Rationalism (Rene Descartes) and Empiricism (David Hume) Essay

Rationalism (Rene Descartes) and Empiricism (David Hume) - Essay Example According to the research findings there are two contrastive schools of thought; while one gives premium to reason, the other gives premium to experience. The first school of thought that gives premium to reason is the rationalist school of thought. The second school of thought is the empiricist school. While the major proponent for rationalism is Rene Descartes, the major proponent of empiricism is David Hume. Lacey states that rationalism is â€Å"any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification.† Instead of appealing to emotions and their sensory organs, rationalists appeal to the intellect. Like all things, there are extremes in rationalism. While the opinion of some rationalists tends to fall largely in line with empiricism, meaning that they share many links with empiricism; the opinion of others see no reasons with empiricism at all. The former category of rationalists is not absolute in the beliefs they hold about the power of reason. The latter c ategory of rationalists is of those that may safely be described as extreme rationalist. They are the ones that believe that all things can be resolved through reasoning. Although, empiricism as a philosophy has already been broached in this essay, it is yet important to explain further. Unlike rationalism which states that most truths and ideas can be attained mainly through reason, empiricism states that all ideas, knowledge and truths can be attained through experience and what can be sensed by using human senses. The typical empiricist will ask 'How do you believe what you've not experienced?' So, for the empiricist, experience is all. It is through experience that one gets evidence to substantiate whatever opinion one clings to. Empiricists believe that there is no just reason to believe a thing or an opinion which one is not able to test. They do not see reasons why anyone would rely solely on abstract reasoning without applying sense-based experiments (Markie 233). To such em piricist who questions why anyone would trust what they have not seen, rationalists would argue that before that which is seen and witnessed (experience and experiments) came to being, there was that which was not seen (reasoning). Asides David Hume, other philosophers that can be categorized as empiricists are Francis Bacon, John Stuart Mill and Thomas Hobbes. Before one assumes any stance in philosophy, one must have premises that back up the point one makes. One must also be sure to know that all those who have held one opinion or the other about any issue have reasons, most times cogent, for sticking to their opinion. Yet, based on arguments that have been advanced overtime, it won't be wrong to assume that rationalsim carries the day. In putting up a paper like this together, it is important that one lends credence to objectivity. By some yardsticks, one may say that empiricists are right. This is because when rationalists carry out what they believe is the key thing—rea soning, one must note that they do not think in abstract, they almost certainly think about things that have been

Town Quay development at Southampton Waterfront Assignment

Town Quay development at Southampton Waterfront - Assignment Example The area is considered as a prime location because of its panoramic view of the sea and the volume of business activity surrounding the area. Although it is currently being used as a car park, the business potential of the area is quite considerable. There is a need to comprehensively and meticulously plan how the development project will operate to avoid any problems that may make the venture a failure. One must always take into consideration that a comprehensive evaluation of local and government planning policies and guidelines should be undertaken to ensure that the project is harmonious with them. The main goal is that the development actually complements and benefits the surrounding area and addresses the needs of the community. In short, the project is to be undertaken with full regards to the community as a whole. It has long been recognized that this strategy is one determining factor in the financial viability and sustainability of the venture. In the development appraisal portion, an analysis is provided on the following: planning constraints, observable constraints, uncertain matters to be investigated, access and egress, neighbours and any other matters that are likely to influence the success of the development. A development plan is then provided that shows the layout for building massing, use and phasing, suggested storey heights, parking, landscaping, access and egress. We make use of an ordinance survey map to illustrate the scheme. Following this is an evaluation of how the development plans and the site appraisal fares with the aspirations of the local planning authority. It is also in this section where an analysis of how the scheme will fit in with the established property market, ABP's dock estate and the surrounding buildings. After all this, a residual valuation that analyzes the commercial viability is presented along with the provision of 3 options showing how ABP may obtain a return from the site. Section 1 - Appraisal of the Site Planning Constraints Local and government planning policies should be evaluated when planning for any development. Any project that fails to do this has a greater chance of failure as local laws are sufficient grounds for non-continuance of the project. In any case, we are developing the area for the local population and we don't want them to be alienated. In evaluating, there is a need to determine what construction practices and parameters are allowed on the area. For example, vertical structures may only have a

Mental Health Nursing Essay Example for Free

Mental Health Nursing Essay Case Study Report Jamelia I am so tired and drained. I feel as though my head is going to explode with all this pressure. You see I’ve been looking after my mother for a long time, she suffers from anxiety, the illness comes and goes, presenting itself periodically. Although I do worry about my mother I can usually deal with this, I have been for a long time but recently I’ve found myself worrying about my father as well. My father, usually a well presented and calm individual has been acting very strangely the past few weeks. I went round to visit my parents and check my mother was alright and he looked extremely unkempt, he looked as though he hadn’t shaved in a while, and he was wearing dirty clothes. I tried to keep things as light hearted as possible when I asked him why this was and out of nowhere he became extremely angry and defensive which is very unlike him. My mother has been telling me recently that she thinks he’s ‘losing his marbles’ as she puts it, but to be honest I just put this down to her own illness as this is often how it starts, my mother becomes worried about family members and friends when it’s really her who we need to worry about. I kind of put my father to the back of my mind for a few weeks and tried to concentrate on looking after my two children, which is a handful in itself, but then out of the blue at whatever time in the morning the phone rang, a police officer on the phone, she told me how my father had been found roaming around the street not an hour before, in his pyjamas no less. I was mortified, so angry at my father for his behaviour, but the police officer was very reassuring and advised me it might be a good idea to get in touch with my father’s GP, which I did and he put in a referral to the Community Psychiatric Nurse. I think he’s coming round during the week sometime to visit us. I honestly don’t know what else I can do, I am so stressed and run down by this whole thing I haven’t stopped crying, I just hope the CPN can do something to help, or at least give us some idea what the matter is so I can sleep at night. Community Psychiatric Nurse I received a referral from the GP recently asking for me to carry out an assessment on a Mr Hamed Khan who has been displaying behaviours that are a bit out of the ordinary, I also received a police report stating Mr Khan had been picked up for wandering around in his pyjamas in the early hours of the morning. There are many things that I have to rule out before I jump to the obvious conclusion which would be some kind of dementia, the rate at which I believe Mr Khan seems to have deteriorated at is staggering so if Mr Khan is suffering from dementia I would probably sway towards Lewy Body dementia, although, of course, I cannot make assumptions. I will wait until I meet with the family, i will ask them all questions, the majority will be aimed at Mr Khan to answer but I need to see it from everyone’s viewpoint and everyone will be entitled to join in any discussions we carry out providing Mr Khan is happy and willing for this to happen, then based on my observations and the answers i get from the family i will arrange some further tests to get a proper, medical diagnosis, if need be. Before i send Mr Khan for further assessment I will need to ensure a Urine Sample has been taken so we can rule out any kind of Urinary Tract Infection which could be the cause of any confusion Mr Khan has suffered from recently, this is quite often the case in older people they tend to get anxious and confused and this can, and often is mistaken for some kind of dementia. When I go out to visit the family i will ensure they are happy with having a male CPN, and I will meet all their requirements for this visit and all further visits, if necessary. Of course it won’t just be myself working to help the Khan family i will be just one member of a multi disciplinary team who will each have their own role in helping and supporting the Khan family. Sunita’s Needs Meeting Sunita’s needs is paramount in ensuring she is fulfilling her full potential. Sunita’s basic human needs have to be met. Sunita needs to feel loved, at the moment this may be lacking because everyone else is so worried about Hamed that Sunita may be being overlooked. Sunita needs to make sure she maintains her self-esteem, suffering from anxiety herself she needs to make sure she is looking after herself by making time for herself and not worrying about others too much. They say knowledge is power so it might empower Sunita if she was able to learn more about her anxiety, the causes, and all treatment options available so she can make a decision and choose how she would like to manage her illness. Sunita has the right to choose exactly what her own care plan will include, by getting involved in the whole process so it is geared to suit her as an individual and means she can still carry out activities she enjoys which can help her recovery. Hamed’s Needs No matter what the diagnosis Hamed’s needs are all very important, safety is extremely important particularly due to the night wandering and forgetfulness. Hamed needs to feel loved and respected as the head of the household regardless of his illness as this will help his self esteem, his appearance is an important part of this as well. As we have heard Hamed is normally well dressed and clean shaven, and we have to make sure this continues so Hamed still feels as normal as possible, a home carer may be an option to help Hamed get ready in the morning if he feels he would benefit from this. Every decision in relation to the care plan Hamed will be making himself as much as possible providing he is still able to do this and if not an advocate can be appointed, Hamed always has the right to choose. Hamed’s needs will be assessed using different tools of assessment, these could be shared activities, observations as well as meetings, using more than one method will ensure the care plan is as comprehensive as possible and meeting every need Hamed has, in a way he is happy with. Hamed’s physical needs will be met by encouraging him to continue doing physical activities he has enjoyed in the past. Socialising is a very important need, Hamed may be interested in going to a club or even attending a support group where he will meet and interact with people that he perhaps has something in common with. Stress factors for Jamelia There may be several different things which could be causing Jamelia to feel stressed. First of all she has to look after two young children with very little practical, hands on help from her husband. Jamelia also feels obligated to care for her mother when she is suffering from a bout of anxiety. Seeing someone you love and care for being distressed and worried is definitely going to be weighing on Jamelia’s mind. During the times when Sunita is unwell Jamelia is having to look after her mother as well as finding time to spend with her children which probably means Jamelia is feeling guilty, perhaps Jamelia feels she is neglecting her children because she has to look after her mother, all these conflicting emotions will cause a great deal of pressure on Jamelia. Even when Sunita is well, Jamelia has to deal with constant phone calls which may be waking her during the night, lack of sleep may be a contributing factor to the way Jamelia is feeling. As if this wasn’t enough for Jamelia to deal with she also now has to help with her father who is getting forgetful, confused and acting out of the ordinary. Hamed, who is normally a calm, strong man is changing in front of her eyes at an alarming rate, and is perhaps hard to recognise. Juggling so many things, Jamelia is probably not eating properly and not taking care of herself or making any time for herself. Support available for Jamelia, as a carer. There are many organisations out there who can offer practical and financial help to Jamelia as a carer. First of all Jamelia is entitled to a carer’s assessment. The law states that â€Å"anyone who provides or intends to provide a substantial amount of care on a regular basis can have a carer’s assessment. † A carers assessment will look at how Jamelia is affected by caring for her family, how much caring she can, practically, do while still having a life of her own, and having time for her children. There is also the option of getting someone else to care for Hamed and Sunita if and when Jamelia needs a break this can be in form of respite care, which comes in many different forms, for example, residential care where Hamed and Sunita can go for a short stay in a residential nursing home, as well as being good for Jamelia it could help meet the social side of Hamed and Sunita’s care plan as they will be meeting other people. There are day-sitting services which can be used for a couple of hours during the day, giving Jamelia a break, or a night- sitting service helping Jamelia get a proper night’s sleep. Financial help is available to help fund this particular help from local authorities and local councils in form of vouchers or direct payments. Word Count – 1675.

Introduction Of KFC In Mauritius

Introduction Of KFC In Mauritius The necessity for all human being is eating which is observably a daily action. For eating at restaurants, it depend on an individuals reason and is intentionally or instinctively assess by a multifarious set of attributes ahead before choosing a restaurant. Thus, this study is to investigate how much service quality has an impact on customer satisfaction and retention especially in our Mauritian context at KFC. As there is a casual inter-relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality, this study aims to find out the effectiveness of the service dimensions of service quality which leads to customer satisfaction and finally to retention at KFC. An individual feeling of pleasure and disappointment is known as satisfaction and the customer satisfaction is very important for any organization. All the main aspects will be analyzed and recommendations will be drawn out for better improvement. Company Background History Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952 and its primary focus is fried chicken. KFC also offers grilled and roasted chicken products, wraps, salads, sandwiches and desserts as well beef based products outside the USA. Although the death of Sanders in 1980, he remains a vital part of the firms branding and advertisements, and Colonel Sanders or The Colonel is a metonym for the company itself. In 1991, the abbreviated form of its name KFC was adopted by the company. The Present KFC operates more than 5,200 restaurants in the United States and more than 15,000 units around the world. In 109 countries and territories around the world, KFC daily serves more than 12 million customers. KFC is world famous for its Original Recipe fried chicken, made up of 11 herbs and spices secretly blended together. Colonel Harland Sanders perfected more than a half century ago. Based on the Fortune 500 List, KFC is ranked on 239 positions with revenues in excess of $11 billion in 2008. Introduction of KFC in Mauritius With time, consumers were more demanding for large variety of food and then, the first KFC outlet was launched in Mauritius-1983. Pick N Eat is the company which operates the KFC franchise in Mauritius. KFC has carved a solid reputation as a quick service restaurant which provides quality products and service. Across our island, 18 outlets are spread out and 10,000 customers daily are enjoying their finger-linking favorites in the consumer-friendly environment. Background of the program In the fierce competition, the market trend has changed noticeably from agricultural to service market. The service sector especially fast food industry is in a rapid growth and gain a sustainable position in the market due to lack of time to prepare food and dual income families. All of the fast food businesses are trying their best to improve their service quality in order to make customer satisfied and return back to them again. They are concentrating more on service quality in order to meet the needs and expectations of the customer. The more satisfied the customers are, the more likely they are to return to the restaurant. The fast food industry has undoubtedly not been free from either augmented competition or from increasing customer expectations regarding quality. In the fast food industry, the perceived quality holds a great importance to create a retention effect for customers. So the fact is that when the service providers are able to satisfy its customers with good manage rial arrangement, the foods quality provided, have efficient staff, then a positive outcome is seen in customers retention in a particular restaurant. Problem Statement Service quality is a vital strategy for any restaurants, success and repeat business and it has long been defined by adopting a rather more customer-oriented view and not by the restaurateur-oriented (Saleh and Ryan, 1991). Customer is the key role in any business, without any customer it is difficult to do business. It is necessary to work closely with your customer. As customers can also create your business, thus, customer is the major part of business and also in the market. Business runs through customer, without the customer there is no business. Due to the increasing competition with other restaurants and quality-conscious customers, it is vital to carry out this research. There is a need for further improvement in order to face the competitors and meet the increasing customers expectation concerning quality. Based on the actual service quality performance of KFC, it is important to identify if customers are satisfied with the current situation and are likely to retain at KFC or switch to other competitors. Also, to find out the factors of service quality that leads to customer satisfaction and retention. From the above reasons, it is important that the service performance meets or exceeds customers and their expectation, the customer will be satisfied. Service quality is an antecedent of customer satisfaction. Therefore, this warrants a study to assess the customers expectation and perception, examine its discrepancy gaps and the service quality dimensions that influence customer satisfaction and retention. Research Objectives -To determine customers expectation and perception level towards service quality. -To identify the discrepancy gap between customers expectation and perception level towards service quality. -To identify the SERVQUAL dimensions which have an influence on customer satisfaction and retention? Research Questions -What is customers expectation and perception towards service quality? -What is the discrepancy gap exist between customers expectation and perception towards service quality? -What are the SERVQUAL dimensions which have an influence on customer satisfaction and retention? Aims of the study This study is to find out whether the service dimensions have an impact on customer satisfaction and retention at KFC by using the SERVQUAL Model by Parasuraman, Zenithaml, and Berry (1988). It will also explore the service aspects that affect and influence customer satisfaction and retention. Significance of the study This study will act as a practical guideline for KFC, especially for the management and the front line employees which may increased a higher level of customer satisfaction in the near future. The results of this quantitative assessment of service quality may provide some insights into how customers rate the service and assessed customer satisfaction at KFC. The outcomes will utilize as a basis to improve their existing service quality or to develop a new one in order to meet with the customers needs and satisfy them. Furthermore it will help KFC managers to know if they are providing services according to the norms established by customers. The management will be able to come up with a strategy for upgrading their service quality which will definitely lead to customer satisfaction and retention. All these views of customers will help KFC to remedy problems if there are and maintain their service quality. Phases of the discussion Introduction In the first chapter, the problem area is discussed with a deeper understanding regarding the research. The problem discussion ends with a research objectives and questions. In the end of this chapter, the contributions of this research are also presented. Literature Review In the literature review, the service qualitys impact on customer satisfaction and retention is discussed with the following purposes of assessing customers expectation, customers and employees perception, identifying their gaps and the influencing service quality aspects. Research Methodology ************************************* Analysis ************************************************* Conclusion and Recommendation ******************************************************** Conclusion The first chapter provided us a background to the outline of the dissertation. It contained the research context, which is, identify the problems, and establish its aims and its objectives, set out the research questions and finally present the outline of the study. Chapter 2- LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This chapter will give an overview of literature and models that presented by writers and journalists. It will support the research objective presented in the previous chapter. The chapter will elaborate the concepts of service, service quality, customer satisfaction, customer retention, service quality dimensions, the gaps and others. 2.2 Fast Food Industry The fast food industry is also known as Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) and has been serving delicious food for as long as people lived on. The fast food generally refers to the food served to customers in form of packaged for takeout or on the spot with minimum preparation time. The Mauritian fast food industry was primarily started with the famous dholl-puri and is still in great demand. But, due to globalization, the fast food industry has gradually breakthrough the Mauritian lifestyle. The consumer demand has evolved as they demand for a variety of food in a comfortable, stylish place and for busy people a quick bite at all times of the day. Today, these products form part of the Mauritian lifestyle and culture. People look for the convenience in order to improve their lives and productivity. Recent studies have shown that one out of every two-and-a-half-meal today is eaten away from home (Kara et al 1997). The fast food industry is not without its challenges. There is an increased focus on the quality of food served in the fast food restaurants. But, in this fierce competition of today, the right marketing approach and application of service quality is vital to compete with competitors as well as retain customers. The fast food industry is large and diverse in itself with lots of opportunities that challenge is being answered with new offerings and strategies to lure consumer back in. In the new emerging fast food industry, KFC is expanding in accordance with the customers demand despite the environmental problems and provide its potential to give a meal in a pleasant atmosphere. Jang Namkung (2009) proposed three factors: service and product quality as well as the atmospherics element are considered as the main restaurant attributes affecting the perceived quality of customers experiences at a restaurant. The total dining experience in a restaurant is comprised of not only food itself, but also the atmosphere (physical aspects) and the service provided. Thus, the fast food industry is based on the principles of quality food served fast and requires fast-reaction solutions to customers needs if they want to satisfy and retain customers. 2.3 Service There are many definitions concerning the concept of service by researchers. The term service was describe by the author Gronroos (1983) as: An activity or series of activities of more or less intangibles nature that normally, but not necessarily, take place in interactions between the customer and service employees and/or physical resources or goods and / or systems of service provider, which are provided as solutions to customer problems. Another definition was given by the author (Payne, 1993) said that service is Any primary or complementary activity that does not directly. Produce a physical product that is, the non-goods part of the transaction between customer and provider. Whereas Kotler et. al. (1999) is of opinion the service is regarded as any activity or benefit that one party offers to another which is essentially intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything, and it may or may not be tied to a physical product. Normally, lots of people are involved in a s ervice process and it is tough to do an analysis of service or to duplicate the same service exactly. In today market, products heavily rely on its service to acquire competitive advantage and to satisfy customers needs. Each authors mentions service as an exchange between the service provider and customers as well as its intangibility nature. The most vital point is simply the participation of the customer in the service process. KFC provides quality product and service with full customers interaction. 2.4 Service Quality In the service industry, service quality has become a crucial tool. Practitioners are more interested in the concept of service quality which has an advantageous effect on the outcome performance for the company. Service quality is a critical element of customer perceptions as well as in determining customer satisfaction. Various experts have defined service quality differently. Parasuraman et al. (1985) proposed a formal definition of service quality as the degree and direction of discrepancy between customers service perception and expectation. Satisfaction occurs when the expectations meet or exceed the performance level whereas customer dissatisfaction occurs when the expectation is below the perceived quality. Asubonteng et al. (1996) defines service quality as the extent to which a service meets customers need and expectation. Hooley, Saunders and Piercy (2004) A prime factor in differentiating the product or service from that of competitors is quality. Quality concerns the fit ness for purpose of a product or service. For manufactured products that can include the durability, appearance or grade of the product while in services it often comes down to the tangible elements of the services, the reliability and responsiveness of the service provider, the assurance provided of the value of service and empathy, or caring attention, received. According to these authors, the service quality is normally the customer perceptions and the organizations activities together with delivering quality service that matched to customer expectations on a consistent basis. Service quality is a key survival of all restaurants as it is the most powerful competitive weapon that can be used against competitors and to attract as well as to retain customers. These authors highlights that two main factors affect the quality of a services, that is, expected service and perceived service. 2.5 SERVQUAL Approach The SERVQUAL framework has come up for the purpose to improve service quality in services and retailing organizations as it has suggest that customer satisfaction is based on multiple factors rather than one. The SERVQUAL method was developed by Parasuraman et al. in 1988 as a technique used to perform a gap analysis of an organizations service quality performance against customer service quality needs. Parasuraman et al. (1988) came up with five dimensions (grouped with 22 attributes) to measure service quality which is responsiveness, assurance, tangibility, empathy and reliability. The SERVQUAL instrument is regarded as a reliable method of measuring service quality (explore customers expectation and perceptions), which in turn leads to a measurement of customer satisfaction. Internationally, KFC already have a service quality assurance team for regular surveys with a theory known as CHAMPS (consist of cleanliness, hospitality, accuracy, maintenance, the standard of product quality plus service speed). This is to evaluate the customers experience whether they are satisfied or not with the products and services. In Mauritius, KFC has already executed the theory of service quality and conduct survey concerning the services. Thus, in the study, the SERVQUAL method will be used for further research work. 2.5.1 SERVQUAL Dimensions In 1985, Parasuraman et al. has identified ten determinants for measuring service quality which are as follows: responsiveness, reliability, access, competence, courtesy, credibility, communication, security, tangibility and understanding or knowing the customer. Later, in 1998, Parasuraman et al. refined the model to the useful acronym RATER:- Reliability It is defined as the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately or delivering on its promises (Zeithaml et al., 2006, p. 117). It is one of the most important service components for customers as it implies doing it right the first time. The service organizations need to keep its promise and maintain an error free record. The reliability factors are efficiency in the billing system, consistency in serving customers, and the staff performs tasks that have been promised to guests and well trained staff. For the food beverage industry, reliability can be interpreted to mean fresh food delivered at the correct temperature and accurately the first time (Andaleeb Conway, 2006). In the Mauritian context, KFC has its own training center recognized by the franchisor for their staff. The chicken is prepared on the spot and they make sure that the service delivery is consistent and timely. The most significant policy of KFC is evaluating the customers experience with its service, whether they are satisfied or not. They can also put their comments and suggestions for further improvements of the products and services of KFC. Assurance Assurance is defined as the employees knowledge and courtesy and the service providers ability to inspire trust and confidence (Zeithaml et al., 2006, p. 119). The assurance factors are staffs knowledge about the menu, safety, security, trustworthy and friendly staff. Customers are more likely to use tangible evidence to assess the assurance dimension such as awards or special certificates which give a new customer confidence. KFC has achieved National Quality Awards and have a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) program is implemented in order to identify, evaluate and control any physical and environmental hazards in the work place. And the logo of HACCP is visible in every restaurant as an assurance dimension. Tangibility Tangible is defined as the physical facilities, equipment, staff appearance and others. In accordance with the author, Zeithamal et al. (2006) this dimension is comprised to the current appearance and shape of the cutlery, the restaurants interiors decor, silverwares and the uniform of the staff, the layout and appearance of the menu list, restaurant signage and advertising campaign. Tangibles are used by firms to convey image and signal quality (Zeithaml et al., 2006). Customers use this dimension to evaluate the quality. KFC has its own evidence of its service in terms of products, packaging, printed and visual marketing materials, websites, and staff appearance, virtual evidence of handling queries and feedback through Facebook and other online services. Empathy Empathy is the extent to which caring individualized service is given to a customer. The customer is treated as a king. Many small companies use this ability to provide customized services as a competitive advantage over the larger firms (Zeithaml et al., 2006). The empathy components are willingness to handle requests, give individualized attention to customers, and show enthusiasm to serve and to answer to all queries accurately. Empathy may be important to ensure customer loyalty as the server knows how the customer likes his or her food prepared. In return, the customer is easily approach and spell out their needs to the service provider. If a company looks its customer as an individual, as result, the company will come out as a winner. KFC take care of each individual customer by providing the meal according to the customer requirement. Such as, a meal can be upgraded by adding cheese, pineapple, tomato, plain or spicy chicken as per the customers taste. Before launching a new product, KFC take care of its customers opinion into consideration through Facebook and keep continuous communication with the customer through regular survey. Responsiveness Responsiveness is defined as the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service (Zeithaml et al., 2006, p. 117). The responsiveness factors are short waiting period for the service delivery, attend complaints quickly, availability of staff when needed and restaurants action upon customer suggestions. In order to be responsive, a service provider has to determine how long it would take to get answer or to solve a problem. To be successful, companies need to look at responsiveness from the view point of the customer rather than the companys perspective (Zeithaml et al., 2006). This dimension captures the notion of flexibility and ability to customize the service according to the customer needs. KFC handle complaints quickly especially through Facebook and the staff are willing to help customer as well as keeping in mind for short waiting period in service delivery. 2.5.2 Service Quality Gaps Model In 1990, Zeithaml, Parasuraman and Berry have developed a survey instrument to measure the gap between customers expectation for excellence and their perception of actual service delivered. The SERVQUAL model uses the terms that describe one or more determinants of a quality service encounter. Gronroos (1982), Lewis and Booms (1983); Parasuraman et al. (1985) have the same opinion that the most frequently used approach to measure service quality is SERVQUAL to compare the customers expectation prior to the service encounter and their perception after the actual service delivery. Basically, there are seven principal gaps in the service qualitys concept, out of which Gap 1, Gap 5 and Gap 6 are more associated with the external customers as they have a direct relationship with customers. Figure 2.1: SERVQUAL or Gaps Model (Zeithaml Parasuaman Berry 1988 Gap 1: Management perceptions of consumer expectations and Customers expectations and It is the knowledge gap which portrays the difference between the management beliefs about customers, expectations and what customers actually need and expect. This gap happens when there is insufficient flow of communication upwards, lack of marketing research orientation and too many level of management. Gap 2: Management perceptions of consumer expectations v/s service specifications It is a policy gap where a difference occurs between management perceptions regarding customers expectations and service specifications are set for service delivery. The reasons for this gap are unfeasibility, inadequate commitment to service quality and task standardization as well as an absence of goal setting. Gap 3: Service quality specifications opposite service delivery It is the difference between the service specifications and the service delivery teams actual performance on these specifications. The gap is a result of poor employee-job fit, lack of perceived control and lack of teamwork. Gap 4: Service delivery v/s external communication to customers The communication gap is the difference between what the company communicates and what is actually delivers to the customer. It is due to inadequate horizontal communications and propensity to over- promise. Gap 5: The discrepancy gap between customers expectations and customers perceptions of the service delivered It is the difference between what has actually delivered and what customers feel they have received. Customer expectations are influenced by the extent of personal needs, past service experiences and word of mouth recommendation. The difference occurs when customers are influenced and service provider has shortfalls. Gap 6: The discrepancy gap between customer expectations from the service provider and employees perceptions of consumers expectations The service quality gap is what the customers expect to receive and their perception of the service that is actually delivered. There is a difference in the understanding of customer expectations by front-line service provider. Gap 7: The discrepancy gap between employees perceptions and management perceptions of consumers expectations This gap is mainly an internal difference in the organization such as differences in understanding of customer expectations between management and employees. 2.6 Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction is the heart of marketing. Customer satisfaction is the customers evaluation of the service or product against if their needs and expectations are meant. For any restaurant, customer satisfaction is more important as it forms a part of marketing. In past years, customer satisfaction was not that important but today it is the most important issue in term of the most reliable feedback for a restaurants excellency. Richard L. Oliver (1997, P.13) define customer satisfaction as Satisfaction is the consumers fulfillment response. It is a judgment that a product or service feature, or the product or service itself, provides a pleasurable level of consumption-related fulfillment. Customers satisfaction is highly influenced by their characteristics, their emotional responses and their perceptions of equity. As Kotler (2000, p.36) defined that satisfaction is a persons feelings of pleasure or disappointment resulting from comparing a products perceived performance (or ou tcome) in relation to his or her expectation. If the performance didnt meet the expectation of the customer, then dissatisfaction will occur. If the performance exceeds the customers expectation, then satisfaction will occur. If the performance exceeds more than expected, then the customer will delighted. In the context of customer satisfaction, Johnston and Clark (2005) have describe it as Service as the combination of outcomes and experience delivered to and receives by a customer. Customers therefore judge the quality of the service on the experience as well as the outcome. Due to current competitive edge, customers are abreast with the fact of product quality and every service provider is interested to satisfy customers needs and wants. All of three authors explain customer satisfaction as a bunch of desired expectations of a customer that has been fulfilled by the service provider. But, Richard L. Olivers definition is more applicable in this research work which emphasis that satisfaction is based upon service itself. KFC take care for its customer satisfaction by providing an online questionnaire on its website regarding customer satisfaction. 2.7 Customer Retention Lovelock (2004) illustrates importance of customer retention The hardest part of a business is customer retention. If a company does not retain its customers, inevitably it will fail. Marketing essentially means keeping customer loyalty. In order to have a good lifetime value of customers, an organization needs to have good strategies to retain them and arouse loyalty within them for lifetime. Laura Lake (2010) defined Customer retention is not only a cost effective and profitable strategy, but in todays business world its necessary. This is especially true when you remember that 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customer and clients In the starting point of a business, customer retention is very important as the cost involved in attracting new customers are five times higher than retaining an existing one. Hill and Alexander (2006) defined It is becoming accepted that there is a strong link between customer satisfaction, customer retention and profitability. By fulfilling cust omer expectation, an organization provides all service according to the customers preferences and in return, the customer is loyal to the organization. It makes profit for the organization and organization has to retain by providing continuous good services, better customer satisfaction and that will be profitability for the organization. So, organization has to make strong relation with customers as high rates of customer retention are a competitive weapon against its competitors. By having a questionnaire always on the website, KFC is trying to take care of that small segment of customers who are satisfied or dissatisfied with its service quality. In this way, KFC tries to retain those happy customers than losing them. 2.8 Customers expectations and perceptions 2.8.1 Customers expectations Customer expectations are increasing day by day and demanding for quality products and services; therefore expectations play an important role in the formation of customer satisfaction. The term expectations really matters to companies because they want to know what customers expectations are. According to Oliver (1981) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ expectations are consumer-defined probabilities of the occurrence of positive and negative events if the consumer engages in some behavior. Customers form their expectations from their past experience, friends advice, and marketers and competitors information and promises. Organizations in order to keep expectations from rising, they have to perform services properly from the first time (Parasuraman et al. 1988). There is tendency that if a service is not delivered as promised, thus the customers expectations are likely to rise in the next encounter. Expectations serve as reference points in customers assessment of performance (Cronin Taylor, 1992). Th e purpose of trying to understand customers expectations is trying to ensure that service can be designed and delivered in order to meet those expectations. If the operation meets the expectations, or indeed exceeds them, then customers are satisfied with the service. If they are satisfied they are more likely to become valuable customers who not only use the service again, but are positively disposed towards it and may even recommend it to other Johnston and Clark (2005). Therefore, the perceived service quality is viewed as the difference between consumers perceptions and expectations for the service provided. 2.8.2 Customers perceptions Mc Kenna (2000) is of opinion that perception is a vital process in a persons life where he or she has to manage and interpret a situation or an event to define a particular respond. Service firms must understand the concept of service quality from the point of view of the customer, not from the view point of the service firm or service provider. Besides, customer perceives services in the response to quality pertaining to the service and the extent to which they are satisfied with the overall service with their experiences (Zeithaml and Bitner 2003). The customer satisfaction is determined by the customers perceptions and expectations of the service quality. Customer perceives services in terms of the quality of the service and how satisfied they are overall with their experience. The customers perception varies from customer to customer and each one has different beliefs towards the services that play a crucial role in determining customer satisfaction. Therefore, customer percepti on and customer satisfaction are very closely linked together, because if the perceived service is close to customers expectations it leads to satisfaction. Satisfied customers provide recommendations; maintain loyalty towards the company and customers in turn are more likely to pay price premiums (Reichheld, 1996). As such, perceived service quality is a key component of customer satisfaction. 2.9 Relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction A great emphasis need to be heightened on service quality and customer satisfaction. In old times, customers were not concerned about quality and their satisfaction does not have such importance. But, today,

The Gospel of Mark :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sermon Hold on, Help is on the way! Text: Mark 6:45-52 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, â€Å"Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.† Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. Mark 6:45-52 Title: Hold on! Help is on the way Thesis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jesus immediately made his disciples get into the boat to set off for Bethsaida before dispersing the crowd. Mark’s Gospel gives us no meaning to the sense of urgency to why Jesus compels the disciples to pull up the anchor and leave. He dispatches them along with the crowd and goes up the mountainside to pray alone. Distances from their master, the disciples undergo an ordeal, struggling against the wind. The storm does not endanger their lives but they find themselves trapped in the middle of the lake, fighting against the wind after rowing in a constant strain. Jesus looking from land can see this battle-taking place hour after hour as evening turns into the early morning hour. One must assume Jesus supernaturally sees the struggle in the darkness and comes to rejoin them *walking on the sea. As I examined the text, I realized that there is no condition too chaotic that God cannot change, no calamity that cannot be transformed into hope, no dilemma that cannot be solved. The word teaches that the God we serve specializes in being a divine deliverer for His people as in the mythos of Israel and his disciples. Similarly, I believe that God can deliver His people in this contemporary age if only we trust, persevere, pray, and have faith in Him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Regardless of the barriers, regardless of the antagonistic attitude and reluctance to assist us as African Americans, we are not going to let go or give up but continue to press our way and hold on to God’s blessed assurance.

Importance of Recycling at the University Essay example -- Environment

Importance of Recycling at the University I remember my first semester here at the University and the dark halls of the Bates House Residence Hall. Many a party was concluded with an idea for what to do with the endless piles of cans that had congregated on the floor. One idea, I remember, was to wall someone into his room and another was to see how many we could stand on end without toppling. But, we usually just ended up throwing them in the trashcans in our refuse room. Sometimes out of the five trashcans in the room set aside for trash disposal, three or four would be completely filled with hundreds of cans of various beverages. Upon further contemplation, I can also remember the small, blue bucket that was thrown haphazardly on my bed that first day. Even though it was quite clear that this basket was for the purpose of recycling, because of the triple arrow symbol that was so prominently placed on the front, I perceived it as a great trash can, since I had forgotten to bring one. Over the course of that sem ester it is hard to say just how many cans I threw out or saw inadvertently strewn around the parking lot like a million glittering coins in the afternoon sunshine. However, one thing I can say is that with the proper methods the University could inspire students like me to help keep clean the environment as well as make the money back that is needed to keep the project successful. The University should reconsider the methods by which its current recycling program can be improved. With the proper improvements the University can increase student awareness about the problems with pollution, increase the amount of income that is reimbursed through the system, and keep its impact on the overall environment... ... known and easily accessible, such as in the study areas of each hall, the idea will appeal to many more people than if the bins are only placed on the ground level. Even though some people may not contribute very much or at all, the number of students who jump on the idea to have a free party or other rewarding prize will make the number of dissenters obsolete. This is my plan for the continued and, ultimately, future success of the recycling program here at USC. As a freshman, I jump on every opportunity to get something free that I come across, and if it were as easy as throwing the can down my hall as opposed to on my floor I would be all for it. Who can deny that my fellow freshmen do not feel the same? The long lines at the numerous tables in front of Russell House serve as an example that when offered a free carrot, a smart bunny cannot decline.

Drama Evaluation

I think, although there were still a few mistakes, that my groups' (made up of; Liegha, Charlotte, Max, Robert, Katie, Claire and myself) performance went quite well. Rehersals at the beginning of this term were horrible, with group arguing and not listening to eachother, but after a few weeks we began to pick it up with better communicational skills and having different people in charge (director) really helped with decision making and getting everyone to listen to different ideas.MY personal rehersals worked really well, I managed to learn most of my lines within a few weeks, which gave me more time to practise my staging positions and interaction with the other characters on stage, although I don't feel this showed in my perfomance. My weakest scene would have been the ‘Lancelot and Guineverre' scene, where Max and I were lead characters. I think due to the fact that all eyes were on us, as we were very close together, gave me slight ‘stage-frieght' as my movement was quite stiff, unlike in rehersals.I forgot most of the stage directions we, as a group, decided to use, to make the scene more ‘slap-stick comemdy' for the year 6's. Although I feel my vocal skills were my strongest skills for the scene; I sounded more like a queen/princess then a normal teenager, I articulated so that audience members could understand me, and I think I projected my voice quite loudly. Our ‘Booties' scene came over quite effectively, with everyone looking realistly hypnotized.Katie, our Leader, came off really strong and wise and Claire, our McConnamal, came off really well in the fact that she was trying to trick poor Liegha, Someone, into handing over all her money. All the Booties remember their lines, on time, so we were close to ‘in sync' with eachover, which made the hypnotizism even more believeable. I think since the performance we have improved this scene, in the fact that we've got alot of energy for our new song ‘Money, Money, Money ' which could engage the audience with them swaying and enjoying the music.All in all, I think that our performance went great, not perfect, but really, really well. As a group I feel we communicated well, engaged the audience in a few scenes, and mangaged to make as few mistakes as posseible. As an indivual actor, I feel I can make alot of improvements to my serperate parts and to the whole group together, and to be honest it was alot of fun. CaraMay x