Why True Innovators Must Behave Like Entrepreneurs

According to the author, personal entrepreneurship is the ability of a person to trade in goods and services for the purposes of creating wealth for the individual, while personal innovation is the ability to generate new ideas for the purpose of creating new or improved products or services.The author further argued that organizational entrepreneurship is the knack of the registered business to exchange its goods and services for the purpose of generating profits, while organizational innovation is the knack of a registered many to come up with new products and services for improved delivery of products and services to its customers. The two complement each other and can never be separated if the business is to thrive as well as remaining competitively advantage.You can have business ideas but if you cannot improve on them sooner or later you will find yourselves beaten down and out of business while it is good to have new and brilliant ideas but if you cannot trade them then you ar e also out of business. In his research Hunter. (2012) argued that the concept of â€Å"locus of control† has some level of influence with people who are entrepreneurs in that, people with the internal locus of control will take charge and believe they can turn around the environment while people with external locus of control don't take charge and believe they do not have the ability to turn around the environment around them.Hunter. (2012) further argued that entrepreneurs belong to the group of people with internal locus of control. According to the study done by the Harvard business review titled â€Å"Can startups help turn the tide? † When times are very difficult with very few jobs, people are forced to become innovative and entrepreneurs. The article revealed that successful businesses such as IBM, Disney and Microsoft where birthed during world economic meltdown. It was during these hard times when entrepreneurs and innovators like Bill Gates took up the chall enge to start up their businesses.Implications of the Relationship for Individuals and Organizations From the Leadership perspective the author' evaluation of his leadership style and capabilities showed that he is able to provide direction for his team effectively of which an entrepreneur or somebody leading a business requires in order o take the organization forward. The author's score on â€Å"fostering teamwork† was low an indication which poses danger to the business because entrepreneurship and innovation flourish so much on the efforts which are generated by teams.This means that the author will not be able to embrace and nurture the input and innovative ideas which will come from the team members hence affecting the organization at large. According to the top boss for Amazon. Com Bozos, there is a strong link between individuals and the growth of their organizations in that the success is dependent on the big stakes the employees make which is the driver to overcome the hurdles (Dyer. , Greenest. , & Christensen 2009).The author's leadership assessment score on â€Å"Acting with Integrity† was impressive. Impact on Personal Approach to Risk Taking According to marketing week article entitled â€Å"Why true innovators must behave like entrepreneurs Having a belief in your ability to make a difference is a crucial step towards leaving an indelible mark on your business†. The author' score under â€Å"leading courageously' was fairly good an indication which demonstrate that he is capable of making tough decisions even when times are hard in business.An entrepreneur must be ready to take a risk by embracing innovative ideas and be ready to take on new products in the face of competition on the market. In their study Dyer. , Greenest. , & Christensen. (2009) discovered that great innovators of our time Apple's Steve Jobs, Amazon's Jeff Bozo and Keep expounder Nikolas Sonnets ¶m are enthusiastically willing to make a difference from the way things and frequently â€Å"take risks† to create change.Further the results under â€Å"championing change† was also not good enough meaning that the author has an element of resistance to change which is a recipe for failure in cuisines because an entrepreneur must be ready to embrace and deal with changes on the market due to innovation which brings about new and sophisticated products on the market thereby threatening the existence of the business if the business leader is unable to champion the change. Reflection of Personal Strength on Relationship between Innovation and Entrepreneurship Dyer, Greenest, & Christensen. 2009) argued that â€Å"Innovators rely on their courage to innovate, an active bias against the status quo and an unflinching willingness to take risks to transform ideas into rueful impact†. It was interesting enough to see the author's high score in â€Å"coaching and developing people† a personal strength which builds rela tionships and an ingredient which fosters trust and growth in business because when you invest in people, they become engaged in innovation and entrepreneurship as well as identifying themselves with the organization.According to Core, & Chokes. (2012) fear has been the major reason why many people have not been able to demonstrate their inner strengths because they feel it is not possible for them to succeed. The author argues hat fear has direct influence on the personal strength in relation to innovation and entrepreneurship.

What Do You See as Some of the Crucial Roles of Informal Language in Contemporary Australia?

Informal language has a variety of functions in Australian society. What do you see as some of the crucial roles of informal language in contemporary Australia? Informal language has a variety of functions in Australian society. The main function of informal language has to do with Australia’s culture. Slang and informal language gives a sense of belonging, pride, mateship, informality and laid-backness, which is an accurate description of a typical Australian. In Australian society slang is a common feature of spoken and written conversation. The expletive bloody is very common in Australian language. Bloody is quite typical of Australian language that it can be used as a hyphen in many various words and phrases, for example â€Å"fan-bloody-tastic†. The suffix on the end of bloody is another feature worth noting as it does emphasise the Australian accent. Bloody has now become an important indicator of Australianness and of cultural values such as friendliness, informality, laid-backness, and mateship (Kate Burridge, Gift of the Gob, ABC Books 2012). The word mate, which is another way of saying friend, is typical Australian slang and it is mainly used in an informal context. The word mate suggests openness, at least to a relationship of equals (Richard Castles, The Big Issue 4-17 November 2008). The openness created from using the word mate is a positive face feature possibly leading to build rapport. There are right and wrong times to use slang and with the word mate for example, calling a woman mate runs the risk of offence, as it's an ambiguous word and in a formal situation like a job interview, using the word mate especially referring to if it is your boss, is not something that is acceptable depending on the relationship with the person.

Gasoline crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gasoline crisis - Essay Example This is regardless of whether there is a true shortage, or if it’s just panic buying that takes hold. Don’t be surprised to see gasoline rationing being put in place as soon as this occurs, whether it is imposed by the retailers, or by the government. Don’t be surprised to see long lines at the pumps, a la 1972.† (The Coming Gasoline Crisis). This paper will deal with the gasoline crisis and it will compare the cost of production of Gasoline to Ethanol in order to suggest a solution to this problem. The conclusion will sum up the major points of the paper. There is no question that oil, or petroleum or gasoline, is a precious commodity that built a lucrative industry. The entire trade revolving around oil – from exploration through extraction and processing to retail – is definitely one of the biggest businesses if not the biggest. Oil, as we know it, is a rather young industry. It is, however, all-encompassing. Not only do we use it for transportation but we use it to basically run the whole economy. Our present industries are fueled by oil and it is this function that saw the huge leap in the age of Industrial Revolution and had the world careening towards technological breakthroughs at unprecedented rates. History can tell us that much. To understand how oil came to dominate so much of our lives, it may be best to look as far back to history’s memory of it. The Earth processed for us the fossil fuels that we convert to oil, the result of photosynthesis of perhaps 300 to 350 million years ago, when plant and animal material were buried deep in the Earth’s crust. The petroleum industry kicked off when tar, distilled from petroleum, was used to pave the streets of Baghdad in the 8th century. Then in the 9th century, naphtha was produced from the oil field of Baku, Azerbaijan and Muhammad ibn ZakarÄ «ya RÄ zi produced kerosene from distilled petroleum for use on lamps (Bilkadi,

Diversity of World Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diversity of World Music - Essay Example These are music from Indonesia, Jazanese Gamelan music and ethiojazz. Music has been used by many communities to communicate. Moreover, music has exhibited the obvious influences of other cultures by the mix in instruments or words in the songs. An example is the gamelan music which is an original and traditional Indonesian music. The instruments and the music flow however display heavy influence of Hinduism and Buddhism cultures (Born, 168). In addition, the gamelan uses an instrument called rebab which is an Islamic instrument. This shows the Indonesia people trying to interact with the Hindu, Buddhism and Islam culture. The history of the gamelan music can be traced to the period where hindu-budhist tradition dominated Indonesia. On fact in Indonesia culture Hindu culture has heavily influenced many art works. The gamelan is often considered Javanese by outsiders who relate it more to the java culture based on the instruments and music flow. This is so In that java music exhibits a wider diversity since it was an island that was transverse by many differentcultures. Thus, its music comprises of old, traditional, contemporary and unique styles which looks and feels different from the normal Indonesian music. This is a cross cultural interaction since Indonesians and the Hindus were living together at one point they had to interact and what better way than use of music. This is the music of the Ethiopians and it is a mix of Ethiopian music and jazz music hence the name ethiojazz which basically means Ethiopian jazz. This name has been used distinctively to show that there is other jazz music but this is specifically Ethiopian. This is a cross cultural communication to the world that Ethiopia has their own jazz music apart from the jazz they know. Ethiojazz has been made widely afamous by one Mulatu Astatke. Ethiojazz is generally a mix of traditional Ethiopian music blended together with soul music, Latin rhythms and afro-funk music (Born,

Twenty-First Century Images of Nurse and Nursing Essay - 1

Twenty-First Century Images of Nurse and Nursing - Essay Example This has had the effect that the nurses are uncertain about their responsibilities which lead to impaired judgment and poor decision making which has an impact to the quality of nursing care that the patients receive (Burton and Ormrod, 2011). In order to avoid the uncertainty among nurses, there is need to develop a nurse training program that will equip all nurses with the necessary skills to run a nursing unit. Nursing educators should ensure that all student nurses have undergone the training therefore, when hospitals choose nurses randomly he or she will be able to run the unit effectively. The responsibilities bestowed among nurses, especially in managing other nurses in patient care, make it one of the factors that define nursing in the 21st century. Emergence of nursing school in the late 19th century is another factor that has influenced contemporary nursing. The way that nursing schools were run at the beginning has remained in most of the nursing schools worldwide with very little modifications. An apprenticeship model was involved in training the nurses, which would take about two months; they started with making beds before progressing to other more complicated tasks. The length of the program, was initially one year, however, it was later increased to 2 to 3 years depending on the location; this duration of training has remained up to date with the longest duration of training graduate nurses being four years in some countries. Without the establishment of the nursing training schools, the field of nursing would not be as what we know it today. Another very popular historical event that shaped nursing is the World War I and a nurse by the name Florence nightingale who took care of the wounded soldiers in the war. Florence nightingale who is idolized world over for her selfless efforts defined the course that nursing should take as a profession that is fully dedicated to caring for the sick and aged and in

COMPARATIVE BUSINESS ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Essay

COMPARATIVE BUSINESS ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - Essay Example Many companies across the globe have attempted to adapt their social responsiveness and the way they relate to varied social responsibilities (Windsor, 2006, p. 95). Macdonald is one of the companies that have made significant efforts of adopting business ethics and corporate social responsibility in order to achieve competitive advantage in the global competitive business environment. Although MacDonald Inch have attempted to change their leadership and operational styles through employing effective organisational strategies, the corporate has faced numerous challenges including criticism from the public and also faced legal issues for manufacturing unhealthy foods; thus a failure to conduct business in ethically and socially responsible manner. Company Overview MacDonald Corporation has undergone varied leadership and operational changes since its inception, in 1937. The company has a long standing history and it has built customer loyalty because of its continued dedication to cus tomer services as being reflected in their customer focused approach. The business is among the leading and high competitive global food industries with more than 34, 000 restaurants serving over 70 million customers globally. The company employs unique business strategies of manufacturing what their customers wants; thus their marketing and operation strategies such as being committed in key success areas including cost efficiency, product promotion and product development have enabled the company to sustain their business in the competitive business world. Despite being able to obtain a position as the leader in the competitive food industries, the company has recently faced numerous issues due to managerial failure; thus posing the company into threats of sustaining a competitive advantage in the market. The company is faced with the issues of staying competitive in the fast food industry and the way it can take competitive advantage for varied opportunities available for them; t hus posing threats to effective business performance. Project Aims/ Objectives The aim of the research projects is to critically analyse the significant of comparative business ethics and social responsibility in the MacDonald Company. The objectives of the research include; The project attempts to analyse the significant of conducting business in a socially responsible and an ethical manner in MacDonald Company. To offer detailed analysis of the company in an attempt of employing comparative business ethics and social responsibility as way of achieving business advantage in a competitive business world. To examine or identify problems that has impacted MacDonald Company especially the failure to conduct their business in an ethical and socially responsible manner. To provide effective recommendations vital for enabling the company to continue sustaining their business in the competitive business world. Problem Identification The case for corporate scandals for dealing with manageri al failure has attracted public interest on social responsibility of the corporation towards society. MacDonald Inch is one of the companies that have attracted the government and public interest because of varied scandals especially the issue of manufacturing unhealthy

Its Wrong, But Everybody Does It Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Its Wrong, But Everybody Does It - Essay Example The participants are not so much in agreement about the most acceptable kinds of cheating because the standard deviation is higher. 11 Males report higher tolerance of cheating because of need to pass the class, fear of being put on academic probation and needing a good grade to maintain athletic eligibility. These are all status related factors. 12 Males report higher tolerance of cheating both in terms of copying homework and copying an exam. This shows they are willing to take more risk. It is interesting also that males show significantly more willingness to let others copy their homework. They support each other to achieve male status. 15 The results suggest that students cheat for different reasons, and that they rate various motives differently. This suggests that more research is needed to understand why some types of motive are seen as more acceptable than

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl - Essay Example Nevertheless, there is a woman who has been through better situations as a slave during her childhood that influenced and shaped her life which she revealed in her autobiography. Harriet Jacobs was born in a slave family but was raised with so much love and good bearing. She enjoyed the love her mother who unfortunately died while Jacobs was still young. She was also lavished with the care and concern of her grandmother who seemed to have thought of nobody else but her family. Moreover, she was also privileged to have such a wonderful mistress who taught her how to read and write. These early experiences shaped her to become a respected slave girl who was not only praise-worthy for her work but also for her principles and wit. She later became known among the slaves to be able to read and write that her help was often sought. For instance, there was a time when rumors were heard that there are white men who were interested in helping slaves. With the desire of every slave to gain his freedom, they wanted to verify the information. However, as slaves, they were not able to read. Therefore, they asked Jacobs to read the papers for them and help them to know more about the help being offered. In addition, there was also a Black man who sought her to teach him how to read and write because he wanted to read the Bible. However, such advantages were not the only things that the author encountered. There were so many difficulties that she went through which made her decide to do things which she might not have don under better or different circumstances. First, when she was used by her master as a sex object, being abused not only physically but emotionally and psychologically, she despised him so much that she extremely wanted to have her freedom. With her master not wanting to sell her though, she was hard-pressed on a decision that she thought would become her way of escape. She decided to bear children for a white man who showed goodness to her however, this prove d to be of no help at all. Instead, it became a source of more burdens as she now have the responsibilities of protecting and providing for her children. This shows the difficult situations which could drive slaves to do unimaginable things that they would have never thought about. Initially, Jacobs sought to free herself from the loathsome treatments of her masters, with the male sexually taking advantage of her and the wife being angry and intensely suspicious and jealous of her. However, instead of freeing herself, she made her situation more complicated by having children with a white man. Filled with jealousy and anger, her master never wanted to give her up to other masters although the wife would have gladly released her. Although Jacobs’ intentions were good, she failed to consider that her master would still continue to be very possessive of her despite what she did. Consequently, she was never given the freedom she desired instead, brought her more misery because he r master used the children as instruments to keep her as his possession as a revenge to her. Despite her sufferings though, Jacobs never gave up but braved the thought of abandoning her children to her grandmother’s care if only to prevent them from eternally suffering in the hands of her old master. When she heard that it was planned that her masters were to bring her children to her dwelling place, she ran away and hid herself in the residence of a trusted friend. Although she and her family have been through a lot

Conspiracy Theories Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Conspiracy Theories - Research Paper Example .. but the unfortunate and the most distracting part is when the media starts to give such petty issues great coverage and significance which has not been to date done by any eminent politicians or commentators. Although the formal coverage that is ongoing to date has randomly sought to marginalize these attention seeking conspiracy-mongers, the problem arises when such false myths gain severe popularity. People start to believe them as undue publicity is done so as to increase their ratings. First conspiracy was when a man who was near the school hiding in the bushes was caught as a shooter but soon after it was evaluated that the he was a cop from the other town on a day off. Then a man who was running around was arrested later it was determined that it was Manfredonia looking for his six year old daughter. Then there was this other conspiracy whether Lanza used a short gun or an assault rifle which could not be determined as both are quite similar to each other. Another conspiracy was whether Ryan Lanza the actual killer instead of Adam Lanza who was the killer. Ryan was suspected as the killer but then it was reported that he was at his place during the shooting and his brother as they did not live together was carrying his old identity card. Another conspiracy was about Rosen whose house is near the school and the kids who ran there took refuge there. The conspiracy lies why he informed the police late although the reason might be that he did not believe the children till he verified the news. Emile Parker who was also a victim was because her resemblance with her sister who had pictures with the president. They mistook her for being her younger sister and charged conspiracies against her. Lastly there was this conspiracy that the parents of the children who lost their lives during the shooting seem to be very happy during interviews like they were paid actors working for the government. "In the aftermath of the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Conn., President Obama has moved to strengthen America's gun laws, and public opinion has  swung significantly in support of stricter gun control." (The week magazine) The fire to this issue was enlightened when: CNN’s famous Anderson Cooper, for example, has given about two segments  of his show to denounce James Tracy who is a professor at Florida Atlantic University. He has sought to question the alleged media reports intriguing about what precisely happened that day. Much staged coopers act is justified by the report that Tracy is working as a professor at a public university. According to him Tracy has been a tenured professor at a respectable university therefore he's paying heed to his judgment otherwise he would not have popularized such remarks. Tracy himself is still a very blur figure with no such importance and limelight. His filthy views do not even require much attention. Sadly, Tracy stroke when the iron was hot and taking advantage of the situatio n and grabbing the opportunity efficient denounced at theory in air. According to James Tracy, the shooting that had happened at the Sandy Hook School had a

Robin Hood Essay Example for Free

Robin Hood Essay Robin Hood has several problems that need to be addressed. The main issues arising that he should address first is the fact that his band has grown and is continuing to grow way too quickly, all while money and food are running out. As the numbers of Merrymen are growing, travelers are finding alternate routes through the forest to avoid apprehension, which has resulted in a decline in the band’s revenue. These changes must be addressed along with the structuring and training of the ever-growing band of Merrymen. Analysis: Need for new strategy Robin Hood is definitely in need of a fresh strategy in response to external happenings. He needs to reduce the number of new recruits, find other ways to find provisions for his gang, delegate tasks more, enforce more discipline, and join forces with the barons. Robin Hood needs to figure out how to change the fact that the travelers are beginning to avoid the forest to protect their belongings even though this is adding cost and inconvenience to them. Robin’s current plan to force the Sheriff out of Nottingham is not working. The Sheriff is continuously using powerful connections to apply added pressure to Robin and the Merrymen. He has more money and more men. Alternative Solutions: Joining the Barons Robin Hood thought has about just killing the sheriff, but that would be pointless. It would not improve the situations at hand; it would only quench his thirst for personal revenge. The best decision that Robin hood could make would be to just join the barons to collect the ransom to release King Richard. It is risky but it is less risky than doing what he is presently doing which is nothing.. Although it would be a dangerous decision, by joining them, there will no longer be a need to steal from the rich, the sheriff would not be in power; therefore his threat would be minimal, and King Richard would then be able to answer to all the peasant’s needs. It is pretty much a win-win for Robin Hood and his gang. Conclusion: Even though Robin Hood does have other options, joining the barons seems to be the most beneficial to him and his merrymen. Robin Hood’s Mission and Vision Statements- Because Robin Hood’s initial mission to â€Å"rob the rich and give to the poor† is no longer effective, and because the organization is changing, their mission statement has to be revised. Their main mission immediately needs to be to minimize the number of new recruits. Their mission statement should now focus on the existing men in the gang, and how to maximize all resources. This is the same with Robin Hood’s vision. His vision was once to just get rid of the Sheriff, but that was not working out so well for him. A new vision should be to focus on becoming joined with the barons and the ways that they can run the Sheriff out of town all together. Robin Hood has only had plans and visions for the present, but he now needs to make long term plans for the future. This will help him always be prepared, and keep his chances down low of being beat out by the Sherriff.

Is Australia Multicultural?

Is Australia Multicultural? Australia is often seen as a successful multicultural nation. Since 1945, around 7 million immigrants from over 150 countries have settled in Australia. Also, different religions and cultures are accepted, for example, Judaism and Islam. The governments that have ruled this country since the first white settlement in 1788, has passed legislations and policies that support multiculturalism. However, Australia hasn’t always been successful in multiculturalism. Not all people have had equal rights, for example, the right to vote and some governments have not placed a large emphasis on multiculturalism. Australia is one of the most multi-faith, multi-lingual and multi-cultural countries in the world. It is a diverse country that accepts people of different cultures and religions. With the increasing unrest in the world, more and more innocent citizens are fleeing from their war-torn countries, to countries where they will be accepted. People risk their lives and sometimes pay large amounts of money to come to a free and peaceful country that they can call home. Migrants come to countries that have the capabilities of helping other countries in times of distress or need and know that they will most likely be respected and received. According to the 2011 Census, approximately one quarter of Australia’s population is born overseas with 43.1% of people having at least one overseas parent. This shows diversity and outlook of Australia. The 2011 Census Executive Director, Andrew Henderson, said: These results highlight the cultural diversity of Australia’s population. Multiculturalism plays a big part in who we are as a nation, helping to create a brighter future for all Australians.[1] A survey conducted in 2012, revealed a high support for immigration by Australians; a majority displaying a positive or neutral attitude towards people from different backgrounds. 38% of those surveyed believed that the immigration intake was too high against 56% saying it was about right or too low. Australians accept different cultures, religions and beliefs and very few criticise those that have different backgrounds, beliefs and practices. There are approximately 260 different languages spoken in Australia and 21 different religions practiced. Each religion has different underlying principles and values and all are respected. Australia has ties with countries such New Zealand and China, helping Australians to broaden their outlook and understand different cultures and religions and how they influence lives in many ways. The past governments of this country and other non-government organisations have created many policies to give those from different backgrounds better lives. In 1989, the Hawke Labour Government continued to support multiculturalism, releasing the National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia. This policy contained the underlying values and principles of multiculturalism including â€Å"quote†. Australia’s Labour Government of 2007 led by Kevin Rudd, reversed the trend of the previous government led by John Howard (1996 – 2007), from a negative attitude to a positive attitude. Like the Hawke Government, Kevin Rudd showed its support for multiculturalism by creating ties with neighbouring countries and established a National Multicultural Advisory Council (NMAC) which was asked to give advice on â€Å"quote†. During April 2010, the NMAC released a report named ‘The people of Australia’. The council appreciated Australia’s multicultural a ttitude and made ten recommendations which included â€Å"quote†. The Australian government are not the only supporters of multiculturalism in Australia. There are also non-government organisations. Two examples of these non-government organisations are the Australian Multicultural Foundation (AMF) and the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations (APRO). The AMF seeks to promote awareness and the importance and respect in relation to peoples’ cultures and how they help the diversity of our country. The organisation also conducts research about Australia’s diversity. The APRO is made of people from different ethnic communities and have different faiths, which work together to promote multiculturalism, social justice and democracy. However, Australia is not as multicultural as it may seem. Asylum seekers are sometimes viewed as outcasts and people who do not deserve to live freely because of the trouble they cause. Migrants come from many places, risking their lives on boats that are hardly sea-worthy, to arrive in a free country, where there is democracy and peace. For many of these war-torn countries, Australia is their closest free country, with there only being approximately 93 miles between the most southern point of Papua New Guinea and the most northern point of Australia. The boats are usually intercepted by Australian Navy, Customs or Border Protection vessels on border security operations. The immigrants on these boats are taken to detention centres, for example, Christmas Island or Pontville (now closed), or are sent back to where the boat departed. Since December 8, 2013, the Australian Navy and Australian Border Protection vessels have turned back six boats, returning 249 people. Returning asylum s eekers gives them a limited chance to live a good life and create a living. A survey conducted in 2012 by The Scanlon Foundation found that only 23% of those surveyed agreed that asylum seekers who arrived on boats should be eligible for permanent residence. Australia has not always been a successful multicultural nation. When Australia was first discovered by Captain Cook, he declared it belonged to Britain, despite the fact that the Aboriginals already lived on the land. He stated that the land was terra nullius (a land belonging to no-one.) This view has been carried down by a majority of the population ever since the first settlement of White people. The Aboriginals have always been the true owners of the land; their position as the fathers of this land has not always been recognised. They have been ignored and discriminated. Their views of the land and how to use it have disregarded and have not always had the same social rights as the rest of Australia. An example of this is the right to vote. Aboriginals had the right to vote for the state elections in all states apart from Queensland and Western Australia. However, very few Aboriginals knew their rights, and therefore, very few voted. In 1902, the Aboriginals’ rights chang ed under the 1902 Franchise Act, excluding Aboriginals and any other coloured people from voting. It wasn’t until 1962, when the Menzies Liberal and Country Party Government changed the law to allow the Aboriginals to vote in the federal elections. In the same year, Western Australia allowed the Aboriginals of that state to vote in state elections, which was followed by Queensland in 1965. The 1996 – 2007 Liberal Government, led by John Howard, did not place such great emphasis on multiculturalism as the previous governments. The government focused more on â€Å"Cultural unity, assimilation and integration.†[2] A NMAC council was set up in 1997 and in its report titled Australian Multiculturalism for a New Century: Towards Inclusiveness released in 1999, it mentioned diversity and acknowledged that those involved in making a multicultural nation. However, it was more focused on â€Å"The heritage of Great Britain and Ireland from which our democracy has evolved and the special social values of mateship and a fair go.† In conclusion, Australia is successful as a multicultural nation, accepting different cultures and making life as free as possible for those from different backgrounds. However, it cannot be said that Australia has always been multicultural. People are given limited chance to improve their life and the rights of those from different cultures are not always accepted. Overall, Australia is a successful multicultural nation despite the negatives. [1] [2] Three Types of Amphibians: An Introduction Three Types of Amphibians: An Introduction Additional comments: There are three types of amphibians; Urodele (tailed with limited metamorphosis) Anuran (tailless and no scales) Apoda (limbless) Additional comments: The main orders at the Animalrium; Testudines (turtles, chelonioa and tortoises) Squamata (snakes and lizards) Crocodilia (crocodiles) Additional comments: They have a double circulatory system and maintain a high body temperature. Additional comments: Additional comments: Bibliography Lecture notes Visit to Borth Animalrium: supplementary notes Books Reece, J., Urry, L., Cain, M. L., Wasserman, S. R., Minorsky, P. V. and Jackson, R. (2010) Campbell biology / Jane B. Reece [et al.]. 9th edn. United States: Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company, Subs of Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.

A Case for Alternative Energy Generation: How Effective Is It? Essay

As the population rises, the demand for energy increases as well. Americans expect the convenience of electrical power to be there when they need it and their economy depends on it, but a lack of power might soon be a reality. A large amount of electricity in the United States is produced by burning fossil fuels. The national government, as well as individual states, are on a quest for less pollution, but with the energy demand so high it seems lower carbon emissions are impossible. Despite claims that the aging electrical grid is to blame for energy shortages, fossil fuel power generation plants simply cannot keep up with demand. While there is no question the electrical grid needs modernizing, alternative forms of energy production, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric programs have the potential to significantly increase the production of electricity. These programs will not only satisfy demand, but decrease dependency of fossil fuels and carbon emissions. Many argue that increasing renewable energy initiatives will be ineffective without a modernization of our current electrical grid. Globally, 80 percent of electricity is lost between generation and consumption by the end user (Bernstein Global 162). Advocates for renewable energy, such as Tracy Crawford, CEO of Technical Green, are in agreement that â€Å"without rebuilding our grid, we won’t be able to move forward with any new power initiatives and that would not be smart at all†. To help reduce energy loss, companies and power suppliers are advocating for a Smart Grid, an automated power grid that communicates with buildings, appliances, and power distribution centers to increase operational savings, improve energy efficiency, improve grid reliability, and provide efficie... .... 2009. Web. 9 May 2012. Kim, Myung. â€Å"Hoover Dam.† Our States: Geographic Treasures. N.p.: n.p., 2011. 1-3. EBSCO History Reference Center. Web. 9 May 2012. Pacella, Rena Marie. â€Å"Fish-Friendly Tidal Turbine.† Popular Science 1 June 2010: 44. EBSCO Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 May 2012. U.S. Geological Survey. â€Å"Hydroelectric Power Water Use.† Water Science for Schools. United States Geological Survey, 9 Mar. 2012. Web. 9 May 2012. Valenti, Michael. â€Å"Storing Solar Energy in Salt.† Mechanical Engineering 117.6 (1995): 72. EBSCO Military & Government Collection. Web. 9 May 2012. Wiser, Ryan H. The State of the U.S. Wind Energy Market: Wind Technologies Market Report: 2010. 7-9. Wind Powering America. U.S. Department of Energy , 26 May 2011. Web. 9 May 2012. Woody, Todd. â€Å"WIND VS. BIRD.† Forbes 1 Jan. 2012: 70-75. EBSCO Business Source Premier. Web. 9 May 2012.

Gauguin :: Essays Papers

Gauguin Gauguin was born in Paris on June 7, 1848, into a liberal middle-class family. After an adventurous early life, including a four-year stay in Peru with his family and a stint in the French merchant marine, he became a successful Parisian stockbroker, settling into a comfortable bourgeois existence with his wife and five children. In 1874, after meeting the artist Camille Pissarro and viewing the first Impressionist exhibition, he became a collector and amateur painter. He exhibited with the Impressionists in 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, and 1886. In 1883 he gave up his secure existence to devote himself to painting; his wife and children, without adequate subsistence, were forced to return to her family. From 1886 to 1891 Gauguin lived mainly in rural Brittany (except for a trip to Panama and Martinique from 1887 to 1888), where he was the centre of a small group of experimental painters known as the School of Pont-Aven. Under the influence of the painter Émile Bernard, Gauguin turned away from Impressionism and adopted a less naturalistic style, which he called Synthetism. He found his inspiration in the art of indigenous peoples, in medieval stained glass, and in Japanese prints; he was introduced to Japanese prints by Vincent van Gogh when they spent two months together in Arles, in the South of France, in 1888. Gauguin's new style was characterized by the use of large flat areas of non-naturalistic colour, as in The Yellow Christ (1889, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York State). In 1891, ruined and in debt, Gauguin sailed for the South Seas to escape European civilization and "everything that is artificial and conventional". Except for one visit to France from 1893 to 1895, he remained in the Tropics for the rest of his life, first in Tahiti and later in the Marquesas Islands. The essential characteristics of his style changed little in the South Seas; he retained the qualities of expressive colour, denial of perspective, and thick, flat forms. Under the influence of the tropical setting and culture of Polynesia, however, Gauguin's paintings became more powerful, while his subject-matter became more distinctive, the scale of his paintings larger, and his compositions more simplified. His subjects ranged from scenes of ordinary life, such as Tahitian Women, or On the Beach (1891, Musà ©e d'Orsay, Paris), to brooding scenes of superstitious dread, such as Spirit of the Dead Watching (1892, Albright-Knox Art Gallery).

Welsh Poetry Comparison and Analysis Essay examples -- Owen Sheers Dyl

Welsh Poetry Comparison and Analysis This essay will consider two poems, both written by Welsh authors. The first poem to be discussed will be Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night. Following this, the emphasis will progress to Owen Sheers' poem, When You Died, where ongoing comparisons between the two poems will be made. The content of this essay will discuss the themes and ideas present in both poems, and the devices and techniques used to illustrate them. One of the distinct similarities between the two is that both are themed heavily on the topic of death. Bearing this in mind, the atmosphere, mood and tone of each poem will be discussed with both comparisons and differences made. In addition, the different sets of structures used will be analysed and the effects resulting from the employment of these structures. Dylan Thomas' poem is in the form of a villanelle. This can be inferred from the rigid structure of nineteen lines and the rhyming scheme, which utilises only two rhymes throughout the entirety of the poem. The strict rhyming scheme gives the poem a strong rhythm and a determined, inflexible pace, and as a result, the poem exudes a sense of insuperability in the face of death. The repetitiveness of the rhyming lends an imploring tone to the poem and as such represents Thomas' genuine intent - to advocate (to his father) the subjugation of death, as confirmed by the theme of the poem. Throughout the poem, "night" is used as a metaphor for death. This comparison is apt to the extent that both are regarded with fear and apprehension, feelings also associated with darkness, which is also used, as a metaphor for death. The "night", however, is referred to as being a "good nig... ...ivid recollections of the past he possesses, which perhaps provide him with an opportunity to escape from the traumas of reality. The significance of the egg could possibly a subtle portent of hope after death, even new life. The positive note that the poem ends on consolidates this idea. This concept ties in with the one used in Thomas' poem where, as mentioned earlier, he refers to death as being "good", thus indicating the benevolence of death, a release from suffering. Hence the moral of Sheers' poem, although relatively elusive and ambiguous in comparison with the moral of Thomas' poem, is that there is hope after death. The moral of Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, is much more apparent, the theme displayed in the title (metaphorically) and throughout. Thomas' poem therefore urges us to fight against death, a message pertinent to everyone.

Managing homeland security

The US homeland security department was formed as a strategy to beef up homeland security following the enactment of the Homeland security Act of 2002.   This was in reaction to the increased terrorist attacks around the world and particularly because of the devastating September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.   The department of Homeland security is charged with the economies responsibility of mobilizing the nation for prevention of further terrorist attacks.   This it does by providing a care unifying point for numerous organizations that ran parallel to ensuring sufficient homeland security. (Kemp, 2003).Notably, the DHS responsibilities are exceedingly important as well as challenging.   The men and women in this department rise daily to protect the citizens of America form visions terrorist attack.   They must therefore be guided by a clear framework to direct flier actions and this is provided in the department vision and mission statement.   For instance, the vision reads preserving out freedom, protecting America †¦we secure our homeland.The mission on the other hand reads â€Å"we will lead the unified national efforts to secure America.   We will prevent and deter terrorist attacks and protect against and respond to threats and hazards to the nation.   We will ensure safe and secure borders, welcome lawful immigrants and visitors and promote the free flow of commerce (www.dhs.gov.)   These strongly started missions provide a strong foundation and framework for building on the daily operations of this department.The vision and mission of the department set out the goals of the department which are also purposeful and clear, for example to identify and understand threats, to value to most valuable asset i.e. the people of America and so on.   Clearly, the mission and vision stamens of the DHS are crucial to the operations of the department and especially the human resources.The structureThe department of Homeland security compri ses of five directors namely, The directors of National protection and programs, The directorate of science and technology, The directorate of management, The office of policy and the office of health Affairs.The directorate of National Protection and programs is charged with the task of developing and implementing risk reduction approaches by putting in place an integrated and comprehensive view of cubing risk elements both physical and virtual.   If feel that this arm plays a crucial role since prevention is better than cure.   Risk reduction approach goes a long way to facilitating reduced terrorist attacks.The directorate of science and Technology primarily provides the federal and state officials with the technology and capabilities they may require to stay a head in the plight against terrorism.   This is a very important function of the department because seen as it is, the terrorist techniques get sophisticate by the day and with the directorate R&D efforts, advanced t echnology to match or even surpass that of the terrorist gangs helps to reduce numerous attacks by detecting them early or reducing the magnitude of their effects. This I feel is very crucial to be department’s mission.The directing for management is equally important.   This is because it ensures that the budget is properly appropriated, adequate to fund the operations of the department which no doubt must be very costly.   These funds must be well managed and this is the function of the directorate of managements.   Additionally, other components such as the human resource, expenditure of funds, IT systems management, procurement of necessary materials and so on fall under the roles of this directorate.These functions although not directly connected to the actual capturing of terrorists contribute to the smooth running of the department. This is especially true when it comes to the  human resource.   I believe it is one of the most important functions of this depa rtment which entails the right people for the job. E.g. highly qualified, possess integrity, innovative as well as patriotic.The division of office of policy is just as pertinent as the other in the DHS. Although not well known to many, its main function is to formulate and coordinate policies within the department of homeland security.   I believe that the division in the DHS is crucial component in that it provides a focused centralized long range blue prints to the protection of the United States and its people. (Howard, James & Moore, 2005).Also in line with the five directorates of the department of homeland security is the office of Health Affairs.   Much cannot be said about this department but of importance is the role it plays providing medical activities in instances where having medical background preparation may be called for.   Generally, this act to ensure that staff is well prepared to face challenges of a medical nature such as diseases like SARS, Bird flu and the rest which pose homeland insecurity.The US department of homeland security works in conjunction with the independent organizations such as the US coast guard which is a branch of the military whose duty is basically to conduct search and rescue mission as well as provide security assistance of a marine nature.   This organization is the smallest of all but none the less vital in ensuring maximum possible security to the American citizens, the environment us economy or any other security interest falling in the region meantime.   This organization seems most logical because it is impossible for the DHS to work alone in providing security to the whole of American.Not only that, division of labour or rather specialization ensures that the experts do their part to give maximum contribution to the security of America.   Beside since both organization have same mission where necessary at all times.   The other independent body that worked with the US department of security is the secret service.   This department has dual roles form providing security to correct retires of visiting leaders and conducting criminal investigations of a sensitive nature say money laundry, identity theft, computer based attacks and so on.Contrary to what most people believe, not the agency is misplaced in working with homeland security, I feel that its pretense is crucial to beefing security within American not only to the ‘who is who’ and their families but even the citizens of American.   This is because most terrorist attacks are funded from outside sources to internally based allies.   Tracking suspicious transfers could head the agency to exposing such suspicious transaction and ultimately lead to the crime that is not so far apart form terrorism or terrorist.   When the US secret service curbs these problems, they in part also curb problems and threats of terrorism.The five directorates are further made up smaller operate under the umbrella of the d irectorates.   For instance under the NPP directorates we have the offices of cyber security and communications, infrastructure protection (OIP) office of intergovernmental programs (IGP) office of Risk management and Analysis (RMA) and US Visit.These sub-divisions under the NNP directorate expand the breath of jurisdiction and duties of the department of homeland security.   In terms increasing preparedness for unexpected attacks, reassurance to the nation providing decision makers will information that is relevant and accurate when it is needed, developing integrated approach to homeland security right form grassroots, and so on.In my opinion, the department of homeland security is well organized, in a logical way of least.   The organization hierarchy is very clearly displayed in the deportment organization chart with the security at the top of the chart.   In support to this claim, the department has tried to be very comprehensive with almost all areas affecting security considered, for example, the legal aspects, health, financial management, technological, intelligence, citizenship, public affairs and policy and so on.Additionally, the department appoints commissioners and directors form other agencies such as the citizenship and migration services, customs and border protection, transport security, secret service, coast guard, federal emergency management Agency (FEMA) and immigration and customs enforcements. (https://training.fema.gov/hiedu/aemrc/booksdownload/fem/)   This only goes to show how well thought out the organization of the agency is. The inclusion of the afore mentioned agencies ensures that no loopholes are left uncovered i.e. right from detection of potential threats, prevention tacking of insecurity and swift and efficient disaster management in case of terrorist attacks or natural disaster strike.However, it is not hard to notice that one important agency is absent in the DHS organization i.e. the federal bureau of investigat ion.   It is alarming because these two should be closely interlinked because seen as it is they share comm. interest i.e. fighting crime, protection and conducting criminal investigations.   If they could work directly with the departments of Homeland security then perhaps the expertise on fighting insecurity and terrorist attack would be greater.ReferencesDepartment of Homeland Security. About the Department of Homeland SecurityRetrieved on October 27, 2007 from World Wide Web: https://www.dhs.gov/FEMA. Introduction to Emergency Management Textbook, FEMA Higher Education Project. Retrieved on October 27, 2007 from World Wide Web:https://training.fema.gov/hiedu/aemrc/booksdownload/fem/Howard, R.D., James J. & Moore J. C. (2005). Homeland Security and Terrorism: Readings and Interpretations. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.Kemp R.L. (2003). Homeland Security: Best Practices for Local GovernmentInternational City/County Management Association.

How might Randstades partnership program contribute to the effective decision making?

The Randstad is a Dutch company that has undergone great expansion in the U. S. majorly because of teaming up its young employees with the older ones who are more experienced. This partnership program has played a vital role in the business decision making process. For instance, it has ensured increased productivity from the paired sales agents since there was sharing of jobs and also a trade off in responsibilities. The end result realized has been a minimized production and distribution costs and lesser time being used in availing the products.This program has ensured that budgetary appropriations are not cumbersome. Moreover, the existence of a symbiotic relationship between the Gen Yers who needed a lot of attention and the older that needed the former to succeed aided in nurturing the young employees. This helps in growth of the business to a certain size within a shorter time span. The program also made job rotation possible since every employee had varied expertise in the vari ous departments.The vast knowledge greatly aids the firm in the recruitment process of new potential workers and ensuring proper record keeping. In addition, since there is also job specialization, competition among employees is not a problem since no one is seeking for recognition but for the prosperity of the firm as a whole. The personnel integration led to the recruitment of more Gen Yers which cultivated a relationship between them and the organization. As a result, each and every effort by the employers is directed towards the achievement of the business goals.2. How might it help employees generate and evaluate alternatives? Since there is nobody termed as the boss in the business, employees are free to bring into focus their views towards an arising situation affecting the business. The employees share the responsibilities equally thus willing to give out their different ideas and hence. As Benjamin states, no one is individually responsible for everything (Bloomberg). Throu gh this, each employee get to learn new alternative courses of action and methods of coming up with the solution.The fact that there are a number of alternatives puts at bay the unyielding option of giving up when one employee’s criterion fails since he/she in not over; there can arise a solution from the other partner’s course of action. The partnership program ensures that the best alternatives that will not put off clients are adopted. Through this program, employees develop courage and confidence in airing their various alternatives generated through partnering.These alternatives later undergo joined comprehensive scrutiny for best result realization. 3. How might it help employees choose alternatives and learn from feedback? The partnership program can play a crucial role in ensuring that the right alternatives are given a priority by asking the relevant questions and saying the right things to the clients. Further more, explicit suggestions can be obtained from a partner who with time might result to only making observations to the partner and understanding whether or not the alternative is right.The older employees are more experienced in comparison with the Gen Yers, thus their alternatives might be considered or else utilized as an important reference point in some major areas of concern thus strengthening the rapport between them. Negative feedbacks like sabotaging the other partner or reduction in productivity due to constant wrangling are indicators unfruitful partnership which can lead to its break up (Giancola, 13). In addition, the uncooperative partner is identified, since he ends up leaving the company. This serves as a warning for the business entity to engage in a similar relationship in the future.Older workers can mock the young counterparts in a general business set up but with the employment of the pairing program, this is discouraged. The focus in set on impacting the same business knowledge to the young by the old since t here is no master in the business. 4. How might this program contribute to organizational learning? Cross generation partnership, as practiced by the Randstad, may lead to the understanding of the connection between solidarity in work place and the feeling of being more successful and productive.It diversifies the egocentric thoughts of the management to caring about the welfare of its subordinates and improves the relationship between them. To add on, the older employees do not get cynical for having been in the business for a longer time than the Gen Yers. The younger agents are taught on how to be patient and avoid discouraging the clients by the experienced ones who first seek for the solution to the arising problems (Bloomberg).This fosters appreciation for each party in the business hence playing a motivational role which is eventually reflected in the increased units and quality of the output. Concisely, organizations learn the best employee combination criteria since some de pended on others for their success hence the organization attaining its objectives on top of nurturing the employees’ skills. Though these relationships are promising, they are susceptible to dysfunction and require a lot of maintenance for their sustenance thus the organization has to take necessary measures in good time.Thus, if the partnership proves to be doing more harm than good, the organization should opt for its termination the soonest possible. Works Cited Bloomberg , L. P, Bridging The Generation Gap: Employment Agency Ramstad Teams Newbie’s With Older Staff To Great Effect, September, 17 2007. Viewed on July 2 2010 from http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/07_38/b4050063. htm Giancola, F. (2006). The Generation Gap: More Myth than Reality. Journal of Human Resource Planning. Vol. 29, p. 12-29

Compulsory education Essay

Everyone has their own opinions on beliefs about school. Many say school is the only way for children to go, and many are against it. John Holt wrote an inspiring story called â€Å"School Is Bad for Children† that has an outlook on all aspects of school and why it’s not for children. He elaborates on all points to argue the fact that children shouldn’t have to make life harder by going to school. Holt indicates certain points, but ones that stick out are the compulsory attendance policy and how it affects the child. Also, why we shouldn’t have grades and exams and lastly, teachers and their poor pedagogy. The compulsory school attendance protected the children’s right to school under the parents’ permission; unless the parents decide to exploit their labor. Holt states that the compulsory attendance policy commands children to go to school. If children are forced to go to school than there is a better chance they won’t like going. But, if the child had the option to go to school whenever they want, there us a better chance of them going; this being because school is where children meet new friends and communicate with others. And children need communication to get through life, like any other average person. Pedagogy is the art of the education and how a teacher conducts their class. Holt believes that poor pedagogy is another reason why school is bad for children. The art and styling of a teacher determines what the child will get and take out of the class. Many students are visual learners and some are auditory. Also, students are categorized between passive learners and active learners. Passive learners do what they need to, to pass the class and don’t take in any of the information that is being distributed to them. But, active learners enjoy their time in class and engage in the lesson of the day. Teachers need to take it upon themselves to make the class interesting and vibrant for all students. They always said â€Å"two heads are better than one†. Holt feels as if children work better in groups and collaborative work. It makes everything in their school experience and life a little easier. Letting them work together and help each other out, they can help each other fix their mistakes. He explains how children are often the best teachers of other children. Letting children judge their own work gives them a sense of how much they can handle. According to Holt, if a child is corrected too many times, he will shut down and not speak at all. Correcting a student over and over again begins to make them feel like being wrong, uncertain and confused is a crime. He feels that a child should learn on his or her own but with the help of other children his age. If the child is stuck and just can’t get the answer right and needs help then that is when we lend a helping hand. Helping a child too much can also lead to them depending on someone to give them the answer. They won’t know the right answer and they’ll wait for the teacher or the expert to give them right answer. Holt has given up ideas on why the right way isn’t always the right thing to do. He wants to correct the school curriculum. He shows that education back in the day is different than education now. Although students need education, we’re going about it all wrong. Children need to learn physically and mentally and not always with the help of an expert. Children need to work together to become more advance and progress.

Factory Outlet vs Departmental Outlets

CUSTOMER PERCEPTIONS OF FACTORY OUTLET STORES VERSUS TRADITIONAL DEPARTMENT STORES Dr. G. S. Shergill* Department of Commerce, Massey University, Albany Campus, Private Bag 102 904 NSMC, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND Ph: 0064 9 414 0800 x9466, Email: G. S. [email  protected] ac. nz & Y. Chen Department of Commerce, Massey University, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND, Email: [email  protected] com CUSTOMER PERCEPTIONS OF FACTORY OUTLET STORES VERSUS TRADITIONAL DEPARTMENT STORES Abstract This paper examines customers’ perceptions of two different types of retail stores; factory outlet stores and traditional department stores; as well as their purchasing preferences. In addition, the paper compares these preferences across demographics. It explores four critical factors which significantly influence customers’ perceptions of both types of retail store. Findings are base on a mall intercept survey with 205 respondents across a range of demographics. The results indicate that factory outlet stores are perceived as having comparatively lower prices and attractive promotions in comparison to traditional department stores, while traditional department stores have competitive advantages in terms of the other three factors. Also it is found that different demographic characteristics play an important role in influencing differences in customer perceptions regarding the different types of stores. The main implication of these findings is that factory outlet stores are perceived favourably and that they need to build more positive marketing strategies accordingly. Keywords- Factory outlet stores, Traditional department stores, Customer preferences. Nowadays, an increasing number of customers choose factory outlet stores as their alternative shopping places, rather than continuing to shop at traditional department stores. Since customer loyalty is becoming more important for marketers in achieving sales performance goals (Kulpa, 1998), this increase in the use of factory outlet stores as an alternative choice poses a significant challenge to traditional department stores. This circumstance means that the competition between these different retail channels has become extremely intense. A factory outlet store is owned and operated directly by a manufacturer to sell only its brand of merchandise, whereas a traditional department store does not manufacture products itself but instead sells a variety of products manufactured by independent firms (Meyers, 1995). In a factory outlet store, the manufacturer has full control over the product offering, in-store customer service and the quality and price of the product sold, as well as the physical attributes of the store. Traditional department stores are owned 1 and operated independent of manufacturers. Manufacturers of the products sold at these stores have limited control over in-store customer service, prices of the products sold and the physical attributes of the stores. Initially factory outlet stores were established to offer end-of-line goods and seconds at the lowest possible prices (Lombart, 2004). As a result it was mainly customers in lower socio-economic groups who were willing to buy through this channel. These outlets have begun, however, to be gradually accepted by more customers, in part due to special annual sale promotions which began during the 1980s (Lombart, 2004). Additionally, customers’ increasing value-consciousness has stimulated the development of factory outlet stores. This has especially been the case in the United States, where there are over 10,000 factory outlet stores now in operation (Meyers, 1995). Nowadays, factory outlet stores which provide the same range of brand name merchandise attract more and more customers, and have developed into showcases in much the same form as that of traditional department stores (Fernie and Fernie, 1997). It is unclear, however, whether customer perceptions of factory outlet stores versus traditional department stores may differ in general and across demographics, as well as how such differences may be seen. The findings will assist marketers, particularly those employed by manufacturers, in understanding the ways in which customers view both traditional department stores and factory outlet stores. This insight will allow such marketers to set more suitable customer-oriented marketing strategies and business objectives, achieve superior financial performance and develop their marketing performance in the retail industry. The main objective of this paper is to explore customers’ perceptions of these different types of retail stores, as well as their purchasing preferences. In addition, the paper examines customer preferences across demographics regarding customers’ perceptions of factory outlet stores and traditional department stores. The paper contains five sections. Following the introduction is an overview of literature, summarising previous studies, and sets the hypotheses to be tested. The next two 2 sections deal with research methodology, data analysis and findings. Conclusions and implications are discussed in the last section. LITERATURE REVIEW Factory outlet stores vs. Traditional department stores Factory outlet stores An increasing number of factory outlet stores have been built for various reasons. Some of these stores have been created to deal with seconds’ products, some are presented as discount stores associated with new distribution channels, and some have been designed by manufacturers in order to reduce the price of their products through savings on overhead costs (Parker et al. , 2002). This last reason has been pursued in order to attract more current and potential customers in price-oriented and price-sensitive markets and satisfy customers’ varying needs and wants (Parker et al. , 2002). Initially, the factory outlet store was identified and established as an off-price retailer (Joshi, 2003). Internationally, especially in Europe, factory outlet stores were built and developed for four basic reasons: to sell discounted products; to reduce overhead costs and carry out sales promotions; to create flexibility of stock running; and to achieve brand promotion (Joshi, 2003). The roles and functions of factory outlet stores have changed significantly over the past few decades. They are no longer designed only as low price stores, but are also used for branded product promotions, especially in Europe and the US. For example, manufacturers of the Reebok, Levi, Gap and Warnaco brands regard their brand promotion to be one of the key functions of their factory outlet stores (Joshi, 2003). Factory outlet stores have also been designed as specific seconds stores and discount stores, and are located in many of Japan’s major cities (Joshi, 2003). There has been a 62% increase in factory outlet stores since 1990 and the trend is for this increase to continue (Rudnitsky, 1994). Factory outlet stores have been developed using original styles by including some specific characteristics of conventional shopping centres in order to provide products with attractive prices and a leisurely shopping environment for most price-oriented customers (Golub and Winston, 1983). 3 Nowadays, the factory outlet stores are normally recognised as â€Å"†¦ gaining a larger market share through price reductions, which are aimed at capturing the mass market† (Hellofs and Jacobson, 1999, p. 3). Therefore, the factory outlet stores need to develop their level of customer satisfaction and ensure that the products sold in these stores are of a reasonable quality in comparison to the previously built brand images (Parker et al. , 2002). Overall, the trend in factory outlet store development is quite satisfactory. For example, according to a sur vey discussed in Happy Campers at Outlets (Rauch, 2005), around 84% of respondents agreed that the prices in these stores met, and even exceeded, their expectations. Also, nearly 93% of the respondents indicated their intention of making a return visit (Rauch, 2005). In summary, the development of factory outlet stores is rapid. They are seen as offering reasonable and lower prices than traditional department stores, and a much better shopping environment and atmosphere than ever before. Therefore, the sales performances achieved by factory outlet stores are satisfactory, tending towards positive maintenance and a continuous increase in this type of store. Traditional Department Stores Nowadays, traditional department stores are facing a significant threat because the number of consumers who shop at traditional department stores is decreasing, although the sales of these stores have increased (Nasri, 1999). The number of customers who shop at traditional department stores has dropped sharply (Li, 2003). This means that department stores are in an endangered situation, and are receiving a lessening portion of the total retail sales. This situation has led to a significant decrease in the number of department stores (Li, 2003). Traditional department stores are perceived by customers as playing a distinctive fashion role and offering a range of up-to-date fashion merchandise with reasonable prices, high levels of customer service and a comfortable shopping atmosphere 4 (Johnson, 1994). Customers are more willing to enter into, and purchase products in, traditional department stores, which offer more excitement and emotional attachment than do outlet stores. As a result traditional department stores tend to be developed to create and satisfy various demands of customers of different ages and with differing perceptions of fashion trends (Facenda, 2005). This could be a competitive advantage which traditional department stores can utilise to attract and maintain customers, as well as increase market share as an effective defence against the threat presented by factory outlet stores. In summary, unlike discount stores, traditional department stores tend to be challenged into finding and creating a winning combination of a diverse customer and merchandise mix, along with service and price expectations, rather than addressing and focusing on attracting bargain-seeking customers through niche target marketing (Coward, 2003). Therefore, the first hypothesis to be tested in the research can be stated as follows: H1: There is a significant difference in customers’ store preferences (traditional department stores, or factory outlet stores) across their demographics. Product Brand Image Loyal customers may hold strong and positive images of a brand which are hard to change and lead to long-term sales revenue (Wyner, 2003). A well-known brand as one important extrinsic factor can significantly affect customer perceptions (Ailawadi and Keller, 2004). Retailers have an obvious opportunity, and are in an ideal position to build these kinds of positive experiences for customers (Schmitt, 2003). Brookman (2004) noted that brand images should be used to link merchandise ranges and store design. Parker et al. (2002) also recommended that good brand imagery leads to good sales revenues. Ailawadi and Keller (2004) pointed out that there was a direct relevance between branding and customer perceptions of retailer imagery, which has been confirmed by a large number of researches in this topic area. Inman et al. 2004) pointed out that customers associate different branded product ranges with different types of retail stores. Accordingly, store image is impacted significantly by customer perceptions 5 of the different branded products and services offered by retailers (Ailawadi and Keller, 2004). The greater the breadth of different products and services offered by a retail store, the greater the number of customers who will frequently patro nage the store, as the variety of product categories provided in the same store provides a much more convenient shopping experience for customers (Messinger and Narasimhan, 1997). Furthermore, the depth of within-category brand products is another very important factor in influencing store image in customer perceptions, and could be a main stimulator in the customer store choice decision (Ailawadi and Keller, 2004). Developing a selection, a range of styles, and favourable categories of branded products are the most important keys to increasing customer perceptions of store image and, as a consequence, achieving higher sales (Dreze et al. , 1994). Therefore, the design of brand-name products can be a comparable factor in creating images for factory outlet stores and traditional department stores. The customer image of retail stores is highly and positively influenced by the quality of the manufactured product brands (Ailawadi and Keller, 2004). Accordingly, Jacoby and Mazursky (1984) noted that carrying strong positive images of brands could improve the positive image of retail stores. Furthermore, they noted that it was much easier to increase sales and achieve market share by increasing both the images of the brands and of the retail stores in the current saturated retail environment (Jacoby and Mazursky, 1984). Nevertheless, Jacoby and Mazursky (1984) also mentioned that a good product brand image would be damaged if it was associated with a retail store which had a poor image. Therefore, brand products sold in either type of retail store should be designed and managed to create and improve relevant customer perceptions. In summary, customers having good brand image tend to be much more loyal in their shopping patterns, whether at traditional department stores, or factory outlet stores. Also, customers who wish to purchase high quality branded products would consider whether the quality and value of the brand products sold in traditional retail stores is higher than those products sold in factory outlet stores (Parker et al. , 2002). So, the second hypothesis to be tested in the research could be stated as follows: 6 H2: The brand images of those products sold in traditional department stores are higher than for those products sold in factory outlet stores. Retail Store Image The store image plays a very important role in creating profit and maintaining customer loyalty. Therefore, it could be a determining factor in customer perceptions (Parker et al. , 2002). A high quality store image implies the possibility of differentiation, loyalty and profitability, while a low-quality store image paves the way for price wars by emphasising and intensifying customer price sensitivity (Hallanan, 1994). The conclusion that retail stores should develop a positive, clear and favourable self-image to be an alternative choice in customers’ minds was drawn by Martineau (1958). Understanding the impact of product brand image, and how a retailer should be positioned, is extremely important in building the image of a retail store (Ailawadi et al. , 1995). Building the image of a retail store requires the identification of sufficiently different goods and services from those of their competitors, which tends to increase customers’ appreciation (Keller, 2003). There are lots of different attributes which significantly influence store image. These include the quality of merchandise and services, the tore appearance, the quality of the purchase service, the physical facilities, the behaviour and service of employees, the price levels, the depth and frequency of promotions and the store shopping atmosphere (Lindquist, 1974). Two basic dimensions can be used to analyse the store image. These dimensions are in-store atmosphere, and price and promotion (Ailawadi and Keller, 2004, p. 333). In-store atmosphere is one of the most important factors in the influenc e of customer perceptions of retail stores. Baker et al. 2002) pointed out that a store’s shopping environment plays an extremely important role in providing information and shopping guides to customers, and is the key attribute in building store image. The in-store environment; particularly physical features such as merchandise pricing, quality and store design and layout, as well as social service facilities such as employees’ service 7 and friendliness, as well as food-court service; can influence customers’ economic and psychological shopping behaviours (Baker et al. , 2002). Certainly, store environment plays a major role in providing informational cues and signals to customers about the type of merchandise and service they should expect (Parker et al. , 2002). Merchandise quality and service quality are key variables in influencing store image (Parker et al. , 2002). This indicates that service attributes might be some of the most important factors in store image brand building, and deeply influence consumer purchase behaviours (Hicks, 2000). This leads to the creation of long-term sales revenue and profitability (Hicks, 2000). Furthermore, when different retailers stock similar products and brands, an appealing in-store atmosphere can play a critical role in building retailer brand image (Ailawadi and Keller, 2004). In this research, the in-store atmospheres of factory outlet stores and traditional department stores are compared, especially in terms of the physical characteristics and social service features. Two further hypotheses need to be tested, as follow: H3: The physical features (such as lighting, air conditioning, washrooms, music, cleanliness, displays, etc. of traditional department stores are perceived to be better than those of factory outlet stores. H4: The in-store customer service features (such as friendliness, helpfulness of salespeople, etc. ) of traditional department stores are perceived to be better than those of factory outlet stores. Price and promotion is another factor which directly affects customer perceptions of different types of retail stores and their images. A store’ s image in terms of price and promotion will be influenced by average levels of prices, seasonal variations in prices, and the frequency and depth of promotions (Dickson and Sawyer, 1990). Different customers hold different perceptions of the store choice decision, according to the different images of stores. For example, large basket shoppers like every-day low price stores, while small basket shoppers prefer high-low promotional pricing stores (Bell and Lattin, 1998). Traditional department stores tend to create â€Å"†¦ a diverse customer and merchandise mix, service expectations and price point †¦Ã¢â‚¬  in order to design a desirable shopping experience (Coward, 2003, p. 27). For example, Coward (2003) suggested that 8 stores needed to rethink convenient designs, return policies and commission policies in order to make their service more flexible and satisfying for customers. Parker et al. (2002) pointed out that there is an incredible interaction between price levels and customer perceptions of product brand images and store images. In particular, comparatively lower price levels would lead to negative customer perceptions of the retail stores (Parker et al. , 2002). To identify the different price and promotion images of retail stores, the hypotheses formulated are: H5: The price and promotion features of products sold in traditional department stores are perceived as being higher than that of factory outlet stores. H6: There is a significant difference in customers’ store ratings (traditional department stores vs. factory outlet stores) across their demographics. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The study was conducted in a mid-sized multicultural city with a range of local and international retailers, including a number of traditional department stores and factory outlet stores. Using Parker et al. ’s (2002) nineteen items developed for measuring store characteristics, a questionnaire was constructed which measured preferences for generic stores. A five point scale was used in the questionnaire, anchored by 1=very poor and 5=very good. In addition, four items designed to measure the demographic characteristics of the respondents were also included. The data was collected using intercept surveys. The respondents were selected equally at both types of retail outlets. The usable sample was 205 respondents. The sample profile is given in Table I. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS Sample Profile The sample profile of 205 respondents is summarised in Table I below. There are 107 female and 98 male respondents in the survey. The majority of the respondents are less than forty-five years of age (approximately 71% of the total sample). Furthermore, the majority of the respondents had completed secondary school and completed at least one trade diploma, or certificate degree. Additionally, around 78% of the respondents earned 9 a yearly gross income (before tax) of over NZ$20,000. Respondents with a yearly income over NZ$60,000 only comprised 9. % of the sample, with the majority having a yearly income of between NZ$20,000 and NZ$40,000. Table I: Gender Sample Profile (N=205) Percentage Female Male Total Under 25yr 52. 2 47. 8 100 15. 6 25. 9 29. 8 18. 5 7. 8 2. 4 100 16. 6 30. 2 38. 5 14. 6 100 21. 5 45. 4 23. 9 9. 3 100 Demographics Formatted: Swedish (Sweden) Age 25-34yr 35-44yr 45-54yr 55-64yr Over 64yr Total High School Degree Educati on Trade Diploma/Certificate Bachelor Degree Masters Degree Total Individual tax) yearly Less than NZ$20,000 NZ$20,001–$40,000 NZ$40,001–$60,000 Over NZ$60,000 Total ross income (before The reliability analysis was utilised to test whether the nineteen questions used in the questionnaire fit the factor analysis criteria. Using Cronbach alpha, we found that the nineteen items’ reliability for traditional department stores was . 889 and for factory outlet stores was . 880, both figures being at an acceptable level (Nunnally, 1978). Factors which Customers keep in mind while Shopping at Traditional Department Stores (TDS) and Factory Outlet Stores (FOS) Table II displays the factor analysis results for different scales of TDS in the questionnaire. Four factors were extracted through the factor analysis for TDS. Factor 1 concerns the in-store customer service characteristics of TDS. The variables relating to 10 customer service in the stores; such as friendly, helpful, familiar with merchandise, exchanges, salespeople’s’ pressure and enough salespeople; are loaded more highly than other variables contained in Factor 1. Customers are especially concerned with whether the salespeople in traditional department stores are helpful. Within Factor 2, higher loadings are given to quality, wide selection, newest styles and fully stocked in regards to the products sold in the stores. These loadings indicate that Factor 2 largely displays concerns about the brand images of products sold in TDS. Table II: Factor Analysis Results for Traditional Department Stores and Factory Outlet Stores Traditional Department Stores Factor 1: In-store customer service features Factor 1: In-store customer service features Factory Outlet Stores Variables Factor 2: Brand images of products Factor 2: Brand images of products Factor 4: Price & promotion features Salespeople are friendly Salespeople are helpful Salespeople are familiar with merchandise Exchanges happily Less pressure from salespeople Enough salespeople Quality is good Selection of products is wide Styles of products are newest Stock level Store is attractive Store is not crowded Store is clean Store is neat Store is bright .600 . 746 . 637 . 571 . 601 . 580 . 449 . 763 . 771 . 702 . 458 . 545 . 763 . 745 . 672 .628 . 717 . 652 . 590 . 640 . 639 . 471 . 694 . 779 . 740 . 556 . 697 . 822 . 677 . 160 Factor 4: Price & promotion features Factor 3: Physical features Factor 3: Physical features 11 Prices are good Value for price Markdowns are attractive Prices of products are marked clearly .655 . 810 . 468 . 360 .359 . 325 . 882 . 739 Customers shopping in TDS tend to pay more attention to whether products sold in the stores display a wide selection, with the newest styles and are fully stocked, rather than being concerned about their quality, as the loadings of these three variables are 0. 763, 0. 771 and 0. 702, respectively, while the loading of quality is only 0. 49. Furthermore, Factor 3 shows significant loadings on the variables of attractive, not crowded, clean, neat and bright, at 0. 458, 0. 545, 0. 763, 0. 745 and 0. 672, respectively. Therefore, Factor 3 can be identified as containing the physical features of TDS. Specifically, the variables of clean and neat have much higher loadings than the others. This implies that these two factors significantly influence customer perceptions of the physical features of TDS. Factor 4 shows customers’ considerations regarding the price and promotion features of products sold in TDS. Within the fourth factor, comparatively higher loadings are found for the variables of price, value for price, markdowns and clearly marked price. These loadings are 0. 655, 0. 810, 0. 468 and 0. 360, respectively. In particular, customers’ who preferred traditional department stores tended to give more consideration to whether they could gain reasonable value from their purchase. Table II also displays the factor analysis results for the different variables of the factory outlet stores (FOS) in the questionnaire. Again, a similar group of four factors is extracted through factor analysis. As in the TDS analysis, Factor 1 concerns the in-store customer service features of FOS. The variables regarding customer service have higher loadings than the other variables contained in Factor 1. Respondents were concerned as to whether the service offered by the salespeople is helpful or not, as it is given the highest loading, at 0. 717. The variables of quality, wide selection, newest styles and fully stocked, regarding the products sold in FOS are included in Factor 2. Their high loadings indicate that Factor 2 is related to measuring the brand images of the products 12 sold in the retail stores. The customers who shop in FOS tend to give more consideration as to whether the products sold in these stores are comparatively new styles and have satisfactory stock levels, as shown in the related high loadings of these two variables (0. 779 and 0. 740, respectively). These customers do not pay much attention to the quality of the products sold in FOS, however, as this variable’s loading is only 0. 471. Moreover, Factor 3’s variables of attractive, not crowded, cleanliness, neat and bright have loadings of 0. 556, 0. 697, 0. 822, 0. 677 and 0. 160, respectively. Thus, Factor 3 can be identified as concerning the physical features of FOS. More specifically, customers tend to be concerned about the cleanliness of FOS, but few of them indicate that store brightness is important. Lastly, Factor 4 concerns the price and promotion features of the products sold in FOS. Higher loadings are given to the price, reasonable price for value, markdowns and clearly marked price variables included in the fourth factor, at 0. 359, 0. 325, 0. 882 and 0. 739, respectively. Customers of factory outlet stores tend to be more concerned as to whether the markdowns of the products sold in the stores are attractive, and whether the prices of the products are clearly marked. Customer Store Preference across Demographics To know if there is a trend to shop at factory outlet stores, we asked respondents which store they normally prefer to shop. To control for any possible response bias, we selected respondents equally at both types of retail outlets. As shown in Table III, the number of respondents who prefer TDS as their shopping place is 113, compared to 92 respondents choosing FOS as their preferred shopping place. This implies that a sizable number of customers prefer and/or are shopping at factory outlet stores. Table III: Frequency analysis of store choice Frequency Traditional department stores Factory outlet stores 113 92 Percentage 55. 1 44. 9 13 Total 205 100. 0 Chi-square is next used in order to examine whether there are any significant effects from the different demographic characteristics on customer decision-making in regards to shopping choices. As shown in Table IV, significant differences exist in customers’ store choice as regards to their different genders, levels of education and gross yearly income, as the relative P-values for these variables are 0. 001, 0. 000 and 0. 003, respectively. Nevertheless, there are no significant differences between customers’ shopping preferences in regard to age, as the P-value is 0. 690. Table IV: Store choices and demographic characteristics Department Chi-squa re values 11. 343 Traditional Demographics Gender Female Male Total 47 66 113 19 28 36 18 8 4 113 13 24 56 20 113 60 32 92 13 25 25 20 8 1 92 21 38 23 10 92 107 98 205 32 53 61 38 16 5 205 34 62 79 30 205 20. 223 . 000 3. 065 . 690 . 001 P-values Factory Total Outlet Stores Stores Age Under 25yr 25-34yr 35-44yr 45-54yr 55-64yr Over 64yr Total Formatted: Swedish (Sweden) Education High School Grad. Trade Diploma/Certificate Bachelor Degree Master Degree Total Individual yearly tax) gross income (before Less than NZ$20,000 NZ$20,001–$40,000 NZ$40,001–$60,000 Over NZ$60,000 Total 18 46 33 16 113 26 47 16 3 92 44 93 49 19 205 14. 256 . 003 14 More specifically, female respondents tend to prefer shopping in factory outlet stores, while nearly two-thirds of the male respondents prefer to shop in traditional department stores. Furthermore, customers with higher levels of education are more likely to choose traditional department stores as their shopping preference. As shown in Table IV, the number of customers who possess degrees and prefer shopping at traditional department stores is much higher than the number of those customers who are willing to go to factory outlet stores. In addition, customers who earn a higher yearly income; particularly those whose gross yearly income is between NZ$40,001 and NZ$60,000, or over NZ $60,000; tend to choose traditional department stores over factory outlet stores. These statistics are summarised in Table IV above. Therefore, H1 is supported on gender, education and income, but not on the demographic of age. Customer Perceptions of Brand Images of Products Sold in Traditional Department Stores and Factory Outlet Stores Table V below provides a comparison of the brand images and T-test results of products sold in traditional department stores and factory outlet stores. According to these results, H2; which holds that the brand images of products sold in TDS are higher than those of products sold in FOS; is supported (see Table V). In other words, the overall mean rating of TDS branded products is significantly higher than that of FOS branded products, at 16. 02 and 9. 1, respectively. Specifically; according to the analysis of the individual items of product features; the respondents gave higher ratings for products sold in TDS (regarding their wide selection, newer styles and satisfactory stock levels), than for the products sold in FOS. There is a significant difference between the mean ratings of the branded products sold in TDS and FOS. Thus, the results from the data analysis show th at there is a significant difference in the brand images of the products sold in traditional department stores and factory outlet stores. Customers tend to have higher, and more positive, images of branded products sold in traditional department stores than they do for branded products sold in factory outlet stores. 15 16 Table V: Comparison of brand images of products sold in stores Factory Outlet Brand Images of Products Sold Traditional Stores in the stores Department Stores Mean SD Mean SD P-values Quality is good Selection of products is wide Styles of products are newest Stock level 3. 88 4. 05 4. 02 4. 07 16. 02 .70 . 81 . 93 . 88 2. 69 3. 11 2. 53 2. 16 1. 91 9. 71 .77 . 89 . 87 . 94 2. 73 .000 . 000 . 00 . 000 . 000 Overall Customer Perceptions of Store Images of Traditional Department Stores and Factory Outlet Stores Table VI below provides a comparison of the store images and T-Test results of both types of retail stores. As shown, the respondents’ overall mean ratings, as well as their item-wise mean ratings of TDS physical features are significantly higher than for FOS, at 19. 87 and 16. 13, respect ively. Therefore, H3 is accepted. That is, the physical features of traditional department stores are perceived as being better than those of the factory outlet stores. There is a significant difference between the mean ratings of the physical features of TDS and FOS. Thus, the respondents indicated that the physical characteristics of traditional department stores are more attractive than those of factory outlet stores. Further to this finding, the respondents’ overall mean ratings, as well as their item-wise mean ratings of TDS in-store customer service features are significantly higher than those for FOS, at 22. 18 and 20. 48, respectively. Therefore, H4 is accepted. That is, in-store customer service features of traditional department stores are perceived as being better than those of factory outlet stores in New Zealand Furthermore, H5; which holds that the price and promotion features of products sold in traditional department stores are perceived as being significantly higher than those of factory outlet stores; is accepted, as indicated in Table V. The applicable overall mean ratings of TDS and FOS are 12. 70 and 16. 11, respectively. Also, the individual scale 17 items of price and promotion features are much higher for the factory outlet stores. This finding indicates that respondents consider the prices of products sold in FOS to be comparative lower than those sold in TDS and that the promotions offered by FOS are more attractive and satisfactory. Table VI: Comparison of the features of traditional department stores (TDS) and factory outlet stores (FOS) Features Traditional Factory Outlet P-values Department Stores Stores SD Mean SD Physical Features: Mean Store is attractive . 000 . 94 3. 32 . 84 3. 63 Store is not crowded . 000 . 85 3. 25 . 81 3. 70 Store is clean . 000 . 83 3. 44 . 75 4. 10 Store is neat . 000 . 86 3. 49 . 73 4. 16 Store is bright . 00 . 70 2. 62 . 73 4. 28 Overall In-store Customer Service Features: Salespeople are friendly Salespeople are helpful Salespeople are familiar with merchandise Exchanges happily Less pressure from salespeople Enough salespeople 19. 87 Mean 3. 86 3. 76 3. 77 3. 39 3. 48 3. 91 22. 18 Mean 2. 88 2. 82 3. 38 3. 63 12. 70 2. 96 SD . 67 . 73 . 86 . 84 . 81 . 85 3. 45 SD . 83 . 88 . 91 . 88 2. 71 16. 13 Mean 3. 59 3. 52 3. 42 3. 07 3. 36 3. 51 20. 48 Mean 3. 99 3. 66 4. 22 4. 24 16. 11 3. 10 SD . 82 . 82 . 88 . 87 . 87 . 96 3. 95 SD . 65 . 76 . 79 . 84 2. 26 .000 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 Overall Price & Promotion Features of Products Sold in the stores: Prices are good Value for price Markdowns are attractive Prices of products are marked clearly .000 . 000 . 000 . 000 . 000 Overall Customer Perceptions of Traditional Department Stores and Factory Outlet Stores across Demographics To investigate Objective 4 (to evaluate whether demographic characteristics are related to customer perceptions of traditional department stores and factory outlet stores), the ANOVA and T-tests are used to determine whether there are significant relationships between customers’ store ratings and their demographic characteristics. Table VII 18 displays the customer perceptions of overall store ratings and their relevant four demographic characteristics. As shown in Table VII, only the income level shows significant mean differences in the ratings of TDS. In other words, customers’ concerns regarding the physical features and price and promotion features of TDS are highly influenced by their income level. More specifically, the higher the customer’s income is the more favourable will be the mean ratings for physical features and price and promotion of TDS. There is, however, no difference in the customer perceptions of TDS and FOS across gender, age groups and educational levels, as the respective P-values are all much higher than 0. 05. Therefore, H6 is supported only on income, but not on gender and education levels. Table VII: Store ratings and Demographic Characteristics Demographics Traditional Department Stores Physical Physical features features In-store customer service features In-store customer service features Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Price & promotion features Price & promotion features Product features Product features Factory Outlet Stores Traditional Department Stores Factory Outlet Stores Traditional Department Stores Factory Outlet Stores Traditional Department Stores Factory Outlet Stores Formatted Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Gender: Female Male P-value 3. 93 4. 02 . 682 . 54 . 64 3. 32 3. 12 . 059 . 60 . 63 3. 66 3. 74 . 307 . 58 . 57 3. 43 3. 40 . 832 . 64 . 68 3. 14 3. 22 . 636 . 70 . 65 4. 02 4. 03 . 635 . 58 . 56 3. 97 4. 04 . 734 . 65 . 69 2. 48 2. 7 . 476 . 74 . 61 Age: Under 25yr 25-34yr 35-44yr 45-54yr 55-64yr Over 64yr 3. 88 3. 95 4. 05 3. 94 3. 86 4. 48 . 270 . 55 . 60 . 57 . 59 . 66 . 74 3. 23 3. 22 3. 20 3. 38 3. 14 2. 76 . 330 . 69 . 62 . 64 . 44 . 69 . 82 3. 82 3. 63 3. 71 3. 59 3. 85 3. 73 . 450 . 56 . 57 . 60 . 52 . 57 . 89 3. 47 3. 39 3. 38 3. 59 3. 28 2. 73 . 097 . 59 . 66 . 64 . 57 . 76 . 66 3. 24 2. 99 3. 31 3. 13 3. 27 3. 10 . 206 . 69 . 70 . 58 . 65 . 77 . 68 4. 09 3. 88 4. 05 4. 14 4. 09 3. 80 . 225 . 48 . 57 . 60 . 46 . 56 . 56 4. 13 3. 90 4. 09 3. 99 3. 86 3. 90 . 532 . 58 . 8 . 63 . 72 . 75 . 67 2. 54 2. 32 2. 44 2. 50 2. 44 2. 10 . 572 . 80 . 64 . 65 . 74 . 56 . 65 Formatted: Swedish (Sweden) P-value 19 Education: High School Grad. Diploma/Certificate Bachelor Degree Masters Degree 3. 96 3. 85 4. 02 4. 11 . 201 . 62 . 53 . 60 . 65 3. 38 3. 34 3. 11 3. 14 . 058 . 68 . 52 . 68 . 53 3. 59 3. 70 3. 76 3. 63 . 480 . 55 . 50 . 60 . 67 3. 51 3. 55 3. 26 3. 42 . 590 . 74 . 56 . 65 . 71 2. 94 3. 15 3. 31 3. 15 . 066 . 72 . 65 . 65 . 72 3. 99 4. 09 3. 97 4. 08 . 552 . 60 . 50 . 63 . 45 3. 83 3. 99 4. 10 4. 00 . 281 . 85 . 59 . 6 . 85 2. 57 2. 41 2. 30 2. 63 . 075 . 72 . 52 . 70 . 82 P-value Yearly gross income: Less than NZ$20,000 NZ$20,001–$40,000 NZ$40,001–$60,000 Over NZ$60,000 3. 90 3. 87 4. 11 4. 27 .64 . 54 . 58 . 62 3. 22 3. 28 3. 19 3. 06 . 524 .66 . 63 . 59 . 55 3. 67 3. 66 3. 78 3. 74 . 674 .56 . 59 . 56 . 58 3. 44 3. 48 3. 29 3. 34 . 413 .68 . 67 . 63 . 65 2. 88 3. 20 3. 30 3. 43 .71 . 67 . 59 . 68 4. 02 4. 05 4. 01 3. 99 . 960 .57 . 57 . 53 . 66 3. 85 3. 97 4. 12 4. 28 . 060 .76 . 65 . 62 . 58 2. 61 2. 38 2. 31 2. 55 . 130 .75 . 61 . 63 . 93 P-value .010 .005 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The findings on customer store preference across demographics show that customers with different genders, levels of education and gross yearly incomes tend to make different store choices, however, they perceive traditional department stores and factory outlet stores similarly regardless of their age. More specifically, male customers regard traditional department stores offering famous branded products as their first choice, however, female customers are willing to shop at factory outlet stores in order to seek branded products with comparatively lower prices. Female customers tend to be more price oriented and price sensitive. Furthermore, the higher the level of education customers have the more likely they are to choose traditional department stores as their shopping preference. This finding indicates that more highly educated customers tend to have greater concerns in regards to the shopping environment and atmosphere offered by traditional department stores. In addition, customers earning higher yearly incomes are more willing to choose traditional department stores over factory outlet stores. In regards to customer perceptions of brand images of products sold in traditional department stores and factory outlet stores, there is a significant difference in the brand images of products sold across these stores. The brand images of products sold in traditional department stores are perceived more positively than are those of products 20 sold in factory outlet stores. Customers perceive traditional department stores as offering wider and more satisfactory selections of various types of merchandise in comparison to factory outlet stores. The stock levels in traditional department stores are also seen as being superior. Obviously, the wider selection and greater breadth of different branded products offered in the stores, the greater the number of customers who will be more attracted to TDS. In regard to customer perceptions of store images of traditional department stores and factory outlet stores, there is a significant difference between traditional department stores and factory outlet stores. Firstly, respondents feel that the physical features of traditional department stores are more satisfactory, comfortable and attractive than those of the factory outlet stores. Customers believe that they will enjoy shopping at traditional department stores, as they provide them with a more comfortable in-store shopping environment and atmosphere. Secondly, there are significant differences in the in-store customer service features of traditional department stores and factory outlet stores. Customers believe that traditional department stores provide a higher quality of in-store customer services. TDS are also seen as having better exchange policies and an adequate number of salespeople offering to meet customers’ different wants and needs. Therefore, traditional department stores do have distinctive advantages in terms of their in-store customer services, in comparison to those offered by factory outlet stores. Thirdly, traditional department stores have much higher prices when compared with factory outlet stores. This is due to their different marketing orientation and segmentation. Customers tend to be attracted by the prices and value of products sold in factory outlet stores. Schneiderman (1998) found in his research that customers believed that factory outlet stores could provide greater value for their money than did traditional department stores. Results on the examination of customer perceptions of traditional department stores and factory outlet stores across demographics indicate that only income levels have any significant effects on customers’ mean ratings of traditional department stores, but that 21 o significant differences exist across the variables of gender, age and education. This means that customer perceptions of physical features and price and promotion features of traditional department stores are highly influenced by their different income levels. Customers with higher incomes tend to be attracted to physical features and price and promotion features of traditional department stores. They are interested in shopping in a comfortable environment and seeking famous and fashionable branded products, rather than being price sensitive, bargain seeking customers. The implications of these research findings include the point that traditional department stores should maintain their competitive positions by continuing to offer good physical facilities and environments, satisfactory in-store customer services and famous branded products, in order to maintain and attract more customers. This will also help to maintain their market share and gain competitive advantage against the intense competition created by factory outlet stores. Customers perceive that the prices offered in traditional department stores are much higher than those of factory outlet stores. Therefore, department stores are facing a big challenge from factory outlet stores in terms of price and promotion strategies. As a result, they need to assess their value positions and adapt more reasonable prices to provide satisfactory value for customers. Clearly identifying and dividing their current and potential customers into different target segments is necessary for retailers in setting differing price strategies. During sales seasons, more attractive promotion of branded products could be undertaken in traditional department stores. Certainly, customers tend to purchase more when there are large sales and attractive promotions of branded products in traditional department stores. In order to target appropriate segments, traditional department stores need to identify what relevant level of branded products should be sold and assign these products reasonable prices in stores across different ages, genders, and levels of education and income. Traditional department retail stores also need to provide more selection characteristics (in terms of their branded products adapting to the newest styles frequently and maintain good stocks level), in order to 22 eep their competitive advantages through being perceived as offering more positive brand images of the products sold in their stores. Furthermore, strategic alliances between different traditional department stores and their distributors could also be developed. In such an alliance, competitive advantages (such as better offerings of quality in-store services and pro viding similar branded products with reasonable prices and promotions) could be shared by traditional department stores, , which should reduce costs for the alliance partners. Regarding implications for factory outlet stores, they need to learn from the comparative disadvantages of traditional department stores and engage in enhancing their current competitive positions on price and promotion offerings, in order to improve customer perceptions of their stores. Maintaining their comparatively lower prices and providing frequent promotions of branded products is one of the most useful price and promotion strategies for factory outlet stores in maintaining and enhancing their competitive positions in this area. Meanwhile, manufacturers which utilise factory outlet stores need to control the values of the products through assessments. As a result, customers who are not only price sensitive, but are also value seeking will be satisfied with the prices and promotion features of the products sold in the factory outlet stores. It is extremely important for manufacturers to immediately improve their products’ brand images. Widening the selection of characteristics, improving stock levels and offering positive branded products in the stores are ways which this could be achieved. Nowadays, factory outlet stores are no longer established for the sale of seconds or comparatively lower quality products with lower prices. Therefore, they need to build more positive brand images for the products sold in the stores instead of being perceived as discount stores. They need to invest more in the stores’ physical facilities to offer a better shopping environment and atmosphere. 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