The Internet Gaming Phenomenon Essay Example for Free

The Internet Gaming Phenomenon Essay The internet gaming phenomenon that has taken the world by storm was originally based on Role Playing Games that were simply played on board games.   As computers began to develop and the internet began to emerge, more and more games were created that allowed players from all over the world to congregate online and play against or with each other in what has now been called the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.   When the national Science Foundation Network eased the restrictions on internet gaming, a host of new games entered the market and became available for the players.    Soon enough games flooded the market and the MMORPG had now become the most popular type of computer games.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The world of MMORPG gaming has become so popular in fact that it has even created its own economy that is based on the virtual items that are available online but the payment is made through real money in the real world.   The MMORPG has blurred the distinction between the virtual economy and the real world economy and in the present these two economies are even directly linked such as the case of Entropia Universe, which allows for real money to be converted to game money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While certain gaming universes have outlawed the trading of virtual items for real money, the popularity and competitive nature of the MMORPG has ensured that there will always be a market for these item, whether illegal or not.   It has become so popular that even online auction sites such as ebay have featured virtual items among their listings while other websites have opened that cater specifically to virtual item sales.   As these games become more popular, it remains to be seen whether or not this virtual economy will continue.   One thing is sure, however, the MMORPG realm has hooked millions of people of all ages around the world and will only continue to grow and may soon surpass gambling as the most addictive hobby in the world. References: Adams, David (January 7, 2004). Final Fantasy XI Hits Subscriber Milestone. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2007-01-30. Castronova, Edward. Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games. ISBN 0-226-09626-2, University Of Chicago Press Nardi, Harris (2006), Strangers and Friends: Collaborative Play in World of Warcraft, Proceedings of the 2006 20th anniversary conference on Computer supported cooperative work

Operations management of the Tata Motors Group

Operations management of the Tata Motors Group The concept of operations management is related to the optimum utilization of the resources in the best possible way. In todays complex business environment it is very important to understand the importance of every management process. operations management is a very important factor for the maximum utilization of resources in any firm. Introduction Established under the parent company, Tata Group, in 1945, Tata Motors Limited has become Indias largest automobile company. It was the first Indian automobile company to list on the New York Stock Exchange. Tata Motors began manufacturing commercial vehicles in 1954 with a 15-year collaboration agreement with Daimler Benz of Germany. This partnership has led Tata Motors to not only become Indias largest automobile company but also Indias largest commercial vehicle manufacturer; the worlds top five manufactures of medium and heavy trucks and the worlds second largest medium and heavy bus manufacturer. Having just entered the passenger vehicles market segment in 1991, Tata Motors now ranks second in Indias passenger vehicle market. Tata has enjoyed the prestige of having developed Tata Ace, Indias first indigenous light commercial vehicle; Tata Safari, Indias first sports utility vehicle; Tata Indica, Indias first indigenously manufactured passenger car; and the Nano, the worlds least expensive The company that has been taken for the purpose of demonstrating operation management and its effectiveness is Tata motors India Pvt. Ltd. The fact that tata motors came up with a small car in the Indian market and has been very succesfull it needs to be understood that what it is that instigated the success to such a boundry. Tata Motors is Indias largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of USD 20 billion in 2009-10. It is the leader in commercial vehicles and among the top three in passenger vehicles. Tata Motors has products in the compact, midsize car and utility vehicle segments. The company is the worlds fourth largest truck manufacturer, the worlds second largest bus manufacturer, and employs 24,000 workers. Since first rolled out in 1954, Tata Motors has produced and sold over 4 million vehicles in India. Established in 1945, when the company began manufacturing locomotives, the company manufactured its first commercial vehicle in 1954 in a collaboration with Daimler-Benz AG, which ended in 1969. Tata Motors is a dual-listed company traded on both the Bombay Stock Exchange, as well as on the New York Stock Exchange. Tata Motors in 2005, was ranked among the top 10 corporations in India with an annual revenue exceeding INR 320 billion. In 2010, Tata Motors surpassed Reliance to win the coveted title of Indias most valuable brand in a annual survey conducted by Brand Finance and The Economic Times. Tata Motors has auto manufacturing and assembly plants in Jamshedpur, Pantnagar , Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Sanand,Dharwad and Pune in India, as well as in Argentina, South Africa and Thailand. Tata Motors aimed to increase its presence worldwide. In 2004, it acquired the Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company of South Korea. The reasons behind the acquisition were: Companys global plans to reduce domestic exposure. The domestic commercial vehicle market is highly cyclical in nature and prone to fluctuations in the domestic economy. Tata Motors has a high domestic exposure of ~94% in the MHCV segment and ~84% in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment. Since the domestic commercial vehicle sales of the company are at the mercy of the structural economic factors, it is increasingly looking at the international markets. The company plans to diversify into various markets across the world in both MHCV as well as LCV segments. To expand the product portfolio Tata Motors recently introduced the 25MT GVW Tata Novus from Daewoos (South Korea) (TDCV) platform. Tata plans to leverage on the strong presence of TDCV in the heavy-tonnage range and introduce products in India at an appropriate time. This was mainly to cater to the international market and also to cater to the domestic market where a major improvement in the Road infrastructure was done through the National Highway Development Project. Tata remains Indias largest heavy commercial vehicle manufacturer and Tata Daewoo is the 2nd largest heavy commercial vehicle manufacturer in South Korea. Tata Motors has jointly worked with Tata Daewoo to develop trucks such as Novus and World Truck and buses namely, GloBus and StarBus. In January 2008, Tata Motors launched Tata Nano, the least expensive production car in the world at about 120,000 (US $3000).The city car was unveiled during the Auto Expo 2008 exhibition in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Tata has faced controversy over developing the Nano as some environmentalists are concerned that the launch of such a low-priced car could lead to mass motorization in India with adverse effects on pollution and global warming. Tata has set up a factory in Sanand, Gujarat and the first Nanos are to roll out summer 2009. Tata Nano Europa has been developed for sale in developed economies and is to hit markets in 2010 while the normal Nano should hit markets in South Africa, Kenya and countries in Asia and Africa by late 2009. A battery version is also planned. Tata Motors Limited is Indias largest automobile company, with revenues of 35,651.48 crore (US$7.74 billion) in 2007-08. It is the leader in commercial vehicles in each segment, and among the top three in passenger vehicles in India with products in the compact, midsize car and utility vehicle segments. Tata vehicles are sold primarily in India, and over 4 million Tata vehicles have been produced domestically since the first Tata vehicle was assembled in 1954. The companys manufacturing base in India is spread across Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Pune (Maharashtra), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) and Dharwad (Karnataka). Following a strategic alliance with Fiat in 2005, Tata set up an industrial joint venture with Fiat Group Automobiles at Ranjangaon (Maharashtra) to produce both Fiat and Tata cars and Fiat powertrains. The company is establishing a new plant at Sanand (Gujarat). Tatas dealership, sales, service and spare parts network comprises over 3500 touch points. Ta ta Motors also distributes and markets Fiat branded cars in India. Current Situation The Tata Motors group is a passenger and commercial vehicle manufacturer based in India. The motor group was established in 1945 as part of the larger Tata Group. They have long been known for their commercial vehicles and in the past ten years entered into the passenger car market. Currently, Tata Motors has a line of five passenger vehicles and a large line of commercial vehicles producing pickups, trucks, tractor trailers, tippers, and buses. Both product lines of the Tata Motors group have seen success, but much of this has been built upon the more deeply established commercial vehicle product line. Tata Motors commercial line has been established for several years in many market segments such as Europe, Africa, The Middle East, Australia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Tata Motors has expanded their business and market share around the world through a series of acquisitions. In 2004, they acquired Daewoo commercial vehicle Company in South Korea which was South Koreas second largest truck manufacturer. This acquisition gave Tata Motors a significant presence in the Korean market. They have also entered into joint ventures with companies such as Thonburi Automotive in 2006, which allowed them to manufacture and market pickup trucks in Thailand. Tata Motors have been making global headlines in the auto industry lately; the largest news being their acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford. Tata paid 2.3 billion dollars to Ford for the two brands that cost Ford 5.3 billion (Carty, USA Today). This is a major step for the company because it catapults them into the luxury car business which they are not known for at this time. Tata, like many new businesses it acquires, is allowing this new segment of the business to be run by previous management since they have more experience in the luxury automotive business. Tata will give us some space. They want us to run our business, be a premium British car company (Mike ODriscoll, managing director of Jaguar). This is yet another large acquisition for the Tata Motors group and could create great success for the company in the near future. Corporate Governance Since Tata Motors is a part of a large conglomerate company it needs to have a strong corporate governance to ensure that its employees act ethically and the business continues to run smoothly especially during the ever changing and dynamic global economy. Tata Groups corporate governance is founded upon a rich legacy of fair, ethical, and transparent governance practices (tatacarsworldwide.com). One of the more important parts of this is the transparency of the company people have a right to know what the company is doing not only to ensure ethical practices, but for the insurance of their many shareholders whom have a right to know the inner workings of the company Tata has created some models for employees to guide themselves through everyday business practices to ensure that the corporate governance is continuously being upheld. The Tata business excellence model is upheld by Tata quality management services. Quality management is an in-house group dedicated to helping the various Tata companies achieve their business objectives through specific processes. The two main processes that the quality management services employees focus on are business excellence and business ethics. These two objectives have helped build Tata into the strong, dynamic company it is today. These models are entrenched in the companys ethnical standards and Tata feels strongly about enforcing both throughout the company. Tata quality management services plays the role of supporter and facilitator in the journey that Tata enterprises undertake to reach the peaks of business eminence while, at the same time, adhering to the highest ethical standards (Tata.com). To further prove their commitment to quality and ethical practices Tata has introduced annual quality awards for those companies conducting business with the utmost quality. These awards are called the JRD quality value awards named after the late chairmen JRD Tata. These awards are presented annually on July 29th, the birthday of JRD Tata. Tata has committed to ensuring quality and ethical standards not only within Tata Motors, but throughout their many other branches and sectors of the Tata Group. They have done so by benchmarking quality standards through the Tata business excellence model as well as providing incentives for companies to strive to improve the quality of their service, by awarding JRD quality management awards. Financial Position Tata Motors have increased its earnings over the years through their various acquisitions and joint ventures with truck manufacturers in Southeast Asia. Gross profit in the year 2006 was 1,160.9 million and increased to 1,510.1 million in the year 2007. Earnings after taxes also increased significantly between 2006 and 2007 increasing from 336.6 million to 405.5 million in 2007. After a large drop in revenues from 2004 to 2005 when the company first went public on the NYSE it has been increasing revenues greatly annually, from 4,422.0 million in 2005 to 7,354.0 in 2007. Core Competencies Tata Motors is able to maintain, as well as increase, their market share by capitalizing on their core competencies. Tata Motors is active, competitive, and dynamic in all aspects of the automotive industry, which means that there must be many different activities going on in all areas of the company. As a result of the ever evolving automotive industry Tata Motors must always be changing and one way to stay at the forefront of the industry is to make continuous improvements in technology through research and development. One way that Tata Motors has done this is by producing one of the most efficient and low cost vehicles on the market. Acquisitions, mergers, and expansion is another core competency that Tata Motors has is embedded in their company structure and philosophy. Another core competency that Tata Motors holds is being located in the India. This location has allowed them to understand not only the Indian market but also the dynamics of emerging and developing markets. This market understanding and knowledge allows Tata Motors to manufacture their products at lower costs, sell them to emerging markets while making profits as well as take advantage of the strong labor base in India. PEST Analysis Political Since Tata Motors operates in multiple countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, it needs to pay close attention to the political climate but also laws and regulations in all the countries it operates in while also paying attention to regional governing bodies. Laws governing commerce, trade, growth, and investment are dependent on the local government as well as how successful local markets and economies will be due to regional, national and local influence. In accordance, Tatas headquarters in Mumbai, India, strictly controls and regulates operations in all dealerships and subsidiaries, in addition to knowing and abiding by all labor laws in the multiple countries where they have manufacturing plants it has to watch political change. Economic Operating in numerous countries across the world, Tata Motors functions with a global economic perspective while focusing on each individual market. Because Tata is in a rapid growth period, expanding or forming a joint venture in over five countries world-wide since 2004, a global approach enables Tata Motors to adapt and learn from the many different regions within the whole automotive industry. They have experience and resources from five continents across the globe, thus when any variable changes in the market they can gather information and resources from all over the world to address any issues. For instance, if the price of the aluminum required to make engine blocks goes up in Kenya, Tata has the option to get the aluminum from other suppliers in Europe or Asia who they would normally get from for production in Ukraine or Russia. Tata Motors also has to pay close attention to shifts in currency rates throughout the world. Currency fluctuations can equate to higher or lower de mands for Tata vehicles which in turn affect profitability. It can also mean a rise in costs or a drop in returns. But they also have to pay attention to not just the domestic currency, the rupee, but also to the dollar, euro, bhat, won, and pound, to just name a few. Just because the rupee is strong against the dollar does not mean it is strong against all the other currencies. Attention to currency is important because it influences where capital investment will develop and prosper. Social Undoubtedly, the beliefs, opinions, and general attitude of all the stakeholders in a company will affect how well a company performs. This includes every stakeholder from the CEO and President, down to the line workers who screw the door panel into place, from the investor to the customer, the culture and attitude of all these people will ultimately determine the future of a company and whether they will be profitable or not. For this reason, Tata Motors tends to use an integration and rarely separation technique with foreign companies they acquire. In 2004, Tata Motors acquired Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company, which was at the time Koreas second largest truck maker. Rather than using de-culturation or assimilating Daewoo, Tata took an integrated approach, and continued building and marketing Daewoos current models as well as introducing a few new models globally just as it had been done under Korean management. Technology Tata Motors and its parent company, the Tata Group, are ahead of the game in the technology field. The foundation of the companys growth is a deep understanding of economic stimuli and customer needs, and the ability to translate them into customer-desired offerings through leading edge RD (Tata). Employing 1,400 scientists and engineers, Tata Motors Research and Development team is ahead of the pack in Indias market and right with the rest of the field internationally. Among Tatas firsts are the first indigenously developed Light Commercial Vehicle, Indias first Sports Utility Vehicle and, in 1998, the Tata Indica, Indias first fully indigenous passenger car, as well as the increasingly famous Tata Nano, which is projected to be the worlds cheapest production car (Tata). In the automotive industry, it is becoming increasingly crucial for manufacturers to stay on top of the technology curve with new problems always rising such as escalating gas prices and pollution problems. Tata rec ognizes this and dedicates lots of resources and time into research and development to be even with or preferably ahead of other competitors, global trends, and changing economies. In all, an automobile manufacturer must change, adapt, and evolve to stay competitive in the automotive game, and this is exactly what Tata is doing with their rapid growth, and extensive research and development. SWOT Analysis Strengths Tata Motors excels when it comes to innovation through intensive research and development. Their ability to make the least expensive car on the market, the Nano which will retail for $2,500, is far beyond what any other car dealership has created. This innovation gives Tata Motors their main competitive advantage. Tata Motors makes everything from tractor-trailers to the worlds least expensive car. This product diversity grants them a competitive advantage over their competitors because they can satisfy more markets and customer needs. Another strength that Tata Motors possesses is high corporate responsibility. They donate a portion of their profits from stock increases towards a specific charity. This highlights Tata Motors overall desire for community improvement while also emphasizing Tata Motors high morals and values which is something money can not buy. Tata Motors is unique in a way in which when it buys a company. Tata Motors keeps the original management of that company int act. The company that Tata Motors purchases will look exactly the same in terms of management and organizational structure as if it was never purchased by Tata Motors. Weaknesses There are strings attached with every new invention and improvement on products. These strings are Tata Motors weaknesses and what other groups perceive as their weaknesses. One weakness that Tata Motors faces is its inability to meet safety standards. Although they have made the most inexpensive car out on the market, it has yet to pass all the safety standards which is a legal factor. Some consumers and pessimists inquire as to how Tata Motors can make such a cheap car and withstanding a car accident or not just falling apart after hitting something once. Pessimistic people also want to believe that car manufactures are already doing everything they can to keep costs low for the consumer, and if that is the case, then putting the cheapest car out on the market automatically questions if it is safe to drive.Tata Motors only have been making passenger cars for the approximately last ten years. This can be viewed as a weakness from a customer standpoint since a decade does not seem li ke a lot to consumers and therefore they will think that Tata Motors is inexperienced car manufacturing. Opportunities Tata Motors has already opened the doors for many new and innovative ideas, but not only for their company, but their competitors as well which could turn into a threat. One of the major opportunities that Tata Motor faces is that as of right now 90 percent of China and Indias adult population do not own cars, partly because cars are costly and require more expenses after purchased. So the market for a low-priced car is huge which benefits Tata Motors perfectly since they produce the lowest priced car on the market. This is a huge opportunity for Tata Motors because if they can get their feet into that market of people that do not have cars because they cannot afford them, then they will make large profits down the road. Chinas total car sales are estimated at over 8 million dollars annually and they were the worlds second largest car market in 2006. Chinas government forecasts that demand for cars will top 20 million by 2020. With Tata Motors in the market with the cheapest car, Chinas demand for cars will probably increase even more significantly which will in turn increase sales for Tata Motors. As of March 2008 Tata Motors finalized a deal with Ford Motor Company to acquire the British businesses, Jaguar Cars and Land Rover. This is a huge opportunity for Tata Motors since they will acquire the large knowledge base and technologies for producing and marketing luxury vehicles. This acquisition helps them dive into the more mature markets in Japan, Europe and the U.S. The knowledge transfer from these two companies will greatly improve Tata Motors ability to continue to grow and flourish in both developing and developed market segments. Threats The obvious threat to Tata Motors is intellectual property rights. Tata invented the cheapest car on the market and every automobile manufacturer wants to know how Tata did it. Headhunters are soon going to find out this valuable information and make it available to their own company. This is a huge threat to Tata Motors because at first they had low competition, but once other car manufactures find out how they invented such a low cost car, and then these companies too will jump on board and design their own line of low cost automobiles. On one hand this can be a threat, but on the other it may not affect Tata Motors at all because people will still want to purchase their product since they were the pioneers of all the excitement. Another main concern that Tata Motors faces is that cheap cars in India will have an adverse effect on pollution and global warming because most of the population will be able to afford the cars.

Customers Satisfaction Services

Customers Satisfaction Services INTRODUCTION Organizations have been increasingly interested in retaining existing customers while targeting non-customers; measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace. Customer satisfaction is an ambiguous and abstract concept and the actual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other options the customer may have and other products against which the customer can compare the organizations products. Because satisfaction is basically a psychological state, care should be taken in the effort of quantitative measurement, although a large quantity of research in this area has recently been developed. Work done by Berry, Brodeur between 1990 and 1998(1) defined ten Quality Values which influence satisfaction behavior, further expanded by Berry in 2002 and known as the ten domains of satisfaction. These ten domains of satisfaction include: Quality, Value, Timeliness, Efficiency, Ease of Access, Environment, Inter-departmental Teamwork, Front line Service Behaviors, Commitment to the Customer and Innovation. These factors are emphasized for continuous improvement and organizational change measurement and are most often utilized to develop the architecture for satisfaction measurement as an integrated model. Work done by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry between 1985 and 1988 provides the basis for the measurement of customer satisfaction with a service by using the gap between the custom ers expectation of performance and their perceived experience of performance. This provides the measurer with a satisfaction gap which is objective and quantitative in nature. Work done by Cronin and Taylor propose the confirmation/disconfirmation theory of combining the gap described by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry as two different measures (perception and expectation of performance) into a single measurement of performance according to expectation. According to Garbrand, customer satisfaction equals perception of performance divided by expectation of performance. The usual measures of customer satisfaction involve a survey (2) with a set of statements using a Likert Technique or scale. The customer is asked to evaluate each statement and in term of their perception and expectation of the performance of the organisation being measured. To efficiently deal with customer satisfaction, coordination of all departments of a company, from the marketing to the human resources, operations and financial departments is not only critical, but they should also be involved in the process. The aim of this report is to reflect on the customer satisfaction in all the processes and operations at the NIKE, Inc. The focus will be on the numerous systems and activities set up by the company to meet overall customer satisfaction. However, it would be of great relevance to firstly investigate who is a customer in general and what is the nature of customer service. A literature review on customer satisfaction and an assessment of the business environment will then follow. Secondly, an analysis of customer satisfaction through the various processes and systems established at the NIKE, Inc. will be undertaken. In a third chapter, an evaluation of customer satisfaction at the BMW Group in relation to the theories will be carried out. Finally, a conclusion and recommendations will follow. Company Background Nikes Heritage NIKE, pronounced NI-KEY, is the winged goddess of victory according to Greek mythology. She sat at the side of Zeus, the ruler of the Olympic pantheon, in Olympus. A mystical presence, symbolizing victorious encounters, NIKE presided over historys earliest battlefields. A Greek would say, When we go to battle and win, we say it is NIKE. Synonymous with honored conquest, NIKE is the twentieth century footwear that lifts the worlds greatest athletes to new levels of mastery and achievement. The NIKE swoosh embodies the spirit of the winged goddess who inspired the most courageous and chivalrous warriors at the dawn of civilization. (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996) The Swoosh The SWOOSH logo is a graphic design created by Caroline Davidson in 1971. It represents the wing of the Greek Goddess NIKE. Caroline Davidson was a student at Portland State University in advertising. She met Phil Knight while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing some freelance work for his company. Phil Knight asked Caroline to design a logo that could be placed on the side of a shoe. She handed him the SWOOSH, he handed her $35.00. In spring of 1972, the first shoe with the NIKE SWOOSH was introduced. (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996) History Nike was founded in the year of 1968 by Philip H. Knight, who is currently the Owner, Chairman, and CEO of the company.   Phil Knight completed his education from the University of Oregon and the Stanford Business School by 1962, (Moore, 128).   As an aspiring young business man, he decided to travel to Japan and speak to the president of Tiger shoes.   He presented himself as an American distributor of athletic equipment when he actually had nothing.   He was pretty sneaky, however, he got what he wanted and began selling running shoes under the name of Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). Once he became bored with selling shoes at sporting events from the back of his truck, he began producing his own athletic apparel, (nike/history.htm).   He renamed his so-called company Nike and hoped for the best to happen.   Within the first year, he sold $8000.00 worth of shoes and only received a $250.00 profit, (nike/history.htm).   After some time, Knight turned to his old coach from sch ool, Bill Bowerman, for advice on what to do next.   Phil Knight wanted Nike to stand out above the rest.   Once Bill Bowerman came up with the idea for having traction on the bottom of shoes, Nike had finally made its mark, (nike/history.htm).   The Nike Waffle Trainer stood out and made Nike the most unique shoe company of the 1970s.    By the year of 1979, Nike was the most well-known shoe company in the world.   They no longer just sold shoes but sporting equipment as well.   However, the joy of being on top came crashing down when Reebok surpassed Nike with the aerobic phase in athletics.   In order to maintain the reputation of Nike, the worlds best shoe corporation, Nike struck back by diversifying their shoes for different kinds of sports activities.   Nike continued to rise in success throughout its prosperity by signing famous sports players ( ex. Michael Jordan) and using intelligent advertising tactics, (nike/history.htm).   Today, Nike is a four billio n dollar business that has had its ups and downs.   As of now, Nike is having difficulties with the publicity it is receiving about its labor practices in China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Chapter 1: Theoretical aspects of customer satisfaction 1. The concept of customer in general A customer refers to individuals or households that purchase goods and services generated within the economy. The word historically derives from custom, meaning habit; a customer was someone who frequented a particular shop, who made it a habit to purchase goods there, and with whom the shopkeeper had to maintain a relationship to keep his or her custom, meaning expected purchases in the future. Customer needs may be defined as the goods or services a customer requires to achieve specific goals. Different needs are of varying importance to the customer. Customer expectations are influenced by cultural values, advertising, marketing, and other communications, both with the supplier and with other sources. Both customer needs and expectations may be determined through interviews, surveys, conversations, data mining or other methods of collecting information. Customers at times do not have a clear understanding of their needs. Assisting in determining needs can be a valuable service to the customer. In the process, expectations may be set or adjusted to correspond to known product capabilities or service. 1.1 Customer Service Customers are the essential to the business. Basically, the business makes profit from the product sales, so it depends how many customers purchase the companys products. Recently, most of firms are not only to focus their products decoration and price, but also pay attention to the those customer whom buy the products. For instance: listen with understanding, ask questions, apologize, take fair and corrective action and remain courteous to the customers.The profit of a business increase markedly the more loyal, long-standing customers it has. Therefore, it is crucial to provide an excellent service to attract and keep the customer. To begin with, a customer who is a person or business buying goods or services from another. And the customer service is helping and supporting the customer before, during and after they purchase the product. Normally, the customers can be broken into to two types categories: external and internal. External customers are who buy goods or services that are not employed by or combined with the business selling the goods or providing the service. Internal customers which means the people within an organization to whom work is passed or to whim a service provided. The four basic aims for the customers are, what they want, when they want, where there want it and what price they willing to pay. Nowadays, the customers service is quite important to a firm, because of the following reasons. First one is to make the business profitable; of course, it is most important principle to a firm. The second reason, it is differentiation with other competitors. In a market, may be have many of firms produce the products almost the same style, same quality and same price. Hence, the customers might depends the which firms can be provided good service, and this can be helped them to make a decision to buy which brand of product. Beside that above two reasons, if the company provides the excellent services to the customer, who will come back. This is the key for a firm to live longer in a competition market. How many customers will do â€Å"repeat business† with company according to how better services they can obtain. Lastly, as the similar reason with second one, which is increasing competition in the market. Especially, currently most of Mutil-company joining into the domestic e conomic, therefore, the firms really needs to keep their good customer service that not going to be eliminated by the market. Customer services are so crucial to any company, hence, there have some ways that to provide an excellent customer service. First of all, responding any questions from customers. Whatever from the customer calls, E-mail and letters. Customers have higher requirement of response time. If the customer will not be answered quickly, they may think that they are not important and have been ignored; and start to move to other company. One example, like UGR company, we have three groups each week and many sales people to do the same job, which is responding the customers E-mails or letters. However, due to the improper manage, lots of letters and E-mails response to one customer too many times, in contrast, other customers have been ignored. As a result, the company will lose the business with those customers. Secondly, understanding the customers need, such as satisfy customers emotional satisfaction. There are 4 main points that the enterprise should achieve to satisfy customers emotional needs. Fist one is making the customers feel to be understood. This depends on the communication between the company and clients, like a good listener, it lets the customer feel nothing is hindering between their and the company. The second one is to feel welcome. They like to feel that you are happy to see them and that they are important to you. Welcome delivery the image about that the company is happy to see them to the customer. Then the customers need to feel to be important. Ensuring that every customer feels that they are attached importance. To feel important can increase the goods that are consumed by every customer, because they feel the company respects them. Finally, the company should supply a comfort environment to the customer, such as good decoration, a nice music, some soft seats to si t and cup of drinks. All of these images not only make the customers have a happy mood, but also give them a feeling of that the company can take care them properly. To be a great people is other point. For example, speak to people, smile, be friendly and helpful, call people by name, enjoy yourself, be genuine ,be considerate, be thoughtful, be willing and be generous. Sometimes, I do not want to buy something from shop, however, the staffs make me feel they are polite and have a beautiful smile. Therefore, I change my mind to buy something. The other point is listening and communication with your workers. A good leader who is always concerns their employees thinking. Workers to understand that their own well-being is affected by providing good customer service. For example, I had a part-time job before, which is selling the earrings and necklaces. In the first few weeks, my boss just told me try to sell them as much as you can, but she did not taught me how to do. Later, I told her I do not how to describe the feature about each style and she taught me how to say, at the end, I sold many products. Hence, the communication is quite important between the boss and work. Lastly, the enterprise attempts to reducing high product in order to reduce the loss in the business. The enterprise needs concern the household in the whole economy. Most of people cannot afford the high price. Therefore, for the firms might be lost some customers that affect the profit into the business. For instance, if I am going to buy a laptop, the first thing I see the price then its function. I think not too many people can afford high price whether it has high-tech. So, the company might be lost that kind of customer who really cares about the price. In conclusion, the keys of keep a high customer loyalty is to provide the service that could satisfy the customers wants, needs and use proper attitude. However, it is the most important to understand that to deliver the excellent service makes more profit to the business. 1.2. SWOT and PEST analyses of the business environment 1.2.1. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis summarizes the key issues from an analysis of the business environment and the strategic capability of an organization. The main objectives of conducting SWOT analysis is to identify the extent to which the current strategy of an organization and its more specific strength and weaknesses are relevant to, and capable of, dealing with the changes taking place in the business environment. It also uses to assess whether there are opportunities to exploit further the unique resources or core competence of organization. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths Strengths are internal characteristic that has the potential of improving the organizations competitive situation. Every organization has some strength. A strength could be: * A new product or service * New machinery or equipment. * Strong market share. * Strong financial. * Specialist Hardware and Software expertise. Weaknesses Weaknesses are an internal characteristics that leaves the organization potentially vulnerable to strategic moves by competitors. Every organization also has some weakness. A weakness could be: * Poor reputation. * Lack of marketing strategies. * Location of the business in respect of the market-place. * Poor after-sales service record. Opportunities Opportunities are an environment situation that offers significant prospects for improving an organizations situation relative to competitors. All organizations have some opportunities that they can gain from. These could range from diversification to sale of operations. An opportunity could be: * A new or developing market. * Possibility of purchasing an effective competitor. * Government grants offered for new market development. The possibility of cheaper raw materials. Threats Threats are an environment situation that offers significant prospects for undermining an organizations competitive situation. No organization is exceptional to threats. These could be internal, such as falling productivity. Or they could be external, such as lower priced international competition. A threat could be: * Competitors developing new products or services. * Extra competitors in the main market area. * High bargaining power of suppliers. * Taxation is introduced on the products or services 1.2.2. PEST Analysis A PEST analysis, as defined by David Lines et al is Political, Economical, Social and Technological analysis, a means of analysing the external factors that may present opportunities or threats to a business.'(David Lines et al, 2004:p212 ). It is also known as PESTEL analysis when Environmental and Legal factors are included. It is used to identify external factors which may affect a company. (http://www.marketing-intelligence.co.uk/help/QA/question24.htm) The political factors PEST looks at include government stability, taxation policy, foreign trade regulations and social welfare policies. Foreign trade regulations in particular are important for an organisation planning on opening up in a different country or trading with a different country as their laws may differ from those the organisation already employs. Economical factors include business cycles, interest rates, money supply, inflation, unemployment and disposable income. An organisation planning on breaking into a new market would be well advised to look at the economical factors that may affect their proposed business plans, such as market trends and consumer patterns. Sociocultural factors, such as population demographics, social mobility, lifestyle changes, consumerism and levels of education, should also be monitored closely, and example being the tobacco industry. With people becoming more health conscious and with social pressures on smokers growing in western countries the sales of tobacco have been adversely affected in this market. Anti smoking campaigns, restrictions on advertising and packaging and the banning of smoking in most public places, as well as heavy taxes and court cases, have led tobacco companies to concentrate their marketing efforts mainly on the developing world.(Gerry Johnson and Kevan Scholes, 2002) Technological factors include new discoveries, speed of technological transfer, government spending on research and rates of obsolescence. These are important factors to watch, especially for people in the hi-technology industry which changes constantly. For example in the mobile phones industry new models with bigger memory, new extras and applications and other technological advances have replaced the original mobile. A mobile phone is no longer just a mobile phone but a computer, diary, calendar, and in some cases office. With new models coming out almost every month it is important the mobile phone companies keep up with current trends to ensure their mobiles do not become obsolete. 1.3. Service/ Product quality In its broadest sense, quality is a degree of excellence: the extent to which something is fit for its purpose. In the narrow sense, product or service quality is defined as conformance with requirement, freedom from defects or contamination, or simply a degree of customer satisfaction. In quality management, quality is defined as the totality of characteristics of a product or service that bears on its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs. Quality is also rapidly embracing the nature or degree of impact an organisation has on its stakeholders, environment and society. Meeting requirements Specifications are an imprecise means of conveying subjective aspects not everything can be reduced to figures or measurable characteristics. For instance, the characteristics of friendliness or courtesy in a service industry are difficult to measure reliably and repeatedly. Therefore, conformance to requirements is not necessarily all there is to achieving quality. Quality is a result Quality is the result of a comparison between what was required and what was provided. It is judged not by the producer but by the receiver. The judgement can be made of an intention, as is the case when selecting suppliers, or an output, as is the case when purchasing a product or service. Customer satisfaction The only true measure of acceptable quality is customer satisfaction, which takes into account both objective and subjective interpretations of the needs and expectations of customers. If customers are satisfied with the products and services offered, the organisation has not only correctly interpreted customer needs and expectations but it is also providing products and services of acceptable quality. Changing customer perceptions Customer needs and expectations are constantly changing. Awareness of new technology, legislation, problems, competitor products or services creates new wants for customers. Wants turn into demands when these customers begin their next purchase. Therefore, it is vital for organisations to constantly improve quality so that satisfied customers are retained as well as created. Quality and value Value is not a price tag but a measure of the benefits derived from a product or service for what is given in return. A product may well meet physical and functional requirements but be overpriced when compared to others of the same class and grade. Alternatively, the same product may be on offer at another store for 50 per cent less, indicating exceedingly good value for money. In an effort to reduce costs, some organisations have forgotten that it is the quality of the complete transaction that counts. Getting product quality right while ignoring the human relationship between customer and supplier will not lead to satisfied customers. What quality is not? Quality is not perfection, a standard, a procedure, a measure or an adjective. No amount of inspection changes the quality of a product or service. Quality does not exist in isolation there has to be an entity, the quality of which is being discussed. Quality is not a specific characteristic of an entity but the extent to which that characteristic meets certain needs. The value of the characteristic is unimportant it is how its value compares with customer needs that signifies its quality. Why should an organisation be interested in quality? Every business exists not to make a profit, as many would have us believe, but to create and retain satisfied customers. A business would have no profits if it failed to create and retain satisfied customers. Providing products and services which meet customer needs and expectations creates satisfied customers. Anticipating future needs and expectations retains satisfied customers. Therefore, quality is vital to the survival of every enterprise. What does quality apply to? Every product, service, process, task, action, decision can either be acceptable or unacceptable. Hence, there is an intrinsic quality in everything that an organisation does. Everyone must pay attention to quality, from the chief executive to the shopfloor across all functions in an enterprise. It is as important for support staff to pay attention to quality as production staff. Who is responsible for quality? One can only be responsible for doing something relative to quality. Hence a person can be responsible for: specifying quality requirements achieving quality requirements determining the quality of something Assigning responsibility means giving a person the right to cause things to happen and with this right should be delegated the authority to control the processes which deliver the output the quality of which the person is responsible for. One manager cannot be made responsible for quality within an organisation unless that manager is the CEO. All a specialist manager such as a Quality Manager can do it is to enable others to achieve quality by providing encouragement, leadership, training, tools, techniques and performance data. However, it is important for someone in the business to give leadership and results on quality performance and this person needs special knowledge and skills. How can quality be achieved? Several methods have evolved to achieve, sustain and improve quality. They are known as quality control, quality improvement and quality assurance collectively known as quality management. Quality management is not the preserve of one manager but of all managers. Quality is achieved through a chain of processes, each of which has to be under control and subject to continual improvement. The chain starts with top management expressing a firm commitment to quality, then: establishing customer needs and expectations developing and maintaining a management system that will enable achievement of customer needs and expectations reliably, repeatedly and economically designing products and services with features which reflect customer needs building products and services so as to reproduce faithfully the design verifying before delivery that products and services possess the features required preventing the supply of products and services which possess features which dissatisfy customers discovering and eliminating undesirable features in products and services finding less expensive solutions to customer needs making operations more efficient and effective discovering what will delight customers and providing it most importantly, honouring commitments A variety of standards, philosophies, methodologies, tools, techniques and measures have been developed to help organisations meet these goals: management systems ISO 9000, ISO 14000, BS 8800, BS 7799 philosophies total quality management methodologies business process management, continual improvement tools and techniques process charts, failure mode and effects analysis, statistical process control, quality function deployment measures quality awards, best value, ISO 9000 and Investors in People All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording and/or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. This publication may not be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form, binding or cover other than that in which it is published without the prior consent of the publishers. 3. Literature review on customer satisfaction 3.1. What is customer satisfaction? Customer satisfaction is the provision of goods or services which fulfil the customers expectations in terms of quality and service, in relation to price paid. Customer satisfaction can help the businesses achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. It is about understanding the way a customer feels after purchasing a product or service and, in particular, whether or not that product or service met the customers expectations. Customers primarily form their expectations through past purchasing experiences, word-of-mouth from family, friends and colleagues and information delivered through marketing activities, such as advertising or public relations. If the customers expectation is not met, they will be dissatisfied and it is very likely they will tell others about their experience. Why customer satisfaction is important? The organisations should not underestimate the value of customer satisfaction. It is becoming an important area of competition. A high level of satisfaction can deliver many benefits, including: -Loyalty: a highly satisfied customer is a loyal customer. -Repeat purchase: a highly satisfied customer buys more products. -Referrals: a highly satisfied customer tells their family and friends about the product or service. -Retention: a highly satisfied customer is less likely to switch brands. -Reduced costs: a highly satisfied customer costs less to serve than a new customer. -Premium prices: a highly satisfied customer is willing to pay more for the product or service. Not happy Jan Monitoring customer satisfaction is important because we are much more likely to tell our friends and family about a bad experience with a product or service than a good experience. The introduction of blogs and websites such as www.notgoodenough.com.au has provided customers with an excellent platform to spread the bad word about a product or service to thousands of people. And theres always the threat of negative publicity generated from current affairs programs or other media outlets. Dont learn the lesson about customer satisfaction the hard way! Customer satisfaction research Satisfaction surveys are an important method for collecting information about how the customers think and feel about the organisations brand, product or service. A satisfaction survey can help the organisations to understand the expectations of their customers, determine whether the customers believe they are meeting those expectations, identify new customer requirements or trends in the market and determine what areas of the organisations business need investment. A good customer satisfaction survey will also help the organisations to understand the causes of dissatisfaction among their customers. Once the organisations have identified these issues, they will be able to implement new practices to improve customer satisfaction. Many businesses systematically measure customer satisfaction through independent surveys, feedback forms, mystery shopping and focus groups. Some third party surveys also compare the customer satisfaction of major competitors, which allows companies to benchmark themselves in their relevant sector. Measuring customer satisfaction doesnt have to be expensive. It can be as simple as preparing a short feedback form or conducting a brief telephone interview that asks the customer to rate the product or service on a number of criteria. Indicators of customer satisfaction An important indicator of customer satisfaction is the customer retention rate. To calculate the customer retention rate, the organisations will need to capture data about the total number of customers and the number of customers switching brands. If they track this information ove

Penelopes Recognition of Odysseus as a Beggar Essay -- World Literatu

In Homer's epic The Odyssey, Odysseus returns to the island of Ithaka disguised as a beggar. He reveals his real identity to his son, Telemakhos, as well as a few others who he would need to help kill the suitors. However, Odysseus does not reveal himself to his wife, Penelope. She recognizes the beggar as her long lost husband and chooses not to unveil his true identity. Penelope does this because she realized that her husband would be in danger, in his current surroundings, if she was to reveal who he really was. Therefore she acts as if she does not know the beggar is Odysseus. However, it is portrayed subtly in the book that she does indeed know that the beggar is her husband. The very first piece of evidence Homer provides that Odysseus would be recognized by his family, is when the old dog recognizes who he was. The dog had been around since Odysseus had set sail on his epic journey. This makes the dog extremely old, and yet it still is able to recognize Odysseus' voice. The fact that the dog recognizes him in disguise so easily foreshadows Penelope's recognition of Odysseus as a beggar. Upon hearing of the travels of the beggar, Penelope is very interested to question him as to whether he has ever crossed paths with her husband Odysseus. The story that Odysseus tells her is for the most part untrue. However, he does give specific details as to what clothes he had worn, so that Penelope would believe that the story was truthful. The beggar then goes on to tell her that Odysseus is coming back to Ithaka in the very near future. It is at this point that Penelope first thought that the beggar could actually be her husband Odysseus, as she was overcome with emotions, and began to cry. From this point on ... ...at if he was not revealing himself to her that there was a good reason for it. Since she knew this, she went along with his act and did not give him away. On numerous occasions she makes comments that would lead one to think that she doesn't know the identity of the beggar, but it is merely the fact that she is highly intelligent and is able to hide what she knows very well. Through all of these examples, it is obvious that Penelope recognized Odysseus to some extent in the beginning, and throughout his time posing as a beggar she became more convinced of his identity. She hides this knowledge only to protect herself and her husband. Their interactions, though subtle to the naked eye, upon closer examination reveal that she did in fact recognize her husband as the beggar. Works Cited Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1996.

Gender Equity in Math and Science Essay -- Essays Papers

Gender Equity in Math and Science From the research I have read while there is a disagreement on when and how much of a gender gap exists in math and science, there is definitely an equity issue that needs addressing. There seems to be an abundance of information about equity issues and as a future teacher I feel that it is important to examine these issues. If gender equity issues exist in today's’ classrooms why do they and what can be done to help correct it. Everything I've read so far states that a gender gap exists in science, while opinions about math vary. I found a paper on the Internet from the National Center for Education Statistics called â€Å"Trends In Educational Equity of Girls & Women.† Using information from NAEP this source states that between 1973 and 1994 academic achievement of females in math was about equal to males (NCES, 2000). The NCES report states that females and males take similarly challenging academic courses (2000). Baker (2001) however writes that research shows that there is a slight female superiority in elementary school and middle school and a moderate male superiority in high school in math and science. Baker (2001) researched gender equity in gifted elementary students in grades 4 and 6. After his study he concluded that â€Å"gender had a significant effect on the performance of high performing students in grades 4 and 6† (Baker, p.134). Baker reported a slight female super iority in relation to performance in the area of math computation which is consistent with other studies he has read, but Baker found that males were superior in the understanding of math concepts and applications which is inconsistent with previous findings (2001). From reading our textbook the... .... Science Education, 84, 180-192. Kahle, J., and Lakes, M. (1983). The Myth of Equality in Science Classrooms. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20, 131-140. National Center for Education Statistics. (2000). Trends in Educational Equity of Girls & Women. Retrieved March 16, 2001 on the World Wide Web: http://nces.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pud=2000030. Sadker, M., Sadker, D., and Stulberg, M. (1993, March). Fair and Square? Creating a Nonsexist Classroom. Instructor, 44-46, 67-68. Sanders, J. (1997). Teacher Education and Gender Equity. (Eric Document No. ED408277). World Wide Web: http://ericir.syr.edu/plweb-cgi/obtain.pl. Retrieved March 16, 2001. Reys, R., Lindquist, M. Lambdin, D., Smith, N., and Suydam, M. (2001). Helping Children Learn Mathematics. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Leaders Are Made

The question was asked in our class discussion this week, â€Å"Are leaders born or made? † This is one of the most often asked questions about leadership. People have varying opinions on this subject. My opinion is that leaders are made. To lead people effectively is a very complex undertaking. No one is born with the necessary tools to be a good leader. I choose to believe that leaders are made, not born, because I want to believe that I can develop into a good leader even though I was not Ron with certain traits.Our lecture last night focused on some traits normally associated with good leaders: energy, stress management, self-confidence, tenaciousness, social intelligence, and integrity. Some of these traits can be used to describe me but there are a few in which I need further development. Leaders are successful for many different reasons, but most importantly is an ability to connect with people. Great connections are energetic. It is important for a leader to exude posi tive energy because the leader sets the tone for the entire organization.Employees have to feel committed to the vision for future success. They have to feel motivated, energize. I know that I have the ability to be energetic in the workplace as a potential leader. Vive been energy- deficient in my current position, probably because my supervisor has not connected with me nor does he exude any positive energy. I am grateful for this experience because it has taught me first-hand how damaging a leader with no energy can be to an employee's morale. The ability to manage stress and self-confidence go hand-in-hand in my opinion.There may be days where the future of your company is worrisome and things aren't going according to plan. It is important, as a leader, not to panic. Part of your Job is to put out fires and maintain team morale. As a leader, staying calm and confident will help keep the team feeling the same. The team will take its cues from the leader. I have never lacked self -confidence. Stress management, however, is a trait in which I need further development. A leader should be tenacious.There is a tendency sometimes for an employee to ant to â€Å"give up† when the going gets tough. Not a leader! The leader should know the special abilities each team member brings to the table. He has to be able to harness those abilities and bring them to the fore-front so that each team member can reach his full potential. Tenacious leaders grab hold of an idea and refuse to let it go until they reach their goal. It is important to model this behavior to set the proper example. Social intelligence is another necessary ingredient to good leadership.It is critical o be able to understand others so that you can know how to influence them. Being empathetic, tactful, diplomatic, and persuasive are important aspects of social intelligence. I want to be able to empower others by being a strong motivator and a good listener. These are traits that I possess but ther e is definitely room for improvement and refinement. There are people who are respected and worth listening to. This respect is earned by being a person of integrity. Employees seek to follow leaders who are honest and who honor their commitments.I will strive to be fair, honest, candid, and to treat everyone how I would want to be treated. If I am able to exemplify these behaviors I will earn the respect of my employees and colleagues. The encouraging thing is that I feel like I possess or could potentially possess all of these traits. Becoming a good leader is a learning process. I'm encouraged by the notion that leaders are made. This is a great training ground to learn the behaviors off good leader. I am committed to learning how to apply these concepts to my everyday thinking.

Dracula Queer Theory

The existence of alien and intolerable behavior generates fear into society’s mentality of the expected conduct. But does the ‘queer’ lurk under the bed? Or is it a part of all of us? The classic text â€Å"Dracula†, written by Bram Stoker, is valuable in understanding the course of society in its exploration of tabooed acts and mentalities, supported by the â€Å"Queer Theory† prevalent in the mid 1900’s. Although the queer theory describes the author’s subconscious drive for homosexual and feministic expression, Stoker’s stand point, however, is to highlight society’s vulnerability caused by their oppression of individuality and lack of conformity. Through this text we have been able to understand the flaws in a conformist society where individuality and the â€Å"different† are oppressed. Each community has their own particular morals and ethics, and when the actions of the different penetrates and ‘influences’ these expectations, those in power result to force in order to restore the original values that were compromised. Stoker’s warning of the supernatural feared the people of his century, anyone who appeared or acted ‘differently’ to what was expected, as represented through the characters in Dracula. It has been rumored that Dracula extends the element of the â€Å"Queer Theory† to a whole distinct level. Through analysis of Dracula’s behaviors, it is questioned whether or not Dracula indeed was queer himself. Besides the supernatural and gothic abilities that he encompassed, Dracula showed evidence of homosexuality. When the Count saw my face, his eyes blazed in some sort of demonic fury† (Page 33), is evident of the desire for blood, which according to the ‘Queer Theory’ symbolizes his confused sexual desire for men. Dracula thus represents the disturbance in masculinity, as he enters his femininity; a further demonstration of the 1900’s ‘Queer Theory. ’ Therefore it can be argued that Dracula is valued by the social outcas ts of modern society as it gives hope to those who choose the express their individuality. Unusual behaviors are often intolerably indicated within a society that has strict expectations and values. Stoker’s upbringing revolved around women who were independent in their own ways, however societies expectations disallowed this aspect of humanity as men where thought to be the masculine and dominant figure. The queer theory suggests that Bram Stoker concealed his â€Å"mismatch of gender roles, sex and desires† (Judith Butler, 1994) due to the clashes of his personal upbringing with society’s expectations. Women being the submissive and weak figures reflected through the words of Stoker as he portrayed this bewilderedness through Dracula who himself becomes weak at any sense of unassertive or dominant sex. Dracula’s confusion is evident as he seduces the ‘devoted’ Lucy where he demonstrates the authoritative paternal figure yet. However, when he portrays his desire and possession of Jonathan, claiming â€Å"he belongs to [him]† (Page 46), he symbolizes the feminine teenage girl who has a fascination with the opposite sex.