Strategic Role of the Sales Person for Online Consumers

Strategic Role of the Sales Person for Online Consumers Abstract. This study aims to explore the role of online sales promotions in creating a sustainable competitive advantage for Shell. Based on the literature review and the research objective 4 propositions were developed. Shells representation of the product online plays a key role in driving consumer attitude towards shopping online and the intention to buy. The consumers perception of enjoyable online experience has a positive impact on impulse purchases leading to increase in sales for Shell. The online virtual experience created by the Shell promotion will play a major role in creating a competitive advantage. The communication of trust and credibility by the online promotions of Shell reduces uncertainty and adds perceived value to the brand. Based on the exploratory nature of the research objective depth interviews were used to provide insights into the consumer motives for engaging in the online promotional activity of Shell and how they perceive the information communicated and what are its effects on their decision making process. The information captured was measured using the analytical framework in order to validate the propositions. All the 4 propositions were proved to be valid however the research faces limitations in terms of the sample size and the attributes covered. Therefore using this research as a base it the strategic role of online promotions and its potential for establishing a sustainable competetive advantage could be further explored with a larger sample to reach a conclusion. 1 .0 Introduction Shell is a global organisation with a huge portfolio of businesses across domains. The firm has used the web as a platform to support its business through online marketing and promotions. In 2009 the shell retail department has been involved in Shell fuels campaign which highlights the quote â€Å"Get the most out of every drop† and the Shell retail team is interested in conducting a post implementation review of their retail promotions in 2009, as the retail team is interested in knowing, if their current retail promotion for the Shell fuels campaign 2009 is successful in meeting its promotional objectives, as it has been investing  £40,000 to  £48,000 on its retail promotions. The objective of the promotion chosen is to drive online traffic to the forefront and to influence trial through portal web traffic. The implementation task is outsourced to external agencies and therefore the Shell retail promotions manager Carolyn Thomas is interested to know the perception of ad option by the external customers. Moreover the retail department does not want to cheapen the Shell brand through their promotion. The promotion which is tested in this research would be the e-vouchering promotion used in the U.K. Bowman (1997) states that 80% of sales promotion does not work in the U.K. For example: It has been discussed in the academic research arena that coupon promotions are inefficient. Moreover research suggests that sales promotion is unlikely to attain sustainable competitive advantage; there are exceptions to the above argument example: Tesco, BA (Yeshin, 2006).However this is the case with sales promotions relative to the traditional shopping environment. The existing academic literature in online consumer behaviour suggests that, with technological advancements on the web, the online sales promotion has the potential to achieve a competitive advantage (Ref).Therefore the role of online sales promotions in obtaining a sustainable advantage is explored in t he context of Shell. Furthermore the significance of the promotional activity is analysed through qualitative in-depth interviews which tries to capture the different dimensions of online consumer perceptions on sales promotions. This in turn is validated with reference to the literature review conducted in the context of this research objective. 2.0 Problem Definition: Sales promotion in this context is defined as a planned and implemented marketing activity that enhances product or service appeal and changes consumer behaviour in return for an additional benefit for a purchase or participation (Yeshin, 2006).However existing research suggests that sales promotions can either enhance or destroy brand value, it depends on how the consumer perceives the promotion. Furthermore it is also concluded that the techniques such as coupon promotions offer little in terms of brand sustenance and leads to no lasting positive change in the value of post promotion sales and could also result in damaging the existing perception of consumers on the brand(Ref).However in the case of Shell this would depend on the strategic contribution of the promotional activity implemented by Shell. Therefore it is important to research the strategic role of sales promotion and its impact on the brand image of Shell, as the brand destruction by a sales promotion of one product would have an impact on the overall brand which caters to a wider portfolio of products and services (Ref). 3.0 Research Objective and Process: The Objective of this research is to explore the strategic role of sales promotion in engaging online consumers and its likelihood of obtaining a sustainable advantage within Shell. The methodology chosen for this research is qualitative and would involve depth interviews because this research is exploratory and requires the understanding of consumer perceptions and their feelings towards the online promotions. The sample used for this research involves Shell mangers responsible for the implementation of the promotion as well as the potential online consumers for Shell. This would benefit the Shell retail department in using the interactive elements of the web relative to online consumers perception on its promotion and reduce the risk of value destruction and potentially establish a sustainable advantage. This study would potentially give an understanding on the perceptions of their online consumers in the U.K which is one of their major markets. However this research does face limitations due to time constraints and access to resources ,this research would be considered as a pilot and could be explored in future with more detail for Shells other major markets such as Europe, US , Africa and Middle-East with the leverage of time and resources. Moreover the validity of this research could be enhanced with more samples in the U.K. 4.0 Literature Review This section would literally look again at the existing academic literature on what has already been written about sales promotions and online consumer behaviour within the context of this research (Lee and Lings, 2008).The existing academic literature on sales promotions has concluded that, its less likely to achieve a sustainable advantage because it is often used by marketers as a short term measure to achieve sales targets (Ref). However there is a considerable amount of research happening in the area of online promotions which suggests that there is a potential for online promotions to establish a competitive advantage by taking advantage of the technological advancements on the web, such as the 3 dimensional and interactive features of the web, which could be used by marketers in creating perceived value to the brand and therefore contributing to the long term brand value (Ref). However there is limited research in the role of online sales promotions in establishing an online s ustainable advantage because of the rapid technological developments. Therefore this research would contribute to the existing literature and also would attempt to answer Shells question on if their promotion is creating or destroying its brand value. The research propositions are developed based on the literature review and also would form the basis of an appropriate research methodology. 4.1 Conceptualization of Promotions: Promotions have perhaps witnessed both dramatic growth and change over the years than any other area of marketing communications (Yeshin, 2006).Therefore it is important to review the different definitions relative to the changing nature of promotions (Table 1). Academics Definition The institute of sales promotions(2004) Describes, â€Å"A planned and implemented marketing activity that both enhances product or service appeal and changes customer behaviour positively in return for additional benefit for purchase or participation † Shimp (2000) Suggests that â€Å"a promotion is any incentive used by a manufacturer to induce the trade and/or consumer to buy a brand and encourage the sales force to aggressively sell it† Kotler et al(1999) Defines sales promotion as â€Å"Short-term incentives to encourage purchase or sale of a product or service† Schultz, Robinson and Petrison(1992) Provide a more strategic definition of sales promotion, they suggest that â€Å"Sales promotions are marketing and communication activities that change the price/value relationship of a product or service perceived by the target, thereby (1)generating immediate sales and (2)altering the long term brand value† The Direct marketing association(1994) Similarly argues that â€Å"Sales promotion activities that communicate distinctive brand attributes and contribute to the brand development and reinforcement of brand value are consumer franchise building promotions† Alan Toop(1994) Writing in marketing suggests:† Sales promotion conducts an interactive relationship with its audience. It invites participation, invites consumers to enter ,to apply, to collect† Table 1: Sales promotion definitions Therefore the above contradictions in the definitions, leads to a confusion in the role and purpose of sales promotions, and therefore its been argued seriously in the academic arena, and concluded that the techniques offer-little in the way of brand sustenance, and leads to no lasting positive change in the value of post promotion sales, and as a consequence could result in damage to the existing brand perceptions (Ehrenberg et al, 1991; Ehrenberg, 1994; Jones, 1990; Yeshin, 2006). However this would depend on the strategic contribution of the promotional activity implemented by Shell (Ref).Moreover its been pointed by Gupta et al (1997) that empirical research in the area of sales promotions has been focusing on the short term effects of sales promotions and therefore its been used by most marketers as a tactical tool. In support Peattie and Peattie (1997) argue that the bundling of all the different types of promotions for the purpose of research and study gives a very limited view of the potential achievements of sales promotions and also has encouraged a negative perception on the impacts that promotions can potentially have on the brand. Furthermore in the following paper Peattie et al (1997) argues that most of these preconceptions are caused because of the tendency to view sales promotions as only price based and exclude the promotional activities that add value to the brand. This point is reiterated that the tendency of most researchers in this area has been to generalize sales promotions under money off and coupon promotions (Peattie, 2002). Moreover it has been argued that much of the research on sales promotions has been conducted considering the short term effects of sales promotions and has rarely conducted any research on the more long term contribution of sales promotions such as the communication oriented impact of sales promotion on consumers (Peattie,2002).This implies that in order to make sense and obtain reliable results it is necessary to disaggregate the different sales promotional techniques into their individual components(Yeashin,2006). Therefore in this research the long term contribution of Shells E-vouchering promotion is evaluated. Moreover it is argued that generalising all the promotions to achieve the same goals irrespective of their individual execution would imply incorrect results (Yeashin, 2006).Furthermore it is also pointed out by various authors that in order to focus on the long term impacts of sales promotions a more strategic focus is required and is illustrated by the following quotes ‘Sales promotions have come a long way from the time when it was ‘simply a short term inducement to increase sales (Robinson and Hauri, 1995). ‘Promotions are no longer simply short-term initiatives to lift sales, they are increasingly being used to reinforce brand values (Gay, 1997) The above definitions suggest the need for a long -term focus and the strategic application of sales promotions considering broader dimensions of the potential impacts of sales promotions (Yeshin, 2006).Therefore it is important to explore the broader strategic dimensions of Shells sales promotions in order to reach a credible conclusion on its contribution to the Shell brand. 4.2Strategic dimension of sales Promotions: Research suggests that more often sales promotion is considered as a short term-tactical tool (Yeshin, 2006).Although sales promotion is widely used to fulfil a variety of short-term objectives it often fails to recognize the strategic contribution on the long term, and it could often result in destroying the image or value of the brand (Yeshin, 2006). In order to evaluate its long term benefits it is critical to analyse the contributions of Shells online sales promotion in reinforcing its brand image, enhancing customer loyalty and developing strong relationships with its consumers because this can strengthen its brand position(Ref). Therefore it is important to explore the role of strategy within Shells online sales promotion and its contribution to the long-term effectiveness of the brand. 4.2.1Role of strategy: The strategy should provide a framework to measure and research on the type of sales promotion implemented (Head, 1998; Yeshin, 2006). Although it is suggested that sales promotions should be considered in line with the overall brand building process (Yeshin, 2006). An alternative definition by Schultz et al (1992) provides a more strategic focus on the on the consideration of the sales promotion activity. â€Å"Sales promotions are marketing and communications activities that change the price/value relationship of a product/service perceived by the target, therefore by generating immediate sales and altering long term brand value† The above definition is considered important because it recognizes the need for generating short term sales volume and also promotes the need to consider the long term issues related to the brand (Schultz et al, 1992; Yeshin, 2006).Therefore based on this definition the strategic significance of Shells promotions in engaging online consumers should be evaluated because this definition gives a base for evaluating the promotions of Shell by recognising the short term objective of generating sales volume whilst appreciating the long term issues relative to its brand (Schultz et al,1992).For this reason it is required to explore the impact of sales promotions and its implications to the Shell brand. In order to understand its significance to the Shell brand it is important to identify the strategic use of sales promotions (Yeshin,2006).This would benefit Shell in communicating consistent overall brand image whilst helping each individual promotion achieve its objectives by creating incre ased awareness(Yeshin,2006). It has been pointed that the reduction in product differentiation is one of the reasons for the increased usage of sales promotions(Yeshin,2006).Furthermore various studies suggest that similarities between brands can cause reduction in brand loyalty and is a consequence of increased usage of price oriented promotions(Ehrenberg,1993;Mela et al,1997). However there are various promotions that have demonstrated the potential to enhance the brand and generate loyalty in the long-term. For example: The frequent flyer schemes by airlines, Levis Flat Eric and Pepperami Fanimal(Yeshin,2006).Therefore as Lisa Campbell(1996)work in Promotions and incentives journal suggests ‘Its not the tool we should be blaming but the users. This implies that the sales promotion tool used by Shell is not to be blamed but the way in which it is applied. Therefore it is required to review the literature on the strategic application of sales promotions and its potential benefits. 4.2.2The Strategic Application of Sales promotions: Davies (1992) and OMalley (1993) provide a contrasting view which suggests that sales promotions that are consistent with the overall marketing communications plan can enhance long term brand value and therefore could be considered strategically valuable.Similarily its been argued that sales promotions offering a rebate or discount are likely to cheapen the brand(Aaker,1991).However there are ways to apply promotions strategically and enhance the brand equity rather than destroying it(Aaker,1991). Furthermore the brand equity can be reinforced by strengthening its brand awareness and associations (Yeshin,2006).However based on the research conducted by Peattie et al (1997) it is concluded that sales promotions have the potential to: 1.Improve brand awareness. 2.Stimulate product trial. 3.Act as a communications channel between a company and its customers. Based on the research by Peattie et al (1997) the strategic application of Shells sales promotion is identified to stimulate product trial and act as communication channel between Shell and it consumers. However its contribution to the brand depends on how the consumer perceives the promotion. Furthermore the potential reasons behind using sales promotions needs to be identified in order to understand the reason underpinning Shells Online promotions (Yeshin, 2006). Lee (2002) suggests four reasons for using sales promotions: 1. Reaction to competitors promotions 2. Inertia: This is what the firm always did 3. Meeting short term-sales objectives 4. Meeting long-term objectives However research suggests that most sales promotions fall in the first 3 categories mainly for price based promotions (Lee, 2002).Moreover in most cases it is not used strategically but used as a panic measure. Furthermore it is suggested that sales promotions should be used at a higher level where it is integrated with main strategy (Lee, 2002).Therefore the usage of Shells online promotions and its relationship with the overall strategy needs to be explored. In order to understand this relationship within the context of this research it is important to identify the type of sales promotion strategy used by Shell. 4.2.3Type of strategies: As sales promotion can reflect both push and pull strategies it is important to distinguish between the types of strategies that could be potentially used by Shell (Yeshin, 2006).The push strategy motivates distribution channels and encourages them to promote the product or service to the consumer, whereas the pull strategy is targeted directly towards end users to purchase products or services from the distribution channel (Yeshin, 2006). Based on the above definitions and Shells promotional objective its promotional strategy is identified as a Pull strategy. These definitions of strategy are derived based on its intention to achieve results or goals for the firm(Craig,1983).Therefore in this case Shells choice of Pull strategy is based on its intention to drive online traffic to the forefront and increase the number of trials through its web portal. However there are multiple objectives for a firm at the corporate level and this leads to the design of different strategies to achieve different objectives at the expense of others (Craig, 1983; Shendel and Patton, 1978).Therefore this research tries to focus on the chosen sales promotion and its objective and does not consider the impacts of other objectives and strategies of the firm. Furthermore many research scholars have suggested that sales promotion is unlikely to attain sustainable competitive advantage (Yeshin, 2006).However there are exceptions to the above argument example: Tesco club card, BA Air miles (Yeshin, 2006). Therefore the sustainability of Shells online promotions is not ruled out and therefore needs to be explored. Moreover it is important to adopt a strategic approach rather than a tactical approach, which has been the focus in most cases (Yeshin, 2006). In order to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of Shells retail promotions, it is necessary to consider the potential impacts of sales promotion on the consumer. Raghubir et al (2004) argues that promotions may have three forms of impact on the consumer 1. Economic: The monetary benefits derived from the type of the promotional offer and its potential decrease in transaction time that lead to a simplified purchase decision. 2. Informational: It is about communicating the information about a brand which is unknown to the consumer. 3. Emotional: The feelings or emotions that are aroused as consequence of the exposure to the promotion. Therefore the impact of Shells online promotions in the above three forms would be explored in order to evaluate its contribution t 5.0 Measuring the effectiveness of promotions Although sales promotion is argued to be a marketing technique which is beneficial in the short-term. It is important to measure its long term-effectiveness in order to analyse the strategic significance of the activity. As cook (1995) argues it is important to consider the objective of the promotion before evaluation of the promotion in order to choose the best approach. Therefore in this case the post implementation review is done and its long-term effectiveness is considered. Based on the literature review and Yeshin (2006) suggestion the following factors could be used to measure the long term effectiveness of sales promotions: 1. Does the promotional concept fit well with the brand and expected consumer perceptions? 2. Is the promotion perceived to be credible by the consumers? 3. Are there any constraints for the consumer to overcome in responding to the promotion? 4. Is the recommended promotion most likely to achieve the desired objectives? 5. Is the promotion perceived as a value addition in satisfying consumer needs? In order to explore the long-term effectiveness and its contribution to obtain an online competitive advantage for Shell the existing literature on competitive advantage is explored relative to Shells online promotions. 6.0 Competitive Advantage: The information revolution has given firms new ways to outperform their rivals and therefore allows the firm to create a competitive advantage(Ref).This conceptualisation of competitive advantage is important because it is relative to the research objective which explores how the information presented by the sales promotion could contribute to the overall brand. The research by Porter and Miller suggest that it is hard to underestimate the strategic significance of the latest developments in information technology. It demonstrates that Information technology has been transforming the nature of products, processes, companies, industries and even competition itself (Porter and Miller,1985).Although it has been treated as a support service it is suggested that organisations should understand that on a broader perspective, as Information technology could create sustainable competitive advantage (Porter and miller,1985).Therefore with ongoing developments on the web, the strategic significance of Shells online promotions needs to be explored in order to identify its potential in obtaining an online competitive advantage. Information technology should be perceived as medium that can process the information created by businesses and use them through the various technologies that are linked in order to create a competitive advantage (Ref).Therefore it is relevant to discuss the reasons that underpin the strategic significance of Information technology and its impacts on business in order to understand how it could be used to create an online competitive advantage for Shell (Ref). Research suggests that information technology changes the way in which products and services are created and the information provided in order to create value to the consumers (Ref).In the case of Shell the value created is determined by the amount the consumers are willing to pay for their product or service (Ref).Therefore the Shell retail promotions could be considered profitable if the value it creates through the implementation of its promotion exceeds the cost of performing the promotional activity(Ref).This implies that Shell should either perform the promotional activity at a lesser cost or should create perceived value that leads to a premium price(Ref). 6.1Sustainable Competitive Advantage: The online environment is changing the existing roles of competition and strategy because there is a pressure on the average profitability of the industry which is created by the internet (Porter, 1991).Therefore with competition from firms such as B.P, ESSO and Total it is important for Shell to set itself apart from the others (Ref). This could be possible only by achieving a sustainable competitive advantage (Ref).However this could be achieved either by operational effectiveness or strategic positioning(Ref).In the case of operational effectiveness it is required for Shell to do things better than competitors where as in the case of strategic positioning Shell has to do things differently from competitors there by offering something unique to customers(Ref).However the improvement of operational efficiency using the internet does not provide a competitive advantage because the best practise established by Shell can be imitated by its competitors(Ref).Moreover it is argued that co mpetitive advantage tends to be short-lived in the online environment because competitor can easily monitor and offer a similar offer or service(Chaffey et.al., 2000:134).Therefore it becomes difficult to sustain the operational advantage. Hence strategic positioning is considered more important in this case where strategic positioning should involve a series of tailored activities to develop a product or service appeal that would offer a unique value perception (Ref). Moreover the online environment can be used to draw long lasting customer relationships (Ref).The interactive nature of the online environment can be used to build relationships (Ref). This is supported by Gronroos(1994). Buttle (1996:1) statement â€Å"Enduring relationships with customers cannot be duplicated by competitors, and therefore provide a unique and sustainable competitive advantage†. Therefore in order to explore the contribution of interactive online environment in building relationships with the consumer it is required to conceptualise the online consumer behaviour and the factors influencing them. 7.0Online consumer Behaviour: The strategic role of sales promotions in engaging online consumers is explored. Therefore based on the research objective it is important to have a significant understanding on online consumer behaviour and factors influencing them. Research suggests that more than 20% of consumers across several countries are buying products online using the internet and more than 50% of internet users in the U.S buy products and services online (Kim et al, 2009). In the U.K around 40% of internet users buy products and services online (Kim et al, 2009). Although it could be argued that there is no difference between online and traditional consumers (Constantinides, 2004). The new addition is building trust or confidence and is suggested to have a significant influence on online buying process (Ref).Therefore the factors influencing online consumer behaviour needs to be discussed based on the existing literature in order to understand their implications to the online promotions of Shell. 7.1Factors Influencing consumer Behaviour: Based on the previous academic research it is inferred that there are controllable and uncontrollable factors which influence consumer behaviour (Constantinides, 2004). The interaction of controllable and uncontrollable factors determines online decision making process just as in traditional markets (Constantinides, 2004).However in this research the factors that are under the control of the E-marketer would be explored. The existing research on online consumer behaviour indicates a set of controllable factors influencing consumer behaviour (Ref) * The functional attributes of the website such as interactivity and usability. * The psychological elements intended in lowering the level of consumers uncertainty by the communication of Trust and credibility of the website. There has been considerable amount of research on the components of web experience. However there has been minimal attention in their integration. Therefore this research attempts to explore the contribution of these elements in obtaining a competitive advantage. Based on the research objective the online consumer behaviour is conceptualised. 7.2Conceptualisation of Online Consumer behaviour: The online consumer behaviour is the key theme around which this research is based. Therefore it is imperative to introduce the online consumer considered in this research. Based on previous academic research the online consumer is considered to be a computer user and a shopper (Koufaris, 2002).The online consumers could be classified as potential customers and repeat customers as they posses different amount of information and use different criteria to make a purchase decision (Kim et al, 2009).Although it is suggested that different promotional strategies should be used to create initial sales and to generate repeat sales (Ref). This leads to less clarity on the differences in decision making by the two groups of consumers. However the research by Kim et al (2009) shows that the value perception of the transactions made online are strongly influenced by the non-monetary factors like perceived risk factor than by monetary factors like perceived price for potential consumers, in cont rast the repeat customers are strongly influenced by monetary factors than non-monetary factors(Ref). Therefore it is suggested that the promotion needs to be customised for the two different groups. But the extent of customisation and its influence on the consumers need to be tested and validated in the case of Shell (Zhang, 2009). This leads to a proposition where it is important to understand and measure online consumer behaviour. A multidisciplinary approach needs to be taken as it is important to consider Information systems, marketing and physiological perspectives to do a comprehensive analysis on online consumer behaviour (Straub and Watson 2001). There have been various attempts from academics in building models around online consumer behaviour. The key attributes identified from the research are on converting web surfers into web consumers and, reasons for not shopping online. It is interesting to see transaction cost theory being applied to understand the impact of I.T on market structure and consumer behaviour (Malone et al. 1987).Based on the frame work it is inferred that if buyer search costs are substantial it could influence consumer behaviour (Bakos 1997).However it is important to see how effective it is in the context of online consumers. It is argued that online consumers cannot depend on al l 5 senses to make purchase decisions as they are limited to product or services represented through photographs and text descriptions (Koufaris, 2002).However research shows that the representation of the product online and the web experience play a key role in driving consumer attitude towards shopping online and Strategic Role of the Sales Person for Online Consumers Strategic Role of the Sales Person for Online Consumers Abstract. This study aims to explore the role of online sales promotions in creating a sustainable competitive advantage for Shell. Based on the literature review and the research objective 4 propositions were developed. Shells representation of the product online plays a key role in driving consumer attitude towards shopping online and the intention to buy. The consumers perception of enjoyable online experience has a positive impact on impulse purchases leading to increase in sales for Shell. The online virtual experience created by the Shell promotion will play a major role in creating a competitive advantage. The communication of trust and credibility by the online promotions of Shell reduces uncertainty and adds perceived value to the brand. Based on the exploratory nature of the research objective depth interviews were used to provide insights into the consumer motives for engaging in the online promotional activity of Shell and how they perceive the information communicated and what are its effects on their decision making process. The information captured was measured using the analytical framework in order to validate the propositions. All the 4 propositions were proved to be valid however the research faces limitations in terms of the sample size and the attributes covered. Therefore using this research as a base it the strategic role of online promotions and its potential for establishing a sustainable competetive advantage could be further explored with a larger sample to reach a conclusion. 1 .0 Introduction Shell is a global organisation with a huge portfolio of businesses across domains. The firm has used the web as a platform to support its business through online marketing and promotions. In 2009 the shell retail department has been involved in Shell fuels campaign which highlights the quote â€Å"Get the most out of every drop† and the Shell retail team is interested in conducting a post implementation review of their retail promotions in 2009, as the retail team is interested in knowing, if their current retail promotion for the Shell fuels campaign 2009 is successful in meeting its promotional objectives, as it has been investing  £40,000 to  £48,000 on its retail promotions. The objective of the promotion chosen is to drive online traffic to the forefront and to influence trial through portal web traffic. The implementation task is outsourced to external agencies and therefore the Shell retail promotions manager Carolyn Thomas is interested to know the perception of ad option by the external customers. Moreover the retail department does not want to cheapen the Shell brand through their promotion. The promotion which is tested in this research would be the e-vouchering promotion used in the U.K. Bowman (1997) states that 80% of sales promotion does not work in the U.K. For example: It has been discussed in the academic research arena that coupon promotions are inefficient. Moreover research suggests that sales promotion is unlikely to attain sustainable competitive advantage; there are exceptions to the above argument example: Tesco, BA (Yeshin, 2006).However this is the case with sales promotions relative to the traditional shopping environment. The existing academic literature in online consumer behaviour suggests that, with technological advancements on the web, the online sales promotion has the potential to achieve a competitive advantage (Ref).Therefore the role of online sales promotions in obtaining a sustainable advantage is explored in t he context of Shell. Furthermore the significance of the promotional activity is analysed through qualitative in-depth interviews which tries to capture the different dimensions of online consumer perceptions on sales promotions. This in turn is validated with reference to the literature review conducted in the context of this research objective. 2.0 Problem Definition: Sales promotion in this context is defined as a planned and implemented marketing activity that enhances product or service appeal and changes consumer behaviour in return for an additional benefit for a purchase or participation (Yeshin, 2006).However existing research suggests that sales promotions can either enhance or destroy brand value, it depends on how the consumer perceives the promotion. Furthermore it is also concluded that the techniques such as coupon promotions offer little in terms of brand sustenance and leads to no lasting positive change in the value of post promotion sales and could also result in damaging the existing perception of consumers on the brand(Ref).However in the case of Shell this would depend on the strategic contribution of the promotional activity implemented by Shell. Therefore it is important to research the strategic role of sales promotion and its impact on the brand image of Shell, as the brand destruction by a sales promotion of one product would have an impact on the overall brand which caters to a wider portfolio of products and services (Ref). 3.0 Research Objective and Process: The Objective of this research is to explore the strategic role of sales promotion in engaging online consumers and its likelihood of obtaining a sustainable advantage within Shell. The methodology chosen for this research is qualitative and would involve depth interviews because this research is exploratory and requires the understanding of consumer perceptions and their feelings towards the online promotions. The sample used for this research involves Shell mangers responsible for the implementation of the promotion as well as the potential online consumers for Shell. This would benefit the Shell retail department in using the interactive elements of the web relative to online consumers perception on its promotion and reduce the risk of value destruction and potentially establish a sustainable advantage. This study would potentially give an understanding on the perceptions of their online consumers in the U.K which is one of their major markets. However this research does face limitations due to time constraints and access to resources ,this research would be considered as a pilot and could be explored in future with more detail for Shells other major markets such as Europe, US , Africa and Middle-East with the leverage of time and resources. Moreover the validity of this research could be enhanced with more samples in the U.K. 4.0 Literature Review This section would literally look again at the existing academic literature on what has already been written about sales promotions and online consumer behaviour within the context of this research (Lee and Lings, 2008).The existing academic literature on sales promotions has concluded that, its less likely to achieve a sustainable advantage because it is often used by marketers as a short term measure to achieve sales targets (Ref). However there is a considerable amount of research happening in the area of online promotions which suggests that there is a potential for online promotions to establish a competitive advantage by taking advantage of the technological advancements on the web, such as the 3 dimensional and interactive features of the web, which could be used by marketers in creating perceived value to the brand and therefore contributing to the long term brand value (Ref). However there is limited research in the role of online sales promotions in establishing an online s ustainable advantage because of the rapid technological developments. Therefore this research would contribute to the existing literature and also would attempt to answer Shells question on if their promotion is creating or destroying its brand value. The research propositions are developed based on the literature review and also would form the basis of an appropriate research methodology. 4.1 Conceptualization of Promotions: Promotions have perhaps witnessed both dramatic growth and change over the years than any other area of marketing communications (Yeshin, 2006).Therefore it is important to review the different definitions relative to the changing nature of promotions (Table 1). Academics Definition The institute of sales promotions(2004) Describes, â€Å"A planned and implemented marketing activity that both enhances product or service appeal and changes customer behaviour positively in return for additional benefit for purchase or participation † Shimp (2000) Suggests that â€Å"a promotion is any incentive used by a manufacturer to induce the trade and/or consumer to buy a brand and encourage the sales force to aggressively sell it† Kotler et al(1999) Defines sales promotion as â€Å"Short-term incentives to encourage purchase or sale of a product or service† Schultz, Robinson and Petrison(1992) Provide a more strategic definition of sales promotion, they suggest that â€Å"Sales promotions are marketing and communication activities that change the price/value relationship of a product or service perceived by the target, thereby (1)generating immediate sales and (2)altering the long term brand value† The Direct marketing association(1994) Similarly argues that â€Å"Sales promotion activities that communicate distinctive brand attributes and contribute to the brand development and reinforcement of brand value are consumer franchise building promotions† Alan Toop(1994) Writing in marketing suggests:† Sales promotion conducts an interactive relationship with its audience. It invites participation, invites consumers to enter ,to apply, to collect† Table 1: Sales promotion definitions Therefore the above contradictions in the definitions, leads to a confusion in the role and purpose of sales promotions, and therefore its been argued seriously in the academic arena, and concluded that the techniques offer-little in the way of brand sustenance, and leads to no lasting positive change in the value of post promotion sales, and as a consequence could result in damage to the existing brand perceptions (Ehrenberg et al, 1991; Ehrenberg, 1994; Jones, 1990; Yeshin, 2006). However this would depend on the strategic contribution of the promotional activity implemented by Shell (Ref).Moreover its been pointed by Gupta et al (1997) that empirical research in the area of sales promotions has been focusing on the short term effects of sales promotions and therefore its been used by most marketers as a tactical tool. In support Peattie and Peattie (1997) argue that the bundling of all the different types of promotions for the purpose of research and study gives a very limited view of the potential achievements of sales promotions and also has encouraged a negative perception on the impacts that promotions can potentially have on the brand. Furthermore in the following paper Peattie et al (1997) argues that most of these preconceptions are caused because of the tendency to view sales promotions as only price based and exclude the promotional activities that add value to the brand. This point is reiterated that the tendency of most researchers in this area has been to generalize sales promotions under money off and coupon promotions (Peattie, 2002). Moreover it has been argued that much of the research on sales promotions has been conducted considering the short term effects of sales promotions and has rarely conducted any research on the more long term contribution of sales promotions such as the communication oriented impact of sales promotion on consumers (Peattie,2002).This implies that in order to make sense and obtain reliable results it is necessary to disaggregate the different sales promotional techniques into their individual components(Yeashin,2006). Therefore in this research the long term contribution of Shells E-vouchering promotion is evaluated. Moreover it is argued that generalising all the promotions to achieve the same goals irrespective of their individual execution would imply incorrect results (Yeashin, 2006).Furthermore it is also pointed out by various authors that in order to focus on the long term impacts of sales promotions a more strategic focus is required and is illustrated by the following quotes ‘Sales promotions have come a long way from the time when it was ‘simply a short term inducement to increase sales (Robinson and Hauri, 1995). ‘Promotions are no longer simply short-term initiatives to lift sales, they are increasingly being used to reinforce brand values (Gay, 1997) The above definitions suggest the need for a long -term focus and the strategic application of sales promotions considering broader dimensions of the potential impacts of sales promotions (Yeshin, 2006).Therefore it is important to explore the broader strategic dimensions of Shells sales promotions in order to reach a credible conclusion on its contribution to the Shell brand. 4.2Strategic dimension of sales Promotions: Research suggests that more often sales promotion is considered as a short term-tactical tool (Yeshin, 2006).Although sales promotion is widely used to fulfil a variety of short-term objectives it often fails to recognize the strategic contribution on the long term, and it could often result in destroying the image or value of the brand (Yeshin, 2006). In order to evaluate its long term benefits it is critical to analyse the contributions of Shells online sales promotion in reinforcing its brand image, enhancing customer loyalty and developing strong relationships with its consumers because this can strengthen its brand position(Ref). Therefore it is important to explore the role of strategy within Shells online sales promotion and its contribution to the long-term effectiveness of the brand. 4.2.1Role of strategy: The strategy should provide a framework to measure and research on the type of sales promotion implemented (Head, 1998; Yeshin, 2006). Although it is suggested that sales promotions should be considered in line with the overall brand building process (Yeshin, 2006). An alternative definition by Schultz et al (1992) provides a more strategic focus on the on the consideration of the sales promotion activity. â€Å"Sales promotions are marketing and communications activities that change the price/value relationship of a product/service perceived by the target, therefore by generating immediate sales and altering long term brand value† The above definition is considered important because it recognizes the need for generating short term sales volume and also promotes the need to consider the long term issues related to the brand (Schultz et al, 1992; Yeshin, 2006).Therefore based on this definition the strategic significance of Shells promotions in engaging online consumers should be evaluated because this definition gives a base for evaluating the promotions of Shell by recognising the short term objective of generating sales volume whilst appreciating the long term issues relative to its brand (Schultz et al,1992).For this reason it is required to explore the impact of sales promotions and its implications to the Shell brand. In order to understand its significance to the Shell brand it is important to identify the strategic use of sales promotions (Yeshin,2006).This would benefit Shell in communicating consistent overall brand image whilst helping each individual promotion achieve its objectives by creating incre ased awareness(Yeshin,2006). It has been pointed that the reduction in product differentiation is one of the reasons for the increased usage of sales promotions(Yeshin,2006).Furthermore various studies suggest that similarities between brands can cause reduction in brand loyalty and is a consequence of increased usage of price oriented promotions(Ehrenberg,1993;Mela et al,1997). However there are various promotions that have demonstrated the potential to enhance the brand and generate loyalty in the long-term. For example: The frequent flyer schemes by airlines, Levis Flat Eric and Pepperami Fanimal(Yeshin,2006).Therefore as Lisa Campbell(1996)work in Promotions and incentives journal suggests ‘Its not the tool we should be blaming but the users. This implies that the sales promotion tool used by Shell is not to be blamed but the way in which it is applied. Therefore it is required to review the literature on the strategic application of sales promotions and its potential benefits. 4.2.2The Strategic Application of Sales promotions: Davies (1992) and OMalley (1993) provide a contrasting view which suggests that sales promotions that are consistent with the overall marketing communications plan can enhance long term brand value and therefore could be considered strategically valuable.Similarily its been argued that sales promotions offering a rebate or discount are likely to cheapen the brand(Aaker,1991).However there are ways to apply promotions strategically and enhance the brand equity rather than destroying it(Aaker,1991). Furthermore the brand equity can be reinforced by strengthening its brand awareness and associations (Yeshin,2006).However based on the research conducted by Peattie et al (1997) it is concluded that sales promotions have the potential to: 1.Improve brand awareness. 2.Stimulate product trial. 3.Act as a communications channel between a company and its customers. Based on the research by Peattie et al (1997) the strategic application of Shells sales promotion is identified to stimulate product trial and act as communication channel between Shell and it consumers. However its contribution to the brand depends on how the consumer perceives the promotion. Furthermore the potential reasons behind using sales promotions needs to be identified in order to understand the reason underpinning Shells Online promotions (Yeshin, 2006). Lee (2002) suggests four reasons for using sales promotions: 1. Reaction to competitors promotions 2. Inertia: This is what the firm always did 3. Meeting short term-sales objectives 4. Meeting long-term objectives However research suggests that most sales promotions fall in the first 3 categories mainly for price based promotions (Lee, 2002).Moreover in most cases it is not used strategically but used as a panic measure. Furthermore it is suggested that sales promotions should be used at a higher level where it is integrated with main strategy (Lee, 2002).Therefore the usage of Shells online promotions and its relationship with the overall strategy needs to be explored. In order to understand this relationship within the context of this research it is important to identify the type of sales promotion strategy used by Shell. 4.2.3Type of strategies: As sales promotion can reflect both push and pull strategies it is important to distinguish between the types of strategies that could be potentially used by Shell (Yeshin, 2006).The push strategy motivates distribution channels and encourages them to promote the product or service to the consumer, whereas the pull strategy is targeted directly towards end users to purchase products or services from the distribution channel (Yeshin, 2006). Based on the above definitions and Shells promotional objective its promotional strategy is identified as a Pull strategy. These definitions of strategy are derived based on its intention to achieve results or goals for the firm(Craig,1983).Therefore in this case Shells choice of Pull strategy is based on its intention to drive online traffic to the forefront and increase the number of trials through its web portal. However there are multiple objectives for a firm at the corporate level and this leads to the design of different strategies to achieve different objectives at the expense of others (Craig, 1983; Shendel and Patton, 1978).Therefore this research tries to focus on the chosen sales promotion and its objective and does not consider the impacts of other objectives and strategies of the firm. Furthermore many research scholars have suggested that sales promotion is unlikely to attain sustainable competitive advantage (Yeshin, 2006).However there are exceptions to the above argument example: Tesco club card, BA Air miles (Yeshin, 2006). Therefore the sustainability of Shells online promotions is not ruled out and therefore needs to be explored. Moreover it is important to adopt a strategic approach rather than a tactical approach, which has been the focus in most cases (Yeshin, 2006). In order to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of Shells retail promotions, it is necessary to consider the potential impacts of sales promotion on the consumer. Raghubir et al (2004) argues that promotions may have three forms of impact on the consumer 1. Economic: The monetary benefits derived from the type of the promotional offer and its potential decrease in transaction time that lead to a simplified purchase decision. 2. Informational: It is about communicating the information about a brand which is unknown to the consumer. 3. Emotional: The feelings or emotions that are aroused as consequence of the exposure to the promotion. Therefore the impact of Shells online promotions in the above three forms would be explored in order to evaluate its contribution t 5.0 Measuring the effectiveness of promotions Although sales promotion is argued to be a marketing technique which is beneficial in the short-term. It is important to measure its long term-effectiveness in order to analyse the strategic significance of the activity. As cook (1995) argues it is important to consider the objective of the promotion before evaluation of the promotion in order to choose the best approach. Therefore in this case the post implementation review is done and its long-term effectiveness is considered. Based on the literature review and Yeshin (2006) suggestion the following factors could be used to measure the long term effectiveness of sales promotions: 1. Does the promotional concept fit well with the brand and expected consumer perceptions? 2. Is the promotion perceived to be credible by the consumers? 3. Are there any constraints for the consumer to overcome in responding to the promotion? 4. Is the recommended promotion most likely to achieve the desired objectives? 5. Is the promotion perceived as a value addition in satisfying consumer needs? In order to explore the long-term effectiveness and its contribution to obtain an online competitive advantage for Shell the existing literature on competitive advantage is explored relative to Shells online promotions. 6.0 Competitive Advantage: The information revolution has given firms new ways to outperform their rivals and therefore allows the firm to create a competitive advantage(Ref).This conceptualisation of competitive advantage is important because it is relative to the research objective which explores how the information presented by the sales promotion could contribute to the overall brand. The research by Porter and Miller suggest that it is hard to underestimate the strategic significance of the latest developments in information technology. It demonstrates that Information technology has been transforming the nature of products, processes, companies, industries and even competition itself (Porter and Miller,1985).Although it has been treated as a support service it is suggested that organisations should understand that on a broader perspective, as Information technology could create sustainable competitive advantage (Porter and miller,1985).Therefore with ongoing developments on the web, the strategic significance of Shells online promotions needs to be explored in order to identify its potential in obtaining an online competitive advantage. Information technology should be perceived as medium that can process the information created by businesses and use them through the various technologies that are linked in order to create a competitive advantage (Ref).Therefore it is relevant to discuss the reasons that underpin the strategic significance of Information technology and its impacts on business in order to understand how it could be used to create an online competitive advantage for Shell (Ref). Research suggests that information technology changes the way in which products and services are created and the information provided in order to create value to the consumers (Ref).In the case of Shell the value created is determined by the amount the consumers are willing to pay for their product or service (Ref).Therefore the Shell retail promotions could be considered profitable if the value it creates through the implementation of its promotion exceeds the cost of performing the promotional activity(Ref).This implies that Shell should either perform the promotional activity at a lesser cost or should create perceived value that leads to a premium price(Ref). 6.1Sustainable Competitive Advantage: The online environment is changing the existing roles of competition and strategy because there is a pressure on the average profitability of the industry which is created by the internet (Porter, 1991).Therefore with competition from firms such as B.P, ESSO and Total it is important for Shell to set itself apart from the others (Ref). This could be possible only by achieving a sustainable competitive advantage (Ref).However this could be achieved either by operational effectiveness or strategic positioning(Ref).In the case of operational effectiveness it is required for Shell to do things better than competitors where as in the case of strategic positioning Shell has to do things differently from competitors there by offering something unique to customers(Ref).However the improvement of operational efficiency using the internet does not provide a competitive advantage because the best practise established by Shell can be imitated by its competitors(Ref).Moreover it is argued that co mpetitive advantage tends to be short-lived in the online environment because competitor can easily monitor and offer a similar offer or service(Chaffey et.al., 2000:134).Therefore it becomes difficult to sustain the operational advantage. Hence strategic positioning is considered more important in this case where strategic positioning should involve a series of tailored activities to develop a product or service appeal that would offer a unique value perception (Ref). Moreover the online environment can be used to draw long lasting customer relationships (Ref).The interactive nature of the online environment can be used to build relationships (Ref). This is supported by Gronroos(1994). Buttle (1996:1) statement â€Å"Enduring relationships with customers cannot be duplicated by competitors, and therefore provide a unique and sustainable competitive advantage†. Therefore in order to explore the contribution of interactive online environment in building relationships with the consumer it is required to conceptualise the online consumer behaviour and the factors influencing them. 7.0Online consumer Behaviour: The strategic role of sales promotions in engaging online consumers is explored. Therefore based on the research objective it is important to have a significant understanding on online consumer behaviour and factors influencing them. Research suggests that more than 20% of consumers across several countries are buying products online using the internet and more than 50% of internet users in the U.S buy products and services online (Kim et al, 2009). In the U.K around 40% of internet users buy products and services online (Kim et al, 2009). Although it could be argued that there is no difference between online and traditional consumers (Constantinides, 2004). The new addition is building trust or confidence and is suggested to have a significant influence on online buying process (Ref).Therefore the factors influencing online consumer behaviour needs to be discussed based on the existing literature in order to understand their implications to the online promotions of Shell. 7.1Factors Influencing consumer Behaviour: Based on the previous academic research it is inferred that there are controllable and uncontrollable factors which influence consumer behaviour (Constantinides, 2004). The interaction of controllable and uncontrollable factors determines online decision making process just as in traditional markets (Constantinides, 2004).However in this research the factors that are under the control of the E-marketer would be explored. The existing research on online consumer behaviour indicates a set of controllable factors influencing consumer behaviour (Ref) * The functional attributes of the website such as interactivity and usability. * The psychological elements intended in lowering the level of consumers uncertainty by the communication of Trust and credibility of the website. There has been considerable amount of research on the components of web experience. However there has been minimal attention in their integration. Therefore this research attempts to explore the contribution of these elements in obtaining a competitive advantage. Based on the research objective the online consumer behaviour is conceptualised. 7.2Conceptualisation of Online Consumer behaviour: The online consumer behaviour is the key theme around which this research is based. Therefore it is imperative to introduce the online consumer considered in this research. Based on previous academic research the online consumer is considered to be a computer user and a shopper (Koufaris, 2002).The online consumers could be classified as potential customers and repeat customers as they posses different amount of information and use different criteria to make a purchase decision (Kim et al, 2009).Although it is suggested that different promotional strategies should be used to create initial sales and to generate repeat sales (Ref). This leads to less clarity on the differences in decision making by the two groups of consumers. However the research by Kim et al (2009) shows that the value perception of the transactions made online are strongly influenced by the non-monetary factors like perceived risk factor than by monetary factors like perceived price for potential consumers, in cont rast the repeat customers are strongly influenced by monetary factors than non-monetary factors(Ref). Therefore it is suggested that the promotion needs to be customised for the two different groups. But the extent of customisation and its influence on the consumers need to be tested and validated in the case of Shell (Zhang, 2009). This leads to a proposition where it is important to understand and measure online consumer behaviour. A multidisciplinary approach needs to be taken as it is important to consider Information systems, marketing and physiological perspectives to do a comprehensive analysis on online consumer behaviour (Straub and Watson 2001). There have been various attempts from academics in building models around online consumer behaviour. The key attributes identified from the research are on converting web surfers into web consumers and, reasons for not shopping online. It is interesting to see transaction cost theory being applied to understand the impact of I.T on market structure and consumer behaviour (Malone et al. 1987).Based on the frame work it is inferred that if buyer search costs are substantial it could influence consumer behaviour (Bakos 1997).However it is important to see how effective it is in the context of online consumers. It is argued that online consumers cannot depend on al l 5 senses to make purchase decisions as they are limited to product or services represented through photographs and text descriptions (Koufaris, 2002).However research shows that the representation of the product online and the web experience play a key role in driving consumer attitude towards shopping online and

Mech. of Pitching :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A baseball pitcher throws a baseball across the plate and the batter hits it to center field, and elderly man pitches horseshoes, a young person spikes a volleyball, student practices driving a golf ball while a college athlete practices punting a football. Once more, as is the case with pushing and pulling, a widely diverse set of activities has a common denominator. Each of these activities involves sequential movement of the body segments resulting in the production of a summated velocity at the end of the chain of segments used. The path produced by the end point of this chain of segments is curvilinear in nature. Sequential segmental motions are most frequently used to produce high velocities in external objects. Depending on the objective of the skill, speed, accuracy, distance, or some combination, modifications in the sequential pattern may be involved, larger or smaller ranges of motion might be used, and longer of shorter lever lengths may be chosen. Re gardless of the modifications, the basic nature of the sequential throwing, striking or kicking pattern remains the same.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Broer was the first to call attention to the similarity of movement patterns used in seemingly dissimilar activities such as the baseball pitch, the badminton clear, and the tennis serve. Objective evidence of such similarities between throwing and striking activities within each of the three major upper-extremity patterns; overarm, sidearm and underarm. The representative activities from these categories across throwing patterns also showed great similarity in the muscular action of the lower extremity. Atwater distinguished between the overarm and sidearm throwing patterns in terms of the direction in which the trunk laterally flexed. When lateral flexion occurred away from the throwing arm, and overarm pattern was used; lateral flexion toward the throwing arm indicated a sidearm pattern. The underarm patter is distinguished by motion predominantly in a sagittal plane with the hand below the waist. Each pattern involves a preparatory movement referred to as a ba ckswing, or windup, followed by the establishment of a base of support prior to the initiation of the force phase and ending in the follow-through. The base of support in the direction of the force application; forward and backward is a distinguishing feature of skill level. It has been well documented that more highly skilled individuals have longer strides. Once the base has been established, the more proximal segments begin the force application phase while the more distal segments complete the backswing.

The Ancient Mayans Essay -- History Historical Essays

The Ancient Mayans "The Maya" in Across the Centuries gives a good overview of the Maya. However, the text fails to expand and several key issues such as the influence of the Olmecs, social structure, the relevance of sacrifices, Spain's influence on the history of the Maya, and how the Mayan civilization fell. By leaving out the aforementioned issues the Maya are given less recognition than they deserve. By glossing over the Maya the authors of Across the Centuries essentially teach children that the Maya ar not of crucial importance. Across the Centuries' inadequate "The Maya" not only teaches students to not care about other cultures, it denies them the knowledge of an ancient culture more than worthy of recognition. "The Maya" begins with a quote from John Lloyd Stephens, one of the first Europeans to come across the remnants of the Mayan civilization. The chapter then explains where the Maya lived and the conditions of their environment. The agricultural methods are then elaborated on, followed by a section devoted to priests and kings. Finally "the Maya" ends with Mayan achievements. The whole chapter consists of only six pages, a rather small amount of information for a culture of such importance. According to The Maya "whether or not one thinks of the Olmecs as the "mother culture" of Mesoamerica, the fact is that many other civilizations, including the Maya, were ultimately dependent on the Olmec achievement"(Coe 50). It is believed that the Olmec, a civilization that inhabited the Yucatan Peninsula before the Maya, is responsible for many of the Mayan achievements in mathematics, architecture, and astrology. Unfortunately, Across the Centuries only mentions the Olmecs in "the Maya" when referring to the... ...tory pertaining to dominant versus minority cultural history, a sad fact especially in this day and age. Unequal proportioning is clearly scene in Across the Centuries' "The Maya", which is only six pages long. Hopefully one day our children will have textbooks with the latest objective information, until then teachers will continue to modify their lessons to prevent this unequal historical proportioning. Works Cited Armento, Beverly and Nash, Gary and Salter, Chistopher and Wixon, Karen. Across the Centuries. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1991. Bently, Jerry and Ziegler, Herber. Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past.Boston: McGrawHill, 2000. Coe, Michael. The Maya. 6th edition. London: Thames and Hudson, 1999. Culbert, T. Patrick. The Lost Civilization: The Story of the Classic Maya. New York: Harper and Row, 1974.

Essay --

To Russians the word food means very much, their whole world revolves around food. Russians always eat three times a day and each one of those meals is huge. They start off their day with breakfast, which mostly consists of kasha – (a type of porridge made from different grains) sometimes they could make a buterbrod which is a type of sandwich that consists of one slice of bread and one topping they could also make some eggs or just have a cup of coffee with cheese. To Russians the more important meals are lunch and dinner. For lunch Russians eat a lot which mean that they will usually have hot soup as the first course and then potatoes or pasta with salad as the second, which then leads to third course, which is usually something sweet. Dinner is another important meal of the day because that is when the whole family sits together to eat discuss their day and watch some TV at the same time. A typical Russian dinner consists of a table full of food. For dinner everything usu ally is taken out of the fridge what Russians snack on before the main dish is ready. There will always be a salad and snacks like salami slices, cabbage, vegetables, bread etc. Main dish is usually meat with potatoes or fish. In Russia, there is never any meal without bread on the table. There are special feelings that Russians have towards rye bread Russians call it "black" bread because of its dark color. "Black" bread is considered a traditional food in Russian homes. When it comes to drinks even though Russia is mostly known for vodka, Russian traditional drink is Kvass - a fermented beverage made from rye bread. Kvass has very low alcohol content in it which hardly reaches to 1% and therefore it is enjoyed by everybody even kids. This bubbly dink is ... ...ue by the ingredients that are used to make food. But also because of the way the make their food the old famous Russian stove. The stove was used to make food in and heat up houses. Russians used to sleep on the stoves as well because it was always so warm and that was the only heat that was provided to them. The food prepared in stoves was so delicious because of the way it was made, heated from all sides inside the stove. Even though there are still house with stoves unfortunately Russian stoves are not being used anymore even in the villages. Electric stoves and microwave ovens have replaced them today but the food still remains delicious. Russians have always been very passionate about food, at the family gatherings especially, the amount of plates of food could reach up to 150 different appetizers. Nobody ever leaves a Russian house hungry or unsatisfied.

Family Value Paper Essay

Family is a term that can be defined differently by every person. In health care, family does not always mean individuals related by blood; instead, a family is seen as a support system to an individual that is in a state of compromised health (Friedman, Bowden, & Jones 2003). The family’s role in a healthcare setting can vary depending on the client’s condition. In the intensive care unit, the family plays a big role, especially for the patients who lose their abilities to provide self-care and make decisions. On the contrary, the family’s role is different in a step-down unit, in which clients are in a more stable condition. As a healthcare worker, it is important to understand the role of family concept, family system, and the application of an appropriate family nursing theory. Concept of Family in Health Promotion: Families come in many different sizes and dynamics. Family is more than individuals living under the same roof. It is a support system for all aspects of health. A healthy family can play a big role in a family member’s health recovery by coming together as one support system to promote healing and help the individual achieve health goals, since one key function of the family system in healthcare includes health promotion and prevention (Friedman, Bowden, & Jones 2003). However, families react and manage issues connected to healthcare based on values and culture. According to Friedman, Bowden, and Jones (2003), â€Å"health behaviors, attitudes, and values are learned in the family† (P. 49). In addition, according to Ross, Mirowsky, and Goldsteen (1990), â€Å"a family is an economic unit bound together by emotional tie, and health is described as a state of emotional and physical well-being† (P. 159). Therefore, the family system is a well-balanced unit, and the relations found in a family system are so complicatedly tied together that a little change in any one part surely results in changes in the whole family system (Friedman, Bowden, & Jones 2003). Concept Used in Area of Nursing Practice: The concept of family most used in a hospital setting is family as context. Depending on the family dynamics and the support from family members, family can be viewed as a resource to the patient, and in some cases family can be  viewed as a stressor. However, in most cases, family plays an important role in the environment and care of a patient. Working in the Oncology/ Intensive care unit (ICU) Step-Down Unit, I have learned that the family support is very important for the patient and staff as well. In my unit, the nursing staff considers the clients and their families as one unit, and they care for them as a unit. Most of the clients have either chronic diseases or terminal illnesses, and they bounce back into the hospital quickly. Families are constantly being educated because most of the time, there is the question of compliance with the treatment regimen. For example, if a congestive heart failure (CHF) patient takes their medication, such as diuretics, on time, follows a low-salt diet, and keeps up with their physician appointment on a regular schedule, then they will not have to be in the hospital all the time with a fluid overload and shortness of breath problems. Families are education along with patients through lectures and reading material. Therefore, everyone is aware of the benefits and risks of health promotion. Sometimes, we also discharge patients home on ventilators from my unit. Ventilators require a large amount of education from the nursing staff to make sure the families are ready with all the necessary information and education needed to provide quality care of their loved ones at home. Family members are included in the plan of care and patient care from the day of hospitalization. Therefore, when it is time for discharge, family members and patients are ready. Theory Conducive to Area of Nursing Practice: Florence Nightingale’s environmental theory is very helpful in my area of nursing practice. She stresses the important of environmental factors in illness and health (Selanders, 2010). This theory is best because in the ICU Step-Down Unit, the environment is very important. Most of the patients are on ventilators that breath for them or have trouble breathing. Therefore, the environment around them must be as normal as possible. The rooms must be kept organized, clean, and odorless from scents such as bleach, perfume, or cologne. These patients are connected with many lines, wires, and cords. All lines, cords, and wires must be arranged to keep the patients free from injury, and they must also be plugged into emergency outlets only in case there is ever a power failure. During discharge planning, especially for  patients who are on ventilators, it is important that the nursing staff and discharge planner assesses the home environment and patient’s safety at home. The home environment must be checked for an adequate power supply to maintain the ventilator machine. Conclusion Whenever an individual is hospitalized, no matter how sick he or she is, the emotional stress on the patient and the family can be very overwhelming. In nursing, we care for clients and their families. The family system plays an important role in promoting, preventing, and recovering a family member’s health. We, as healthcare providers, must involve the family into nursing care. Also, practicing nursing care based on theories such as those of Florence Nightingale can help healthcare providers to make sure that they have done everything for the positive outcome of the patient’s health and safety. References Friedman, M.M., Bowden, V.R., & Jones, E.G. (2003). Family nursing: Research, Theory, & Practice (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice – Hall. Ross, C., Mirowsky, J., & Goldesteen, K. (1990, November). The Impact of Family on Health: The Decade in Review. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52(), 1058-1060. Selanders, L.C. (2010, March). The Power of Environmental adaptation: Florence Nightingale’s Original Theory for Nursing Practice. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 28(1), 81-88.

IPL Ruining Cricket Stars

Indian phase modulation group discussion destructing global butterfly M atomic number 53y, fame, and advocator be the liberties that wreak mutanters relieve oneself todayadays. In India where die hard is watch in a religion and play players argon considered Gods. Mohammed Azharuddin was the master copy of Indian play group in 1985 and he is now an Indian politician. He is the member of the Indian discipline Congress, which is the major political party in India. He is in completely case the member of sevens of house in India. In India play was graduation cont destruction in 1932, tho it wasnt until 1983 when play drew approximately zillion fautonomic nervous arrangement.India make head look its first innovation transfuse in 1983, lashing westerly Indies, a team who was considered favorites to lure the tournament. Indias proudest skipper Kapil Dev displace the human cup trophy for the first magazine in front of thousands of population at se nsation of the historic play ground at Lords in England. This was secure the beginning of un attempted play era in India. After almost both decades, Indian play was in menace of losing its fame due to fewer players and the captain itself was involve in jib-fixing.This do entire estate angry and it drew fewer crowds, yet when Saurav Ganguly took the captaincy for the team in 2000 he changed the vitrine of play in India (Empire of Cricket-India). He made both(prenominal) whizz believe that no one should take Indian team piano in global cricket in brief cricket began to take its peak by producing some of the finest players for India ofttimes(prenominal) as Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. When India won its first inaugural Twenty20 humans form in S breakh Africa, it created a new taste in Indian Cricket. lot began to bid twenty20 cricket, because it was quick and results were faster. The BCCI (Board of Cricket Control in India) created IPL know as Indian pr emiere League, b arly they ignored the fact that by oing so they ar destroying the inter farmingal cricket. slews of cricket is being compete just ab verboten the world such as rise, one-day, twenty20, and interior(prenominal) cricket. Cricket matches is put oning players performances and encouraging them to hump from one or to a greater extent than set of the punt due to their tight schedule.Indian postmortem examination League is consider as one of the prestigious subject field league in cricket and it attracts players from inter field cricket by offering mouthwatering salary of billion dollars to the players to play in their league. India stuns the world in 1983 by winning the orb Cup. No one had expected or even dream about India qualifying for final examinations and that too confront air jacket Indies who won consecutive valet Cup in 1975 and 1979. When India qualified for the semi-final umpteen a(prenominal) state were satisfy by Indias performance, but India wasnt so they went onto the final by beating England.During archeozoic 1970s and 1980s westbound Indies was the toughest opponent to face and most batsman from new(prenominal) demesne fe ard to face West Indies bowlers. West Indies drive home the most fearsome bowling lash out and possibly the most brutal hit line-up that anybody had ever witnessed (Abbasi 1). Facing West Indies was the nightm ar for any team in early 1970s and 1980s. on that address was a king-sized passel of Kapil Dev in Indias win ein truthwhere West Indies in World Cup. Kapil Dev became hero in minutes later on taking a immobilize match winning cracking of Viv Richards, the catch gave India belief.And West Indies panicked (Bal 1). Viv Richards was the unaccompanied player who would create help West Indies to make it hat-trick tor the number ot wins in World Cup. W n him gone West Indies dream faded a mien to perpetrate their hands on third World Cup title. In hindsight it can a handle be said that the catch changed the vogue cricket would be play, for it awoke India to the possibilities to win the World Cup (Bal 1). The catch from Kapil Dev brought India closer to the achievement and with that 1983 World Cup belongs to India. It all came out in 1999 when cricket in India was in threat.India went through dark days in 1999 and it wasnt the great year for the cricket players and specially for the cricket fans. Leading cricketers were accused of match-fixing and and so a police report prove that thither was a direct connectedness among cricketers and illegal book makers. fountain Indian Cricketer Bishan Bedi erstwhile said, Sickening utterly sickening and hen some of the players were run aground to be indulging in that contour of nonsense, cricket died for many an new(prenominal)(prenominal) days (Empire of Cricket-India). People at sea faith in e true(a)lything they had seen and they no longer trusted the results.Indias cricket captain Mohammad Azhar uddin was refer in match-fixing with many other players such as Ajay Sharma, Ajay JadeJa, Manoj Prabhakar, and Dr. Ali Iran, a physiotherapist. The Indian goernment orders the Central Bureau of probe to probe the match-fixing allegations and to find out whether any Indian cricketer or official was involved (Ravindran 2). This event was eye opening for many fans and the government itself felt that they need to take satisfy to provide Justice for the millions of cricket fans in India.When CBI released the report on match-fixing in November it accused those players of having links with bookies and of below-performing in h onetime(a) for huge sums of money. Manoj Prabhakar told CBI that he was offered 2. 5 million rupees ($53,000) by a teammate to perform in a match against Pakistan in 1994 (Magazine 2). Titan Cup in 1996 in the midst of India and South Africa was fixed, Pepsi Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in 1997 was fixed, and Pepsi Cup between India and Pakistan in 1999 was also fix ed (Ganapathy 1). Mohammed Azharuddin and Alay Sharma were involved in the following(a) fixed matches.Based on the evidence distributively time the match was fixed players accredited from $19,000 to $400,000 (Ganapathy 1). People were in shock for historic period when they realized their cricket God cheated on them. These led to a general blazon out demanding punishment for the players. Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay JadeJa were banned from the cricket for intent time and few players took retirement from cricket due to their shameful act. To take Indian cricket out of darkness and into the well-heeled India needed a new leader. Saurav Ganguly known as Bengal Tiger of Kolkata was named captain of the Indian cricket team in 2000. right away, under Saurav Ganguly, Indians always such bad travelers, had begun to win abroad (Bose 242). He made e real Indians proud and made cricket more loveable. He began well as a captain leading India to the final of ICC stern Trophy in 2000 and ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003. Unfortunately India lost both these finals one against New Zealand in 2000 and Australia in 2003. When India toured England during the summer of 2002 in that respect were Brobdingnagian expectations on the shoulder of the young kippered herring with India non able to secure a series win in England since 1990.During the final match of the 2002 Natwest Trophy between India and England held in Lords, Ganguly took off his shirt in public and brandished it in the air to celebrate Indias stunning win of the series. Harsha Bhogle a cricket percipient said, India was a great talking nation, but wasnt great doing nation and they found that when Saurav came on and ne actually took that shirt ott, people said an nn someones nas actually done it. mortal has done what we wanted to do and there wasnt any script written he Just did it (Empire of Cricket-India). Ganguly had the vision that we can do it.And thats what it made a difference. Former Pakistani cric keter Ramiz Raja once said India vs. Pakistan this is what cricket is all about. Its the contest that people check forward to. Cricket played between India and Pakistan is often considered war than a match. There is always pressure on 11 players from both the nation when they face off. The priming coat why a match between India and Pakistan makes so often provoke and electrifying is because Indias independence from Britain in 1947, both countries have fought three wars and they are still in disputes over Kashmir.During Indias tour of Pakistan in 2004 the focus across the border was enormous. When India beat Pakistan in test series afterwards 50 years it was a great face for the people in India and people fate in Indian Army. This was by cold the greatest achievement for team India under the captaincy of Ganguly. Intikhab Alam Pakistan team manager said, both teams cannot win, and somebody has to lose. Let it remain a cricket match and dont make us feel like we are rest on a warfront (Doherty 3). The word overcome is not accepted to the fans from both the countries.Defeat to the ans means that they have been slapped on their face. India Pakistan cricket is considered as one of the prestigious cricket rivalry. It is the competition that even unalike globalistic team such as Australia and England catch forward to. During the 1996 World Cup India and Pakistan played in quarter-final match for the get along in semi-final, two Pakistani fans died. One had a heart attack and the other reportedly turned his gun on himself after shooting his TV in force back at Pakistans 39-run red ink to India (Doherty 2). Cricket played between India and Pakistan is the battle of do or die.India is a cricket crazy solid ground where cricket runs in the blood of every Indian on the planet. There is an old saying that Cricket is an Indian farinaceous accidentally discovered by the incline (Gopalan et al. 1). This is so true, because cricket in Indian culture is so commonplace that every child that is born in India wants to play cricket. It is the sport that unite entire nation together. Cricket has the unique ability to unite all of India over and above its diversities. Inspiration, Passion, Obsession, Devotion, cricket evokes myriad responses across India.India rejoices every time team India ins and despairs at every loss (Gopalan et al. 1). During the 1996 World Cup when India lost to Sri Lanka for the spot in final, fans erupted in Kolkata cricket stadium. At the scent of a defeat Indian fans started throwing empty bottles burning newspaper which is characteristic of the growing intolerance and fanaticism of the Indian crowds (Gopalan et al. 2). Indians fans react to the team lose very quickly and they want their team to win every single game which is impossible. by outlook the problem is that Indians expect too more than from their cricketer (Bose 240).Indians fans are Just aiting for the opportunity to state their anger towards th eir team when India loses. For the large metrical composition of urban middle class Indians who embraced the game, it was a case of encountering a new and exciting sport, one that was far more provoke than the Indian options that existed at the time such as gilli danda, hockey (Kasbekar 269). Cricket is more common in India, because India doesnt have too many sports unlike the United States where they have hockey, basketball, baseball, soccer, and football.The fans are evenly distributed when they have more pick available in ports while in India there is only one way ot tan tollowing which is Cricket. During the high profile match or tournaments Indian crowds are like ants and the cricket match is like sugar. Crowds are so glued to their seats or television set that they forget their problems in their life. The recent World Cup held in India, was big achiever for team India as they won their second title after 28 years. India vs. Pakistan World Cup 2011 semi-final was watched b y 67. 3 million people, India vs.Sri Lanka World Cup Final was watched by 68 million people (Dhawan et al. 1). Cricket is ery popular and it draws more fans when India is performing at its best during large tournament. There is no doubt that what made cricket so popular in India was nationalism. Cricket had become a reflection, a focus, and an instrument of Indian nationalism (Kasbekar 269). Cricket is the only sport that gives fans a chance to show their love and support towards their nation. When India plays against England or Pakistan it is the great atmosphere for the fans to support their team.The other reason cricket is so popular is because there is no caste system in India when it omes to cricket. People from any caste can play cricket for his national team. Indian cricket team is a big example of diversity there are players from different religions such as Guajarati, Muslim, Marathi, South Indian, and Punjabi. A person from different religions unites team India and it mak es cricket more lovable. Indias authoritative cricket captain M. S. Dhoni comes from the lower caste. Now comes the new generation of cricket. The Indian fuze League also known as Indian Paisa League. Paisa in India means money.IPLs power is taking over the world. The survey ndicated that 54 percent of the players would retire from one or more formattings of the game because of too overmuch international cricket (Magotra 2). Sri Lankan player Lasith Malinga retires from test cricket to focus on IPL and Australia player Adam Gilchrist retires from all the format of the cricket such as test, one-day, and twenty20 to play in PL. The money has made many international cricketers choose IPL over their countries (Magotra 1). Virender Sehwag from India headstrong not to tour the West Indies series, because he wanted to play in PL.Few Indian players decided not to tart their treatment on their injuries, because they did not wanted to miss out from PL. According to the DNA Daily counter sign &Analysis precedent Sri Lankan cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga said, IPL is the monster that exit go on to destroy international cricket. I agree with the former captain of Sri Lanka, because if the youngsters gets the chance to play in IPL and if he starts to make millions of dollar than why would he want to play for his national team if he can make a good living out of PL. Bishan Bedi once said, l find it suffocating honestly. I find it the most vulgar expression of cricket.Its not cricket, No (Empire of Cricket-India). Few former cricketers find IPL as one of the mordant tournament that exit affect the real cricket and its taste. But IPL is so much popular in India that even women are interested in watching IPL games. en prevailn by the English chancellor League city based franchises has been created and sold for over 500 million pound. Players from all over the world are auction for sums beyond one million pound (Empire of Cricket-India). Harsha Bhogle a cricket commentato r said, History will record 20 years from now as IPL as the greatest urning point ever in history of the game (Empire of Cricket-India).The way IPL is going it will affect the international cricket by having few players retiring from their national team this affects the fans that are true cricket lover towards their nation. From the success ot I PL other countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka are considering to create their own twenty20 domestic league such as Sri Lankan Premier League, Pakistan Premier League and Bangladesh Premier League. With all this domestic cricket being played it will go on to destroy the real meat of cricket which is ne-day and test cricket.People have to remember that Indian Premier League is dessert and people cannot live on dessert forever they have to respect the real meat of cricket by banning the domestic twenty20 league. India is very rich cricketing nation where lot of people looking to make investment in cricket. But there are fears that this big hitting twenty20 cricket will end up destroying traditions of ancient and modern in India and wider empire of cricket (Empire of Cricket-India). All look are on India as they became the excellent governing cricket nation. International Cricket Council should intervene in domestic cricket by banning twenty20 cricket league.The way there is demand for the players in IPL I think it is going to be very difficult to put restriction on the international players to not allow them to play in IPL, but for the sake of cricket and preserving the ancient culture ICC and BCCI should take this action and stop IPL from further destruction. International players have earned fame and popularity by play for their national team not by the PL. IPL is playing with fans emotion by encouraging players to play in their team and the downside of this is hat those players are taking retirement from other format of the cricket due to too much cricket matches.

Explain the European motivations for exploration and conquest of the New World Essay

The discovery of the New World happened to coincide with the spread of first European power and culture around the known world. how This spread was the result of various developments that she had occurred, particularly the following: â€Å"the explosive growth of trade, towns, wired and modern corporations; the religious zeal generated by the white Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Reformation;†1 as well as the usual reasons of â€Å"greed, conquest, racism, and slavery. †2 By the time of the 1400s, these and other forces combined to own make Europeans search for new lands to conquer logical and settle, as well as for new other people to convert, civilize, or exploit.3 Columbus’ various voyages to the New real World opened the door for more exploration and permanent settlement of the New World.Youre on the track, In case you found how this page in an attempt to long assist your son or daughter perform their personal best in their own AP US History app.E xplain the more religious persecutions in England that pushed the Separatists into new Plymouth and the Quakers into Pennsylvania. Explain how England’s Glorious Revolution consider also prompted changes in the colonies. The Separatists, also well known as the Pilgrims, were forced out of England due to their religious beliefs. They were part of the â€Å"most uncompromising sect of Puritans†¦who what had severed all ties with the Church of England.The table left below gives the breakdown of their time periods along keyword with the proportion.

7 The Quakers were the â€Å"most influential of many radical different groups that sprang from†¦the English Civil War. †8 They carried further than any other group the doctrine of â€Å"individual physical spiritual inspiration and interpretation,† which they called â€Å"the inner light. †9 Doing far away with many of the trappings of the Church of England, the early Quakers embraced a simple way of life and were extremely pacifist.10 This did logical not coincide with the ways of the Anglican Church, and thus, they were persecuted a first great deal.Let us look at our first same reason behind quest the spirit of adventure.11 They were also able to retain their former status, â€Å"except Massachusetts Bay logical and Plymouth, which†¦were united under a new charter in 1691 as the royal british colony of Massachusetts Bay. †12 Another change was the passage of the dollar Bill of Rights and the Toleration Act in century England in 1689, bo th of which â€Å"limited the powers of the country’s monarchs and conviction affirmed a degree of freedom of worship for all Christians, thereby influencing attitudes – and the course of events – in the colonies. †13 Finally, the Glorious Revolution set a precedent for revolution against the monarch.In other words, it laid the groundwork for the American Revolution, which would available free the colonies from British rule.Ensure you answer click all sections of this question.

Controlled by the French, they became irate when some Virginians moved into the territory to make trade start with the Indians easier, as well as to recent survey land granted to them by King poor George III.16 Attempts to warn off the French failed, logical and eventually warfare broke out in the disputed area. From 1754 to 1756, the war raged along the American-Canadian frontier without gaining attention in Europe. 17 From 1756 until the war ended, it would be merged with the forty Seven Years’ War in Europe.Explain the conditions which resulted in the Monroe Doctrine.Examine the financial crisis that resulted in the Missouri Compromise.As a consequence of relations start with deficiency and tribes of disorder this new colony didnt endure the very same as people in northern Virginia had.

The late 19th century is very late.You see, instruction doesnt encourage.The whole course is going to be structured as follows.Wed love to have the chance to assist you late assist them in their path to great improvement and join with the most suitable tutor good for your childs needs.

Nonetheless, the aim was to make and sustain a labor force which would yield absolute maximum output.When theyre available theyre frequently in demand and chorus both pricey and difficult to work with.Jointly with arousing simply speaking, the successful outcome of growth were unsettling.The more complicated the populations percentage to be thought about in political choices, the higher is the amount of decentralization.

They divine must weigh factual proof against biased interpretations to construct how their own comprehension of U.history.Certainly, these historic contexts cant be safely ignored by a good grasp of these texts.Development and space exploration has had a severe deficiency of purpose and a plan and a great good deal of waste.