Swot Analysis on Walmart - 3147 Words

Assignment: Choose an organization you are familiar with and (a). Submit an SWOT analysis of the organization with an evaluation of each element of the SWOT. Wal-Mart III. SWOT analysis Strength The strength of Wal-Mart is the popularity. The company is known worldwide. The companys strength is the brand name which is very strong. The mark strength is what returns the company, its products and services popular. In addition the companys strength is its ability to make strategic adjustments every time you need . The company ensures that whenever changes occur in the industry have plans alternative to it. The strength of the company is the supply chain system where the company has products in a locked place until needed in a certain†¦show more content†¦Technological v. Legal vi. Environmental e. Five forces i. Potential Entrants ii. Competitive Rivalry iii. Substitutes iv. Bargaining power of buyers and sellers III. SWOT Analysis a. Strength b. Weakness c. Opportunities d. Threats IV. Strategic Issues V. Strategic Options VI. Implementation/Change factors VII. References Introduction: While at the University of Missouri, SAM WALTON increased his income by selling newspapers and organizing others to do so for him, had other part-time jobs too well. You may not amazing, then, that Walton took a job in detail with JC Penney later on the effect in 1940. Although there he has been at work for long experience and had a great impact on Walton. He learned to relate to colleagues in the business as partners (Kennedy 2000). He learned the importance to keep a finger on the pulse of the retail detail by visiting the stores on own and was very competitive. It was reported that he gave local managers a small shop on the benefits of making their stores as a way for them to buy the property in the success of theShow MoreRelatedSwot Analysis for Walmart1637 Words   |  7 PagesSWOT Analysis for Walmart Fay Stewart MGT/521 February 1, 2012 Audrey Ellison A SWOT analysis looks at the strengths and weaknesses of a company and the opportunities and threats. When used in business it can help a company carve a sustainable niche in the market. A SWOT analysis can be a powerful tool that can assist a company in uncovering opportunities that they can exploit. If a company can comprehend their weaknesses they can then manage and eliminate threats that would otherwiseRead MoreSwot Analysis in Walmart669 Words   |  3 Pages Walmart Swot Analysis Walmart, which is a multinational retail company is based in the US. It majorly deals with selling groceries and general merchandise. The company has developed a well organized planning method that is used to analyze and evaluate the opportunities and threats, strengths and weaknesses detected in a particular business venture. The method is known as Swot analysis. Despite the strengths approved, there is an existence of certain weaknesses which have been found to be existingRead MoreWalmart Swot Analysis857 Words   |  4 PagesGoals identify the company’s strengths and weaknesses. Walmart is known as powerful retail brand. It has notoriety for value of cash, comfort, and an extensive variety of items across the board store. Sam Walton s unique vision to run a successful chain of extensive rebate and retail chains has come true. Walmart s most prominent strengths are the customer conception of low costs, their market clout, their capability in data innovation, and their wide store and dissemination netwrok. These strengthsRead MoreWalmart Swot Analysis1539 Words   |  7 Pages 3.4 SWOT Walmart’s supply chain management has proved to be very effective, which has led the company to success. This case study analyzes the company’s strengths and weaknesses, and factors in what threats they face, as well as what opportunities that they can exploit. 3.4.1 Strengths Walmart is a very powerful retail brand that represents affordability. Their number one strength is their efficient supply chain network. They offer â€Å"Everyday Low Prices† and have a consistent level of inventoryRead MoreWalmart Swot Analysis1266 Words   |  6 PagesSWOT ANALYSIS OF WALMART The ‘Fortune 500’ is a list of top 500 companies, with the highest gross revenue in the United States. The list is complied and published on an annual basis by the Fortune magazine, and it includes both publicly and privately held companies arranged in decreasing order of their gross revenue adjusted for excise taxes. The Fortune 500 list was first was published in 1955, and originally included only manufacturing, mining, and energy industries, but now it has beenRead MoreWalmart Swot Analysis2382 Words   |  10 PagesSWOT Analysis – Wal-Mart Juan Carlos Escobar BUS 137 20 Principles of Management Dr. Harry J. Caldwell March 21, 2013 SWOT Analysis – Wal-Mart In the study of management is very interesting making an analysis exercise of a market company like Wal-Mart which has revenues greater than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many countries. The last fiscal year, ended January 31 2013, Wal-Mart reported revenues of 466,1 US billion (Walmart Inc., 2013). This amount is greater than the last GDP reportedRead MoreSWOT analysis of Walmart5872 Words   |  24 PagesPeople think we got big by putting big stores in small towns. Really, we got big by replacing inventory with information. Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart SWOT analysis of Walmart This is Walmart Stores Inc. SWOT analysis for 2013. For more information on how to do SWOT analysis please refer to our article. Company background Name Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Industries served Retail Geographic areas served Worldwide Headquarters Bentonville, US Current CEO Mike Duke Read MoreWalmart Swot Analysis : Walmart Essay984 Words   |  4 PagesWALMART ANALYSIS 1 WALMART ANALYSIS 5 Business Process Management Hieu Le Columbia Southern University Walmart Analysis Walmart is the largest supply chain in the world which distributes different products of multiple firms. For the last fifteen years, Walmart has grown significantlyRead MoreSwot Analysis : Walmart Inc.1968 Words   |  8 PagesWalmart is a company that most people have heard of; it is one of the largest retail corporations with 11,527 retail units as of 29 February 2016, 4,573 within the United States, 651 Sam’s clubs, and 6,303 Walmart internationals.(â€Å"Our Locations,† n.d.) This report aims to take a brief look at the Walmart Corporation; it’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunity and threats along with an environmental analysis, five forces analysis and a look at strategy formation. Company Background: The History of WalmartRead MoreWalmart Swot Analysis1483 Words   |  6 PagesStrength Walmart is the largest retail chain in the world wide and has most of its business resident in the United States. The shares size and corresponding volumes that it needs to purchase to stock its stores gives it the bargaining power to negotiate lower wholesale prices. This translates into being able to deliver low prices to its customers. The company has been in business for several years and has become a trusted brand and a household name. The size of the company has also allowed it to

The Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of...

The Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Introduction ============ For my module computing I have to find research and produce detailed report on freedom of information and the need for security. The information commissioner’s office enforces and oversees the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I need to read and understand knowledge respecting private lives of individuals and encourage the openness and accountability of public authorities. In the report my aims and objectives will be to cover the following aspects: - What is Data Protection Act 1998 and identify and describe 8 principles. - What is the Freedom Information Act 2000 and how does it build on the Data Protection†¦show more content†¦For example, it maybe information held about a loan that a person has taken out as a check on their credit rating. The act gives people the right to see personal file, for example one held by a bank on a customer’s creditworthiness. In the Data Protection Act 1998 it was updated legislation and gave employees the right to see the personal files. Organisations are only allowed to keep relevant information on customers for the purpose for which it was collected and not longer than is necessary. For example a tour operator which collects names and addresses of customers when they enter a competition cannot keep the data and use it for other promotional activities unless the customer gives permission. The tour operator is not allowed to sell the data to another organisation either. It was passed in order to protect the rights of individuals who have data relating to them stored on computers file by an organisation or the owner of the data. The rapid development in the use of information and communication technology has led to legislation about the collection, storage, processing and distribution of personal data. Under the provision of the act a person can find out the information which is held on him and her by: - referring to the Data Protection Register ( a copy held in all major libraries) which lists all holders of data - writing to the holderShow MoreRelatedProfessional Issues in Computing1126 Words   |  5 PagesNational and Global legislation involved in computing and information systems development. Computers and their uses have become pervasive in todays society with new uses occurring on almost a daily basis. In general this use is beneficial; however, as with all technology, computers may be put to the wrong use. In order to safeguard computer users in the UK there are different types of legislation covering the many uses or misuses of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). 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Different acts in result in different benefits to the end user or other people affected by the technology. Use of computer systems can be intrusive and can lead to the loss of privacy to the individual. I will show below how legislation can protect against this intrusion. There many other problems and opportunities that are presented by the use of ICT. Legislation protectsRead MoreCipd Recording, Analysing Data Activity 1771 Words   |  4 PagesRecording, Analysing and Using HR Information Two Reasons Why Organisations Need To Collect HR Data 1) To comply with legislative and regulatory requirements – Organisations need to collect data in order to comply with regulations such as minimum wage, working time directive, health and safety and even health and safety. 2) Keeping training and performance records on employees enables management to assess individual productivity and performance and allows them to help the employeeRead MoreDefinition Of Media Freedom Of Expression Under Article 10 Of The Human Rights Act And The European Convention On1676 Words   |  7 PagesChapter 3 - Explanation of Media Freedom of Expression under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights On the 2nd October 2000, the Human Rights Act 1998 came into force as the most important privacy statute to further strengthen the UK domestic law by affording the rights introduced by the European Convention on Human Rights. The HRA 1998 have been introduced with a wide and comprehensive scope as it applies to most domestic public authorities and bodies including:Read More3rai Recording, Analysing and Using Hr Information1570 Words   |  7 PagesRecording, analysing and using HR information Activity 1 Introduction The new HR Director has requested a report that shows a review of the organisation’s approach to collecting, storing, and using HR data. The findings will explain reasons why the organisation needs to collect HR data. The types of data that is collected within the organisation and how each supports HR practices. A description of the methods of storing records and the benefits of each. A statement of two essential items of UKRead More3 Rai Essay814 Words   |  4 PagesRecording, Analysing and Using HR Information – 3RAI Activity 1 Two Reasons Why Organisations Need To Collect HR Data 1) Organisations need to collect HR data to comply with legislative and regulatory requirements such as equal opportunities monitoring, equal pay audits, recruitment planning, assessing skills balance, minimum wage, working time directive and health and safety. 2) Organisations also keep information records on training and performance for employees, this enablesRead MoreInformation Handling1180 Words   |  5 Pagespractice in handling information in health and social care settings Outcome 1 Understand requirements for handling information in health and social care settings identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling information in health and social care †¢ data protection act 1998 †¢ freedom of information act 2000 †¢ human rights act 1998 †¢ Caldicott Principles Summarise the main points of legal requirements and codes of practice for handling information in health and

Leadership Styles Primal Leadership

Question: Discuss about theLeadership Styles forPrimal Leadership. Answer: Introduction: This assignment takes into consideration leadership behavior in the three scenarios which is discussed as follows. The three scenarios chosen for this assignment are leadership of a sports coach, leadership behavior in a sales meeting and leadership to be taken into account after an earthquake. It shall be taken into consideration that, leadership behavior or roles plays an important role in motivating as well as provide a positive attribute towards the same. In a highly competitive business environment, use of proper leadership styles or behavior shall be done so as to succeed in the near future. With fierce competition sports has played an important role in todays competitive environment. Players along with the coaches feel the pressure to succeed and the measure of success can be seen by either a winning or a losing particular game or a tournament. Therefore, proper leadership skills are required by the coach the players so as to succeed in future. A sports coach motivates its players students to use their full potential in order to have a competitive edge over its competitors (Leadership in Sports, 2016). There are many examples where in understanding the dynamics of leadership in professional sports can be seen. For example, Fassel was the head coach of NY Giants from 1997 2003. In his first year, Giant was 10-5. In the year 2000, the team made a record of 12-4. In the year 2003, Giants thought of replacing Coach Fassel with Tom (Sadler, 2003). In this regards, Coach Fassel demonstrated coaching leadership style and realized that, it was time for a change. Though, Tom had an autocratic leadership style and gave too many directions. Tom was brought back into the team so as to instill discipline. It is seen that, Tom portrays his leadership style in the best possible manner when and where needed. Another scenario which portrays, leadership behavior for a sports coach is discussed as follows. The head coach of Green Bay Packers said, Leaders are made and not born. Leaders are made by continuous hard work and its not an easy task to be an effective leader. Some of the leadership motivational tips given by Coach of Green Bay Packers are treat your players with utmost respect. It is important to understand each and every player so as to identify its strengths weaknesses. Instructions to the players shall be given in a positive manner (Stanley, 2012). This will help the players to have high motivation levels. Share the strategy with the players, as they are the ones who have to execute the same. The relationship between a sports coach player is of give and take. If the players know that, the coach believes in them he or she will outperform and in return might start believing in him too (Leadership in Sports, 2016). The second leadership behavior scenario discussed in this section of the assignment is leadership in a sales meeting. It shall be seen that, sales leadership is one of the toughest jobs all over global today due to highly competitive business world. There are six keys for cracking a sales meeting. These have been discussed as follows. First key to crack the sales meeting is to create a visionary leadership. There is little audience who are more cynical as compared to the sales professional. Therefore, providing clear definitive leadership is an important aspect which shall be kept in mind. The sales organization is referred to as the nosecone of leadership; therefore the issues faced by the customers or in regards to product and service will have an impact on the entire team. Secondly, to use successful metrics this marks the progress not just the sales results (Kurnit Lance, 2009). Thirdly, to develop talent and coach relentlessly that is to build sales opportunity across the en tire sales team. Fourthly, to pay close attention to the selling roles as well as understand as to how to get involved in the sales cycles. Fifthly, to create some value in the sales process shall be practiced which would help in value creation. Lastly, in order to get success in a sales meeting high levels of motivation shall be practiced so as to reward and recognize of the sales professionals (Stanley, 2012). The third leadership behavior scenario discussed in this section of the essay is leadership after an earthquake. The scenario takes into consideration the recent earthquake which was hit at Nepal on 25th April2015. The death as well as destruction caused by this natural disaster was mainly due to lack of leadership followed by the Nepalese politics. Like any other leadership style, responsible leadership which refers to care and affection, problem solving facilitation. It shall be seen that, responsible leadership style is far away from any other leadership style. It mainly engages, involving the various stakeholders together to ensure highly sustainable common grounds for the concerned. By the doing the same, it helps to integrate diversities and create a culture of togetherness and peace. Responsible leadership leads towards the realization of sustainable togetherness (Koshalek, Amatullo Sagmeister, 2008). It is a type of a transformational leadership which helps to shift for a b etter solution to its stakeholders. Leadership in Nepal after the earthquake takes into consideration multiple facets. The various leadership styles contribute towards building cooperation, resilience sustainable peace. The political leadership to be adopted after earthquake in Nepal refers to the spirit of responsibility (Kippenberger, 2002). In this case, the Nepalese politicians shall take the charge of joining hands together and care for the diseased. Some of the traits of leadership after Nepal earthquakes 2015 are irresponsible endeavor i.e. lack of timely a sudden response to the chaotic situation. More than eight million people were died and no humanitarian assistance was provided to the same. It was seen that, the prime minister of Nepal at that time ran away to Indonesia and came back after three days of the earthquake only save his life. Same was the case with other political leaders. They were not present publicly and they did not take any responsibility for the loss o ccurred (Kelly, 2006). Second leadership trait after Nepal earthquake is militarism. After the earthquake, military came to support when the political leaders vanished from the battle grounds. Rescue operation in Nepal became a sole responsibility for the military men. Foreign support from various other government officials was made possible by the military men. When the security gave away to bureaucrats and security officials, high levels of corruption was seen in this regard. Corruption was seen at various levels and victims lost hope in the system. On the contrary, they protested against the government. Third leadership trait after Nepal earthquake was high levels of corruption at all levels. It was seen that, government was not able to control corruption after the earthquake hit in Nepal. Therefore, support from NGOs and other fund raising organizations were done directly to the victims (Goleman, Boyatzis McKee, 2002). The politicians were challenged as many of them were found involved in high levels of corruption during the rescue operation. Fourth leadership trait after Nepal earthquake is begging encouraged. At the time of crisis, people feel that begging is the best solution to come out of the loss in an effective manner. In Nepal, people were forced to sit on the streets and beg for their basic needs. Nepal is a land of diverse traditions (Hindu Buddhism) (Goldsmith, Baldoni McArthur, 2010). Various restrictions were sanctioned for the people of the higher castes such as Vaisya Kshatriyas. As stated in one of the vedas, that people belonging to the upper sections of the society were deemed to enjoy the leisures of life enjoy their life to the fullest. Fifth leadership trait after Nepal earthquake is opportunism. Irresponsible leadership of the political parties after the devastating earthquake in Nepal 2015 has raised many questions regarding legitimacy in public. Political parties in government lead to constitution making process without the con sensus of the stakeholders. Similarly, a group of political dissidents came up to be heard during the constitution making process. After the Nepal earthquake 2015, responsible leadership was missing. Though, Nepal has practiced many leadership traits such as charismatic, spiritual, transformational, ethical authentic but it lacked responsible leadership which was of utmost importance (Edinger, 2016). The community is yet to develop but without social responsibility Nepal will remain a victim of various types of conflicts. Hence, it can be concluded that leadership behavior or role plays an important role in motivating as well as provide a positive attribute towards the same. In a highly competitive business environment, use of proper leadership styles or behavior shall be done so as to succeed in the near future. The essay above takes into consideration, leadership behavior in three different scenarios such as leadership of sports coach, leadership behavior in a sales meeting leadership behavior after an earthquake. References Edinger, S. (2016).Forbes Welcome.Forbes.com. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottedinger/2012/10/04/seven-keys-to-sales-leadership/#4bec1fee2edb Goldsmith, M., Baldoni, J., McArthur, S. (2010).The AMA handbook of leadership. New York: American Management Association. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., McKee, A. (2002).Primal leadership. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press. Kelly, S. (2006). Leadership Refrains: Patterns of Leadership.Leadership,2(2), 181-201. https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1742715006062934 Kippenberger, T. (2002).Leadership styles. Oxford, U.K.: Capstone Pub. Koshalek, R., Amatullo, M., Sagmeister, S. (2008).The L.A. earthquake sourcebook. [Pasadena, Calif.]: Designmatters, Art Center College of Design. Kurnit, P. Lance, S. (2009).The little blue book of marketing. New York: Portfolio. Leadership Careers. (2007).Nursing Leadership,20(4). https://dx.doi.org/10.12927/cjnl.2007.19475 Leadership in Sports. (2016).Money-zine.com. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from https://www.money-zine.com/career-development/leadership-skill/leadership-in-sports/ Ritchie, B. Campiranon, K.Tourism crisis and disaster management in the Asia-Pacific. Sadler, P. (2003).Leadership. London: Kogan Page Ltd. Stanley, C. (2012).Emotional intelligence for sales success. New York: Amacom.

Toulmin Model in Relation to Social Media Effects Essay Example

Toulmin Model in Relation to Social Media Effects Paper Media: The Downfall Nisha Abraham Sullivan University ENG 204: Advanced Writing July 11, 2013 Abstract Social Media is affecting our society in a negative way. From being the number one cause of divorce, ruining people’s careers, and being a haven for teen suicides, many misfortunes arise due to social media. People may not notice its damaging side effects yet it is slowly but surely proving detrimental to all involved in the game. By taking a step back and maintaining self-control, any human being immersed in the frenzy of social media can enjoy its perks without getting caught up in the whirlwind of unfortunate events. Keywords: social media, internet, cyber, cyber bullying, suicide, divorce, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, society. Social Media: The Downfall From the girl who played in your sandbox twenty years ago to the man who fathers your soon-to-be adopted child from India, social networking websites grants you the opportunity to connect with just about anyone you please in a way you couldn’t have years ago. While such an opportunity sounds like what eating a bowl of your favorite ice cream feels like, being a part of the cyber world can prove to be disadvantageous. Just like almost anything in life, social media provides its perks but it has its downfalls as well. Social media is most definitely having a negative impact on society. While social networking allows people in the workplace to interconnect with each other and other prospects, sites such as Facebook and Pinterest can serve as one of, if not the, biggest distractions to people at their place of work. Social media significantly hinders efficiency and productivity which causes people to get less work done. Who wants to focus on monotonous tasks when one can look at pictures from last weekend’s epic pool party? We will write a custom essay sample on Toulmin Model in Relation to Social Media Effects specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Toulmin Model in Relation to Social Media Effects specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Toulmin Model in Relation to Social Media Effects specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer No one. While society encourages multitasking, â€Å"Research confirms that whether you are 22 or 62, trying to do two things at once ensures that neither will be done well. By definition, one task interrupts the other, and such interruptions have a profoundly negative effect on productivity† (Weddle, 2011, para. 9). By subconsciously allowing social media to sucker minds away from important tasks at hand, people can result in job loss, low self-esteem due to job loss, and further being consumed into social media due to new free time. Alongside being able to connect with peers leisurelier, being able to connect with foes and online predators are just as easy. Adults can be just as easily duped, but kids are usually more prone to becoming victims of online bullying. Social media networks make cyber bullying that much easier and causes victims to lose self-confidence and lack self-esteem. â€Å"Social networking sites were used in 48 per cent of all the suicide cases, while messaging (text, pictures or video) were used in 25 per cent of the cases† (CBC News, 2012, para. 18). It is in plain sight and shown several times in statistics that cyber bullying has one of the strongest ties to teen suicide payable to social networking sites and online attackers taking advantage of easily influenced youth. Yet another example of how social media has plagued our society is the fact that it influences people to make their private lives more public. While it is almost idolized to share your inner-most thoughts and personal photos on your personal social networking page, it can damage your future because anything on the internet is on there forever. Future employers will easily be able to view your most unflattering moments during background checks and will undoubtedly have a negative effect on your future job opportunities. â€Å"These â€Å"boundary-crossing† technologies blur the already elusive line between the private and the public, the home and the workplace. Private information that was previously segregated now becomes easily accessible to employers, colleagues, recruiters, and clients, among other perhaps unintended audiences† (Abril, 2012, para. 4). Yes, most social media sites attain privacy settings but one must always remember there are hiccups in everything on the internet and no guarantees leaks will not occur. As much as social media has managed to ruin our society, it plays a positive role for the public as well. Social media allowed people to use their networks as a form of reaching out to old friends and family across the world. With America being known as the melting pot of the world, our society has several people with family on the other side of the Earth. With social media in effect, this permits people to stay in touch with long lost loved ones and keep ties tight. Not only has it sanctioned friends and family to keep in touches but has granted people to relocate birth parents and unknown family members as well. Yes, social media has failed our society greatly but there is always a rainbow somewhere after a rainy day. Social media can play a positive role by bringing people back together. Even though the world may seem small, we have a larger community than most can see with their eyes. The internet blinds people from the dark abyss of deceit, lies, and secrets but it is gradually becoming more apparent to society what can come about from misuse of social media. With research, attention, and self-control, society can overpower the dark side of social media and turn it into a sunny one.

Marketing Plan for a New Cardiac Center

Introduction The target market for the proposed cardiac center is Dammam city in Saudi Arabia. This is given the fact that there is lack of a cardiac center in the region. The proposed cardiac center will offer services addressing cardiac problems and complications, advice to patients and simple surgical procedures to people of all ages. Even if the new cardiac center will be located at Dammam city, it is noted that it may attract patients and professionals from other parts of the country.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing Plan for a New Cardiac Center specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This report is going to address issues surrounding the establishment of the proposed cardiac center in the city. The report will cover several aspects of this new venture. Dammam is a small city in Saudi Arabia. It is the capital city of Eastern Province in this country. According to Armstrong et al. (2009), the town is the economic hub of the world’s most oil-rich region. As far as size is concerned, Dammam is third after Riyadh and Jeddah. Historians are of the view that the city was initially inhabited by an Al Dossary clan as far back as the early 1920s. The inhabitants were immigrants from neighboring Bahrain. The developments in this region are attributed to the huge oil deposits that were discovered there in the 1940s and 1950s. The oil deposits account for about 25 percent of the total oil deposits in the world. There is no specialized cardiac center in Dammam city. People are forced to travel for long distances to find such services. The purpose of this marketing plan is to address issues revolving around the setting up of a new cardiac center in Dammam city. It is noted that it is not fair to have patients travel very far in search of healthcare. This is the idea behind this proposal. It is aimed at addressing or alleviating the problems that people in this and surrounding regions fac e trying to access quality health care. The proposed cardiac center is named Tabibu Hospital. Tabibu hospital is a small hospital located at the center of Dammam city. Although it is a small facility, it is noted that Tabibu Cardiac Center will have the facilities that are needed to cater for the health needs of the population in the city and surrounding areas. The hospital will have 50 beds which even though not sufficient for the large population of the city, will help in providing the much needed treatment for cardiac conditions. The hospital is expected to serve the whole of Dammam city as far as cardiac cases are concerned. So far, the premises are ready. This means that the investors already have the physical facilities needed to establish the hospital. The organization has received funding from two donors who are willing to support the establishment of the facility. Additionally, the government has agreed to provide a loan through the Saudi Arabian National Bank.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mission Statement The mission statement of this cardiac center is: Provide quality and affordable services to the residents of Dammam and surrounding areas with the aim of reducing the number of cardiac complications and mortality rates. Services Offered The cardiac center intends to offer a myriad of services both to the patient and to the community in Dammam and Saudi Arabia as a whole. Tabibu hospital intends to offer services touching on cardiac consultations and advice, Electro- Cardio Graph examination (ECG), diagnosis of cardiac problems, cardiac catheterization, pacemaker insertion and other basic surgery services. It is noted that consultation and offering advice to the patients and to the members of the community as a whole are the major services that will be provided by expert cardiologists. The cardiac center has five of them already engaged (Hiam, 2009). Advice will be given by the doctors and the nurses during patient visits. Diagnosis will only be done by a cardiologist after thorough examination. The thorough examination will include an ECG and consultations with other doctors. The organization already has an ECG machine which is operated by an expert in this field. This means that operating the machine is not a problem. It is however noted that there is a pressing need for a sophisticated and ultra- modern machine for the hospital. There is need for another person or another specialist to assist the current machine operator. Catheterization, insertion of pacemakers and other minor surgeries will be done by the team of cardiologists, anesthetists and surgical nurses. It is noted that the cancer center can use specialists from other hospitals. Anesthetists from other hospitals will be used in case the three employed by the organization are occupied or unavailable. There is also the need to have a day bed facility in the cardiac center. The center will have a day bed for the less serious patients who need supervision for a day or a few hours. However, there will also be facilities for those patients needing closer attention for a prolonged period of time. The 50 beds will be used for patients who need supervision for a longer period of time. The cardiac center will also work together with other hospitals in dealing with very serious cases. The very serious cases will be referred to larger hospitals with better facilities. There is need to transfer patients from this hospital to another and to bring the patient to the hospital in case of medical emergencies. For the purposes of emergency and transfer of critical patients, the cardiac center is planning to buy an ambulance soon after opening. Plans are also underway to acquire land where the cardiac center can construct a bigger hospital.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing Plan for a New Cardiac Center specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The number of beds will need to be increased to about 100 in 3 months. Another service that will be offered by the proposed Tabibu cardiac center will be open heart surgery. This is another service that the center would like to offer at least a year after obtaining land. The services are to be charged as follows: Consultation and advice – $90 ECG – $100 Cardiac catheterization – $200 Pacemaker insertion – $300 Basic surgery – between $ 900- $ 2000Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These charges are inclusive of bed where applicable. The drug charges will be determined separately after prescription. The prices are however subject to review after more research is carried out after Tabibu begins offering services. This means that the prices can be reviewed either upwards or downwards depending on the findings of the assessments carried out. The charges may vary depending on the prevailing market conditions that will determine the cost of inputs such as drugs used during operation. Market According to recent census records, 30% of Dammam population is composed of two major groups. The first group is the very old who are aged 70 years and above and the second group is the very young aged 10 years and below. 5% of the population is made up of obese people and most men are smokers. All these are factors that predispose the population to a myriad of cardiac problems (Gilligan Wilson, 2009). All of these people are vulnerable to cardiac conditions such as heart failu re as a result of their age and their lifestyle. There is evidently the need for a cardiac center to cater for the populations’ cardiac needs. This is through the provision of advice, treatment and early diagnosis of cardiac conditions so that prompt treatment can be provided. The most vulnerable members of the population need periodic screening to ensure that cardiac conditions are detected early enough. This is the only way that the conditions can be dealt with effectively. Since most of the inhabitants of Dammam city are middle working class, it is noted that they will be able to pay for the services offered by the cardiac center. This is keeping in mind the fact that the cardiac center will save them the trouble and inconveniences of traveling to other places to search for medical care. However, just like any other society, Dammam city has a number of people who are poor. For the minority poor population, the cardiac center has liaised with various government agencies so that they can be offered quality services at subsidized prices. This collaboration with government agencies and other stakeholders will also go a long way in offering emergency services due to the close location of our services to the consumer. For instance, if a person falls sick at night, it will be easier to bring them to the hospital which is closer than flying them all the way to other facilities across or outside town. In terms of quality of service, the hospital has qualified members of staff in all the fields. There are also a few positions open for the people in Dammam city as a token of appreciation after they accepted to host the cardiac center. Currently there are no direct competitors in this city apart from a small training center which occasionally offers such services. Advertisement will be done to sensitize the people on the availability of services. This is especially so considering that many people are unaware of the availability of services in the hospitals. This is despite of the critical role that the cardiac center will play in their lives. Factors that usually affect the market of other services will not apply in the case of this hospital. For example, factors like seasons will not affect the market as it does not determine in any way when and where people get sick. There is no correlation between falling sick and season. This is unlike other services such as tourism which are dependent on weather patterns in European and American nations. However, the poor people and those in the rural areas may find it difficult to reach the hospital. To address this problem and avail the services conveniently, the hospital plans to offer mobile clinics where basic services like advice and consultations can be provided. With time the hospital will seek for funding from some of the stakeholders so as to open branches in nearby towns. The management has also consulted one of the hospitals in the region which offers mobile clinics. This is to enable Tabi bu cardiac center to join them on their excursions. This will definitely help in reaching the market (Kotler et al., 2008). Competition As mentioned earlier in this report, there is no cardiac center in Dammam and thus competition will be from other cardiac centers located far from Dammam city. Location is thus an advantage on the part of the cardiac center. It is noted that in cases of emergencies, the first choice for the residents will be Tabibu Hospital. From the local authorities, the management got information that people are not happy with the services offered by the hospital near this city. As a result, the people are forced to travel very far in search of medical services. The opening of a cardiac center near them will be welcomed. It is also noted that culture or the people’s way of life can be a source of competition. However in this case, culture as indirect competition will not be there. But several legal requirements are yet to be met (Godin, 2009). That is bein g taken care of by the insurance company. The Environmental Impact Assessment that has been done in the area showed that expansion will be problematic. The report does not provide for the expansion of the hospital as it will increase the amount of waste emitted into the environment. As a result, the cardiac center plans to use the local council in finding a bio- digester so the waste problem can be addressed once and for all. The hospital could face socio- economic competition from a small percentage of the population and the significance of this is possible decline of profits (Gilligan Wilson, 2009). As already indicated in the paper, there is a training college within the area that should be taken into consideration when analyzing competition. The training college in the area may be an indirect source of competition. The college trains cardiologists and sometimes holds mobile clinics where they look at some of the cardiac cases before transferring them to their main hospital in a nearby city. The training college offers transport to the patient but they do not pay for the treatment. This is the major weakness that Tabibu hospital will capitalize on probably through subsidized fees. After carrying out independent research, Tabibu hospital has realized that most cardiac cases are serious. To this end, the hospital has a location advantage over the competitors (Hiam, 2009). The new cardiac center project is likely to succeed because its strengths surpass its weaknesses. It involves the introduction of services that are not currently available and hence acceptable to the community. The project brings with it accessible services. The hospital has a strong and positive relationship with the relevant authorities that deals with the poor members of the society. This will help in off- setting the medical bills of such patients. The hospital also offers high quality services with the help of highly qualified personnel. The hospital has technologically advanced equipm ents (Kotler et al., 2008). The management however foresees a few difficulties in some areas. This is for example difficulties in reaching people in the rural areas, access to capital, pricing and space. The latter is to allow for the expansion of the facility. The hospital has about 30% of the current budget and needs a lot of money to be able to offer good services. The rest of the budget (70 percent) is yet to be financed. Pricing Price is influenced by both internal and external factors. Internal pricing variables are expenses involving capital, research, labor, distribution, utilities and all other costs (Armstrong et al., 2009). According to Godin (2009), capital is the amount of money invested in the business and all assets that the hospital owns. This is for example all the machines that the hospital will buy. Labor in this case will include the total amount of time that staff members spend in the hospital including overtime. Kotler et al. (2008) says that distribution is th e ways through which the services will reach the consumer. This is for instance hiring people to disseminate information about the services offered through word of mouth, media advertising among others. Utilities in this case are bills that are incurred through mandatory expenses like water, electricity, transport, advertising for business promotion, purchase of daily supplies like syringes, bandages and telephone bills among others (Phillip, 2009). External variables to be considered during pricing include prices of the competitors in the market. With time, prices are bound to be revised depending on the market’s growth rate. However, customer needs will be put in mind so that the hospital does not push customers away due to overpriced services (Godin, 2009). The hospital is not intending to incur losses. There are deliberate efforts to price services in a way that will make the consumers comfortable while at the same time making it possible to smoothly run the hospital and offer quality services. It is for this reason that the hospital has proposed strategies to price products (Kotler et al., 2008). In the process, it will be able to know whether it is making a profit or incurring losses and take necessary actions. This is a process that will take some time and needs a lot of research and careful planning which will be done by qualified marketers. For the sake of simplicity, the management could trust the leader and price products in the same way. In such a case, it will find out how much the best and most popular hospital charges for similar services and use the same criteria. They probably followed the same procedure during pricing of their products. Tabibu could also price the products higher than the competitors in order to understand how much the customers are willing and able to pay. It should however be noted that pricing services higher or lower than the competitors will be for a short period as a way of testing the market. There will be revie w of prices after we have properly assessed the market. Basically, the above are just pricing processes but after sometime, the prices will be calculated by multiplying total cost with the mark- up percentage to get the retail price (Armstrong et al., 2008). Distribution This is the way through which the available services reach the consumer or the market (Kotler et al., 2008). In our case, we intend to use various methods ranging from advertising to creating a good image. Advertising will be done by our public relations’ officer through the local media channels, the internet and the local newspaper. Since our services are to be provided to a wide range of customers, media advertising will be done through television and radio. We are to publish a website containing all the information like the services offered and how to contact us (Gilligan Wilson, 2009). The prices will however not be stated in the website to avoid being taken advantage of by our customers. The very first thing that attracts anyone to a product is the image (Hiam, 2009). We are aiming at creating a beautiful logo that will attract our customers especially when doing internet marketing. The same logo will appear on the business cards. The most effective method in our case is to hire marketers who will then spread information about the services offered by word of mouth. For the purposes of saving on expenses, we will buy supplies in bulk (Godin, 2009). We have located a nearby warehouse where we can store supplies of non-perishables goods like disinfectants, soaps, brooms, bandages and syringes among others. This will help in saving space in the already crammed hospital. The warehouse is in a clean, secure and accessible location. Promotion Mix We intend to use local television networks, local newspapers, leaflets, radio and internet to market our products. Having a healthy nation is the mission of our hospital. The hospital will be located in a quiet suburb in Dammam city. A hotline w ill be provided so that our staff can go and provide the necessary services or give advice on what to do through the hotline. We need about $ 100,000 for the first year for advertisement. There will be production of leaflets with information about our services, contacts and location. The leaflets’ and posters’ production will cost about $10,000, newspaper adverts will cost $50000 and the rest will cost approximately $39000 for a whole year. There will be an opening party for the hospital where we will invite the businessmen and offer free cardiac services during the day including the use of public address. Sales Forecasting Our market covers the people in the middle and higher classes. About 90% of the population is literate and thus able to understand what we will be offering. We aim at providing quality services at reasonable rates. For the small percentage that is poor, we have a special way of dealing with their payments through the social worker at the hospital. W e have spoken to the relevant government authorities and they are willing to help foot the hospital bill of the people who need the service but are unable to pay for it. It difficult to forecast sales in this case (Hiam, 2009) but it is important so as to know how many employees are required and when. It is also important to determine the combination of promotional mix to be used and supplies to buy. Kotler et al. (2008) suggests micro and macro forecasting as the suitable methods for doing this. Macro- forecasting involves making deductions on what will happen in the market depending on total market price. Micro- forecasting is done on specific services offered. The above however depends on the availability of information, timing, position of service at the life cycle and accuracy. The more accurate the forecast is the higher the costs. It is hard to make a forecast when a product is on its introductory phase than when it is in its maturity phase (Gilligan Wilson, 2009). Precise f orecasts can be made when the business has being operating for a long time. A more precise method would be to conduct this at least a year after the commencement of services in order to improve accuracy. We have also planned to make this a requirement at the end of every year to know how far we have gone. Action Plan According to Armstrong et al. (2009), there are various marketing strategies. In this case, market dominance is the most appropriate considering our target market of Dammam city population. We can use the 3Cs model developed by Kenich Ohmae (Gilligan Wilson, 2009) where we focus on the corporation, customer and competitors. For the corporation (hospital in this case), we strategize with an aim of maximizing our strengths against our competitors. This should be done is such a way that we also consider the cost effectiveness of what our suppliers offer and the customer paying a minimal fee for the services offered. The next C is for customer who is a very important perso n to the business. We thus have the responsibility of ensuring that the customer is satisfied in all ways and has a reason to use our services again. The prices of our services will be minimal and the quality of the services high. We will continue to ensure this happens through occasional in- service training of our staff especially those who come into contact with the customers. We will also keep advertising and employ extra members of staff who are skilled. The next C is for competitors who are the greatest threat to any business. We have done a thorough research on what our competitors offer, how they do it, their strengths and weaknesses. With this knowledge, we can avoid making the same mistakes and capitalize on their weaknesses. One of the advantages we have over them is that we have concentrated on cardiac services making us able to provide better services. Location is another advantage we have over our competitors. Being in a position to offer services to a customer when ne eded will go a long way as a market strategy. After implementing the 3P’s we will then use the 4C’s proposed by Jerome McCarthy in our marketing strategy (Kotler et al., 2008). The first P is for product or in this case, our services. Apparently, products go through a cycle of growth and every marketer should be aware of this. In our case, I would say after intensive treatment and information, cases of cardiac conditions may reduce and we may have to do a service mix to cater for the income. The next P is for pricing which should be adapted to cater for all areas of the business. Promotion is what is denoted by the next P and this involves advertising, personal selling and other ways of promoting the business. The means of doing promotions should be appropriate depending on the market. The last P is for place meaning that services should be provided when required and where required. The ambulance and hospital van will be used for this purpose. Either one of the two str ategies will be used but the first one is more preferable. Production Fluctuations are bound to occur due to the nature of our services. From the research carried out, we have concluded that demand is almost impossible to predict. Production will be leveled by volume. This is where we make a record based on which days are busiest and how many patients we expect to serve. On such a day, we make sure that we have enough staff and perishable and non- perishable supplies. This will ensure smooth operation and provision of services and also reduce wastage in terms of man power and perishable supplies. We plan to use demand leveling. Here, we can manipulate demand. In some cases, treatment is not an emergency. For instance, a customer who needs the insertion of a pacemaker can take some time. We can ask the patients with certain conditions to be seeing the doctors on certain days. This way, we save on salaries paid to part time staff members hired only on demand. As discussed above, we wi ll at times use local people in the hospital. Using local labor is cheaper than imported labor. This is given that no costs are incurred in importing it. Table 1: Simple Budget for Tabibu Hospital for the Year 2011 Income Expenses Grants $100000 Loans $97000 Donations $45000 Suppliers- $198000 Equipment- $200000 Doctors’ salary- $195000 Nurses’ salaries- $82500 Other personnel- $95000 Utilities- $90000 Totals $242 000 $860500 References Armstrong, G., Harker, M., Kotler, P., Brennan, R. (2009). Marketing: An introduction. New York: Prentice Hall. Gilligan, C., Wilson, R. M. (2009). Strategic marketing planning. Massachusetts: Butterworth-Heineman Publishers. Godin, S. (2009). All marketers are liars: The power of telling authentic stories in a low trust world. Chicago: Prentice Hall. Hiam, A. (2009). Marketing for dummies. New York: John Wiley and Sons Publishers. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Wong, V., Saunders, A. J. (2008). Principles of marketi ng. New York: Pearson Education. Phillip, K. (2009). Marketing insights from A to Z: 80 concepts every manager needs to know. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 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Isolation in Bartleby, The Scrivener and The Zoo Story Essay Example

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Effectiveness Between Visual Learning And Auditory Learning This experiment was performed to compare the effectiveness between visual learning and auditory learning on short-term memory. Forty subjects were required to read a passage while another forty subjects were asked to listen to a recording of the same passage. After a three-minute filler task, the subjects were required to answer a set of ten questions relating to the passage. Most subjects had higher score for visual learning rather than auditory learning. A statistical z-test was used to compare the mean of these two sets of result. Calculation showed that at 5% significance level, visual learning was more effective in building short-term memory than auditory learning, concurring to the experimental hypothesis. There was sufficient evidence from statistical testing to show that the mean score in memory quiz for visual learning was greater than auditory learning. NULL HYPOTHESIS There is no significant difference between the score for visual and auditory memory test. EXPERIMENTAL HYPOTHESIS The score in visual memory test is higher compared to auditory memory test. RESEARCH AND RATIONALE The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effectiveness of both visual learning and auditory learning on short-term memory. Memory is defined as the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained especially through associative mechanisms, which include encoding, storing and retrieving. According to Atkinson-Shiffrin Model (1968), human memory can be divided into three major groups, namely sensory memory (SM), short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM). [4] Figure 1: Atkinson-Shiffrin Model (http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/article_detail.asp?article_id=1403) (251 words) Sensory memory is a buffer that captures, for just a moment, all that you can see, hear and feel. In general, sensory memory is the ability of sense organs such as eyes, ears and skin to retain sensory information for a very brief period (less than a second). It can be divided into iconic memory (vision) and echoic memory (hearing). When we focus attention on sensory memory, this moves sensory information into conscious memory which is known as short-term memory. Short-term memory can hold a limited amount of information for about 30 seconds, but it stays longer under continual rehearsal and will eventually converted into long-term memory. [1,5] Short-term memory is the temporary memory store used to store and manage information needed to perform complex cognitive tasks. It is formed by brief changes in the synaptic transmissions. It involves the firing of neurons which depletes the Readily Releasable Pool (RRP) of neurotransmitter vesicles at presynaptic terminals. After the firing slows down, endocytosis causes the short-term memory to decay. The memory will disappear if it is not re-activated. Thus, periodically repeated information is needed so that information can retain for a longer period. [8] Figure 2: Baddeleys model of working memory (http://www.thefullwiki.org/Baddeley%27s_model_of_working_memory) (448 words) Alan Baddeley proposed a more complex working memory model for short-term store. It is an active three-part memory system that temporarily holds information which consists of an executive control central that coordinates the phonological loop (storage for language sound), visuo-spatial sketchpad (storage for visual and spatial information), and the episodic buffer. Working memory is very significant in helping us to solve problems that require reasoning and multitasking. [2,6] Long-term memory is the storehouse of the brain where its capacity is enormous and virtually permanent. It can be divided into declarative memory (consciously available) and procedural memory (unconsciously available). However, long-term memory distorts the facts and tends to become less reliable as we age. [1,7] Figure 3: The activation of specific sensory cortices during memory retrieval (http://www.pnas.org/content/97/20/11125.full) A study by Randy L. Buckner aimed to study whether the retrieval of sensory-specific information will reactivate the regions of sensory cortex. The outcome revealed from functional MRI showed that secondary areas in auditory and visual cortex were reactivated when sound and image memories were recalled respectively. Since different regions were activated during information retrieval, visual memory should be different from auditory memory. Figure 3 shows the activation maps during perception of visual objects (ac) and sound (e) as well as the recall of visual memory (bd) and auditory memory (f). [9] (660 words) A study by Michael A. Cohen examined the inferiority of auditory to visual memory using recognition measure. The experiment was done by testing the ability of subjects to recall the stimuli, for instance sound clips, verbal description, picture or combination of both. Comparison of data showed that recall for picture is better compare to other stimuli. [10] Besides, Cohen also compared auditory and visual memory in musicians who have far better auditory recognition memory. However, the results showed that the memory for auditory stimuli was still inferior to visual object. Thus, it is clear from these results that auditory recognition memory performance cannot be on par with the levels of visual recognition memory. [11] The outcomes of this experiment could be significant in education, working place and business strategy. Educators should focus on visual teaching by preparing more visual stimulus such as diagrams, slideshows or mind maps to make the lessons more effective and enhance the student memory. Managers should provide a copy of information rather than giving instruction verbally to prevent employee from making error. Moreover, companies should provide visual effect when advertising through television or poster rather than via radio so that consumers can remember better of that company. (859 words) VARIABLES Manipulated variable : Type of stimulus (visual or auditory) Responding Variable : Score in memory test (degree of memory) Constant Variables : Age and education level of the subjects, period of the test PLANNING As stated above, assumption was made that both visual and auditory learning have the same effect on short-term memory, thus all these trials were conducted using only one type of stimulus which is visual stimulus. Trial 1: Length of the passage This trial was conducted to find out the most appropriate length of passage for the memory tests. Four subjects were given a passage of 234 words while another four were given a passage of 843 words to read. After that, the subjects were required to answer a set of ten questions related to the passage. Length of the passage Memory test score 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 234 words 10 10 10 9 843 words 5 4 4 5 Table 1: Results of first trial experiment From Table 1, subjects performance is almost perfect in the memory test when dealing with the short passage of 234 words. On the other hand, subjects who deal with the long passage of 843 words answered less than half of the question correctly. Therefore, I decided to use a moderately long passage of around 500 words to obtain an ideal result in the real experiment. (1086 words) Trial 2: The necessity of filler task This trial was done to find out whether a filler task is necessary and its duration before proceeding to the memory quiz. First two subjects ware not required to do any filler task (Sudoku puzzle) while the remaining subjects were asked to do the filler task within 2, 3 and 4 minutes respectively. Duration of Filler Task (minutes) Score 1st 2nd Without 8 8 2 7 8 3 6 7 4 5 5 Table 2: Results of second trial experiment From Table 2, subjects who answered the question without distraction task was slightly higher than those who had done the Sudoku puzzle. Besides, it was noted that the last few questions where the answers were found on the last part of the passage were answered correctly for those without filler task. Thus, a distraction task is necessary to distract the subjects from rehearsing the information they had just received and answering the question directly without having the information converted into short-term memory. Besides, the duration of filler task was fixed at 3 minutes as it seemed long enough to prevent subjects from rehearsing the newly received information but not too long to cause memory decay. (1293 words) Trial 3: Suitable Timeframe This trial was conducted to investigate the perfect timeframe for the subjects to complete the memory test. Six subjects took part in this trial, with two in a group. They were given a passage that later used in the actual experiment to read and answer ten questions within time limits. The three groups required to answer within 1, 2 and 3 minutes respectively. Time limit (min) Score 1st 2nd 1 3 4 2 5 6 3 8 7 Table 3: Results of third trial experiment From Table 3, the longer the time limit, the higher the score each subjects obtained. The subjects were debriefed after the memory test regarding the time limit given. Those who underwent time limit of 1 and 2 minutes claimed that the time given was too short for them to complete all the questions. Subjects who did the test within 3 minutes claimed that they only manage to complete the questions on time. They felt stressed during the experiment and this might limit the subjects performance. Hence, I decided to leave out the time limit so that subjects can answer the question in a stress-free condition. The visual stimulus administered was a one-page printed passage that I get from the reference book Cambridge Practice Test for IELTS 2, Test Four, Section 2. On the other hand, the auditory stimulus used was a three-minute recording of the same passage taken from the CD-ROM. A passage was used instead of simple words, number or image recall to mimic real-life situation in work place or in classroom where people were bound to lots of information which they have to remember. This passage consisting of 551 words was chosen as it was designed by an experienced author who written for IELTS reference book and IELTS is a recognised international English testing system. The passage was clear, concise and contained a lot of information and there were questions provided. Besides, the person who produces the tape script has high proficiency in English, thus there will be no complain about the clarity of the tape script. (1645 words) METHOD Random sample of 80 subjects were selected from the Advanced Level students in Intec Education College. The subjects were divided into two groups that carried out visual and auditory test respectively. For visual test, each subject was given three sheets of paper beforehand. (A passage, a memory test of ten questions and a Sudoku puzzle) For auditory test, each subject was given two sheets of paper beforehand. (A memory test of ten questions and a Sudoku puzzle) The subjects were instructed to read the passage and listen carefully to the recording played by a radio inside the classroom once only and try to memorize as much information as they can. Immediately after the presentation of stimuli, the subjects were asked to complete the Sudoku puzzle as a filler task in 3 minutes to reduce rehearsal. After that, the subjects were required to do the memory test without a time limit and hand in the answer sheet after they had done. The scores of each subject from each group were calculated and recorded in a table. A box-plot and a bar chart were drawn to represent the data. Z-test was used to compare the mean of visual and auditory memory test at 5% significant level. RISK ASSESSMENT All subjects personal details were kept anonymous for confidentiality purpose. They were instructed not to disclose any information regarding the quiz to anyone who had not taken the test. Besides, subjects were told that this experiment was not done on testing the individuals intelligence or memory power to avoid any unnecessary stress which could affect the subjects performance. The volume of the recording played over the radio was set at an acceptable volume so that everyone could hear clearly and did not cause any impairment on hearing. Otherwise, this was a low-risk procedure. (1942 words) RESULTS Number of people, f Memory test scores, X Visual, X1 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 2 5 4 6 8 7 11 8 10 9 5 10 0 Mean xÃÅ'„1 = 6.95 Table 4: Results for memory test of visual and auditory learning (2005 words) Graph 1: Box plot for memory quiz score of visual and auditory learning (2018 words) STATISTICAL ANALYSIS X1: Visual memory test Memory quiz scores, x Visual, f fx x2 fx2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 4 0 3 0 0 9 0 4 2 8 16 32 5 4 20 25 100 6 8 48 36 288 7 11 77 49 539 8 10 80 64 640 9 5 45 81 405 10 0 0 100 0 n = 40 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ fx = 278 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ fx2 = 2004 Table 5: Statistics for visual memory test Mean, xÃÅ'„1 = = = 6.95 Variance, à Ã†â€™Ã‚ ² = xÃÅ'„12 = 6.952 = 1.7975 Standard Deviation, à Ã†â€™1 = = = 1.34070877 (2138 words) X2: Auditory memory test Memory quiz scores, x Auditory, f fx x2 fx2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 6 4 12 3 5 15 9 45 4 8 32 16 128 5 10 50 25 250 6 7 42 36 252 7 4 28 49 196 8 2 16 64 128 9 0 0 81 0 10 0 0 100 0 n = 40 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ fx = 190 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ fx2 = 1012 Table 6: Statistics for auditory memory test Mean, xÃÅ'„2 = = = 4.75 Variance, à Ã†â€™Ã‚ ² = xÃÅ'„12 = 4.752 = 2.7375 Standard Deviation, à Ã†â€™2 = = = 1.65453921 (2258 words) Z-test is a statistical test extended from t-test. It follows a normal distribution where the data have the same mean, median and mode. It is used to handle large samples when n à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 30 and standard deviation is given. In this experiment, there was one variable (type of stimulus), two samples (visual and auditory memory tests) and 40 observations for each sample. The data was unmatched as each subject sat for the test once only. The difference between variances in the two samples is small (0.94). Thus, a z-test was applied. [3] Number of samples, n Mean, xÃÅ'„ Standard Deviation, à Ã†â€™ Visual, xÃÅ'„1 40 6.95 1.34070877 Auditory, xÃÅ'„2 40 4.75 1.65453921 Table 7: Basic statistics for both memory test scores Hypothesis Test for Two Population Means H0: ÃŽÂ ¼1 = ÃŽÂ ¼2 (The mean scores in both visual and auditory memory test are equal) H1: ÃŽÂ ¼1 > ÃŽÂ ¼2 (The mean score in visual memory test is greater than that in auditory memory test) Given the null hypothesis and à Ã†â€™1 = 1.34070877, n1 = 40, à Ã†â€™2 = 1.65453921, n2 = 40 xÃÅ'„1 xÃÅ'„2 ~ N (0, + ) By Central Limit Theorem, the test statistics is: Z = Since under H0, ÃŽÂ ¼1 = ÃŽÂ ¼2 then in this case ÃŽÂ ¼ visual = ÃŽÂ ¼ auditory and thus Z = = 6.53615718 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‹â€  6.5362 (2483 words) According to the Table for Critical values for two-tailed z test, the critical value for a two-tailed test when p = 0.01 will be the critical values for p=0.05 for a one-tailed test. Thus, the critical value for Z is z = 1.647. From the result above, the value of z at 5% probability level is 6.5362 which are higher than the critical value of 1.6449. Therefore, the null hypothesis, H0 is rejected. There is sufficient evidence that the mean score in memory quiz for visual memory is greater than that for auditory memory. This agrees with the experimental hypothesis and matches with the two studies stated earlier which were done by Michael A. Cohen proving that auditory memory is inferior to visual memory, yielding better short-term memory recall. Since Z calculated is a lot higher than Z critical, there is much less than 5% chance that the results occurred by chance, and more than 95% chance that the mean for visual memory test is higher even if the experiment is repeated on the similar population. (2659 words) Graph 2: Bar chart for memory quiz score of visual and auditory learning (2672 words) DATA ANALYSIS Graph 2 shows that the score range of visual test is within 4 to 9 whereas the score range for auditory test is within 1 to 8. The modes for visual and auditory memory test are 5 and 7 respectively. It is a huge contrast as most of the subjects scored less than half of the total marks for auditory test while most of the subjects scored more than half of the total marks for visual test. Thus, it is obvious that subjects tend to forget the information more quickly when it is presented by oral compared to visual. There were anomalies in this investigation, especially in the auditory test group. One subject gets only one answer correct in the memory test and it had been reconfirmed that there was no marking error. This might be due to the particular subject was tired and lack of sleep the night before. This explanation was supported by the research of Polzella and Donald J. that stated sleep deprivation increases the occurrence of lapses, periods of lowered reactive capacity, which prevent the encoding of items in short-term memory. [12] Likewise, two of the subjects get eight questions right in the memory test. This might be due to both subjects are Grade 8 pianist who have a better listening ability and are good auditory learner that can remember the auditory information outstandingly. This was stated in Michael A. Cohens research that musicians have far better auditory recognition memory. [11] However, I found out that some subjects with high scores in the memory test did not even complete half of the Sudoku puzzle. This may be due to the fact that they kept recalling what they had read during the distraction test but not concentrating on the Sudoku puzzle. During the real test, they were just rehearsing the information they read a few minutes earlier. (2980 words) The superiority of visual memory can be explained according to the way the information is perceived and stored as memory. Auditory verbal information enters automatically into the phonological store whereas visually presented words are transformed into phonological code by silent articulation first and subsequently into the phonological store. Thus, the visual information stored twice as visual code rather than auditory code. [6] From the study by Buckner, we know that visual and auditory memory retrieval involves the activation of different brain region. The sensory-specific regions are activated most robustly during recall of visual memory whereas auditory memory represents a distinct subset of those activated during perception. The reason behind may be the capacity for visual memory is larger than auditory memory, thus complex visual memory can be converted into memory more rapidly and easily. [9] The properties of auditory and visual information are different. In terms of physics or psychophysics, auditory information is said to be less memorable than their visual counterparts. It could be that the remarkable ability to rapidly encode and remember meaningful stimuli is a feature of visual processing. [12] Eberman and McKelvie proposed that a person was more prone to form vivid images, particularly if the original source was visual than if it was auditory. [13] Visual stimuli are seen and heard through rehearsal maintenance in the brain while auditory stimuli are only heard, making it more difficult to perform. When the brain is processing a visual image, the cognitive functioning requires the discovery of a mental image, but when the cognitive functioning is the process of an auditory stimulus, the brain needs to hear the word and then create a mental image in order for a correct recall to take place. Thus, auditory learning seems slower compare to visual learning. [14] (3271 words) EVALUATION There might be variation in memory capacity between individuals, thus a large sample of eighty subjects was used in the experiment to ensure sufficient replicates were produced to support the conclusion. Besides, random choosing and grouping of subjects and consistency of gender will help improve the reliability of the results because there will be no bias in terms of subjects selected to participate in which test. The age of the subjects was kept constant (20) because capability to memorise varies with age. For example, older people were more prone to develop dementia and were less effective in memorising information, thus giving an unreliable result. Moreover, subjects must have the same level of education as people who weak in English and understanding might not be able to answer the questions properly, be it in visual or auditory form. Subjects must not have any problem related to their eyes (reading) and ears (listening) to ensure the experiment done smoothly. In addition, the period of the test conducted must be fixed as the effectiveness of learning varies throughout the day. Subjects might feel hungry at the noon and tired around the evening after whole day of academic session. Thus, the entire test was conducted in the morning as it is the golden period for the subjects to learn and memorising information effectively. Participant who were physically sick or mentally tired were excluded from this investigation as their condition might deteriorate their memory performance. In conclusion, the results can be considered to be valid and reliable as the whole experiment was conducted with minimal errors and a large sample size. (3537 words) LIMITATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS In this experiment, since the same subject cannot sit for both test due to same passage used, it has been assumed that the individual variations amongst the subjects do not affect the results of the study. However, different people might have different memorising power, thus one modification that could be made is by having the same subjects doing both visual and auditory memory test but on different passage which are closely similar in terms of length, information and standard of English. Although the subjects involved in this experiment are selected randomly, it is only representing the population in International Education College but not whole general college-aged students. Therefore, the experiment can be modified by having a larger sample size from other colleges to obtain a more conclusive, representative and reliable results. However, it was difficult for a person to memorise all the information in the long passage. They may miss out some points which will affect the outcomes of the investigation. Thus, the passage can be replaced by 30 phrases so that they know exactly what to remember. FURTHER INVESTIGATION Further research can be done by investigating the efficiency of visual and auditory learning method in varying age cohorts. Besides, other types of memory measures such as recognition of image and words can be carried out for further study. Lastly, a comparison between genders in terms of both types of memory can be conducted as the memorising power between males and females could be different. (3780 words) SOURCE EVALUATION Source 1 is an e-book that written by psychology experts while source 2 and 3 are published books so the information in it should be facts. They are all credible sources as their content would have been reviewed by other experts prior to publication. Source 4 is a website from Indiana University while source 5 is a website supported by Bryn Mawr College and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, thus the information are reliable. Source 6 and 7 is from Wikipedia where most of the data and information obtained are cited and linked to many literatures and academic research. Sources 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are scientific journals that written by experts from renowned universities. Their research papers consist of experiments similar to my scientific investigation topic. The results obtained are widely recognised and have been peer-reviewed by other scientists before being published, thus they are trustable. CONCLUSION It is clear that visual learning is more effective than auditory learning on short-term memory. It is proven by the mean score in visual test which is 6.95, which is greater than the auditory test which is 4.75. The z-value, 6.5362 is higher than the critical value at 5% significance level. Experimental hypothesis is accepted. (4984 words) APPENDIX TEXT PASSAGE Great. Well, hi, everyone! My names Jody and Im one of the four recreation officers here at Rainforest Lodge. My job is to make sure that you all have a great stay here with us and go away feeling relaxed and refreshed. As you can see, were literally in the middle of nowhere at the Lodge. There are no newspapers or TVs and theres only one phone and thats in the office. The Lodge is a complete get away from it all experience: a place to unwind and appreciate the world without a lot of interruptions and distractions. From your cabin balcony youll find that you cant see anyone else and the only noise you should hear is the birds. When the luggage comes, one of the guys will take it across to your cabin for you and make sure you know the way back here to the main centre for dinner in the restaurant. Dinner will be served in about an hour or so. All the times of each days activities are printed on the blue sheet you should have got in the information guides that were handed out on the coach. Each Explorer trip has a different focus, so it doesnt matter how many you do or on what day, because theres always something new to discover in the rainforest. Tomorrow I think weve still got places on the Orchid and Fungi Tour. This is on foot and takes you to different parts of the rainforest. Or, if youd prefer, theres the Four- Wheel-Drive tour to the waterfalls, or the fishing trip where I promise you well catch some lunch, and last but not least, the famous Crocodile Cruise that leaves at 11 am each day. (Just in time for the crocodiles lunch!) Plenty to choose from here at Rainforest Lodge or just sit on your balcony relax and unwind and enjoy the views. In the evenings there is the Spotlight Tour, one of my favourites. The Spotlight Tour leaves at sundown and lets you catch a glimpse of some more of the rainforests wildlife as it comes out at dusk to feed. Thats a great trip and if you can, Id really try to make sure you do it during your stay. (4359 words) Youve chosen to visit the rainforest in March, which is just at the end of the wet season, so youll soon notice how well the waterfalls are running and also how damp the ground is. Things can tend to get a bit slippery, too, so if you didnt bring any walking boots Id advise you to hire some from the office. Youll also be much better off in long trousers rather than shorts because they will give your legs more protection and socks are a good idea too. Theres no need to be nervous of the rainforest provided that you treat it with respect and common sense. Most of the animals and wildlife are gentle and harmless. There are some venomous snakes to beware of, but really theyre much more frightened of you than you are of them. The other thing is that certain plants can cause irritation if you touch them with bare skin. Well, thats about all for the time being. The guys are here to take you and your luggage to the cabins . . . (4538 words) QUESTIONS At Rainforest Lodge there arent any telephones or TVs. newspapers or TVs. telephones or newspapers. The guests are told to carry their luggage to the cabin. go straight to the restaurant. wait an hour for dinner. TOUR NAME DETAILS Orchid and Fungi walking tour Four-Wheel-Drive tour to the 3)_____________ Fishing to catch lunch Crocodile Cruise departs at 4)_____________ daily 5)_____________ departs at sundown What THREE items of clothing does the speaker recommend for the rainforest? 6) ______________________________ 7) ______________________________ 8) ______________________________ Which TWO things in the rainforest does the speaker give a warning about? 9) ______________________________ 10) ______________________________ (4636 words) DISTRACTION TASK 8 2 8 7 6 4 3 1 9 5 8 4 9 6 1 8 1 3 5 4 7 2 7 4 7 6 4 3 5 6 CRITICAL VALUES FOR A TWO-TAILED Z TEST Probability value Z 0.10 1.647 0.05 1.960 0.01 2.576 0.02 2.326 0.002 3.10

1. How, Specifically Is the Process of Attribution Illustrated in This Case?

Case Module 5 1. How, specifically is the process of attribution illustrated in this case? Ans. The process of attribution regarding the case referred, flags relatively regarding the behavior of the customer’s eye contact wrong implication. The case study stated that a in certain supermarket dozen females claimed the issue of drawing the unwanted attention for maintaining eye contact. There was no clear information as how many female employees were employed there. This may raise several questions of the internal causes and external causes of behavior.The nature of the twelve women was unknown regarding other issues outside their work place. The case study does not apparently satisfy the â€Å"consistency† of the attribution. This implies the behavior of the female employees and the customers they face behave in the same manner in other situations for knowing the distinctiveness of their claims. If the case study had satisfied the arguments then this would have helped in better understanding of the concept of attribution. 2. What do you suppose is being done to help train people to be friendlier toward customers?In other words, what would you imagine goes on in Safeway’s †smile school†? Ans. There is an underlying concept of positive reinforcement that satisfies the organizations in treating people for the desired returns in the form of sales or goodwill. In the Safeway supermarket they send their employees for the friendliness school called â€Å"Smile school†. They make their employees to follow certain trivial manners that greatly affect the positivity in people like smiling face towards customers, maintaining eye contact for three seconds, calling the people by their name when they pay by check or credit card.Respective to the case study the smile school seems enforcing its policies irrespective of the employees’ consignment. 3. Describe what you believe might be the progressive discipline steps outlined in the warning letter sent to unfriendly Safeway clerks? Ans. The concept of the progressive discipline elevates the steps form letting know the curtness of the respective unfriendly employee individually, and then increasingly enforce the degree of the punishment like officially state the undesirable behavior of the employee, then warning the employee in form of a letter with all negative evaluations.Considering the case study the letter must state all the previous warnings to the unfriendly employee, and then warn the employee that continual curtness leads to suspension without pay and may lead to dismissal for unchanged unfriendliness. 4. What perceptual errors did the customers make? Ans. In accordance to the case study the questions gives ideas regarding the issue of the false judgment. As stated in the case the male customers anticipated the positive reinforcements from the supermarket employees as acts of flirtation.This relates the concept of the Halo effect where the appearance of the employees and their positive behavior triggered the false judgment. The basic idea formation of the first impression is totally based on the internal causes of individual behavior. In another instance stated in that case, one shopper followed a female employee to the car in a false disposition. This may lead to the negative reinforcements form the employees and can effect the other customers. 5. What forms of operant conditioning did Safeway use? Ans.The case study relating to the operant conditions inclines to the policies of the supermarket, one such is â€Å"superior service† policy. The concept states that the reaction provided initially, gets back. It is also called Law of effect. The principle of any customer service is providing best customer service. In the case study the Safeway supermarket also provides it employees a positive reinforcements strategies like maintaining the eye contact for three seconds, smile at customers, anticipating the customers needs. It a lso maintains undercover shoppers to ensure the employees are working properly.There is a â€Å"Smiling school† that helps the employees in understanding the operant conditioning and outcome from it. This can be drawn from its spokesperson that their concentration is not on discipline but on treating customers the best way. 6. What characteristics would a Safeway clerk need in order to be successful in complying with Safeway's policy? Ans. Abiding to the policies of the Safeway supermarket, that employees should maintain smiling face and should have at least three seconds of eye contact. There should be certain point in the causalities of the individual behavior where one can personally realize awkwardness beyond that.Maintaining three seconds of eye contact may be offensive for some of the customers and smiling for that long may trigger false impulses in some of them. These external issues of the behaviors of the shoppers are not in the hands of the employee. As stated first in the case study, smiling and eye contact are basic manners in any customer care services. It is individual realization that smiling and maintaining eye should be at a level that does not cause any false perceptions on the shoppers. In that way an employee may successfully sustain in customer services field with out encountering a surly experiences.