petronas Oil Refinery Plant at Kerteh.

At the fringe of Kuala Terengganu we stopped at the famous Floating Mosque of Kuala Terengganu. A magnificent sight indeed.

When we reached Kuala Terengganu at around 4:30pm we got caught in a traffic crawl which was worst than KL's and so we decided not to stop coz we had to get back to Cherating and I hate to drive at night and thus no photos taken of KT but this roadside sea creatures.

This is the images of my Journey from Cherating to Kuala Terengganu.

Ramadhan Bazaar Pasar Balok near Cherating

2010-09-05T22:12:00.000+08:00

In the evening in Cherating instead of having dinner in the hotel we thought that we'd explore the many Ramadhan Bazaar in Cherating that had sprouted due to the Ramadhan period.

This Bazzar which we chance upon is about 10 minutes drive from Holiday Villa Cherating. It is located in Pasar Balok next to Sungai Balok.

A RM2.00 murtabak.

The giant size murtabak is priced at RM6.00, and I mean huge.

We have the Ayam Percik in KL and Perak and in Cherating, they have the Ayam Golek. This Ayam Golek is ala Thai and priced at RM18 each.

This is the Ayam Golek Madu (Honey) roasting on hot charcoal. The smell could drive you nuts.

This is bizzare food for some;grilled bishop's nose, buntut ayam or kai put and grilled hati ayam or chicken heart. Very yummy I assure you but we passed this time round.

And lots of local spicy delicacies.

Our collection of food for dinner from the Ramadhan Bazaar Pasar Balok.

RM3.00 murtabak that had onion, potatoes and huge chunks of chicken meat. Two huge chilli squid at RM7.00.

Gulai Nanas (Spicy Pineapple) at RM2.00 and Nasi Merdeka (Independence Rice) at RM4.00 which comes with a huge portion of yummy grilled spiced chicken meat.

RM1.50 worth of fried noodle.

And finally, Nasi Dagang with Beef Rendang @ RM3.50 (not a typo, very cheap) and grilled honey chicken pieces at RM2.00.

Total dinner cost RM23.00; cheap, delicious and very satisfying...buuurpp. Excuse me.

If you are down here in Cherating this week for the holidays before Raya, do check out the Ramadhan Bazzar Pasar Balok near Cherating.

HOLIDAY TRIP TO HOLIDAY VILLA CHERATING FIRST DAY

2010-09-04T21:39:00.000+08:00

Today, made a trip with the family to Cherating Beach Pahang, which is around 30km away from Kuantan.

Ha ha, when I travel with my two daughters, son and my wife, it seems even for a trip from PJ to Cherating for 4days 3 nights seems line a picnic and two weeks of clothes packed.

The car is totally packed. I'm glad I have an Alza, everything can go in, no problem.

Staying in Holiday Villa Cherating, which is our first time. Booked a family type room which comes with a lounge area. Notice the lounge chair can double up as a pull out double deck twin bed. Not bad.

It also has a dining table and chairs. On the right you may notice a kitchen sink for washing. Means can "ta pau" and eat-in. I like.

Two rooms, one with two singles and the other a queen bed. With the pull-out bed in the lounge, six people can stay in this family room.

Checking out the pool. Still deserted at this time. We are probably the first to arrive beating the Raya rush to this spot. I understand that next week is fully booked.

Seem pretty lonely though. But we have the place all to ourselves at least for today.

Even the beach is empty. Nice, the sand is so smooth and clear. It was a nice warm day. Not too hot and the South China Sea is calm with only small waves. No ships on the horizon so you can imagine how clean the water is.

I even get to use the hammock. You know I haven't sat on one for years because there is always some bum on it. Ha ha, today I am the bum. Quite a sexy pose, don't you agree, heh heh.

A small crab is seen out of its sand pit as there is no one to scare it except us. Notice the horse shoe mark on its shell.

Now notice a horse shoe print mark on the sand. What coincidence. Is this double horse shoe sighting a lucky sign for us. Pray so.

With that, I end my post on a Holiday Trip to Holiday Villa Cherating First Day.

NORTHERN LIGHTS

2010-09-04T00:13:00.000+08:00

Northern Lights are natural light displays in the sky.

This natural light displays occur in the polar region

The Northern Polar Lights is only visible in the sky from the Northern Hemisphere

Northern lights or Auroras can be spotted from other planets as well.

It is seen also in the South and is known as the Southern Polar Lights.

They are just so amazing.

One day I wish to see them with my own eyes.

Who's with me.

We can go to Norway.

To see this amazingly wonderful Northern Lights.

Credits to: guardian.co.ok, visitnorway.com, norwegiancoastalcruises.com, apod.nasa.gov, alaska-in-pictures.com

MULTITASKING LIFE OF A BLOGGER

2010-09-03T11:08:00.001+08:00

This a first post of my daily life. I thought I'd share this with my readers to reveal a little about who I am as a blogger.

This my workplace or blogger area. Well, I am pretty well equipped with my desktop, notebook, printer, phone and HDD backup drive. I almost lose everything before due to virus attack but luckily my data was back-up, though I lost one month of work as it was only backed-up once a month, lesson learned.

This is what I see everyday, my empty lounge on my right. The only view of the outside world is only from my balcony door. No other soul in the house in the mornings. In the afternoon, my noisy kids will be back from school. Aaah, maybe this is better.

This is the backview of my "office". Family photos to remind me, there are still people living here. a bit blurr though. It was not my camera. Borrowed my daughters camera while she is in school so not very good at using it.

A closer look at my "desk" reveal that I am a multi-tasking blogger and that explains why I need a PC and a notebook.

My PC is where I earn my living or at least trying to. I am a day trader. I trade stocks on the KualaLumpur Stock exchange via itradecimb online trading platform.

The notebook is where I blog. I try to blog at least once a day as it is difficult to prepare a blog-post but much more satisfying for me personally than trading the share market. Stock market trading is stressful stuff.

Then, finally from my workdesk, my study work. Yes, this is the hardest of them all. Assignments for my MBA course from University of Southern Queensland via Segi University College takes up most of my days, nights and weekends. However, it gives me tonnes of materials which I have been and will share with my readers. What will I do after my MBA, I'll cross that bridge first before I decide. I have enough on my hands right now.

I hope you have enjoyed a quick brief through a Multitasking Life of a Blogger.

Watch out for the next personal topic, "A House husband, life after the corpo(rat)e world".

MULTITASKING LIFE OF A BLOGGER, WRITTEN BY CHRISTOPHER LIM

WORLD'S BIGGEST PLANE

2010-09-02T10:21:00.000+08:00

The world's biggest plane is a cargo plane, the Russian Antonov An-225.

It has a length of 275 ft.

A wingspan of 290ft.

Six Ivchenko Progress D-18T turbofan engines

Design to airlift the Energia rocket's booster and the Buran space shuttle

Cockpit

The An-225 is larger than the Airbus A380.

And bigger than the Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freight.

Three Inchenko Progress D-18T turbofan engines on each wing side

An-225 main landing gear

An awesome sight

Watch the An-225 in flight

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT DURING ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE

2010-09-01T17:39:00.001+08:00

Conflict is defined as a process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something the first party cares about. For conflict to exist, it must be perceived by those involved.¹⁰ The conflict process as discussed by Robbins and Judge⁸ has five stages:

potential opposition or incompatibility,
cognition and personalisation,
intentions,
behaviour, and
outcomes.

While conflict can be perceived as a normal consequence of daily interactions at work, there are seminal events in the life of organisations on which conflict can be anticipated and must be especially well managed. One such area is conflict that is associated with organisational development and change.

Although change comes to organisations in many ways, an area of particular interest to this discussion is conflict associated with mergers and acquisitions, the integration of two distinct and separate organisations. The ability to manage this conflict effectively is crucial to the success of the merger or acquisition.

Mergers can have a traumatic effect on employees.³ Maintaining employee morale during the integration process has been found to be one of the most essential factors contributing to the success of mergers and acquisitions.² When an acquisition occurs, numerous potential conflict catalysts result from the complex work adjustments and personal concerns that come with the integration of the new entity.

The financial consequences of acquisitions are potential sources of conflict. These include layoffs, changes in reward systems, pay referents, and available resources.¹ How employees respond to these potential conflicts shapes their behaviour during the integration phase.

A power element that can create conflict is the change in leadership. An “us versus them” mentality can develop when the management team of “one” of the organisation is removed and replaced by managers from the “other” organisation.

When two companies merge or is acquired by another, the cultures of the two companies are often not the same. How employees make sense of these cultural differences and the changes that ensue can often affect the level of conflict that results. When mergers and acquisition occur, emotions tend to run high. Anxiety can lead to hostility and/or suspicion when employees are concerned about what the future holds for them.¹

There are several ways in which the organisation can manage potential conflicts following the merger. These include in “all-hands meeting”, where open communication and assurances may blunt the fear and uncertainty that preceded it. Perhaps the chief area of concern is the rapidly changing organisational culture. Adaptation to a new culture is a significant aspect of most mergers and acquisition. It can be particular difficult when there is a lack of congruence between the cultures of the two organisations.⁵

According to conflict specialist Afzahur Rahim’s⁷ model, five different conflict-handling styles can be plotted on a 2x2 grid. High to low concern for self is found on the horizontal axis of the grid, while low to high concern for others forms the vertical axis. Various combinations of these variables produce the five different conflict-handling styles:

integrating,
obliging,
dominating,
avoiding, and
compromising⁶

There is no single best style; each has strengths and limitations and is subject to situational constraint. In studies by Weider-Hatfield⁹ on assessment of Rahim’s diagnostic model, findings suggest that subordinates could benefit by using an integrating style rather than an obliging style and supervisors may do better to take charge than to use an integrative approach, even though subordinates use of an integrative approach with supervisors can reduce conflict.

In order to determine how to manage a conflict situation, it is necessary to consider a variety of desired outcomes.⁴ Conflicts may result in outcomes that is dysfunctional in that it hinders group performance or functional in that the conflict results in an improvement in the group’s performance. Conflict is constructive when it improves the quality of decisions, stimulates creativity and innovation, encourages interest and curiosity among group members, provides the medium through which problems can be aired and tensions released, and fosters an environment of self-evaluation and change.⁸

Next topic: Role of the Organisation's Culture and Design in the Change Process

Reference:

1. Cohen, CF, Birkin, SJ, Cohen, ME, Garfield, MJ & Webb, HW 2006,’Managing conflict during an organizational acquisition’, Conflict Resolution Quarterly, Spring, vol. 23, issue 3, pp. 317-331

2. Gutknecht, JE, & Keys, JB 1993,’Mergers, Acquisitions, and Takeovers: Maintaining Morale of Survivors and Protecting Employees, Academy of Management Executive, vol. 7, issue 3,pp. 26–36

3. Imberman, AJ 1985,’The Human Element of Mergers’, Management Review, June, pp. 35–37

4.Jameson, JK 1999,’ Toward a Comprehensive model for the Assessment and Management of Intraorganisational Conflict: Developing the Framework’, International Journal of Conflict Management,vol. 10, issue 3, pp. 268-294

5. Nahavandi, A & Malekzadeh, AR 1988,’Acculturation in Mergers and Acquisitions’, Academy of Management Review, vol. 13, issue 1, pp. 79–90

6. Rahim, MA 2001, Managing Conflict in Organizations, Greenwood Publishing Group

7. Rahim, MA 1985,’A Strategy for Managing Conflict in Complex Organizations’, Human Relations, January, pp. 84

8. Robbins, SP & Judge, TA 2009, Organizational Behaviour:13^th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

9. Weider-Hatfield, D & Hatfield, JD 1995,’Relationships Among Conflict Management Styles, Levels of Conflict, and Reactions to Work’, Journal of Social Psychology, Dec, vol. 135, issue 6, pp. 687-698

10. Yukongdi, V 2009, MGT5000 Management and Organisational Behaviour: Study Book, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba

Conflict Management During Organisational Change, written by Christopher Lim

I CANNOT BELIEVE THE BROADBAND SPEED TODAY

2010-08-31T21:04:00.000+08:00

I have broadband connection from TM UniFi of 10Mbps.

Today I did a speed test and amazingly it is shown below.

This 11Mbps download speed exceed what I paid for. I cannot believe this broadband speed today, first time. I must admit that TM UniFi is very reliable and the service support is very prompt. I pay RM199 per month for a 10Mbps broadband line and it comes with 20 free IPTV channels, Pay Serials and Pay Movies. The reception is much clearer than Astro normal as it is digitised and connected to the TV via HDMI cable, the same cable from the DVD player to LCD TV.

Keep it up UniFi and I will continue to sing your praise.

I SEE GHOST IN TOILETS

2010-08-31T11:21:00.001+08:00

I wonder any readers reading this ever experience either personally or heard about from others about their fear of toilets. I remember when I was growing up in the small town of Kuching (it was small in the 70's), I studied in St. Thomas's primary school. I have this distinct fear of going to the school toilet. It was a big toilet, the ceiling was like 20ft high, dark and eerie. I dread to go to the toilet and I will "tahan" until I went back home to pee or doodie. Of course this didn't do my body any good as 20 years later I developed kidney stones. Never hold your bladder but go if you have to even when you fear toilets, but this is not the point of this blog post.

I used to get nightmares even through my teen years up till my 30's on toilet visits. I really mean nightmares. Usually, when I am sleeping and my bladder is full and the sensation of relieving oneself increases my nightmare begins. I am dreaming that I actually wake up to go to the toilet. However, in every dream like this one, when I enter the toilet, I will feel that there is something or someone in the toilet and almost 100% of my dream, while I am in the process of peeing, a ghost (I see dead people) will appear besides me. Usually, the ghost will not appear immediately but slowly approach, coming out from from one of the cubicles and slowly makes its way to where I am standing and peeing. Since the actual and real sensation of not really emptying my bladder has occurred I have no choice but to continuing peeing while this ghost is approaching and finally standing besides me. I am like, why am I still not finish with my peeing as I really want to run away from the ghost. In most occasion I will jerk up from my sleep and feel a sense of relief both from knowing that the ghost did not really exist and of course from releasing my bladder content.

I know others who are afraid to use public toilets as well. I never asked whether because it is a fear of ghost or just because public toilets are especially filthy. Whether they have stomachache or having their bladder full, they refuse to use public toilets and probably have to rush home just to do "their business".

Well, that fear of toilets have transverse one generation and now my son has a fear of going to the toilet, even at home. Every time he has to pee,I need to escort him there. I am his personal bodyguard to the toilet to ward off "dead people". He does not have nightmares like I did and I hope not coz, 30-odd years of the same scary nightmare is no fun if not permanent doing damage to my emotional state. I can really relate to the scene in the "Sixth sense" when he has to go to the toilet but is afraid coz there is a dead girl ghost waiting for him at the corridor, brrrr.

I am not sure why I am cursed with this nor why my son is now afraid of toilets, but I am glad that today, that nightmare does not haunt me anymore. I now do not any longer see ghost in toilets.

I SEE GHOST IN TOILETS, written by Christopher Lim

DEDICATED TO MALAYSIA, MERDEKA MERDEKA MERDEKA!

2010-08-31T00:15:00.000+08:00

I love you Malaysia, My Country!

Warisan, by Sudirman

POWER AND POLITICS ISSUES DURING ORGANISATION CHANGE

2010-08-29T10:36:00.005+08:00

Power
Behavioural scientists such as David McClelland contend that one of the basic human needs is the need for power. There are two “faces” to power. One face is termed “socialised” power and is scored in the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) as “plans, self-doubts, mixed outcomes and concern for others”, while the second face is “personalised “ power, in which expressions of power for the sake of personal aggrandisement become paramount. ²
Politics
Organisational politics involves intentional acts of influence to enhance or protect the self interest of individuals or groups.¹ An emphasis on self-interest distinguishes this form of social influence. Political behaviour becomes a negative force when self-interest erode organisational interests.⁶ Political maneuvering is triggered primarily by uncertainty.
Five common sources of uncertainty within organisation are:

unclear objectives; vague performance measures,
ill defined decision processes,
strong individual or group competition, and
any type of change.

Politics in Organisation Change
Regarding the latter source of uncertainty; any type of change; organisation development specialist Anthony Raia⁹ noted,”Whatever we attempt to change, the political sub-system becomes active". Vested interests are almost always at stake and the distribution of power is challenged. An exchange system in equilibrium represents the status quo. Efforts to change the status quo involve political action, both on the part of those who wish to change it and those who seek to maintain it.⁷ Margulies and Raia⁷suggested that the ability to understand and to act effectively in the political arena of organisational life is essential for the success of organisational change efforts.
“Change will not occur in an organisation unless power is exercise by somebody”.⁵ Power is either formal or informal. Its formal in terms of position or role in the organisation or its informal in terms of the chips you have collected, the information you can access or your adeptness at politics.⁵ When people get together in groups, power will be exerted. People want to carve out a niche from which to exert influence, to earn rewards, and to advance their careers.³

Power and Politics
When employees in organisations convert their power into action, we describe them as being engaged in politics. Those with good political skills have the ability to use their bases of power effectively.⁸ Robbins and Judge¹⁰ wrote about “legitimate political behaviour” which refers to normal everyday politics and “illegitimate political behaviours” that violate the implied rules of the game. An individuals’ investment in the organisation, perceived alternatives, and expectations of success will influence the degree to which they will pursue illegitimate means of political action.⁴
The more a person has invested in the organisation in terms of expectations of increased future benefits, the more that person has to lose if forced out and less likely he or she to use illegitimate means. The more alternative job opportunities an individual has-due to favourable job market or the possession of scarce skills or knowledge, a prominent reputation, or influential contacts outside the organisation-the more likely that individual is to risk illegitimate political actions.¹⁰

^{Next topic: Conflict Management during Organisation Change....to be continued}

Reference:

Allen, RW, Madison, DL, Porter, LW, Renwick, PA & Mayes, BT 1979,’Organizational Politics: Tactics and Characteristics of its Actors’, California Management Review, pp. 77
Chusmir, LH 1986,’Personalised versus Socialised Power Needs among Working Women and Men’, Human Relations, February, pp. 149
Culbert, SA & McDonough, JJ 1980, The Invisible War:Pursuing Self-Interest at Work, Wiley, New York
Farrell, D & Petersen, JC 1982,’Patterns of Political Behavior in Organizations’, Academy of Management Review, July, pp. 405
Hurley, PG 1983,’Q. What in the name of OD do we do? A. Change’, Training & Development Journal, Apr, vol. 37, issue 4, pp. 42
Kreitner, R & Kinicki, A 2008, Organizational Behavior: Eight Edition, McGraw-Hill, Irwin.
Margulies, N & Raia, AP 1984,’The Politics of Organization Development’, Training & Development Journal, vol. 38, issue 8, pp. 20-23
Mintzberg, H 1983, Power In and Around Organizations, Prentice Hall, NJ
Raia, A 1985,’Power, Politics and the Human Resource Professional’, Human Resource Planning,no. 4, pp. 503
Robbins, SP & Judge, TA 2009, Organizational Behaviour:13^th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

Power and politics issues during organisation change, written by, Christopher Lim

AVATAR RE-RELEASE IN SEPTEMBER 2010

2010-08-28T18:42:00.007+08:00

This holiday (Sept 2010) we will get to see the re-release of the (my opinion) all time great blockbuster movie AVATAR. If you did not get enough of the two-hours before, the re-release adds another nine minutes of added footage in this "SpecialEdition".

Here are some stills to rekindle your memory and whet your appetite. If you did not catch the movie the last time in 3D, I recommend you do so this time round.

Source: Yahoo!

CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES UTILISED IN MANAGING CHANGE AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS

2010-08-27T16:01:00.001+08:00

Organisation Change

In organisational behaviour, “organisation change” refers to organisation-wide change rather than to small changes. Examples of organisation-wide change might include a change in mission, restructuring operations, the adoption of major new technologies, and mergers.¹⁷

When two separate companies merged, they take the path of radical change.¹³ This is change that results in a major make-over of the organisation and of its component system. Change management has been defined as “the process of continually renewing an organisation’s direction, structure, and capabilities to serve the ever-changing needs of external and internal customers’.¹²

Change Strategies

Dunphy and Stace⁴ proposed typology of change strategies with two dimensions (incremental versus transformative, and collaborative versus coercive). Yukongdi¹⁸ expanded these to three dimensions:

proactive versus reactive strategies;
incremental versus transformative strategies;
dictated versus collaborative delegated strategies.

Proactive-Reactive Strategy

The proactive-reactive dimension represents a fundamental aspect of an organisations strategic approach to change. Reactive change occurs in response to specific imminent pressure on the organisation from internal or external forces. Proactive change is initiated without any specific pressure in order to enhance organisational performance or improve organisational climate and culture.

Strategy is not new in the change management realm. Strategies are ways of pursuing the vision and mission.⁸ With change processes inherently complex, having clear priorities helps maintain order and keeps the process manageable.³The psychological contract is an important consideration when examining the response of people to restructuring and is an unspoken understanding that people hold about the nature of their positions and their interaction with the organisation.⁶ When planning organisational change it is important to involve as many people in the discussion and decision making process. Ideally, everyone would have some opportunity to participate.

Participation in itself may not guarantee effectiveness.¹⁵ There should be several formalised ways to communicate so that the process is apparent to the people affected.¹⁰ The influence of participation on a set of dimensions related to the success of the implementation of deliberate strategic change is believed to have a number of positive effects on the strategy process. Most notably, it is assumed that involvement of those affected by a change in strategy will reduce organisational resistance and to create a higher level of psychological commitment among employees towards the proposed changes.¹¹Also, participation has been argued to lead to qualitatively better strategic decisions.⁹ One reason for this being that a broader array of relevant skills, competencies and information is brought to bear on each stage in the strategic decision process.

Incremental-Transformative Strategy

The second dimension, incremental-transformative, refers to the implementation strategy for effecting organisational change.¹⁸ Dunphy and Stace⁵ defined four types of change including fine-tuning, incremental adjustment, modular transformation and corporate transformation.

Corporate transformation encompasses change that is corporation-wide, characterised by radical shifts in business strategy, and revolutionary changes throughout the whole company. In large-scale changes such as organisational mergers and acquisition, restructures and downsizing efforts is common, and that this type of changes are often associated with significant, negative consequences for individuals in terms of their attitudes and well-being.⁷

Authors have suggested that transformational changes generally have detrimental effect on individuals as they involve a great deal of conflict and often bring to the fore personality issues and other differences that have previously been sublimated, adding to the confusion and uncertainty within the organisation.²The finding in the study by Rafferty and Simons¹⁵ provides evidence that it is worthwhile to treat readiness for corporate transformation changes.

Dictated-Collaborative Delegated Strategy

The third dimension on which change strategies can be classified, dictated-collaborative-delegated, relates to both the formulation of the change and its implementation.¹⁸ Participation is believed to make political realities of the organisation more salient and thus lead to choices that are based on political as well as socio-technical considerations. These and other putative effects are believed to lead to successful implementation of strategic change.¹¹ Some authors have argued that an important process mediating the link between participation and attitudes towards change and the organisation itself is that of building commitment to a decision and trust in change leadership. Trust in turn is related to the use of authentic participative processes in which solutions are developed in a collaborative manner with genuine consideration of each participant’s input values and views.¹¹

Next topic: Power and politics issues during the change process...to be continued

Reference:

1. Allen, RW, Madison, DL, Porter, LW, Renwick, PA & Mayes, BT 1979,’Organizational Politics: Tactics and Characteristics of its Actors’, California Management Review, pp. 77

2. Ashford, SJ 1988, ‘Individual strategies for coping with stress during organizational transitions’, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, vol. 24, pp. 19–36

3. Bruch, H, Gerber,P & Maier, V 2005,’Strategic Change Decisions: Doing the Right Change Right’, Joumal of Change Management,vol. 5, issue 1, pp. 97-107

4. Dunphy, DC & Stace, DA 1988, ‘Transformational and coercive strategies for planned organizational change, beyond the OD model’, Organizational Studies,vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 6-19

5. Dunphy, D & Stace, D 1993, ‘The strategic management of corporate change’, Human Relations,vol. 57, no. 2, March-April, pp. 106-14

6. Feldheim, M & Liou, K 1999,’Downsizing Trust’, “http:/www.dsmp.dauphine.fr/management

7. George, JM & Jones, GR 2001,’Towards a process model of individual change in organizations’, Human Relations, vol. 54, issue 4, pp. 419–444

8. Gill, R 2003, ‘Change Management or Change Leadership?’, Journal of Change Management, vol.3 (4), pp. 307-318

9. Kim, WC & Mauborgne, R 1998,’Procedural justice, strategicdecision making and the knowledge economy’,Strategic Management Journal, 19, pp. 323-338

10.Lees, M & Taylor, G 2004,’Mergers and the new workplace:The effects of a merger of two emergency departments on nursing staff’, Journal of Health & Human Services Administration, Vol. 26 Issue 4, pp. 470-484

11. Lines, R 2004, ‘Influence of participation in strategic change: resistance, organizational commitment and change goal achievement’, Journal of Change Managagement, vol. 4, issue 3, pp. 193–215

12. Moran, JW & Brightman, BK 2001, ‘Leading organizational change’, Career Development International, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 111-18

13. Nadler, D & Tushman, M 1998, Strategic Organizational Design, Foresman

14. Pollard, TM 2001,’ Changes in mental well-being, blood pressure and total cholesterol levels during workplace reorganization: The impact of uncertainty’, Work and Stress, vol. 15, issue 1, pp. 14–28

15. Rafferty, A & Simons, R 2006,‘An examination of the antecedents of readiness for fine-tuning and corporate transformation changes’, Journal of Business & Psychology, vol. 20, issue 3, pp. 325-350

16. Robbins, SP & Judge, TA 2009, Organizational Behaviour:13^th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

17. Wood, J, Zeffane, R, Fromholtz, M & Fitzgerald, J 2006, Organisational Behaviour: Core Concepts and Applications, John Wiley & Sons Australia

18. Yukongdi, V 2009, MGT5000 Management and Organisational Behaviour, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba

Change management strategies utilised in managing change and their effectiveness, Written by Christopher Lim

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP APPROACH EMPLOYED DURING CHANGE AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS

2010-08-26T14:24:00.001+08:00

Leadership

Good management brings about order and consistency by drawing up formal plans, designing rigid organisation structures, and monitoring results against the plans. Leadership, in contrast, is about coping with change. Leaders establish direction by developing a vision of the future; then they align people by communicating this vision and inspiring them to overcome hurdles.⁶

Leadership is defined as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals. The source of this influence may be formal, such as that provided by the possession of managerial rank in an organisation. Leaders are responsible for intelligently and ethically influencing behaviour in a way that creates value.¹

Most leaders put a great deal of time into crafting strategy, selecting winning products, and engaging with analysts, shareholders, and major customers. But few realize the success or failure of their grand schemes lies in influencing the behavior of the hundreds or thousands of people who will have to execute the big ideas — their employees.

By contrast, the most influential leaders — the 5% who succeed consistently at influencing profound and essential behaviour change — spend as much as half of their time thinking about and actively influencing the behaviours they know will lead to top performance.

The 95% who dither and fail tend to delegate what they dismiss as "change management" to others, most often leaders in human resources — who often lack the credibility to influence real change. The average leader spends little, if any, of his or her time on active efforts to create behaviour change. Consequently, nothing changes.¹

Most change initiatives, especially radical change, require effective leadership, not just on the part of the chief executive and other senior managers, but from leaders at all levels in the organisation.⁷

Change processes that have the support of the workforce require good leadership, an appropriate model of change, some room for negotiation and compromise, and well-planned communication.

Transformational style leadership approach

Transformational leaders inspire followers to transcend their own self interest for the good of the organization and are capable of having a profound and extraordinary effect on their followers.⁶

They pay attention to the concerns and developmental needs of the individual followers; they change followers’ awareness of issues by helping them to look at old problems in new ways; and they are able to excite, arouse, and inspire followers to put out extra effort to achieve group goals.

Effectiveness

Transformational leaders are more effective because they themselves are more creative, but they are also more effective because they encourage those who follow them to be creative too. Goals are another key mechanism that explains how transformational leadership works. Followers of transformational leaders are more likely to pursue ambitious goals, be familiar with and agree on the strategic goals of the organization, and believe that the goals they are pursuing are personally important.

An organization’s internal capacity to initiate and sustain a major change effort involves a number of aspects and is affected by both human and material resources.⁵

Kaplan and Norton⁴, for example, argue for the importance of “organizational capital,” consisting of leadership, culture, alignment, and teamwork in change efforts. In the quest to study the interrelationships between societal culture, organisational culture, and organisational leadership, the project GLOBE was conceived.²

One major question addresses by GLOBE concerns the extent to which specific leader attributes and behaviours are universally endorsed as contributing to effective leadership, and the extent to which attributes and behaviours are linked to cultural characteristics. The results from the GLOBE program conclude that there are some universal aspects of leadership. Specifically, a number of the elements making up transformational leadership appear to be associated with effective leadership, regardless of what country the leader is in.³

The elements of transformational leadership appear universal: vision, foresight,providing encouragement, trustworthiness, dynamism, positiveness, and proactiveness. The results also led the GLOBE team to conclude that “effective” business leaders in any country are expected by their employees to provide powerful and proactive vision to guide the company into the future, strong motivational skills to stimulate all employees to fulfil the vision, and excellent planning skills to assist in implementing the vision.

Change processes that have the support of the workforce require good leadership, an appropriate model of change, some room for negotiation and compromise, and well-planned communication. Most change initiatives, especially radical change, require effective leadership, not just on the part of the chief executive and other senior managers, but from leaders at all levels in the organisation.⁷

Next topic: Change management strategies utilised in managing change and their effectiveness....to be continued.

Reference:

1. Grenny, J 2009, 'Leadership: Intentional Influence', BusinessWeek Online, pp. 21-21

2. House, R, Javidan, M & Dorfman, P 2001,’Project GLOBE: An Introduction’, Applied Psychology: An International Review, vol. 50 ,issue 4, pp. 489-505

3. House, RJ, Javidan, M, Hanges, P & Dorfman, P 2002,’Understanding Cultures and Implicit Leadership Theories across the Globe: An Introduction to Project GLOBE’, Journal of World Business, pp. 3-10

4. Kaplan, RS, & Norton, DP 2005, Organizational Capital I, Supporting the Change Agenda That Supports Strategy Execution, Managing Change to Reduce Resistance, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, cited in Kee, JE & Newcomer, KE 2008,'Why Do Change Efforts Fail?', Public Manager, vol. 3, issue 3, pp. 5-12

5. Kee, JE & Newcomer, KE 2008,’ Why Do Efforts Fail?', Public Manager, vol. 3, issue 3, pp. 5-12,

6. Robbins, SP & Judge, TA 2009, Organizational Behaviour:13^th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

7. Wood, J, Zeffane, R, Fromholtz, M & Fitzgerald, J 2006, Organisational Behaviour: Core Concepts and Applications, John Wiley & Sons Australia

8. Yukongdi, V 2009, MGT5000 Management and Organisational Behaviour, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP APPROACH EMPLOYED DURING CHANGE AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS, WRITTEN BY CHRISTOPHER LIM

2010 NISSAN 370Z COUPE FEATURED CAR FOR AUGUST

2010-08-26T12:25:00.000+08:00

The 2010 Nissan 370Z coupe is one great car. I am featuring this car for August.

CAKES FOR THE EYES TO EAT ONLY

2010-08-25T22:34:00.001+08:00

Don't waste it on the stomach but to feed your senses through your eyes.

Photos : Shoe & Cap Cake

Photos : BBQ Cake

Photos : Burger & Fries Cake

Photos : Corn Cake

Photos: Crab in a Bucket Cake

ARTICLE REVIEW: STEMMING THE TIDE

2010-08-25T09:34:00.002+08:00

Photos :Stemming the tide

Article reviewed was referenced from Wang, S & Davis, L, 2008,” Stemming the tide: dealing with the imbalance of customer relationship quality with the key contact employee versus with the firm”, Journal of Services Marketing, issue 22/7, pp. 533 – 549, Emerald.
The research examined the potential harm caused by the termination of an imbalanced customer-employee relationship, where customer-firm relationships are stronger than customer-employee relationship.
The research studies the issue of imbalanced customer-employee relationship with research focus on the causes of its origin. Hypotheses include:
H1: Employees with high levels of empowerment are more likely to create relationship quality (RQ) imbalance compared to those with low levels of empowerment.
H2: Customers under single-facet interactions are more likely to develop an imbalance of customer RQ in favour of a key contact employee compared to those under multi-facet interactions.
H3: Employees engaged in more extra-role performance toward the customer are more likely to cause imbalance of customer RQ in favour of the key contact employee compared to those engaged in less extra-role performance.
H4: Employees with short job tenure are more likely to cause RQ imbalance compared to those with long job tenure.
H5: Compared with men, women customers are more likely to develop imbalance of customer RQ in favour of the key contact employee.
H6: Customers with higher trust propensity are less likely to develop an imbalance of customer RQ in favour of the key contact employee.
H7: Customers with RQ imbalance are more likely to perceive more loss of relational benefits when the key contact employee stops serving the customer.
H8: Customers with RQ imbalance are more likely to re-evaluate business relationship with the service organization when the key contact employee stops serving the customer.
H9: Customers with RQ imbalance are more likely to experience discomfort when the key contact employee stops serving the customer.
The authors consider the research problem was worthy of investigation because little is known about customers’ cognitive and emotional reactions when the relationship with his/her favourite employee terminates. Understanding such reactions could enable service organizations to take precautious actions to prevent switching events and to provide better customer care when facing the termination of an imbalanced customer relationship.
The research method involved several round of interviews. Primary data were collected from 67 firms with 279 employees participating. 1100 customers were approached with 780 completing the customer paper-and-pencil survey. The 780 customer responses were matched with the employee responses and data yielded were analysed from these 780 pairs. The research method of interviews of both customers and their favourite employee provides a direct link to the problem that the authors are addressing. The sample is sizeable to infer the findings correctly. It is an effective method as in face-to-face interviews there is no significant time delay between question and answer; the interviewer and interviewee can directly react on what the other says or does. An advantage of this communication is that the answer of the interviewee is more spontaneous, without an extended reflection (Opdenakker 2006).
Findings found that:

customers may perceive that they are losing the relational benefits that they have developed through key contact employee when the employee is no longer available;
customers will experience discomfort when the key contact employee becomes unavailable;
when RQ imbalance exists customers are more likely to re-evaluate their business relationship with the service firms when the key contact employee becomes unavailable;
empowering employees in the service process might lead to RQ imbalance that favours the employee;
developing multi-facet interaction between customer and organization will significantly reduce the customer RQ in favour of the employee;
employee’s tenure with the company has a significant impact on the likelihood of relationship imbalance;
the longer the employee works for the company, the less likely the imbalance of customer RQ in favour of the employee;
when employees go above and beyond the call of duty to secure customer satisfaction, the likelihood of customer RQ imbalance increases;
women are more likely to develop imbalance of RQ that favours the employee; and
finally, that customers with a low propensity to trust are more likely to develop relationship imbalances that favour the employee.

The research provides an understanding how RQ imbalance with customers effect the business relationship with the service firm. Organizations have to take into consideration RQ imbalance when attempting to establish customer loyalty.
Service organization must identify causes of such RQ imbalance and find ways to prevent such occurrences.
Policies concerning employee empowerment should be developed in such a way that employee commitment and customer satisfaction are maintained without harming the customer organization relationship.
The more points of interaction that are included in the service experience, the lower the possibility of RQ imbalance that favours the employee, thus, in designing the service delivery, services marketing organizations may want to expand the points of contact.
The findings on employee tenure suggest that companies may be able to gain a competitive advantage by focusing on retaining employees.
The findings also suggest that service organizations should provide and advertise assurances with respect to the quality of the service.

HAVE YOUR CAKE AND NOT EAT IT

2010-08-25T09:13:00.001+08:00

I got these pictures from a friend and I thought I'd share them with you.

They are all CAKES. No kidding.

Show all

ARTICLE REVIEW: AGE DIFFERENCES IN MOBILE SERVICE PERCEPTIONS

2010-08-24T09:29:00.001+08:00

Article reviewed was referenced from Kumar, A & Lim, H, 2008, “Age differences in mobile service perceptions: comparison of Generation Y and baby boomers”, Journal of Services Marketing, issue 22/7, pp. 568 – 577

The research investigates the differences in the perceptions of mobile service quality and their effects on perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty decisions, with respect to two different customer age groups. The research compares Generation Y (Gen Y) and baby boomers in terms of their mobile service perceptions and loyalty intentions.

The research aims to investigate the effects of age on mobile service quality perceptions and its impact on perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty between two significant mobile service user segments – Generation Y and baby boomers.

Objectives studied include:

O1: Data services will have a greater effect on perceived economic and emotional value for Gen y-ers than for baby boomers.

O2: Functional service quality (billing system) will have a greater effect on perceived economic and emotional value for baby boomers than for Gen-Y.

O3: Perceived emotional will have a greater effect on satisfaction for Gen Y-ers than for baby boomers.

O4: Perceived economical value will have a greater effect on satisfaction for baby boomers than for Gen Y.

The main justification is to help mobile service providers (MSP) use the research to learn how to attract new subscribers as well as retain current customers. It is also to assist MSP in developing effective marketing strategies tuned to the specific needs of these two consumer segments. And to offer insights to MSP’s about effectively targeting their services.

The method was through online surveys and questionnaires with 298 respondents. The questions in the questionnaire were not extensive enough and had limitations. Survey type questions are too general and inflexible (CSU 2010).

The research finding found that:

data services showed no significant relationship toward perceived value for both groups;
the effect on customer service quality on perceived emotional value was significant for Gen Y and insignificant for baby boomers;
perceived emotional value has a greater effect on Gen Y-ers than for baby boomers; and
perceived economic value had a significant positive effect on satisfaction for baby boomers and not for Gen Y.

The research provide some insights to mobile service providers but it should also be possible to be inferred for other service organizations regarding the difference in service perceptions between the two different age groups.

The research confirms that the relationship between emotional value and satisfaction is stronger for Gen Y than baby boomers.Thus, marketers need to consider young customers’ emotional responses in their marketing efforts.

The research found that economic value had a significant relationship toward satisfaction for baby boomers. Thus, marketing managers in service organizations may place emphasis on their pricing when targeting baby boomers.

In developing strategies to market services, service organizations have to strive to appeal to the emotional value for Gen Y-ers, and for baby boomers, emphasis should be placed on the economic value that can be obtained from their services.

Bibliography:

1. CSU (Colorado State University), 2010 “Advantages and disadvantages of survey method”, retrieved 14 August 2010 from www.writing.colostate.edu website: http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/survey/com2d1.cfm

Conclusion of Management for Success 1st Series

2010-08-23T19:26:00.001+08:00

Reflection

When I began these series, I had the impression that my materials will come mainly from management journals or HR journals. However, I find most materials relevant to the subject are from psychology journals.

I realise that at least for this first management series that the study of organisation behaviour (OB) is mainly the study of people and the many aspect of their behaviour in the workplace. We always know what makes us get up in the morning, that is, to “bring home the bacon”, so to speak.

Conclusion

I believe that for most people in their career building, they may have always relied on “self” motivation to be successful and to climb up the corporate ladder. There are many "self-help" books such as “Seven Habits..” by Stephen Covey and “Who moved my cheese” by Spencer Johnson to “tune our minds” for success. I especially like and concur with Herzberg’s two-factor theory on the motivational-hygiene factors of job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction.

However, as a manager, it is not only self and self interest that makes the organization successful but the people working with you in that organization that had to be supported and whom we have to motivate to attain personal and organization goals. It will possibly be more challenging as a manager to manage people than to non-people related resources. It is indeed difficult to understand and manage people.

After understanding the three factors of management, some “mysteries”,hopefully will not be so mysterious after all and this added understanding of organizational behaviour and people behaviour will support you and your future managerial work.

However, even though most of the fundamental theories can be applied today in the organization, I believe even more new challenges will emerge in the organization and that continuous improvement in one self will entail continuous learning on our part. The abundance of research done in the academic world in this area is expanding and I am confident we can continue to learn from others doing and publishing those researches.

It is appropriate to end this series with a quote from Covey (2006): “You lead (empower) people. You manage and control things”.

Reference:

1. Covey, SR 2006, ‘Leading in the knowledge worker age’, Leader to Leader, Vol. 2006 Issue 41, pp. 11-15

Actions for Managers to take

2010-08-23T10:35:00.001+08:00

In the last three series on management for success, we looked at:

Attitudes & Perceptions,
Hetrzberg and Expectancy motivational theories, and
Group Behaviour

The following provide some recommendations of actions to take by managers to successfully manage these factors in an organisation.

1.0 Actions to manage attitudes & perceptions

Description

1.1 Attitude Survey

Knowledge of employee attitudes can be helpful to managers in attempting to predict employee behaviour. Management can get information about employee attitudes through the use of attitude surveys. The typical attitude survey presents the employee with a set of statements or questions with a rating scale indicating the degree of agreement. The items should be tailored to obtain specific information that management desires. Using attitude surveys on a regular basis provides managers with valuable feedback on how employees perceive their working conditions.

1.2 Shaping Behaviour

People will most likely engage in desired behaviours if they are positively reinforced for doing so; that rewards are most effective if they immediately follow the desired response; and that behaviour that is not rewarded, or is punished, is less likely to be repeated⁶. Punishment by causing an unpleasant condition in an attempt to eliminate undesirable behaviour⁵.

2.0 Actions to manage and motivate

Description

2.1 Staff planning

Implement a plan to determine staffing strategy, training needs, and distribution of rewards. Identify those who may benefit best from training and job enrichments; and the high achievers who should be rewarded most generously with either compensation, opportunities for advancement, or both. When thinking about alternatives, be creative and think of each employee individually to meet their unique career goals. Discuss the plan with upper manager and the HR manager. After upper manager and HR provide input, conduct one-on-one meetings with each of the employees to discuss their aspirations and ask for suggestions on how best to accommodate their requests while still meeting the department’s goals⁴.

2.2 Job Enrichment

The manager should look into job redesign to meet the five core characteristics as depicted in Hackman and Oldham,s JCM³. The manager should immediately embark on the three core characteristics that will enrich the teams’ job., that is, task significance; autonomy; and job feedback. The job must have an important significance and involves a meaningful contribution to the team or organization. The job should give the employee substantial freedom, independence and discretion in scheduling the work and determining the procedures used in carrying it out. The employee should obtain direct feedback and clear information on how well the job has been done⁷.

3.0 Actions to manage group dynamics/functioning

Description

3.1 Group goals and rewards

To allow a cohesive team to exist, the organization should have appropriate goals and well designed reward system to establish and maintained the ‘motivation’ for group members to work hard together in support of group-level accomplishments⁷.

3.2 Management by Objectives (MBO)

Each manager needs clearly spelled-out objectives. Those objectives should lay out what performance the man’s own managerial unit is supposed to produce. They should lay out what contribution he and his unit are expected to make to help other units obtain their objectives.

Finally, they should spell out what contribution the manager can expect from other units the attainment of his own objectives. Right from the start, emphasis should be on teamwork and team results².

Reference:

1. Covey, SR 2006, ‘Leading in the knowledge worker age’, Leader to Leader, Vol. 2006 Issue 41, pp. 11-15

2. Drucker, PF 2007, The Essential Drucker, Elsevier, USA.

3. Hackman, JR, Oldham, GR 1980, Work Redesign, Addison-Wesley, USA.

4. Maxwell, M 2004, ‘Putting Success into Succession Planning’, Nursing Economics, Vol.22 No. 5, pp. 285-286

5. Robbins, SP & Judge, TA 2007, Organizational Behaviour: Twelfth Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, USA.

6. Skinner, BF 1971, Contingencies of Reinforcement, Appleton-Century-Crofts, USA.

7. Wood, J, Zeffane, R, Fromholtz, M, Fitzgerakd, J 2006, Organizational Behaviour: Core Concepts and Applications First Australasian edition, Wiley, Australia.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND GROUP BEHAVIOUR

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Group define

Most people working in an office scenario are a part of a formal group within the organization. These groups are formed as a result of the organisation structure. Their main task could be to provide technical and sales support, providing accounting services, human resources services, and marketing services in each respective departments of technical and sales, accounting, and HR. Groups generally go through through similar evolutionary stages.

Group Stages

The five-stage group-development model characterises groups as proceeding through five distinct stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning⁵. In the first stage is the group forming stage when group members are recruited for their individual expertise, knowledge and experience. A group progresses through from forming stage to the storming stage. At this stage group members go through discovering what is considered acceptable behaviour, determining the real task of the group and defining group rules⁶. It may take up to a year before the group reached the norming stage. During this time, informal and social group may be formed. Colleagues would go for lunch together on work days and possibly meet after work for social gatherings.

Group Conflicts

At this stage group members in the formal group may be jostling for position. Conflict may arise during these stages. Conflict may be a result of one employee getting a promotion or position that is coveted by others in the group. When a decision is made to promote one employee over another in a climate of ambiguity, where facts are rarely objective, and thus open to interpretation, overlooked employees within the organization will use whatever influence they can to taint the facts to support their goals and interests. That creates activities called politicking³.

A conflict could arise from relationship conflict between employee and manager. This conflict is dysfunctional and destructive and can hinder group performance. Friction and interpersonal hostilities inherent in relationship conflicts increases personality clashes and decreases mutual understanding, which hinders the completion of organizational tasks³. Could the conflict arise as a matter of ineffective communication or communication barriers between the two parties? Effective communication is difficult under the best of conditions.

If you are working in a multi-national company, cross-cultures are common. Cross-cultural factors clearly create the potential for increased communication problems. This is particularly true for people from different national cultures. There are barriers caused by differences among perceptions. People who speak different languages actually view the world in different ways.

Internal social conflicts which concern goals, values or interests that do not contradict the basic [values] upon which the group relationship is founded are likely to be positively functional for the social structure. Such conflicts tend to make possible the readjustment of norms and power relations within groups in accordance with the felt needs of its individual members or subgroups.

Group Dynamics

Organizations need to recognize the prevalence and significance of disruptive behaviours and develop policies and processes to address the issue. Key areas of focus include recognition and awareness, organizational and cultural commitment, implementation of appropriate codes of behaviour policies and procedures, and provision of education and training programs to discuss contributing factors and tools to build effective communication and team collaboration skills⁴.

What threatens the equilibrium of the group structure is not conflict as such, but the rigidity of the structure, which permits hostilities to accumulate and to be channeled along one major line once they breakout in conflict². Understanding what happens in a group often removes communication barriers and encourages candor and true interaction. This in turn generates commitment through involvement, which results in effective performance. Researchers have found that individuals will be attracted to a group when it satisfies their needs, helps them achieve important goals, boasts a shared and cohesive culture, and when outsiders prize such group membership¹.

References

1. Gautschi, TF 1994,’ Understanding group dynamics’, Design News, Vol. 50 Issue 5, pp. 322-322, viewed 17 December 2009, EBSCOhost, Academic Search Premier, item: AN 9410253569.

2. John,K 2000, ‘Basic Needs, Conflicts, and Dynamics in Groups’, Journal of Individual Psychology, Vol. 56 Issue 4, pp. 419-434, viewed 13 December 2009, EBSCOhost, Academic Search Premier, item: AN 9049863.

3. Robbins, SP & Judge, TA 2007, Organizational Behaviour: Twelfth Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, USA.

4. Rosenstein, AH, O’Daniel, M 2006, ‘ Impact and Implications of Disruptive Behavior in the Perioperative Arena’, Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Vol. 203 Issue 1, pp. 96-105, viewed 13 December 2009, EBSCOhost, Academic Search Premier, item: AN21363344.

5. Tuckman, BW 1965, "Development Sequences in Small Groups", Psychological Bulletin, pp. 384-399.

6. Wood, J, Zeffane, R, Fromholtz, M, Fitzgerakd, J 2006, Organizational Behaviour: Core Concepts and Applications First Australasian edition, Wiley, Australia.

Management for Success: Hertzberg's Two-Factor Theory and Expectancy Theory

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The following two organisational behaviour theories will be discussed: Hertzberg’s two-factor theory and Expectancy Theory.

Hertzberg's Two-Factor Theory

Herzberg et al. contend in his two-factor theory, also known as the motivator-hygiene theory, that factors identified as job dissatisfaction (or hygiene factors) were different from those identified as sources of satisfaction (or motivator factors). In a study done by Spillane (1973) using the two-factor theory for job-satisfaction on labour turnover, he found that there were no significant difference from either intrinsic or extrinsic factors on job satisfaction to labour turnover.

People leaving the organization and those that stayed had the almost the same job satisfaction results. However, it is important for managers to understand the intrinsic job factors such as; recognition of individual abilities, opportunities to develop feelings of achievement, responsibility given by superiors, possibilities for advancement, the nature of the work itself and distinguished them from the extrinsic job factors such as; working conditions, salaries, company policies, relationship with colleagues and supervision. These intrinsic job factors correlates highly to motivator factors in job satisfaction in a study done in an education setting by Gaziel (1986) and the hygiene factors were a cause of job dissatisfaction.

Herzberg’s theory has made a major contribution to our knowledge and understanding of the nature of job satisfaction. Its main contribution stems from its emphasis that job satisfaction is related to work itself, a finding of practical significance in designing jobs. The hygiene factors can be the cause of job dissatisfaction for some people and these hygiene factors contributing to job dissatisfaction could be due to employee-manager work relationship and to a greater extend salary related factors.

Managers need to understand such motivational theories in order to improve the job performance and the output of the people.

Expectancy Theory

One other theory of motivation is the Expectancy Theory (Vroom, 1964). Managers must understand the theory and learn how to translate it into practical ways in the organization to increase staff performance. The theory states that motivated individuals put forth the greatest effort, believe that effort will lead to good performance, and that good performance will lead to preferred outcomes (Oliver, 1995, p.3).

In more practical terms, expectancy theory says that employees will be motivated to exert a high level of effort when they believe that effort will lead to a good performance appraisal; that a good appraisal will lead to organizational rewards such as a bonus, a salary increase, or a promotion; and that the rewards will satisfy the employees’ personal goals (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p.188).

The theory focuses on three relationships. The first relationship is the effort-performance relationship. If my manager does not like me, no matter how hard I put effort into my work, they will not give me a good job appraisal. This will be the belief of the people that no matter how hard they work, the likelihood of getting a good performance appraisal is low which leads to their low motivation.

The second relationship is the performance-reward relationship. People expect some sort of reward when they get a good performance appraisal. However, in many cases managers so often give excuse even when an employee was given a good performance appraisal that there is no additional reward due to circumstances such as the company is not doing well, their pay and compensation is already above market rate and will not be entitled to more rewards etc.

The third relationship is the rewards-personal goal relationship. The employee works hard in hope of getting a promotion, but gets a pay rise instead. This illustrates the importance of the rewards being tailored to individual employee needs.

The key to expectancy theory is the understanding by management of an individual’s goals and the linkage between effort and performance, between performance and rewards, and, finally, between the rewards and individual goal satisfaction.

Reference:

1. Robbins, SP, Judge, TA 2007, Organizational Behaviour: Twelfth Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, USA.

2. Spillane, R 1973, ‘Intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction and labour turnover’, Occupational Psychology’, Vol. 47 Issue 1/2, pp. 71-74,

3. Gaziel, HH 1986, ‘Correlates of Job Satisfaction: A Study of the Two Factor Theory in an Educational Setting’, Journal of Psychology, Vol. 120 Issue 6, pp. 613-627,

4. VROOM, V.H 1964, Work and Motivation. New York, Wiley,USA.

5. Oliver, H 1995, ‘Influence of motivational factors on performance’, Journal of Instructional Psychology, Vol. 22 Issue 1, pp. 45-50,