Group Communication free essay sample

Guerrilla marketing and advertising Dissertation

Guerrilla promoting and publicizing - Dissertation Example erception of GM 4.2.3 Impact of GM on Consumers’ Intention to buy 4.3.4 Impact of GM on Consumers’ Purchase Behavior 4.3 Findings from the Interview of the Advertising Experts 4.3.1 Reasons for Using GM systems 4.3.2 Some Examples of Successful GM Strategies 4.3.3 Success of GM for various kinds of Products 4.3.4 Strategies and Tactics that for Viral Marketing 4.3.5 Challenges of Using GM/VM 4.3.6 Advantages of Using GM/VM 4.3.7 Future Role and Trend for GM Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1 Summary of Research Findings and Conclusions 5.2 Research Limitations and Scope for Future Research. Rundown of Tables and Figures Table 1: Reasons for Using GM methodologies Figure A: Diagrammatic Representation of the Research Methodology Figure 1: Customers’ Awareness of GM Figure 2: Consumers’ Perception of GM as Aggressive Figure 3: Consumers’ Perception of GM as Aggressive Figure 4: Consumers’ Perception of GM as Creating Insights about Their Needs Figure 5: Consumers’ Perception of GM as Creating Awareness about New Products Figure 6: GM as Creating Awareness of Non-Advertised Products Figure 7: GM as making more decisions for clients Figure 8: Impact of GM on Consumers’ Intention to buy Figure 9: Impact of GM on Consumers’ Purchase Behavior List of Appendices Appendix A: Survey Research Questionnaire Appendix B: Interview Research Questionnaire References Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Research Background and Overview While a lot of writing exists on the different focal points of Guerrilla showcasing and furthermore on the procedures and strategies identified with this kind of promoting, there has been little research on checking the effect it has. Associations enjoy viral promoting methodologies with the target of making mindfulness for... This exposition Guerrilla showcasing and promoting plots and investigates the impact of the GM and its discernment by the clients and the issues and openings that publicists have with GM methodologies. Guerilla showcasing It is non-customary as it doesn't keep itself to the standard media or channels of promoting and it utilizes content techniques that might be progressively imaginative or even unusual. Guerrilla promoting, as it name shows, to a great extent draws matches from the Guerrilla fighting procedures. On account of Guerrilla fighting, the methods for war are not clear and individuals don't battle by rules of ordinary fighting. The component of shock is utilized vigorously to lead short yet exceptionally powerful assaults on the adversaries. Similarly, Guerrilla showcasing follows the idea of shock and taking the client unguarded, and anticipating the promoted substance or message in a focused on way when the client least anticipates it or is least arranged to take oneself against the effect (Tufel, 2004). The rationale behind utilizing the unexpected component is that most clients being presented to innumerous publicizing messages during their time †through TV, the Internet, announcements, papers, leaflets, in shop purpose of procurement shows and so forth †are for the most part ready to safe themselves against these messages (Susca et al, 2008). There is a lot of messiness of publicizing messages and clients can block themselves good and gone when tormented by an enormous measure of data that encroaches on their faculties.

Dealing With a Spouse Who Works Too Much

Dealing With a Spouse Who Works Too Much Relationships Spouses & Partners Print Strategies for Dealing With a Workaholic Spouse By Sheri Stritof Sheri Stritof has written about marriage and relationships for 20 years. Shes the co-author of The Everything Great Marriage Book. Learn about our editorial policy Sheri Stritof Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Carly Snyder, MD on February 01, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin Carly Snyder, MD is a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist who combines traditional psychiatry with integrative medicine-based treatments.   Learn about our Medical Review Board Carly Snyder, MD on February 01, 2020 Tetra Images / Getty Images More in Relationships Spouses & Partners Marital Problems LGBTQ Violence and Abuse If you are married to a workaholic, you may feel as if you are married to an unfaithful spouse whos replaced your intimacy with his or her work. The sense of being alone, the number of broken promises, feelings of anger and disappointment, and a belief that you are not very important are all similar for spouses of cheaters and for spouses of workaholics. These issues, if left unmitigated, may result in spousal discontent or worse yet divorce; in fact, according to Maureen Farrel who penned So You Married A Workaholic for Forbes in 2007, on average, couples in which one partner is a workaholic divorce at twice the average rate.?? When one partner works excessively, he or she is not  nurturing the marriage. It is also unhealthy to maintain a life that is so out of balance,  which can easily put you on the road to infidelity or divorce. Sometimes it takes a wake-up call such as a personal or health crisis for the workaholic  to snap out of this behavior. There are things you can do that wont have you waiting around for this to be the impetus for the change.     Tips for Keeping Your Marriage to a Workaholic Healthy If you find yourself frustrated with your spouses constant obsession with work, its important to remember that even though you dont agree with his or her viewpoint on the issue, the situation itself puts you and your partner both under intense amounts of stress; as a result, conversations about being a workaholic should be approached cautiously and with compassion. As frustrating as it may be to not scold your spouse for his or her overworking tendencies,  nagging wont work. Instead, share in a positive tone what your spouse has missed by working late or by bringing work home and not being present to you and your children. Additionally, you should try to stop enabling your spouses workaholic behaviorâ€"you may be enabling your spouses need or desire to work by delaying family meals, keeping kids up longer, postponing activities, or spending your money on items and services (like takeout) that you could do without. Instead, consider letting your spouse experience the consequences of working too much by serving dinner at the normal time and making your spouse eat the cold leftovers once he or she finally emerges, hours later, from work. If your spouse doesnt want to go out of the house with you, leave your spouse at home and take the kids to the movie, or if your spouse is too busy to take a few days off, take a weekend trip to visit family without your spouseâ€"dont put your life or your childrens lives on hold waiting for your spouse to make time for you. Alternatively, you could try to entice your spouse out of work mode by suggesting an activity that you could both do together. Although this may be considered a bit manipulative, providing an opportunity that your spouse will enjoy could ease the tensions between you and allow for an honest discussion of the problems that are arising from your spouses workaholic tendencies. When to Seek Professional Help Solving your marital issues related to a workaholic spouse can feel like an insurmountable task, and oftentimes it is almost impossible to do alone. Fortunately, though, psychologists and marriage counselors are available to help mediate open dialogue between you and your significant other. If your marriage is in serious trouble due to your spouse working too many hours, then  marriage counseling  could be an option that will help. Even if you can simply get your spouse in for the initial therapy session, you may be able to help him or her to understand the gravity of the problem and the toll its having on you and your relationship personally. Its important during these sessions to discuss setting boundaries you both agree to that will not only help your spouse overcome his or her workaholic behavior but help you both communicate with one another openly and with compassion and empathy. If your spouse agrees to a day with you or even a few hours, setting boundaries like no cell phones at dinner could significantly reduce work-related stress during your alone time. In any case, the first step toward overcoming marital issues related to living with a workaholic spouse is to start a conversation, express how the behavior makes you feel, and work together toward an amicable compromise that leaves you feeling more appreciated and your spouses need to work fulfilled.

Gender Inequality In Law School Case Study - 1933 Words

In this paper, I focus on women’s experiences in law school and law firms, and how these two institutions impact the role of gender within the professional partner track. I examine whether this disparity in the legal profession is just a reflection of society’s views on gender or if this disparity is caused by the structure of law school classes or law firms and what could aide this inequality. As a female student with an interest in becoming a lawyer it is important to address and fix the strong gender inequality within the legal profession. In order to analyze this topic, I related the experiences of a female partner to research on the ranking of law schools, the hemisphere of law firms, and discrimination within these two areas. With†¦show more content†¦Like subsections of the conservative right in Southworth’s books, Lawyer X agrees that the role of lawyers should be to serve their client’s needs and supports the idea the lawyers are supposed to fight and stick up for their clients in ways that their clients cannot stick up for themselves within the world of law. Although family law is gendered, I wanted to analyze how deeply gendered the legal profession is and whether the law school attended or law firm practice plays a role in this disparity. To do this I will apply Lawyer X’s experiences to research on women in the legal profession, women owned law firms and discrimination within these two areas. Studies like Sterling and Reichman’s (2016) show us that women are significantly underrepresented in partnership and ownership within the legal profession (Sterling Reichman, 2016). The growth of women owned law firms will hopefully aid the disproportion of the genders wi thin the legal profession. Lawyer X hopes that the formation of women owned law firms will in fact be a trend, instead of an aberration, because it is important for women to be represented in the legal profession† (Lawyer X, 24 May 2017). This growth of female owned law firms has even seeped into the corporate hemisphere, with firms like Brune Richard within New YorkShow MoreRelatedThe Gender Discrimination And Inequality Essay1611 Words   |  7 PagesAim To illustrate the gender discrimination and inequality issues at work and in leadership, consider the reaction to solve these questions. 1.2 Parameters This report discusses some key issues that occur at work and in the leadership of gender discrimination and inequality and current their improved programs in Australia and the United States. It illustrates background context, analysis and future direct, as well, there is 2000 words limit. 1.3 Definitions Gender discrimination is a situationRead MoreGender Inequality Essay1153 Words   |  5 Pagesresearchers, we get to know more and more on the issue of gender inequality in different areas of our society. However, although significant progress has been made during the twentieth century, in an attempt to equalize the rights of women and men, they still do not seem to be met daily. Having a job is considered important for men and women, although the centrality of work is organized completely differently by gender. This form of inequality persists in all areas such as: participation in decisionRead MoreWomen ´s Right Movement: Gender Inequality1424 Words   |  6 PagesProgram when they were asked about the issue of gender inequality, which was featured in the Chicago Tribune News. Fifty years earlier, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which specified that everyone, regardless of gender, was entitled to the same rights and freed oms (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Fifty years later though, countries are still falling short of achieving the goal of gender equality. Many find it hard to believe that theRead MoreSexual Identity And Gender Roles Essay1398 Words   |  6 Pagesin nature and intensity of how the sexes, gender, gender roles and gender stereotypes are differentiated. Before we get to understand how they are differentiated, it s good to first understand the meaning of each term. Sex is the biological and physiological differences between men and women, sex roles are the behaviours and patterns of activities that the men and women may engage in which are directly related to their biological differences while gender are the behaviours or patterns of activitiesRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1673 Words   |  7 Pages Gender inequality Women are one-half of the world population they deserve equal opportunity as men because at the end gender equality is part of humanity progress. Many women around the world are treated less favoured than men not only in countries that have traditional gender role but even in societies that believe in equal right for both male and female. Gender inequality means unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. It results from differences in socially constructedRead MoreCrime and Social Inequality1194 Words   |  5 Pages Crime and criminalization are dependent on social inequality Social inequality there are four major forms of inequality, class gender race and age, all of which influence crime. In looking at social classes and relationship to crime, studies have shown that citizens of the lower class are more likely to commit crimes of property and violence than upper-class citizens: who generally commit political and economic crimes. In 2007 the National Cr ime Victimization Survey showed that families with anRead MoreIntroduction. Women In The Legal Profession Today Do Not1505 Words   |  7 Pageschallenges that they were facing 50 years ago. However, gender-based issues still exist that females in the legal profession have to face in today’s world. According to the American Bar Association’s Market Research Department women comprised only 36 percent of legal professionals in the country in April 2016 (Smithey, 2017). The number of women in the legal profession has been growing in last few decades, but even though it grows in private law firms as well as the judiciary, unfortunately women doRead MoreGender Inequality1675 Words   |  7 PagesGender Inequality The issue of gender inequality is one which has been publicly reverberating through society for decades. The problem of inequality in employment being one of the most pressing issues today. In order to examine this situation one must try to get to the root of the problem and must understand the sociological factors that cause women to have a much more difficult time getting the same benefits, wages, and job opportunities as their male counterparts. The society in which we liveRead More Is There Political Will in Egypt to Promote Gender Equality?1481 Words   |  6 Pages Although gender inequality is experienced by women in many parts of the world, it is quite excessive in the Arab world. In this essay I will be using Egypt as a case study. Cultural and traditional norms play a huge role in the oppression of women when it comes to illeteracy, female circumsision, and domestic violence. Everyday less fortunate innocent girls are born into a society where the above is accepted by most of the society and is percieved as a norm. Religion is a very contraditing topicRead MoreTaking a Look at Gender Inequality1182 Words   |  5 PagesGender inequality has become one of the oldest issues throughout society. Gender inequality can be described as unequal treatment or specific perceptions based on an individual’s gender. In most cases, it has developed over time with the socially constructed gender roles the society portrays. It was said â€Å"Nearly one-third of women said they feel discriminated against or treated unfairly based on their gender at least once a week. Opportunities are wasted if stereotypes and biases evaluate people

Organizational Management Approach Analysis Organization

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH ANALYSIS 1 Organization Management Approach Analysis Shweta Hallen ORG 502 – Effective Organization: Theory and Practice Colorado State University – Global Campus Dr. Claudia Santin December 01, 2015 ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH ANALYSIS 2 Organizational Management Approach Analysis The following analysis examines the organizational approach to management that I work for. Since many of the approaches to management are based on historical approaches to management, this article will analyze the differences and similarities between this approach and the historical ones. In addition, I will also talk about the efficiencies and inefficiencies of the approach contemplating on its impact on†¦show more content†¦Taylor (as cited in Robbins, Cenzo Coulter, 2015) sought to improve production efficiency approach to get things done. Management Approach Analysis The analysis revealed that the organization I work for follows a Decentralized management approach, with the following principles: 1. Empowering employees: The principle aims at giving more autonomy to employees to make their own decisions, giving them a sense of importance and making them feel as if they have more input in the direction of the organization. ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH ANALYSIS 3 2. Efficiency: The aim here is the reduction of congestion in communications, quicker reaction to unanticipated problems, improved ability to deliver services, improved information about local conditions, and more support from beneficiaries of programs. 3. Diversity: It is critical for organization’s ability to innovate and adapt in a fast-changing environment. It is essential to growth and prosperity of any company: diversity of perspectives, experiences, cultures, genders, and age. 4. Global Reach/Local Focus: This one focusses on operating in a global footprint yet react more easily to the specific needs of the area, such as deciding to sell products that appeal to the local market. The above principles have been applied in the organization’s policies and tools have been developed to record the evidences and measure how it is progressing. Rousseau (as cited in Pryor et al., 2011)

The Dividend Policy Test Free Essays

Q1. There are following assumptions to be used for Modigliani and Miller’s dividend irrelevancy theory. Which are the correct assumptions? (MRQ) There are no tax preferences Transaction cost is insignificant Directors convey all information to shareholders No inflation (2 marks) Q2. We will write a custom essay sample on The Dividend Policy Test or any similar topic only for you Order Now Select the appropriate option for the given statements relevant to irrelevancy theory. (HA) All shareholders want their wealth to increase TRUE FALSE As dividends are paid share price increases TRUE FALSE (2 marks) Q3. The process of manufacturing dividends in the dividend irrelevance theory refers to? (MCQ) Dividends received from a manufacturing company Sale of shares by the investors to earn dividends Plans set to earn a continuous return Creative accounting to pay a dividend (2 marks) Q4. The ‘dividends as residuals’ view of dividend policy are best described as (MCQ) Dividends are paid if the company generates profits greater than the prior year (The difference is residual) The profits made by the division of the company in a particular city should be paid to shareholders of the same city Dividends should amount to the entire annual profit less the amount paid in manager incentive schemes Dividends should only be paid out of cash flow after the company has financed all its positive NPV project (2 marks) Q5. In which situation does a residual dividend policy is likely to be applicable? (MCQ) A public listed company In a market norm where taxes on dividends are lower A small listed company seeking maximum capital growth for shareholders An unlisted family business where earnings are based on dividend income (2 marks) Q6. The companies have following payment history: 2015 2016 2017 Tuna Co (Dividend) 400 410 421 Tuna Co (Earnings) 800 800 801 Sauna Co (Dividend) 20 80 10 Sauna Co (Earnings) 40 160 20 Mona Co (Dividend) 0 100 0 Mona Co (Earnings) 200 150 300 The dividend policy for each company is? (HA) Tuna Co CONSTANT GROWTH CONSTANT PAY-OUT RESIDUAL Sauna Co CONSTANT GROWTH CONSTANT PAY-OUT RESIDUAL Mona Co CONSTANT GROWTH CONSTANT PAY-OUT RESIDUAL (2 marks) Q7. Juju Co. director has given the following statement at the annual general meeting â€Å"In my childhood, I got a rise in my half-yearly allowance from my father and I expected it to continue in the future. The shareholders expect the same to have a rise in their dividends†. Which of the following supports the statement of the director? (MCQ) Dividend irrelevancy theory Dividend dependency theory Director is concerned about the company liquidity Director indicates a signaling effect on dividends (2 marks) Q8. Which of the following given below relate to Dividend relevance theory keeping in mind having an imperfect capital market? (MRQ) Taxes applicable on dividends ; capital gains are different Shareholders have not disclosed all information received to the directors No transaction cost is applicable Shareholders would like a stable or growing dividend policy (2 marks) Q9. Which of the following factor affect the shareholder in setting its dividend policy? (MCQ) The local laws ; regulations given by the government The repayment of new debt finance in 10 years The deflation effect The demand for customers products (2 marks) Q10. A scrip dividend is a: A dividend paid at a fixed rate on the face value of the shares A dividend paid at a fixed percentage rate on the market value of the shares on the date that the dividend is announced A dividend payment that converts in a form of new shares instead of cash A cash dividend that is variable and is decided upon by the directors and approved by the shareholders (2 marks) Q11. Select appropriate option in relation to scrip dividends. (HA) It can save the company’s cash if a number share options are taken up by the shareholders ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE Scrip dividends may trigger a negative signaling effect ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE (2 marks) Q12. Which of the following is a drawback of a share repurchase scheme? (MCQ) Increase in earnings per share Increase in gearing The possibility of a takeover is reduced Some shareholders may suffer tax on capital gain after the purchase of shares (2 marks) DIVIDEND POLICY (ANSWERS) Q1. There are no tax preferences (Assumption) Transaction cost is insignificant (Assumption) Directors convey all information to shareholders (Assumption) No inflation, MM theory does not state anything about the existence or otherwise of inflation Q2. All shareholders want their wealth to increase TRUE As dividends are paid share price increases FALSE All the shareholders are concerned about their wealth increment whether by capital gains or by the dividend. The share price decreases as dividends are paid because if there will be no retain earnings left by the company new equity will have to be raised resulting decrease in share prices. Q3. B Q4. D The residual theory states that if a company can identify positive NPV projects it should invest in them. Only when these investment opportunities are exhausted should dividends be paid Q5. C Residual income will not give a reliable income is geared to financing investments that provide capital gains. Q6. Tuna Co CONSTANT GROWTH Sauna Co CONSTANT PAY-OUT Mona Co RESIDUAL Tuna Co dividends grow at 10% per annum. Sauna Co pays a 50% of its earnings as dividends Mona Co dividends are not connected with earnings so their policy is residual Q7. D Q8. All others are correct except for No transaction cost Taxes applicable on dividends capital gains are different Shareholders have not disclosed all information received to the directors No transaction cost is applicable (Applicable only if there is a perfect capital market) Shareholders would like a stable or growing dividend policy Q9. A The local laws regulations given by the government The repayment of new debt finance in 10 years. The repayment of previous debt should be considered rather than the new debt finance. The deflation effect. The consideration should be of inflation effect rather than deflation as deflation is a benefit The demand for customer products. Dividends are given to shareholders rather than to customers. Q10. C A dividend paid at a fixed rate on the face value of the shares would most commonly be a preference dividend. A cash dividend that is variable and is decided by the directors and approved by the shareholders is a definition of a normal dividend. Q11. It can save the company’s cash if a number share options are taken up by the shareholders ADVANTAGE Scrip dividends may trigger a negative signaling effect DISADVANTAGE Q12. D Increase in earnings per share, through a reduction in the number of shares in issue.(Advantage) Increase in gearing, Repurchase of a company’s own shares allows debt to be substituted for equity, so raising gearing. (Advantage) The possibility of a takeover reduced, Share repurchase might prevent take over as this can enable the company to withdraw from the market. (Advantage)   Some shareholders may suffer tax on capital gain after the purchase of shares (Disadvantage) How to cite The Dividend Policy Test, Papers

Zara It Analysis free essay sample

How would you advise Salgado to proceed on the issue of upgrading Zara’s POS systems? 3 -Should the company upgrade the POS terminals to modern operating system? 3 -Should the company build in-store networks? 4 -Should the company give employees the ability to look up inventory balances for items in their own stores? 4 -Should the company give employees the ability to look up inventory balances for items in their other stores? 4 What is the Zara â€Å"business model†? How is it different from the business model of other large clothing retailers? What weaknesses, if any, do you see within this business model? Is it scalable? 4 In your opinion, what are the most important aspects of Zara’s approach to information technology? Are these approaches applicable and appropriate anywhere? 6 References7 Brief Summary of Zara Zara is a fashion brand that was founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega, who believed that retailing and manufacturing must be closely linked to provide a speedy response to consumers’ demands. We will write a custom essay sample on Zara It Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Unlike other fashion chains, Zara did not invest extensively with advertising and marketing to generate sales, instead, they set up their stores in prime locations. Zara’s selling strategy relies on fast turnover of their merchandise, aiming primarily at seasonal fashions. Their decentralised approach in decision making, allows store managers to make decisions on which items should be on sale, and which items should be replenished based on their experiences and feedback with local customers. The commercial team also observed local trends and communicated with store managers as to which line of clothing would sell, and so transferred those items to other stores where they would sell well. Zara did not try to produce clothes in the high end market. Their clothing had a short life span and was not extremely durable. They aimed at the speedy supply of top fashion trends, while continuously creating new items, including new designs or altering the design of existing clothes. Because of their rapid turnover in garments, Zara shoppers knew that they would have to purchase the clothes when they first came on sale, or take the risk of missing out. In terms of its operation, Zara established a three step approach: ordering fulfilment, design and manufacturing. Store orders included re-stocking of existing items and requests for new garments. Each store uses its handheld devices to order by walking around the store and â€Å"beaming† the garments. Headquarters were able to communicate with store managers, utilising the device for availability and lists of new garments. In terms of order fulfilment, Zara’s commercial team matched the aggregated orders which were requested from all of the stores (demand) and the inventory levels (supply) in the SKU at the same period. If the supply and demand were met, shipments would be fulfilled. If not, the commercial managers needed to make a decision on the quantities of store allocation, based on the history of sales patterns. In terms of design and manufacturing, Zara used vertically integrated manufacturing operations to allow it to introduce new items constantly. Its own network of production facilities and workshops enabled speedy production turnaround time, thus enhancing the capability for Zaras ever ready response to the constantly changing fashion tastes of its customers. The network provides flexibility of production, thus allowing Zara’s commercials to simply make estimation as to how well the garments would sell. Stores orders indicate the level of production needed, therefore the company did not have to rely on sales forecasts. (Mcaffe, Dessain, Sjoman, 2007). How would you advise Salgado to proceed on the issue of upgrading Zara’s POS systems? I would advise that Salgado should initiate an IT project, upgrading POS systems as well as the hardware to support it. Also an upgrade of its internet capabilities, because without the speed of the internet, data will not be transmitted quickly enough. With an IT technology upgrade, manual intervention would be eliminated, thus promoting operational efficiency (Moore, 2009). * Should the company upgrade the POS terminals to modern operating system? Yes, the POS terminals were out-dated and were being backed by DOS operating system which Microsoft no longer supported. They are running a risk of the product becoming obsolete and being unable to maintain support from vendors. Up-to-date operating system would provide more user friendly mechanisms, more functionality, thus allowing effective communication between stores and headquarters. New modern operating systems would allow simple standardisation and sharing of data across the board. Modern operating systems also provide more security platforms (such as credit card details), inventory management, and report generation for decision making. Also it allows real time transactions to be recorded. * Should the company build in-store networks? Yes, the company is missing out on communication and information sharing within the store network system. The in-store network allows connectivity and provides daily sales totals, also ordering in â€Å"real time â€Å"processing. It allows POS terminals to talk to one another and allows viewing of up-to-date data at any time. * Should the company give employees the ability to look up inventory balances for items in their own stores? Absolutely, as it will save time during the ordering process. Also by knowledge of the inventory level enabling the stores personnel to carefully plan the ordering of each item. Store managers will also be able to utilise the system to see inventory balances and make decisions on ordering. * Should the company give employees the ability to look up inventory balances for items in their other stores? Yes, not only will it allow inter-store transfers, but also provide better customer services, and to let the customers know from which store the items will be available. It not only retains the sales within Zara, but also the customers in the long term. Happy customers will always return. What is the Zara â€Å"business model†? How is it different from the business model of other large clothing retailers? What weaknesses, if any, do you see within this business model? Is it scalable? Zara operated on a Vertical Operations Business Model, controlling every level of value chain: factories, workshops, processing, and distributions centre. It carried out virtually no advertising, relying heavily on store images. Zara was very brand centric. Its website only as showed a few garments at any time. Also it did not have internet shopping facilities as current DC did not cater for shipping small orders and handling returns of garments. Mcaffe, Dessain, Sjoman, 2007). In addition to its own fashion launch twice a year, Zara constantly created new garments and the quantities needed were practically driven by customer demand. This approach would not be achievable without the support of back end manufacturing process and distribution facilities. Both Zara and other larger retailers shared a similar mission: that is a spe edy reaction to alter changes in tastes or customer demands, however their business models are a contrast, (e. g. Hamp;M), and others relied heavily on advertising and outsourcing its production. They instead carried out their forecast for sales and marketing achievements, also installed a more robust website on which they were able to provide more functionality such as garment launch, customer loyalty programs, online ordering and customer feedback (Pahi, 2008). The weakness of this model could be that Zara did not run an efficient scale of economies as they produced a too varied a range of garments in a small quantities. Also it did not utilise the website well to communicate with customers and promote its products. Probably not so back in 2007, however, in hindsight, internet shopping has proven an epic shake up. The spending patterns have changed and consumers prefer to have instant access to style and fashion advice as provided on the website. Because of its current distribution infrastructure, Zara could not handle internet shopping, and would need to look at its current IT infrastructure to enable the changes to keep up with the shift in the fashion paradigm. (The business of fashion,2013) The business model could be scalable by upgrading IT technology to be more compatible, also to suit current consumers need while providing a speedier / real time response allowing a more competitive edge amongst its competitors (World Press, 2012). In your opinion, what are the most important aspects of Zara’s approach to information technology? Are these approaches applicable and appropriate anywhere? Zara’s approach to information technology was very light. It obviously did not utilise leverage of its IT technology to reach their business requirements, or to maximise their efficiencies. They could hardly call themself an IT savvy firm. The senior management had affinity for IT and were not strategically committed to its use. Minimal investment was placed on information technology, but instead they invested heavily on the back end processing. Their IT department wrote most of its applications and all of their IT support was carried out in a central location. Current DOS-based systems to support POS would be a risky in the near future as it may not be compatible to technological changes and revised improvements. Throughout the value chain, the most utilised automation was the DC. From ordering to ordering fulfilment, stores used the dial up modem for business connectivity and information sharing. There were no standardised interfacing to interact all of the applications, e. . stores sales patterns and inventory levels should be linked to the head quarter’s inventory management system thus leading to ordering proposals and transfer of goods. The order quantities could then be decided based on garment availability. Plant production could also make use of the information to run optimal production in a short period of time. Lack of these IT platforms not only provided incorrect data, but also delaying the decision makin g process.