The Declaration Of The United States Essay - 1831 Words

Today, it is safe to say that many of United Sates citizens are unsure about the future of our country. In Our Declaration, Danielle Allen claims that the future of our country is secured by citizens who play their part in the system. She writes, â€Å"Politics is an activity where people, thanks to their wakefulness, can organize themselves and set up institutions so that they can all collectively protect themselves without having to fight with each other† (Allen 176). She has confidence that citizens can diagnose the current state of our country and the political world through interaction with other each other to build unified intelligence through democratic conversation. Democratic conversation occurs when citizens cooperatively and intelligently discuss and provide their views on certain matters which determine the present and future state of our country. â€Å"For the Declaration we are all equal in having the capacity to judge relations among facts, principles, and courses of action† (Allen 91). But is Allen’s claim realistic? Allen is partially justified because our country is more tolerant today than it ever has been when it comes to sexuality and marriage, and gender. However, Allen’s optimism is not entirely realistic because of the common stubborn citizens, and the uneducated citizens not willing to take part in democratic conversations. Our country is more tolerant today than ever before, and this supports Allen’s confidence in our citizens to take part inShow MoreRelatedThe Declaration Of The United States Essay1113 Words   |  5 Pagesadopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Thomas Jefferson drafted the declaration, with a preamble by John Adams and editing by Benjamin Franklin and other members of Congress, it outlines the offenses of King George III to justify the vote for independence that had taken place two days earlier. The Declaration closed the door on reconciliation with Great Britain, with the colonies already one year into war. The declaration paved the way for the creation of the United States of AmericaRead MoreDeclaration Of The United States1530 Words   |  7 PagesDeclaration of War It is very well known within the American public that Congress is the only one who has the power to declare war. Interestingly enough, ever since World War II congress has yet to formally declare war on anyone. 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However, remaining as part of the United States would be the best resolutionRead MoreThe Declaration Of The United States1346 Words   |  6 Pageseventually resulted in a Revolutionary War between England and the Colonies; The Thirteen Colonies won the war. It was the Treaty of Paris (1783) that finally ended all ties with Britain; America would claim its identity as its own. The Declaration of Independence (1776), written by only educated white men – Thomas Jefferson (Southern Colony), Benjamin Franklin (Middle Colony), and John Adams (Northern Colony) - established the basic rights that citizens were entitled to in a free countryRead MoreThe Declaration Of The United States990 Words   |  4 PagesForeign Affairs Committee, it addressed issues pertaining the relationship between Britain and the United States9. In the report, the Committee states that, â€Å"We are disappointed that the US Administration fails to give priority to the principle of self-determination in its position on sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. This is particularly so given the way in which the United Kingdom allows the United States to use two other UK Overseas Territories: Ascension Island and Diego Garcia, for military basingRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And The United States895 Words   |  4 Pageswere originally drafted. The U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and Thomas Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptist Church are three documents that are still hold relevance in today’s societal discussions. These three documents hold truths, principals and ideologies that were and are crucial to the continuation and the development of the United States. The very ideas and tribulations that led to the development of the United States are expressed loudly in these three documents. WhileRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence By The United States1106 Words   |  5 PagesThe setting of the Declaration of Independence was the United States. It was declared on July 4, 1776. After the Boston tea party rebellion the United states wanted their independence. One will describe why the declaration of independence was written. What lead to the cause for writing such a document. The leaders who wrote the declaration. And what the colony was going through for it to lead to the circumstances. One will look at h ow England was treating the colonies that made them want to be theirRead MoreThe United States Of The Declaration Of Independance1483 Words   |  6 Pages Calvin Coolidge spoke on July 5th 1926 in Philadelphia to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independance. Coolidge’s assertion was that over the 150 years we had remained true to the ideals in the Declaration. The basis of the document being all men were equal with unalienable rights is the backbone for our country and we had maintained it as our backbone. It may have been a bit of a rough road on the way but it had been done. He not only claimed we had remainedRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence And The United States897 Words   |  4 Pages The Declaration of Independence stated the United States should be established as a country, free from British control, the U.S. Constitution is a set of rules for that nation to follow, and Mark Twain’s As Regards Patriotism examin es how these two documents affect the mindset of this country. Groupthink, not a word use in 1900, when Twain penned his essay, but it is a good analogy of what he was discussing. Psychology Today says, â€Å"Groupthink occurs when a group values harmony and coherenceRead MoreThe United States Of The Declaration Of Independence1404 Words   |  6 PagesOn July 4th, 1776 the American Colonists ratified The Declaration of Independence. This Declaration severed their final ties to England and idealized the formation of an equal society, independent of a corrupted centralized government like that of Britain. In order to accomplish this perfect nation, the Americans followed the Declaration with the creation of The Articles of Confederation. The Confederation s purpose was to guide the young republic to a decentralized government that upheld the

Loyalty cards Example For Free - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 1984 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? and why do some work and others do not (appear to)? Why are you undertaking the research? In an increasingly global environment, organisations, its people, strategy and marketing, and its structure are finding themselves constantly seeking innovative ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. The complex business interactions synonymous with modern society has witnessed the consumer gaining in status and decision making power whilst the retailer explores new avenues enabling them to provide superior products and services acting as the differentiator amongst competitors. Consequently the crux for all retailers in maintaining and attracting consumers stems from the notion of customer loyalty; customers commitment to do business with a particular organisation, purchasing their goods and services repeatedly, and recommending the services and products to friends and associates (McIlroy and Barnett, 2000) There appears however to be varying schools of thought over whether loyalty schemes and card do actuall y work in favour of the retailer, or whether the advantage lies instead in the hands of the customer, or indeed whether there is a mutually beneficial relationship present. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Loyalty cards Example For Free" essay for you Create order The UK Competition Commission (2002) found that the average consumer holds at least two loyalty cards with retailers in direct competition such as Tesco and Sainsburys, where Shabi (2003) found at least 85 per cent of UK households have at least one loyalty card. Dick and Beau (1994) propose that loyalty has both behavioural and attitudinal components. This dissertation will address the former of the behavioural component and seek to identify how consumers behaviour has changed since the introduction of loyalty schemes in the 1990s in relation to present day, and provide recommendations on how retailers can maximise consumer patterns to their advantage. What will be the gain in knowledge? The gain in knowledge which will arise from the above will present itself in the following ways: Maximising effectiveness within customer loyalty market research to generate solid data from a questionnaire which will try to identify the why and what factors of consumer habits using pertinent research methods (discussed later). As retailers seek to innovate into new growth areas accurate market data is essential to maximise customer retention through a strong understanding of behaviour and motivation. Developing new proposals for customer loyalty cards and schemes drawing on the findings from the data analysis which are more pertinent to todays society, taking into account the increasing choice of loyalty schemes available to the consumer in an increasingly saturated loyalty market. Literature review What theoretical issues will you examine? Sopanen (1996) posits that there are six different types of loyalty, where UK retailers fall within the incentivised loyalty segment: Monopoly loyalty; where there are no available choices Inertia loyalty; customers do not actively seek substitutes Convenience loyalty; loyalty is solely defined by location Price loyalty; customers are influenced by the lowest price Incentivised loyalty; loyalty relates to the benefits gained from reward cards and programmes such as UK retail giants Tesco and Sainsburys Emotional loyalty; customers are influenced by factors such as brand Mauri (2003) remarks that the UK retail sector has embraced the notion of incentivised loyalty since the introduction of loyalty cards and schemes in the 1990s where, initially established as a strategic marketing tool to garner valuable consumer data its continued use suggests that there are considerable benefits to both customers and retailers who participate in these schemes. Noorhoff et al (2004) and Sharp and Sharp (1997) believe the loyalty card exerts a positive impact on increasing customer loyalty through development of long lasting relationships and creation of a sense of belonging, where Uncles, 1994 strengthens this notion the retailer is prepared to listen, is willing to innovate on behalf of customers, and is caring, concerned and considerate. Presently however according to Byrom (2001) there are more than 150 loyalty schemes in the UK with a resulting circulation of 40 million cards; therefore it poses the question of growing concern of a saturated or loyalt y overload market within the UK retail market and the subsequent consumer behavioural response to this. Consumer Behaviour Behavioural loyalty can be demonstrated through measurable characteristics such as increased shopping frequency, sensitivity to price, an individuals retention over time and spending pattern (Oliver, 1999) where incentivized rewards such as discounts and points target specifically this form of loyalty. However due to the competiveness of giant retailers such as Sainsburys and Tesco and the ever increasing influx of incentives available to consumers its possible that customer perception is being altered due to the increase in choices, which in turn influences their behaviour. An example is a recent quote from a supermarket customer who claims I AM loyal to my grocery store à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" I simply carry both loyalty cards (Lamb, Hair McDonald, 2008) an indication that the customer will only shop at their preferred store only when it benefits them the most. Based on the above, which are your research questions? Be as clear about these as possible. I am ideally looking to explore: If loyalty cards are effective in retention of retail customers what are the behavioural changes that have occurred within the consumer to support this since the introduction of the loyalty card system in the 1990s as opposed to present day? (Note to client; this is an idea for you to base upon; if it is too diverse you can break this down into 1) the period of 1995 onwards when the first loyalty scheme was introduced 2) focus just on present day 3) support the change in behaviour of customers and criticise the retail industry such as Tesco 4) vice versa to 3 or 4) subjectively discuss both sides) Methodology How are you going to address the research questions? This question will be addressed through dissemination of a comprehensive questionnaire encapsulating the following research methods: Kerlinger and Lee (2000) Theory Dependent viewpoint of why questions examining the relationships between variables and predicting the outcome i.e. theorising that the introduction of loyalty cards will lead to customers not shopping at competitors stores Phillps and Pugh (2005) Descriptive research of what questions looking for patterns within relationships and theories i.e. assuming the above theory is correct what would be reasons for these relationships? Distributed out to a demographic cross-section of people encompassing different ages, nationalities, status (single, married) and religious beliefs representative of the British consumer.(Note to client; if this is too difficult then ensure that you have picked a diverse profile of known individuals to yourself) Sample Questionnaire: These are suggestions for the questionnaire; where it is recommended that a maximum of fifty questions are provided, equating to ten to fifteen minutes of completion time per person. The questionnaire can be adapted to 1) retail stores and managers 2) consumers; enabling flexibility in question choices i.e. for the retail manager What do you perceive to be the biggest behavioural change in shopping habits of the consumer since introduction of loyalty cards? to the consumer What do you actively perceive to the biggest changes in your purchase behaviour since the introduction of loyalty cards? Suggestions: Descriptive Research -Do you have any of the following cards? (Tesco Clubcard, Sainsburys Nectarcard) Do you have any other /loyalty cards for retail stores other than supermarkets (Boots The Chemist or Homebase the DIY store)? -How did you obtain the cards? -Of the cards you have list them in chronological order with the most recent first: -From the cards that you have, which do you use the most? Why? -What made you obtain the card? -How often do you show the card? -Please indicate the maximum value ( £1 per point) you have ever achieved on your card? -Have you used any of the cards you own to receive discount from another retailer(s)? -If you answered yes to the above question what were the motivators which made you change your shopping habits to the other retailer? Theory dependent viewpoints à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Why questions in an attempt to draw relationships between theory: Do you agree or disagree with these statements: I would visit other supermarkets not currently involved with loyalty schemes if they began this service -I would stop shopping at my current supermarket if they stopped the loyalty program -Price is the main determinant for my choice of supermarket -I always play them off against each other so I can exploit the cost savings and promotional offers to get the best deal for me -Loyalty has a different meaning to the consumer as compared to the retailer How are you going to acquire and analyse the identified data? Data analysis for the descriptive questions will be qualitative analysis which will be used to support or attack the theory dependent questions; i.e. once a relationship has been found from patterns in the statistical analysis this qualitative data should provide reasons for this, and thus recommendations can be given. Data analysis for the theory dependent questions can be measured on the scale of 1-5 (1 strongly agree / 5 strongly disagree) and presented quantitatively: -Ensure that these questionnaires go out to a proportionate sample size i.e. segment accordingly on different demographics -After retrieving the data analysis can be undertaken using simple statistical analysis (i.e. mean, mode, standard deviation etc) -You are looking to see whether there are significant patterns appearing which either support or criticise your hypothesis, where you can offer recommendations off the back of these. Data Which organisations, individuals or sources will provide the necessary data? Any UK retail organisation, consumers, retail bodies, consumer bodies, and any relevant literature. Will the data be available in the depth required? Yes: providing the questionnaire is distributed effectively. Are there matters of confidentiality? No: I do not foresee any confidentiality issues from the consumer nor the retailer providing the questions asked follow the same structure as those suggested. Discussion What is your hypothesis? It is hypothesised that the increasing availability of loyalty schemes is beginning to saturate the market to one which favours the customer rather than the retailer. Application of research methods will enable identification of key relationships which support this hypothesis and thus provide recommendations to counter it. How will this guide the research? It is anticipated that the hypothesis will assist the dissertation resear ch by ensuring it remains succinct and follows the objects. How will you make adjustments following any changes in the hypothesis? It is anticipated that the only amendments will be data which may be need to be revisited depending on the effectiveness of the questionnaire. Bibliography Blumberg, A, Cooper D.R, Schindler, P.S (2008) Business Research Methods; Mc-Graw-Hill Education Bryman, A Bell, E (2007) Business Research methods; Oxford University Press Byrom, J (2001) The role of loyalty card data within local marketing initiatives, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, Vol. 29 No. 7 Egan, C Thomas, M (1998) The CIM handbook of strategic marketing- CIM professional development series; Butterworth-Heinemann Hobbs, R, Rowley, J (2008) Are pub discount cards loyalty cards? The Journal of Consumer Marketing Santa Barbara Vol 25 Iss 6 Lamb, W Hair, J McDaniel, C (2008) Essentials of marketing; Cengage Learning Oliver, R.L (1999) Whence customer loyalty? Journal of Marketing, Vol. 63 No. 4, Peppers, D Rogers, M (2004) Managing customer relationships; a strategic framework; John Wiley and Sons Noordhoff, C., Pauwels, P. and Odekerken-SchrÃÆ' ¶der, G. (2004), The effect of customer card programmes: a comparative study in Singapore and The Netherlands, International Journal of Service Industry Management, Vol. 15 No. 4, Saunders, M, Lewis, P Thornhill, A (2007) Research methods for business student; Prentice Hall Seth, A Randall, G (2001) The grocers: the rise and rise of the supermarket chains; Kogan Page Publishers Sharp, B. and Sharp, A. (1997), Loyalty programs and their impact on repeat-purchase loyalty patterns, International Journal of Research in Management, Vol. 14 Sopanen, B. (1996) Enhancing customer loyalty, Retail Week Smith, A, Sparks, L, Hart, S, Tzokas, N (2004) Delivering customer loyalty schemes in retailing: exploring the employee dimension; International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol 32, Iss 4/5 Uncles, M. (1994) Do you or your customers need a loyalty scheme? Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, Vol. 2 No. 4

Book Summary Free Essays

Book Summary Beginning chapter one with citing one of the ten commandments, â€Å"Thou shall not steal,† Wayne Grudem sets the stage of what is about to come; a black and white analysis on how having business success does not necessarily make you fall short of being a â€Å"good† Christian. As a well-known, very credible Christian theologist, one may wonder why Grudem would venture out to right a book solely about business. â€Å"Business for the Glory of God,† looks at business ownership, profitability, money, competition, and borrowing and lending, just to name a few topics. We will write a custom essay sample on Book Summary or any similar topic only for you Order Now This essay will take a look at a few of the controversial topics, and share insight of why they may or may not be feasible arguments for why business is, â€Å"a gift from God. † When Grudem speaks of the commandment that states, â€Å"Thou shall not steal,† he uses this as evidence that by stealing, one must have their own possessions, and if we did not have possessions, this commandment would make no sense. This is a reasonable assumption, therefore it can be a good way to begin discussing how ownership is not so bad; on the contrary, if Grudem is unable to offer clear, factual information, his credibility may waiver. Chapter one continues with Grudem’s discussion of how ownership is not synonymic for greed, and if one is selfless and realizes that God is the real business owner, he has not sinned. The points that Grudem makes are quite valid, and are very simple, and to the point; the issue with this, is that these may seem like simple subjects, however the responses are more analytical than what is given. When speaking of ownership, the only viewpoint is one attempting to prove that business ownership is not a sinful act; without overcoming specific objections that this may be a sinful act. While the writer makes valid arguments, he tends to only cater to what he believes, instead of being philosophical on the subject. This can lead to the reader questioning the content being read, and frankly can lead to distrust in the content overall. A similar argument would be, â€Å"The world was created in six days overall, because the Bible said so. † Though this may be feasible to someone who acknowledges that the Bible is accurate, it is not a proper argument for those who look for a deeper understanding of the matter. Chapter four’s focus is commercial transactions; the beginning of the chapter reads, â€Å"Buying and selling are fundamentally good and provide many opportunities for glorifying God, but also many temptations to sin. † On the topic of buying and selling, Grudem discusses how selfish motives can easily lead to a sinful nature. When a business or individual is making a profit from their company, and they do not share the profits accordingly with their partners, they have encountered a sinful nature. Also, when a business begins focusing on their profits only, they have â€Å"idolized† money, and forgotten their original business promises. Grudem speaks of many good points on how buying and selling is essentially trading, so that we can get what we need. This is obviously what makes our economy, and allows us to provide for our families accordingly. Unfortunately, an unaddressed concern would be price gouging. For a typical, middle class American, there are a lot of products and services that are necessary that are outrageously expensive due to circumstances. One example of an unethical, non-Christian business practice would be pricing generators at a higher price due to power outages. This is unfair to the consumer who needs the product, and demonstrates the seller’s greed. Profits allow businesses to succeed; if there was no money earned for one’s labor, a business would be unsuccessful. Reasoning as to why profits are not against what Christianity stands for, is because if we make something and sell it for a higher price, we are generally selling the value that we have added to a product. Mass merchandisers, such as Wal-Mart, have the ability to sell items at low prices, because they can financially order items in very large quantities. The discounts that they receive on their merchandise are evidential to the buyer, who chooses to buy their items because they are the cheapest. It becomes a pattern; and being that consumers are primarily focused on the cost point, Wal-Mart has become somewhat of a monopoly. There is no physical value added to purchasing things from Wal-Mart, but there is value in saving a dollar or two. Due to the fact that privately owned supermarkets barely stand a chance against a mass merchandiser, â€Å"mom and pop† places are forced to close, with the inability to compete. Though price is a consumer’s primary concern, if there were lower costs of living, small businesses would have a lower overhead cost, and would not be forced to raise their prices for consumers. This is not insinuating that mass merchandisers are being sinful with their low prices; this simply demonstrates how the government’s involvement in protecting small businesses can drive the economy. In chapter eight, Grudem discusses competition; this is probably one of the most controversial subjects surrounding one’s idea that businesses are synonymous with greed and corruption. Competition can be defined from several different view points, and can be either positive or negative. One example of friendly competition would be a children’s basketball game. Children are encouraged to be aggressive, and to win, however, they realize that the game is to be played fairly, and friendly. Teams know that at the end of the year, the best teams â€Å"win†, and are awarded accordingly, which is another motivator for friendly competition. Competition takes place through all business standpoints, and sometimes goes without notice. In my workplace, there is friendly competition amongst employees who are selling phones. Being that our pay is based on what we sell, this friendly competition can turn ugly very quickly; it just depends on your mindset. Being a Christian, I do not participate in unethical behavior that can hinder someone else, or me. I always make an attempt to treat each associate fairly, and I refrain from using foul or negative language. The unfortunate part is that not all associates will feel the same way about this, and this can lead to a tense environment, and ultimately employee remorse. This example demonstrates the positive and negative aspects of competition from a Christian viewpoint. Throughout his very short, theological book, Grudem tends to make a black and white analysis of topics pertaining to business. Throughout my reading, I found that his points were very valid; however, they could be contradicted very easily. To a common reader who may not have much knowledge on Christian theology, it would be feasible that they search for further explanation. This book would benefit from the author having more of a philosophical mindset, and sharing both views on the matter with conclusive evidence as to why his viewpoint is correct. In this instance, the reader yearns for more information and ultimately, a better argument. The writer begins each chapter with stating that all â€Å"can† lead to sin if you let it, but he does not elaborate enough. For my educational purposes, I found this book very helpful in its attempt to shed light on a commonly overlooked topic in the Christian world. I was able to see Grudem’s points very clearly, and more importantly, I was able to gain information that can help me in my profession. WORKS CITED Grudem, Wayne. Business for the Glory of God: The Bible’s Teaching On the Moral Goodness of Business. Wheaton, IL: Good News Publishers/Crossway Books, 2003 How to cite Book Summary, Papers