Applying the Doctrines of Entrapment and Outrageous Government Conduct Essay

Applying the Doctrines of Entrapment and Outrageous Government Conduct - Essay Example The need to balance the demands of law and order, on the one hand, and the rights of the accused to due process on the other, is the central dilemma that undergirds the debate. Fortunately, there are cases where the facts are of such clarity that it is not difficult to come up with a ruling that can be justified by both jurisprudence and the principles of the Constitution. It is respectfully submitted that this case is one of them. Based on the facts of the case, there is enough legal basis to rule in favor of the accused and grant his acquittal on the basis of the defense of â€Å"outrageous government conduct.† Outrageous government conduct The notion that behavior of state agents that â€Å"shocks the conscience† could constitute a violation of the right to due process of the accused and consequently, could secure the dismissal of the charges against him was first laid down in the case of Rochin v. California [342 us 165 (1952)]. In that particular case, the officers forcibly induced the accused to vomit capsules that they believed to be containing drugs. This decision served as the progenitor of the defense of â€Å"outrageous government conduct†, which essentially provides an extraordinary defense to the accused in a situation wherein the police had acted in an appalling, reprehensible manner that violated basic precepts of justice and decency. This was further refined in the case of United States v. Russell(1973):   "[W]e may someday be presented with a situation in which the conduct of law enforcement agents is so outrageous that due process principles would absolutely bar the government from invoking judicial processes to obtain a conviction (citing Rochin v. California, 342 U.S. 165. It must be underscored that only extremely exceptional cases should be considered here. A mere failure to disclose one’s role as an undercover informer does not come under the definition of outrageous conduct, as in the case of Hoffa v. United States [385 US 293 (1966)], nor does using an assumed name and identity in conducting at telephone transaction, as in the case of Lewis v. United States [385 US 206 (1966)]. In this case, while there is no showing that physical violence was employed against the accused, the behavior of the police officer Friday was equally egregious. He had practically forced the accused to commit the crime that he wanted him to commit, in a desperate attempt to have some output for his superiors who were expecting him to bust a drug ring. It must be noted that the criminal charges were for the possession of eight ounces of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute the same. The eight ounces of cocaine only came about because he forced the accused to get the other 4 ounces on credit, when the accused only wanted 4 ounces. But even more reprehensible is the use of Jane, who Friday knew to be someone that Bob had an eye for. The only reason that Bob was persuaded to proceed with the transaction was becaus e Friday deployed Jane to tell him that she would go home with him if he had the cocaine. It is even more reprehensible that Friday had engaged in sexual relations with this woman whilst undercover in his job, and using her to achieve his ends. This kind of behavior is truly galling and deserves reproach. Entrapment In truth, it may even be argued that the defense of entrapment is available to Bob. The Supreme Court makes a distinction between the defense of entrapment and the defense of outrageous government conduct, a distinction which was laid down in the case of Hampton v. United States [425 US 484 (1976]. The defense of entrapment employs a subjective standard, it means that for the defense to be available to the accused, he has to

Synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Synthesis - Essay Example Majority of the opinion from the analysts, authors, and interviewees, is that college is worth it. This paper will present all sides of the issue -- from yes, no, to â€Å"its complicated† in order to prove and defend the stand of the collective writers that college is definitely worth it. With most college students needing to work in order to stay in college, the financial trade off for the student and his parents does not seem to be fair. That is most likely the reason why there is a rush of articles in academic journals arguing about the validity of a college education. Is it worth going into debt for? Is there actually any value that can be set for the college education of a person? Is it truly worth the financial sacrifice to complete a college education? Or perhaps trade school would be best so that the student can immediately set out to work after graduation? These are the questions that three separate articles which were assigned reading in our class tried to answer based upon practical reasoning, historical data, and common sense. Once viewed collectively, the answer to the question being posed becomes quite clear, college is definitely worth it for those who can afford it. In the interview of Larry D. Singell, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of Indiana University, Jamsheed Chosky , professor of Central Eurasian Studies and History, and finally Richard Miller, professor of Religious Studies, the three important figures from Indiana University attempt to provide evidence as to why a college degree is worth the cost in an interview with Bruce Lilly. The main argument of the three university representatives centered around the cost of education and the difference between a completed liberal arts education as opposed to an education completed at a trade school. All three men, regardless of how they presented their opinion on the

Black Plague Essay Example for Free

Black Plague Essay A severe headache, the chills, a bad fever, swelling, lumps, exhaustion, and blood in your urine. What could possible cause these harsh symptoms? The Black Plague, also know as the Black Death or Bubonic Plague can. This disease killed thousands of people and left many devastated. In the 1500’s the Black Plague had a huge outbreak in England that killed over eighty-thousand people. The cause was not sure back then so victims could not take proper care and get the right medical treatment they needed. Random outbreaks would happen and there was no way to cure them. Once you were infected you had about two to six days until death. Many people died miserable deaths and others where left depressed. In the sixteen and seventeen centuries victims of the Black Plague would be sealed in their houses, which were locked and bolted from the outside. Nobody was allowed to enter the house and the victims were not allowed to leave it. Once the outbreak occurred, Plague pits, about twenty feet deep, were dug for the infected citizens. Thousands of people would be thrown into the pit each day to be burned and have their bodies disposed of so the infection wouldn’t spread even more. Many people lost their lives to this uncontrollable disease. There were many ways that the Black Plague was transmitted. It was carried by rodents such as rats and squirrels, but it was also transmitted to humans by fleas. Sometimes it was transmitted by direct contact through open sores or even an infected person’s breath. Cats, dogs and other animals were also common carriers of the Black Plague. When trade and war began, the Plague spread tremendously killing even more people than it already has. Getting infected by the Black Plague was not fun. Black spots would appear on the victims skin, which was were they got the name â€Å"the Black Death. † Early symptoms were a fever, the chills, a bad headache and extreme exhaustion. Following that came swollen glands, mainly in the armpits and groin areas. Finally you would become very ill and soon pass away. It was not just the people who lived in the towns who were at risk of catching the Plague. Elizabethan farmers and retailers of farm produce were in constant danger of getting the virus, which could affect their job. If they got it, it would spread to all of the animals making it very hard to survive. The Elizabethan era was a truly dangerous time. The Black Plague ruined many families and destroyed many lives. The Plague does still exist today but is not as common as it was in the Elizabethan era, and we have cures for it now. Many outbreaks occurred and many people lost their lives. It was a truly devastating point in history.

Effects On The Environment Essay Example for Free

Effects On The Environment Essay The human population is growing rapidly and is expected to continue to grow over the next 50 years, with that being said because of the growing population it means the earth and environment will have to grow/adapt with the ever growing population of humans. One part of adapting to the population will be to try and address the needs of humans such as food, energy and raw materials. It will be hard to keep continuing to get our food, energy and raw materials in the way we do now without possibly damaging the earths environment where it cannot be repaired; Pollution, deforestation, farming, over-fishing, and global warming will be the cause of the environment being damaged. Environmental Issues Recycling: recycling is not only about waste control; it is also part of the possible conservation of resources to repairing damage on the environment. Over the last few years there has been much talk about recycling and its impact however there is still a number of individuals who still do not know how recycling can help the environment. The earth has to work hard to produce and meet the needs of the growing population; people will need to work to preserve the resources the earth has in order to ensure that the environment as we know will still be around for future populations. One problem of recycling practices is the limited emphasis put on practicing concepts of salvage and reuse. This is a society that is actively progressive and without certain information or statistics to grab the attention of society then all the concepts and information provided will fall on deaf ears. It is important for the population to start embracing these concepts otherwise Earth will be uninhabitable in the future. The emphasis of recycling is not being talked about enough, and neither is an  alternative that is why earth’s ability for growth is being challenged by what many humans do on a daily basis. There are many ways in which humans can try to address many of the environmental issues. Forestry: stop cutting down trees or less of them, and those that have been cut down should be replaced with new planted ones. Fishing: ensuring that there is a limit of how much one can fish and catch this way the fish do not become extinct. Economic issues: there needs to be an improvement of human’s standards of living by trying to reduce carbon dioxide and any type of greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture: Start producing high yielding crop of good quality without the use of chemicals and fertilizers. Energy: Try replacing non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuel with renewable sources like solar, water and wind generation for use of energy instead. Fossil fuels affect the environment in ways that many are not aware of because many do not know what fossil fuels are; Fossil fuels are- gasoline, oil, coal, or natural gas. Whenever these forms of fuel are used or burned the environment is polluted with gases that are emitted into the earth’s atmosphere which causes harm to it. These fuels are used to run cars, trucks, heat homes, business and power factories. The majority of air pollutants are usually results of fossil fuel either in the home, or from industries which use internal combustion engines, what happens when they are in use is the smoke releases tiny particles of carbon in the air, it sits suspended in the air and can reduce the light at ground level and deposits of smoke particles, soot and ash can float preventing light, because of the effects of these gases have it is important to try and find other ways to obtain fuel. Many humans believe that there is much that can be done and many are not doing, those who are trying to spread the word will confront the problem of sustainability and will try to propose ideas to do it. The idea of sustainability is the main topic with regards to the future of the environment and earth.

The Magyars :: essays research papers fc

The Magyars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval Period in European History saw several waves of â€Å"barbarians† which helped shape the face of European society. The nomadic tribes of people that lived a migratory life, while other groups were founding civilizations with permanent living centers, are today referred to as barbarians. Two great empires, the Chinese and the Roman, ruled on the extreme edges of the enormous Eurasian continent and were separated by vast distances.1 The people that existed between the two empires and roamed the large wasteland were called â€Å"barbarians.†2 They did not have a permanent living center and therefore raided settled towns and cities for food and riches. Because of there roaming ways and raiding tactics, barbarians were feared and hated in the Medieval World. The word â€Å"barbarian† is presently associated with being backwards, uneducated, or indecent; in one word, uncivilized. These wandering people lived in family orientated groups called clans, which combined together to form a tribe. Tribes depended on one another for protection. Among these barbarian groups where a traveling people known as the Magyars. The Magyars had a major impact on the Carpathian Basin in Central Eastern Europe, and directly affected the picture of the European landscape that we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The magyars are a mysterious peoples whose origins and connections are highly debated among scholars and historians. The first place to begin when searching for origins, is the language. The Magyar language is a branch of the Finno-Ugrian family of languages, most nearly related to Finnish, although supplemented by numerous Turkic words.3 The language is very unique and their is no other like it in the world. Popular 2 belief places the origin of the people themselves somewhere in the Orient. The Old Magyar Fatherland was probably situated in the ancient Orient, which we call the Near-East, and played an important role in Mesopotamian lands.4 Linguistic evidence places the Magyars among the ancient Egyptians. Contemporary records speak of a Makari Queen5 from the XXth dynasty; between 1080-940 BC6 Egyptian Kings of the XIXth dynasty forced the Magyars out of Africa for good. From their the people dispersed, moved around the European landmass, including Hungary, and mixed with other peoples.7 Much of the Finno-Ugrian peoples mainly dispersed in the widespread region on the west side of the Ural Mountains.8 It was in this region that the Magyars were exposed to the Turks. Their language was enriched with Turkic elements while maintaining its basic Finno-Ugric characteristics. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the Magyars during this period because of their nomadic ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the end of the 5th century the Magyars had begun their southward migration The Magyars :: essays research papers fc The Magyars   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Medieval Period in European History saw several waves of â€Å"barbarians† which helped shape the face of European society. The nomadic tribes of people that lived a migratory life, while other groups were founding civilizations with permanent living centers, are today referred to as barbarians. Two great empires, the Chinese and the Roman, ruled on the extreme edges of the enormous Eurasian continent and were separated by vast distances.1 The people that existed between the two empires and roamed the large wasteland were called â€Å"barbarians.†2 They did not have a permanent living center and therefore raided settled towns and cities for food and riches. Because of there roaming ways and raiding tactics, barbarians were feared and hated in the Medieval World. The word â€Å"barbarian† is presently associated with being backwards, uneducated, or indecent; in one word, uncivilized. These wandering people lived in family orientated groups called clans, which combined together to form a tribe. Tribes depended on one another for protection. Among these barbarian groups where a traveling people known as the Magyars. The Magyars had a major impact on the Carpathian Basin in Central Eastern Europe, and directly affected the picture of the European landscape that we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The magyars are a mysterious peoples whose origins and connections are highly debated among scholars and historians. The first place to begin when searching for origins, is the language. The Magyar language is a branch of the Finno-Ugrian family of languages, most nearly related to Finnish, although supplemented by numerous Turkic words.3 The language is very unique and their is no other like it in the world. Popular 2 belief places the origin of the people themselves somewhere in the Orient. The Old Magyar Fatherland was probably situated in the ancient Orient, which we call the Near-East, and played an important role in Mesopotamian lands.4 Linguistic evidence places the Magyars among the ancient Egyptians. Contemporary records speak of a Makari Queen5 from the XXth dynasty; between 1080-940 BC6 Egyptian Kings of the XIXth dynasty forced the Magyars out of Africa for good. From their the people dispersed, moved around the European landmass, including Hungary, and mixed with other peoples.7 Much of the Finno-Ugrian peoples mainly dispersed in the widespread region on the west side of the Ural Mountains.8 It was in this region that the Magyars were exposed to the Turks. Their language was enriched with Turkic elements while maintaining its basic Finno-Ugric characteristics. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the Magyars during this period because of their nomadic ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the end of the 5th century the Magyars had begun their southward migration

Stanleys Control in A Streetcar Named Desire Essay -- Control A Stree

Stanley's Control in A Streetcar Named Desire Remember what Huey Long said – Every Man is a King! - Explain how Stanley had his control, how he has had his kingship challenged and how he is trying to re-establish his control. â€Å"Remember what Huey Long said – â€Å"Every Man is a King!† Explain how Stanley had his control, how he has had his kingship challenged and how he is trying to re-establish his control. In the opening of â€Å"A Street Car Named Desire† by Tennessee Williams, we are presented with a stereotypical presentation of a husband and wife. However, during the duration of the play, we see how Stanley changes from being in control, to loosing his control and using desperate measures to regain a higher status. In Scene 1 the impression the audience gets about Stanley is that he is in control over his wife. The first time the audience sees him, he â€Å"bellows† at Stella and Stella â€Å"mildly† talks back to him, showing Stanley’s higher status. Stanley also â€Å"hurls† a meaty package at Stella, showing his masculine power that he possesses. Stella, in contrast, is the one that waits for Stanley. The first time we see Stella and Stanley together, Stanley has gone to find Stella rather than the other way round. This gives the audience the impression that Stella is almost a stay at home wife to Stanley. When Blanche and Stanley first meet, it is easy to see that Stanley feels as if he has control. He â€Å"starts to remove his shirt† in front of Blanche when he has first met her, indicating his confidence and his high status attitude. A small indication that Stanley’s â€Å"kingship† is being challenged is show in the start of Scene 2. In Scene 2, Stella takes Blanche out to a show and supper, while Stanley has ... ... then chooses Stanley, leaving Blanche to be taken away by a Doctor to a mental hospital. In the beginning of the play it is clear to see how Stanley has higher status than Stella, shown through a combination of stage directions and speech. Stanley realises that his status has been lost fairly early on in the play, and firstly believes that he must show his masculine power by hitting Stella. This is obviously the way he has solved any previous issues to do with his masculinity, as Stella says about how â€Å"Stanley’s always smashed things†. Stanley realises how this usual solution won’t work this time, so he puts his efforts into driving Blanche away. He succeeds in doing this, but it shows the audience a terrible side to Stanley. His last action to regain masculinity is an awful act with risky consequences, as Stella could have easily turned against him.

Management of Field Construction Projects Essay -- Construction Manage

The objective of this report is to present and discuss the management of field construction projects. These projects involve a great deal of time and expense, so close control and management is paramount if they are to be completed within the established time and cost limitations. The term construction management is applied to the provision of professional management services to the owner of a construction project with the objective of achieving high quality with low costs. A specialist project manager organises, schedules, and controls the field work and is responsible for getting the project completed within the time and cost limitations. He acts as the focal point for all facets of the project and brings together the efforts of all organisations having input into the construction process. According to the Journal Your Pathway to qualifying in Project Management, RICS, July 2006. ‘Project Managers occupy a central role in driving successful completion of projects. Project Management is a thriving professional discipline much in demand throughout the world. Consequently, these chartered professionals can chose from a variety of potential employers including clients and consultants from both the public and private sectors with either commercial or not for profit aims. Typically, project managers will be appointed at the beginning of a project and will assist the client in developing the project brief and then selecting, appointing and co-ordinating the project team. He or She will then usually represent the client throughout the full development process managing the inputs from the client, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders.’ A key skill that every project manager should possess is being able to keep a proj... ...anager comes in as an enforcer. Subsequently if the client is looking to have more of an input in the construction and allow it to develop or mature over the course of the construction, a member of the design team will be employed to make the design changes either where necessary or where the client has had a change of heart. The member of the design team will also have the ability to ensure the contractor is fully aware of where all the design risks lie over the course of the construction. Works Cited 1. Latham, Michael (1994), Constructing the team 2. Egan, John (1998), Rethinking Construction 3. S. Keoki Sears, Richard Hudson Clough, Glenn A. Sears (2008), Construction Project Management: A Practical Guide to Field Construction Management 4. Sidney M. Levy (2006), Project Management in Construction 5. Raymond Joyce (2001), CDM Regulations Explained

Library and Theoretical Framework

Definition Theories are formulated to explain, predict, and understand phenomena and, in many cases, to challenge and extend existing knowledge, within the limits of the critical bounding assumptions. The theoretical framework is the structure that can hold or support a theory of a research study. The theoretical framework introduces and describes the theory which explains why the research problem under study exists. Importance of Theory A theoretical framework consists of concepts, together with their definitions, and existing theory/theories that are used for your particular study.The theoretical framework must demonstrate an understanding of theories and concepts that are relevant to the topic of your research paper and that will relate it to the broader fields of knowledge in the class you are taking. The theoretical framework is not something that is found readily available in the literature. You must review course readings and pertinent research literature for theories and anal ytic models that are relevant to the research problem you are investigating. The selection of a theory should depend on its appropriateness, ease of application, and explanatory power.The theoretical framework strengthens the study in the following ways. 1 . An explicit statement of theoretical assumptions permits the reader to evaluate them critically. 2. The theoretical framework connects the researcher to existing knowledge. Guided by a relevant theory, you are given a basis for your hypotheses and choice of research methods. 3. Articulating the theoretical assumptions of a research study forces you to address questions of why and how. It permits you to move from simply describing a phenomenon observed to generalizing about various aspects of that phenomenon. 4.Having a theory helps you to identify the limits to those generalizations. A theoretical framework specifies which key variables influence a phenomenon of interest. It alerts you to examine how those key variables might di ffer and under what circumstances. By virtue of its application nature, good theory in the social sciences is of value precisely because it fulfills one primary purpose: to explain the meaning, nature, and challenges of a phenomenon, often experienced but unexplained in the world in which we live, so that we may use that knowledge and understanding to act in more informed and effective ways.A theoretical framework is a compilation of interrelated concepts, such as a theory though not necessarily worked-out so well. A theoretical framework guides you in doing research, determining what kind of things you will measure, and what type of statistical relationships you will look out for. A theoretical framework is a theoretical perspective of something. It can simply be a theory, but it can also be more general or a basic approach to understanding something. Typically, a theoretical framework defines the kinds of variables that you will want to look at. A theoretical framework refers to a collection of interrelated concepts.It is like a theory but it is so well worked out. It guides one's research, determines what things one will measure and the statistical relationships one will look for. A theoretical framework is a collection of interrelated concepts, like a theory but not necessarily so well worked-out. It guides your research, determining what things you will measure, and what statistical relationships you will look for. Theoretical frameworks are also important in exploratory studies. Theoretical framework is a structure that is used for supporting a theory of any research work. It explains the theory of why the research is necessary.The framework helps the reader to make sense of the question that the research is founded on. A theoretical framework is a compilation of thoughts and theories on a research topic. To write a theoretical framework, identify the core set of connectors within a topic showing how they are related to the research topic. When writing t heoretical framework, include an outline of existing theories closely related to the research topic. Demonstrate that the topic addresses questions that interest those already researching the field then clarify how your research relates to the existing theories.Your own theoretical assumptions and loyalties should be as open as possible. Why use a Theoretical Framework? An effective history paper should do more than simply report what happened in the past. An effective history paper should also provide some analysis. Using a theoretical framework for your paper can help open up your analysis of past events by providing a particular set of questions to ask, and a particular perspective to use when examining your topic. top of page What is a Theoretical Framework? Theoretical frameworks provide a particular perspective, or lens, through which to xamine a topic.Theoretical frameworks usually come from other disciplines – such as economics, the social sciences, and anthropology à ¢â‚¬â€œ and are used by historians to bring new dimensions of their topic to light. There is no right or wrong theoretical framework to use when examining your topic since every topic can be looked at from a number of different perspectives. For example, an essay on slavery in the American south could be examined from a social perspective – the relations between slaves, or between slaves and masters – but also from an economic perspective, a political erspective, or a cultural perspective Just to name a few.Theoretical frameworks, however, are even more specific than these broad subject approaches. Theoretical frameworks are specific theories about aspects of human existence such as the functioning of politics, the economy, and human relations. These theories can then be applied to the study of actual events. While it is not necessary to use a theoretical framework to examine your topic, it can help to focus your essay on a specific aspect of your topic and can direct your analysis of that topic, offering unexpected insights into the past. op of page Examples ot Theoretical Frameworks There is no finite list of theoretical frameworks one can apply to a topic. Nonetheless, there are several theoretical frameworks that have been used more often by historians, forming schools of thought and shared approaches to historical subject matter such as marxism, nationalism, post-colonialism, and post-modernism, Just to name a few. It is important to note that these categories are fluid, and many of the theories can be classified under more than one school of thought.In addition, many historians borrow theoretical frameworks from other disciplines without actively ssociating themselves with a particular school of thought. Below are some examples of theoretical frameworks that have been adopted by historians in recent decades. Marxism Many scholars use Marxist philosophy and theories to study past events. One notable theory is Italian philosopher Antonio Gram sci's theory of â€Å"cultural hegemony. † Gramsci proposed that those in power maintain power by making the societal hierarchy seem â€Å"normal. † Gramsci's theory has been used by many contemporary historians to analyze past events.For example, Robert Rydell has applied this theory o the study of World's Fairs, proposing that the elite of society used World's Fairs to try to sway the masses into supporting a societal order that appeared to benefit everyone, but in reality benefitted primarily the elite. This is Just one example of a Marxist theory being applied to the study of history. There are many more. Nationalism Scholars of nationalism study how and why people have come to identify themselves as being a part of a nation, as well as the impact of the rise of nationalism in the last two centuries.Benedict Anderson, for example, famously referred to nations as imagined communities† since a nation is a community in which the vast majority of people will neve r actually meet face-to-face or know each other, but nonetheless share a sense of identity based on nationality. Many historians have used Anderson's theory to analyse nations and nationalism historically, while others have challenged Anderson's theory on how nations are created by examining the rise of nationalism in a variety of different historical contexts.Post-colonialism Post-colonialists study the power relations and racist assumptions that made the colonial system possible, as well as the legacy of colonialism for both the colonists nd the colonized. Edward Said's theory of â€Å"Orientalism† proposes that the West has created a mythologized version of the East (or Orient) to reinforce the difference between the two, and the superiority of the West over the East, thus legitimizing Western attitudes towards and treatment of those in the East.Historians use Said's theory to examine past events, even those outside the strict geographic area being considered in Said's ori ginal theory. Historians examine how western countries mythologize and exoticize the â€Å"other† in order to reinforce and legitimize their position of power. American historian Erika Lee, for example, uses Said's theory to examine American attitudes (particularly those of white American women) towards China and Japan in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as the United States was developing its â€Å"informal empire† in the region through treaties and trade.Literary Theory Historians have borrowed prolifically from cultural and literary theorists in recent decades. One notable example is Russian literary theorist M kn il Bakhtin's theory ot â€Å"carnivalesque. † For Bakhtin, the â€Å"carnivalesque† referred to literature that permits a emporary inversion of the normal social hierarchy. He compares these literary productions to the medieval carnival where for the duration of the carnival normal hierarchies of power were suspended, allowin g participants to mock and burlesque those in authority.Many historians have made use of Bakhtin's theory outside of the world of literature, applying it to past events,and examining how different events allowed for the temporary inversion of power. Natalie Zemon Davis, for example, examines the role of gender inversion in the popular culture of early modern France. While many historians and anthropologists have argued that the temporary inversion of power of the â€Å"carnivalesque† ultimately serve to re-inforce normal power structures, Davis argues that carnivalesque inversions can also serve to undermine them.Post-Modernism French philosopher and historian Michel Foucault theorized that â€Å"discourses† (meaning the ways in which we speak and think about our reality or some aspect of that reality) actually structure our reality and tin most instances are used to reinforce hierarchies of power, but can also be used to subvert these same hierarchies. Historians have applied Foucault's theory to the past, examining how discourses in different times and places have been used to reinforce power.Bengali historian Dipesh Chakrabarty, for example, examines how the discourse of history in the academic world continues to place Europe at the centre of historical studies, even in the study of places outside of Europe. Gender Studies Gender studies examines how notions of gender structure our reality. Gender studies have been influenced by post-modernism, arguing that gender is not a fixed category, but rather a social construction. Historians have used these theories to examine how the construction of gender functioned in the past, and to what end.

Explain Why Khrushchev Ordered the Building of the Berlin Wall in 1961

Explain why Khrushchev ordered the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. There were several reasons why Khrushchev built the Berlin Wall in 1961, the first of which was the economic effects of free movement in between West and East Berlin. Since the division of the city, East Germans had been able, with enough money, to leave the GDR through Berlin which was described as a â€Å"gap in the Iron Curtain†. Between 1949 and 1961 in fact, up to 4 million had fled to the Western Germany, around 20,000 per month by 1960.Most of these were skilled workers, educated professionals and scientists attracted to the wealth and prosperity of the west as well as dissatisfied with the political conditions at home. This greatly affected the economic potential of the GDR with a reduction in productivity as well as less people to tax for income. This mass migration not only hurt the USSR economically, but politically as well. The Soviets had always prided itself to the world and used propaganda t o depict the union as a â€Å"worker’s paradise†, superior to the capitalist West in every way.This was helped by the recent advances in technology including the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1959 quickly followed up by the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, in 1960, making Western technology seem left behind and outdated. As a result, the migration seemed to contradict the happy nature which the Soviets claimed existed, undermining the image of a prosperous East in the process. Another reason the wall was built was because of the belief that the West would do nothing to prevent it anyway. This was believed mainly as a result of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956.The US had failed to respond to calls of help from the Hungarians when the USSR re-invaded the country mainly for fear of war, only condemning it through the UN. Also, the fact that Allied rights to enter West Berlin hadn’t been encroached due to the wall not going the whole of th e city meant that the West were not in any valid position to argue against its building. Also, diplomats and military personnel could still get through to East Berlin for any needed negotiations. The building of the wall was also a purposeful show of power from the USSR trying to show that they are indeed the stronger of the two nations.This was particularly because of the U-2 incident in May of 1960, when the USSR shot down an American spy plane. Despite demands from the Soviets, President Eisenhower never apologized for the incident. This directly led to Khrushchev walking out of the Paris Summit, straining even relations further. Not only that, Khrushchev was also annoyed by the new President Kennedy’s attitude at the Vienna Summit meeting in June of 1961, with Kennedy not wanting to talk Berlin during entire Summit. Khrushchev also felt he could â€Å"bully† Kennedy due to his inexperience, having been much younger than him.This belief was particularly backed up by the huge failure of the ‘Bay of Pigs’ invasion of Cuba for the US, in which Kennedy had failed to provide adequate air support for the uprising. In summary, Khrushchev’s ambition to rid Berlin of Western Influence was a result of West Berlin’s position as a shining example of the advantages of capitalism deep within Soviet-controlled territory. The wall would solve many of these concerns such as preventing East German citizens from fleeing to the West and was perfect in trying to show that they were more powerful than the West.

Analysis on Ernie Pyle’s on World War II Essay

In Ernie Pyle’s â€Å"On World War II†, he made a few statements. His statements are immediately about World War II, yet they can be applied to nearly every other war. Edward Pyle embedded his messages into the reading through the clever usage of rhetorical devices and figurative language. Of the few messages that Edward Pyle made, one of them is more prominent than the other. â€Å"Anything and everything is expendable.† Pyle was implying that in war, a man’s life is unfortunately no more important than the equipment he uses. This can be implied to almost any war that has happened before. The men and their equipment can be replaced almost instantly. The other message embedded within Pyle’s story is almost the opposite of the previous one. â€Å"There were the latest letters from home, with the address on each one neatly razored out-one of the security precautions enforced before the boys embarked.† Here, Pyle was talking about the importance of the otherwise â€Å"expendable† men. They are not just some replaceable toy soldiers to test out some new strategies. They have families and friends off of the battlefield. They might be only one person in the world, but they can be the world to one person; which means they are irreplaceable and undependable. Ernie Pyle uses rhetorical devices such as description to transfer his messages to the reader. His messages are about the individuals in the war, but can be implied to every large scale war. The main messages are opposites of each other; one is of the individual’s importance and the other of their unimportance.

Classic Christmas Carols for ESL Classes

Classic Christmas Carols for ESL Classes To use these Christmas Carols in English class, first, listen to a recording (or two) which you can easily find by searching on YouTube or other video sites with the title of the song. Print out the words, and follow along with the song. As you become more familiar with the words, start singing the along with the recording. Finally, sing the song as a class to bring in some Christmas spirit into the classroom. Another Christmas tradition is the reading of by Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore. Classic Christmas Songs Jingle BellsSilent NightJoy to the WorldThe First NoelWe Wish You a Merry ChristmasOh, Come All Ye FaithfulHark the Herald Angels SingWhat Child Is This?We Three KingsAuld Lang SyneAway in a MangerDeck The HallGod Rest You Merry, GentlemenHave Yourself a Merry Little ChristmasLo, How a Rose Eer BloomingO Christmas TreeRudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerLullay Thou Little Tiny Child Singing Carols in Class: Suggestions for Teachers Find a good recording of the Christmas carol and play it for the class twice without any text. Just let the students listen and do their best to understand.Provided a printed version of the lyrics with gaps for keywords. Practice together as a class as a listening gap fill exercise.  As a class, brainstorm the words that are difficult to pronounce. Isolate the words and practice as minimal pairs with similar sounding words to help students understand differences in vowel sounds.  Choose a specific carol a few weeks before Christmas. Spend five or ten minutes in each class understanding, practicing and perfecting your carol. For larger classes, have students break up into smaller groups and learn different carols.If you are teaching young English learners, put on a small concert for the parents of children in your class. Choose three to five carols and perfect them as a class. After the last class before Christmas, put on a mini-concert for the parents.If your students are outgoin g, have a recital. Each student can choose a favorite carol and the class can sing for each other. Its fun, but a challenge!

the first casualty essays

the first casualty essays Knightley, Phillip. The First Casualty. New York and London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975. This book discusses the impact that the media, particularly the war correspondents, have had on society during and after wars between the years 1854 and 1975. It recounts wars from many different countries and raises questions on how correspondents should report, what they should report and when they should report it. The author, Phillip Knightley, is a special correspondent on the Sunday Times in London. With his colleagues on the Insight team, he is author of The Philby Conspiracy, The Secret Lives of Lawrence of Arabia, and The Pearl of Days. He has never heard a shot fired in anger, and hopes he never will. Though Knightley hasn't experienced war, many authors were quoted and a vast amount of research was done which supported the credibility of the book. In early wars, British officers brought their servants, chefs, dogs and wives to war with them. This showed their attitude. British felt heroic and noble for fighting. Special care was given to the way they looked and acted during a war, when it would seem war tactics might be more important. Then in Vietnam soldiers carried peace symbols, smoked pot from their guns and painted My God! Howd we get in this mess, on helicopters. War correspondents faced problems when war officials wouldnt recognize they were there. Correspondents couldnt find out or see what was happening. They asked other people for accounts, but everyone told stories differently. How accurate could each account be when they were hungry, tired and probably scared at the prospect of sudden death? When correspondents were allowed on front lines and could witness, they of ...

Service Quality Essay Example

Service Quality Essay Example Service Quality Essay Service Quality Essay University of Nottingham The Dark Side of Customer Relationship Management in the Luxury segment of the Hotel Industry Akshay Jaipuria MA Management Abstract Today, service organizations are shifting their focus from â€Å"transactional exchange† to â€Å"relational exchange† for developing mutually satisfying relationship with customers. Extended relationships are reported to have a significant impact on transaction cost and profitability, and customer lifetime value. Serving the customers, in true sense, is the need of the hour as the customer was, is and will remain the central focus of all organizational activities. The hotel industry, especially the luxury segment hotels needs to be purely customer-centric and focus on the customer needs and duly fulfill them. Customers will not blindly accept poor service quality from a luxury hotel. They expect high quality of service in return for the money they spend on luxury hotels. This paper is an attempt to explain the dark side of CRM in the luxury segment of the hotel industry with the help of the ‘gap model’ available in literature which suggests that gaps in service occur at various instances. The author explains that the gap model is a useful tool to explain the dark side partly. There is more to the dark side like privacy issues, unwillingness of customers to build a relationship with the service provider and changing tastes and preferences of the customer. Ritz- Carlton Hotel Company, L. L. C. has been chosen as a single case study and the research questions have been addressed for the industry at large using Ritz- Carlton as a classic example of superior service quality to the customers. Some simple measures to reduce the dark side have been mentioned, which addresses the third and last research question. The project would contribute as a useful guide to luxury hotels, giving them some valuable information on what the customer expectations are and if they are duly met then service gaps shall not occur. This paper shall provide scope for luxury hotels to improve their overall service quality and strengthen their position in the industry. The relevant existing theory has been reviewed and the subject has been explored, using the ‘gap model’ (Parasuraman et al 1998) mainly. Based on the research findings and analysis, recommendation has been given to reduce the dark side at Ritz-Carlton and luxury hotels in general. Table of Contents Abstract0 Table of Contents2 Acknowledgments4 Chapter 1: Introduction5 Chapter 2: Literature Review7 2. 1 What is Customer Relationship Management? 7 2. 2Customer satisfaction, loyalty and business performance9 2. 3CRM and Service Quality13 2. 3. 1 Customer’s perception of quality:13 2. 3. 2 The Perceived Service Quality approach16 2. 3. 3 Gaps between customer expectations and perceptions:17 2. . 4 Service Guarantee24 2. 3. 5 Service Recovery26 2. 3. 6 Complaints management28 2. 4 Do all customers want a relationship with their service provider? 29 2. 5 Synopsis31 Chapter 3: CRM and Hotel Industry32 Chapter 4: Methodology and Research Design34 4. 1 Overview34 4. 2 Research objectives34 4. 3 Research design35 4. 4 Case study: An introduction36 4. 5 History of case study37 4. 6 Types of Case Study37 4. 7 Choice of cas e: Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company38 4. 8 Components of the Case Study38 4. 9 Data collection39 4. 9. 1 Documentation41 4. 9. Focus Groups41 4. 9. 3 Interviews43 4. 10 Data Analysis49 4. 11 Key issues of Data collection: Reliability and Validity50 4. 12 Synopsis51 Chapter 5: Case study52 5. 1 Ritz-Carlton: An Overview52 5. 2 Ritz-Carlton and the â€Å"Gold Standards† of Service Quality54 5. 2. 1 The Credo54 5. 2. 2Motto55 5. 2. 3 Three Steps of Service55 5. 2. 4 Service Values55 5. 2. 5 Employee Promise56 5. 3Ritz-Carlton: Current Reality57 Chapter 6: Research Findings59 6. 1 Focus groups findings59 6. 1. 1 Does the gap model explain the dark side of CRM? 59 6. 1. Is there more to the dark side of CRM than what is explained in the gap model? 61 6. 1. 3 How can the dark side of CRM be reduced? 62 6. 2 In-depth interview findings63 6. 2. 1 Customer Interviews64 6. 2. 2 Employee Interviews67 Chapter 7: Analysis of Research Findings70 7. 1 Does the gap model explain the dark side of C RM? 70 7. 1. 1 Ritz-Carlton and the ‘Gap model’70 7. 1. 2General Inference for the luxury hotel sector75 7. 2 Is there more to the dark side of CRM than what is explained in the gap model? 76 7. 2. 1 Willingness to build a relationship76 7. . 2 General Inference for the Hotel Industry79 7. 3 How can the dark side of CRM be reduced? 79 Chapter 8: Conclusion and Further research83 References85 Appendices93 Appendix 1Consent Form93 Appendix 2CRM and ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’94 Appendix 397 Appendix 4100 Appendix 5108 Acknowledgments Education is a progressive discovery of our ignorance. Will Durant (1885-1981) U. S. author and historian I would like to thank all those who helped me through the project phase of the MA Management program. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor, Prof. Dave Wastell for his enlightenment of my knowledge of CRM and the hotel industry, valuable advice and kind support throughout the process of dissertation completion Most importantly, I would like to thank my parents and sister who were always there to motivate me. I would also like to thank my close friends at Nottingham for being around to discuss my ideas and giving me emotional support when I was stressed. I would like to thank all the focus group members for giving their valuable time and thoughts to my project. I would like to thank all the customers and employees of Ritz-Carlton for sharing their valuable thoughts which helped me shape this project. Lastly, I would like to thank the academic and library staff at University of Nottingham for their support throughout this year. Chapter 1: Introduction In the mid-twentieth century, mass production techniques and mass marketing changed the competitive landscape by increasing product availability for consumers. However, the purchasing process that allowed the shopkeeper and customer to spend quality time interacting with each other was also fundamentally changed. As a result, customers lost their uniqueness becoming an â€Å"account number†. Shopkeepers lost track of their customers’ individual needs as the market became full of product and service options. Many companies today are striving to re-establish their connections to new as well as existing customers to boost long-term customer loyalty (Chen and Popovich, 2003). The world has come full circle from selling to marketing and from seller’s market to buyer’s market. The customer today has the option to buy what he thinks he should and from whom, being in his best interest. Product development, technological improvement, cost optimization and excellent service facility are very important for any organisation but their importance is only if the customer appreciates it. For example, both diamond and coal are carbon but they are priced differently due to different valuations by the customer. Therefore, any business begins and ends with the customer (Sugandhi, 2002). Thus, service organizations are shifting their focus from â€Å"transactional exchange† to â€Å"relational exchange† for developing mutually satisfying relationship with customers. Extended relationships are reported to have a significant impact on transaction cost and profitability, and customer lifetime value. Serving the customers, in true sense, is the need of the hour as the customer was, is and will remain the central focus of all organizational activities. The paper explores â€Å"The Dark Side of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in the Luxury segment of the Hotel Industry† using the ‘gap model’ of Parasuraman et al (1985) and suggests generic strategies to reduce the dark side. The researcher was motivated to choose the hotel industry because of his deep rooted passion for luxury hotels. The importance of this research is that it helped the researcher familiarize himself with the use of primary with a blend of secondary research to analyze a given situation. This piece of work shall contribute to the academic community as there is not much literature available on the dark side of CRM for the luxury hotels. It shall also benefit the management of luxury hotels to understand what the customer expects in terms of service quality. The aim of this research is to highlight the dark side of CRM in the luxury segment of the hotel industry using The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company as a classic example of high service quality. The research objectives are as follows: 1. Does the gap model explain the dark side of CRM? 2. Is there more to the dark side of CRM than what is explained in the gap model? 3. How can the dark side of CRM be reduced? This paper is divided into seven chapters. Chapter one is an introduction to the paper. Chapter two provides the reader with necessary literature available on CRM. Chapter three provides information on CRM and the hotel industry. Chapter four discusses the research design including interviews and focus groups that have been used for primary research. Chapter five provides an overview of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company . Chapter six provides a summary of the research findings. Chapter seven is an analysis of the research findings addressing the research questions, one of which provides recommendations to reduce the dark side. Chapter eight is a conclusion of the paper. The following chapter provides the literature review. Chapter 2: Literature Review Modern marketers are rediscovering the ancient mantras for success in corporate world and blending them with contemporary marketing practices. Long term survival and competitive advantage can only be attained by establishing an emotional bond with the customers. A shift is taking place from marketing to anonymous masses of customers to developing and managing relationships with more or less well known or at least some identified customers (Gronroos, 1994). This section shall provide general literature on CRM and its link with customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and business performance followed by literature on CRM and service quality in details. The ‘gap model’ shall be introduced and literature on service guarantee, service recovery, and complaint management shall be provided. This would lead to the privacy issues related with CRM. 2. 1 What is Customer Relationship Management? Customer Relationship Management (CRM) â€Å"is the core business strategy that integrates internal processes and functions, and external networks, to create and deliver value to targeted customers at a profit. It is grounded on high-quality customer data and enabled by IT† (Buttle, 2004). CRM is a business strategy to identify, cultivate, and maintain long-term profitable customer relationships. It requires developing a method to select your most profitable customer relationships (or those with the most potential) and working to provide those customers with service quality that exceeds their expectations. McDonald, 2002) An organization’s survival depends largely on harmonious relationships with its stakeholders in the market. Customers provide the ‘life-blood’ to the organization in terms of competitive advantage, revenue and profits. Managing relationships with customers is imperative for all types and size of service organizations. A sound base of satis fied customers allows the organization to move on the path of growth, enhance profitability, fight out competition and carve a niche in the market place. Bennett (1996) described that CRM seeks to establish long term, committed, trusting and cooperative relationship with customers, characterized by openness, genuine concern for the delivery of high quality services, responsiveness to customer suggestions, fair dealings and willingness to sacrifice short term advantage for long term gains. Schneider and Bowen (1999) advocated that service business can retain customers and achieve profitability by building reciprocal relationships founded on safeguarding and affirming customer security, fairness and self esteem. It requires that companies view customers as people first and consumers second. Trust, commitment, ethical practices, fulfillment of promises, mutual exchange, emotional bonding, personalization and customer orientation have been reported to be the key elements in the relationship building process (Levitt,1986; Gronroos, 1994; Morgan,1994; Gummesson,1994; Bejou et al,1998 ). CRM refers to all business activities directed towards initiating, establishing, maintaining, and developing successful long-term relational exchanges (Heide, 1994; Reinartz Kumar, 2003). One of the results of CRM is the promotion of customer loyalty (Evans Laskin, 1994), which is considered to be a relational phenomenon, (Chow Holden, 1997; Jacoby Kyner, 1973; Sheth Parvatiyar, 1995; cited by Macintosh Lockshin, 1997). The benefits of customer loyalty to a provider of either services or products are numerous, and thus organizations are eager to secure as significant a loyal customer base as possible (Gefen, 2002; Reinartz Kumar, 2003; Rowley Dawes, 2000). Recent developments in Internet technology have given the Internet a new role to facilitate the link between CRM and customer loyalty (Body and Limayem, 2004). It is common knowledge that a dissatisfied and unhappy customer will share his unfortunate experience more than a satisfied customer. It is also observed that a fraction of unhappy customers choose to complain while others simply switch their loyalty to others service providers. Loss of customer is loss of business along with the opportunity for business growth and profitability. Feedback collection from the customer is essential for the supplier to ascertain customer satisfaction and scope for improvisation (Sugandhi, 2002). The fundamental reason for companies aspiring to build relationships with customers is economic. For survival in the global market, focusing on the customer is becoming a key factor for companies big and small. Establishing and managing a good customer relationship is a strategic endeavor. Having a CRM software installed does not ensure a successful customer relationship. For this to happen business processes and company culture have to be redesigned to focus on the customer. CRM software can be only a tool to implement a customer strategy. It is known that it takes up to five times more money to acquire a new customer than to get an existing customer to make a new purchase. Improving customer retention rates increases the size of the customer base. Thus, customer retention is essential. (Baumeister, unknown). 2 Customer satisfaction, loyalty and business performance The rationale for CRM is that it improves business performance by enhancing customer satisfaction and driving up customer loyalty (see figure 4). There is a compelling logic to the model, which has been dubbed the ‘satisfaction-profit chain’ (Anderson and Mittal, 2000). Satisfaction increases because customer insight allows companies to understand their customers better, and create improved customer value propositions. As customer satisfaction rises, so does customer repurchase intention (Anderson, 1994). This in turn influences actual purchasing behaviour, which has a significant impact on business performance. [pic] Figure 4: Customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and business performance (Buttle, 2004) Customer satisfaction has been the subject of considerable research and has been defined and measured in various ways (Oliver, 1997). Customer satisfaction may be defined as the customer’s fulfillment response to a consumption experience, or some part of it. Customer satisfaction I a pleasurable fulfillment response while dissatisfaction is an unpleasurable one (Buttle, 2004). Satisfaction and dissatisfaction are two ends of a continuum, where the location is defined by a comparison between expectations and outcome. Customers would be satisfied if the outcome of the service meets expectations. When the service quality exceeds the expectations, the service provider has won a delighted customer. Dissatisfaction will occur when the perceived overall service quality does not meet expectations (Looy, Gemmel Dierdonck, 2003). Sometimes customer’s expectations are met, yet the customer is not satisfied. This occurs when the expectations are low (Buttle, 2005). For example, the customer expects the flight to be late and it gets late. Customer satisfaction is considered to be one of the most important outcomes of all marketing activities in a market-oriented firm. The obvious need for atisfying the firm’s customer is to expand the business, to gain a higher market share, and to acquire repeat and referral business, all of which lead to improved profitability (Barsky, 1992). Studies conducted by Cronin and Taylor (1992) in service sectors such as: banking, pest control, dry cleaning, and fast food; found that customer satisfaction has a significant effect on purchase intentions in all four sectors. Similarly, in the health-care sector, McAlexander et al. (1994) found that patient satisfaction and service quality have a significant effect on future purchase intentions. Kandampully and Suhartanto, 2000) Customer loyalty can be defines as â€Å"customer behavior characterized by a positive buying pattern during an extended period (measured by means of repeat purchase, frequency of purchase, wallet share or other indicators) and driven by a positive attitude towards the company and its products or services† (Looy, Gemmel Dierdonck, 2003). Practitioners and researchers have not clearly identified a theoretical framework, identifying factors that could lead to the development of customer loyalty (Gremler and Brown, 1997). However, there is a consensus amongst practitioners and academics that customer satisfaction and service quality are prerequisites of loyalty (Gremler and Brown, 1997; Cronin and Taylor, 1992). Those technical, economical and psychological factors that influence customers to switch suppliers are considered to be additional prerequisites of loyalty (Selnes, 1993; Gremler and Brown, 1997). Recent studies also indicate that the firm’s image may influence customer enthusiasm: value, delight, and loyalty (Bhote, 1996). (Kandampully and Suhartanto, 2000) Loyalty behaviors, including relationship continuance, increased scale or scope of relationship, and recommendation (word of mouth advertising) result from customers’ beliefs that the quantity of value received from one supplier is greater than that available from other suppliers. Loyalty, in one or more of the forms noted above, creates increased profit through enhanced revenues, reduced costs to acquire customers, lower customer-price sensitivity, and decreased costs to serve customers familiar with a firm’s service delivery system (Reicheld and Sasser, 1990). Yi’s â€Å"Critical review of customer satisfaction† (1990) concludes, â€Å"Many studies found that customer satisfaction influences purchase intentions as well as post-purchase attitude† (p. 104). Customer loyalty can be viewed in two distinct ways (Jacoby and Kyner, 1973). The first views loyalty as an attitude. Different feelings create an individual’s overall attachment to a product, service, or organization (see Fornier, 1994). These feelings define the individual’s (purely cognitive) degree of loyalty. The second view of loyalty is behavioural. Examples of loyalty behaviour include continuing to purchase services from the same supplier, increasing the scale and or scope of a relationship, or the act of recommendation (Yi, 1990). The behavioural view of loyalty is similar to loyalty as defined in the service management literature. In brief, there are two dimensions to customer loyalty: behavioural and attitudinal (Julander et al. , 1997). The behaviour dimension refers to a customer’s behaviour on repeat purchases, indicating a preference for a brand or a service over time (Bowen and Shoemaker, 1998). Attitudinal dimensions, on the other hand, refer to a customer’s intention to repurchase and recommend, which are good indicators of a loyal customer (Getty and Thompson, 1994). Moreover, a customer who has the intention to repurchase and recommend is very likely to remain with the company. (Kandampully Suhartanto, 2000 and Hallowell, 1996) Customer attitude being difficult to measure, for financial and practical purposes, customer retention is widely used as an indicator of customer loyalty. Researchers have combined both views into comprehensive models of customer loyalty. Dick and Basu (1994) came up with a two-dimensional model of customer loyalty identifying four forms of loyalty according to relative attitudinal strength and repeat purchase behavior. The true loyal are those who have high levels of repeat purchase behavior and a strong relative attitude. Spuriously loyal customers tend to be more motivated by impulse, convenience and habit i. e. if the conditions are right. Latent loyalty applies to those customers who are loyal simply because they have no other choice. Lastly, there will always be some customers who shall not be loyal to any particular brand. 2. CRM and Service Quality Service quality is essential for an organization’s survival and growth. Interest in service quality emerged in 1970s. Ever since, the topic has attracted substantial attention among researchers and practitioners (Gronroos, 2001). Service quality is a form of attitude representing a long-run, overall, evaluation, which is different from customer satisfaction, a more short term, transaction specific judgment. The level of customer satisfaction is a result of the customer’s comparison of the service quality expected in a given service encounter with perceived service quality. This implies that satisfaction assessments require customer experiences while quality does not (Caruana, Money and Berthon, 2000). 2. 3. 1 Customer’s perception of quality: Quality of a particular service is whatever the customer perceives it to be. Service quality as perceived by the customer may differ from the quality of the service actually delivered. Services are subjectively experienced processes where production and consumption activities take place simultaneously. Interactions, including a series of moments of truth between the customer and the service provider occur. Such buyer-seller interactions or service encounters have a critical impact on the perceived service. The Nordic Model, originated by Christian Gronroos and developed by others, adopts a disconfirmation of expectations approach. This claims that customers have certain expectations of service performance with which they compare their actual experience. If the expectations are met, this is confirmation; if they are over performed, this is positive disconfirmation; if they are underperformed this is negative disconfirmation. According to Gronroos (1984), the quality of service as perceived by customers has two dimensions; a technical or outcome dimension and a functional or process-related dimension. What customers receive in their interaction with a firm is clearly important to them and their quality evaluation. This is one quality dimension, the Technical Quality of the outcome of the service production process. However, as there are numerous interactions between the service provider and customers, including various series of moments of truth, the technical quality dimension will not count for the total quality which the customer perceives he has received. The customer will also be influenced by the way in which technical qualitys include the accessibility of ATM, a website, appearance and behavior of waiting staff, how service employees perform their task, what they say and how they do it. Interestingly, other customers simultaneously consuming the same or similar services may influence the way in which customers will perceive a service. Thus, the consumer is also influenced by how he receives the service and how he experiences the simultaneous production and consumption process. This is the second quality dimension, the Functional Quality of the process, closely related to how the moments of truth of the service encounters themselves and are taken care of and how the service provider functions. Illustrated in figure 1, there are the two basic quality dimensions, namely, What the customer receives and How the customer receives it; the technical result or outcome of the process (technical quality) and the functional dimension of the process (functional quality. An organization’s image is an important variable that positively or negatively influences marketing activities. Image is considered to have the ability to influence customers’ perception of the goods and services offered (Zeithaml and Bitner, 1996). Thus, image will have an impact on customers’ buying behaviour. Image is considered to influence customers’ minds through the combined effects of advertising, public relations, physical image, word-of-mouth, and their actual experiences with the goods and services (Normann, 1991). Similarly, Gronroos (1983), using numerous researches on service organizations, found that service quality was the single most important determinant of image. Thus, a customer’s experience with the products and services is considered to be the most important factor that influences his mind in regard to image. For instance, if the service provider shares a positive or favorable image in the minds of the customers, minor mistakes will probably be overlooked or forgiven. However, if the image is negative, the impact of any mistake will often be considerably greater than it otherwise would be. This entire combination shall lead to total quality. [pic]Figure 1: Two service quality dimensions (Gronroos, 2001) 2. 3. 2 The Perceived Service Quality approach Gronroos (1982) introduced a service oriented approach to quality with the concept of Perceived Service Quality and the model of Total Perceived Service Quality. This approach is based on research into consumer behavior and the effects of expectations concerning goods performance on post-consumption evaluations. In previous sections, the two basic quality dimensions (the what and the how) in the minds of the customers has been discussed. However, the quality perception process is more complicated. It is not the experiences of the quality dimensions alone that determine whether quality is perceived as good, neutral or bad. Figure 2 illustrates how quality experiences are connected to traditional marketing activities resulting in a Perceived Service Quality. Good perceived quality is obtained when the experienced quality meets the expectations of the customers i. e. the expected quality. If expectations are unrealistic, the total perceived quality will be low, irrespective of the experienced quality measured in an objective way being good. As illustrated in figure 2, the expected quality is a function of factors, namely, marketing communication, word of mouth, company/local image, price, customer needs and values. Marketing communication includes advertising, direct mail, sales promotion, websites, internet communication and sales campaigns. These are directly under the control of the company unlike the image and word of mouth factors which are indirectly controlled by the company. Image of the company plays a central role in customer perception of service quality. Thus, it is imperative that image be properly managed. External impact on these factors could possibly occur, but they are a basically a function of the previous performance of the firm, supported by for instance advertising. Lastly, the needs of the customers as well as the values that determine the choice of customers also impact on their expectations. Thus, the level of total perceived quality is not determined simply by the level of technical and functional quality dimensions, but rather by the gap between the expected and experienced quality. [pic] Figure 2: Total Perceived Quality (Gronroos, 2001) 2. 3. 3 Gaps between customer expectations and perceptions: There exists a gap between expected service quality and perceived service quality. In an attempt to explain such gap, Parasuraman et al (1985), came up with a ‘gap model’ which is intended to be used for analyzing sources of quality problems and help managers understand how service quality can be improved. The model is illustrated in figure 3. Figure 3: The Gaps Model (Source: Parasuraman et al, 1988) Firstly, the model demonstrates how service emerges. The upper portion of the model includes phenomena related to customers, while the lower portion includes phenomena related to the service provider. The expected service is a function of the customer’s past experience and personal needs and of word of mouth communication. It is also influenced by the market communication activities of the firm. The service experienced, which in this model is termed as perceived service, is the outcome of a series of internal decisions and activities. Management perceptions of customer expectations guide decisions regarding service quality specifications to be followed by the company when service delivery (i. e. the execution of the service express) occurs. The customer experiences the service delivery and production process as a process-related quality component and the technical solution received by the process as an outcome-related quality component. As illustrated, marketing communication can influence the perceived service and also the expected service. This basic model demonstrates the steps that have to be considered during analyzing and planning service quality. The five discrepancies (so-called quality gaps) between the various elements of the structure are a result of inconsistencies in the quality management process. The ultimate gap (Gap 5) i. e. the gap between expected and perceived (experienced) service is a function of other gaps that possibly occurred in the process. The five gaps are discussed below: 1. The Management Perception Gap (Gap1): This gap occurs when the management perceives the quality expectations inaccurately due to inaccurate information from market research and demand analyses, inaccurately interpreted information about expectations, nonexistent demand analysis, bad or nonexistent upward information from the firm’s interface with its customers to management and numerous organizational layers which stop or change the information that may flow upward from those directly involved in customer contacts. Necessary action to open up or improve the various internal information channels has to be taken in such situations. 2. The Quality Specification Gap ( Gap 2): This gap signifies that service quality specifications are not consistent with management perceptions of quality expectations due to planning errors or insufficient planning procedures, bad management of planning, lack of clear goal-setting in the company and insufficient support for planning service quality from top management. The planning related problems vary depending on the size of the first gap. However, even if there is sufficient accurate information on customer expectations, planning of quality specifications may fail due to lack of real commitment to service quality among top management. Commitment, dedication and devotion to service quality among management as well as service providers are of highest importance and priority in closing the Quality Specification Gap. 3. The Service Delivery Gap (Gap 3): This gap means that quality specifications are not met by performance in the service production and delivery process due to specifications which are too complicated and/or too rigid, employees not agreeing with the specifications and therefore not fulfilling them, specifications not being in line with the existing corporate culture, bad management of service operations, lacking or insufficient internal marketing and technology and systems not facilitating performance according to specifications. The possible problems here are many and varied and usually the reasons for the existence of a Service Delivery Gap are complicated and so are the cures. The reason for this gap can be divided into three categories: management supervision, employee perception of specifications and rules/customer needs and wishes, and a lack of technological/operational support. Management and supervision related problems may be varied too. For instance, supervisors may not be encouraging and supportive of quality behavior or the supervisory control systems may be in conflict with good service or even with quality specifications. In an organization where control and reward systems are decided upon separately from the planning of quality specifications, which is the case often, there is inherent risk of a Service Delivery Gap occurring. Often non-essential or important activities are controlled, perhaps even rewarded; and activities that contradict quality specifications are encouraged by the control system. Control and reward systems partly determine the corporate culture, and goals and specifications that do not fit the prevailing culture tend not to be well executed. The cure here involves changes in the way managers and supervisors treat their subordinates and in the way supervisory systems control and reward performance. Since the way in which performance requirements of the specifications, on one hand and existing control and reward systems on the other hand, are in conflict with each other, an awkward situation may arise for personnel when a customer contact person realizes that a customer requires different behavior on the part of the service provider than that expected according to the company’s specifications. It must be noted that situations where the service provider is aware of the fact that the customer is not receiving what he expects and may feel that the demands and wishes of the customer are justified and perhaps could be fulfilled, however, the service provider is not allowed to perform accordingly, may ruin the motivation for quality-enhancing behavior among personnel. The skills and attitudes of personnel may cause problems if the wrong people are recruited. For instance, the firm may have employees who are unable to adjust to the specifications and systems that guide operations. Furthermore, the workload perceived by employees may be a problem. For example, there may be too much paperwork or some other administrative tasks involved, so that quality specifications cannot be fulfilled and a result of which, the service provider does not possess time to attend to customers as expected. Lastly, the technology or the systems of operating, including decision making may not be suitable to employees. The problem may be the employees, but it is quite probable that technology and operational and administrative systems have been introduced inappropriately. Perhaps the technology and systems do not support quality behavior, or they have been improperly introduced to the employees. To close the Service Delivery Gap, the problems need to be dealt with effectively and efficiently. 4. The Marketing Communication Gap (Gap 4): This gap occurs when promises given by market communication activities are not consistent with the service delivered due to market communication planning not being integrated with service operations, lacking or insufficient coordination between traditional external marketing and operations, the organization failing to perform according to specifications, whereas market communication campaigns follow these specifications and an inherent propensity to exaggerate, and, thus, promise excessively. The reasons for Marketing Communication Gap can be divided into two categories: the planning and executing of external market communication and operations and a company’s propensity to over-promise in all advertising and marketing communication. The cure in the first situation could be creating a system that coordinates planning and execution of external market communication campaigns with service operations and delivery. For instance, every major campaign could be planned in collaboration with those involved in service production and delivery for Dual goal to be achieved. First, promises in market communications become more accurate and realistic and second, a greater commitment to what is promised in external campaigns could be achieved. The second category of problems i. e. over-promising can be dealt with by improving planning of marketing communication and/or closer management supervision. 5. The Perceived Service Quality Gap (Gap 5): This gap signifies that the perceived or experienced service is not consistent with the expected service resulting in negatively confirmed (bad) quality and a quality problem, bad word of mouth, a negative impact on corporate or local image and lost business. However, this gap may also be positive, which leads either to a positively confirmed quality or over-quality. If a Perceived Service Quality Gap occurs, the reason could be any one or a combination of those discussed above or other additional reasons. Addressing these gaps could be a basis for developing service processes in which expectations and experience consistently meet and a good perceived service quality will enhance. Some of the possible strategies that could be adopted by organizations to close these quality gaps are tabulated in Table 1. Gaps |Possible strategies to close gaps | | | | |1 |Change of management (in extreme situations), otherwise normally, learn from front-line customer contact | | |staff, flatten the hierarchical structure, include expectations data in consumer records, market research| | |for improvement in the knowledge of the characteristics of service competition, etc. | | | |2 |Change in firm’s priorities, Commitment to develop service standard s wherever possible, feasibility | | |assessment of customer expectations, develop a standards documentation process, automation of processes | | |wherever possible and desirable, activities outsourced wherever competencies are lacking, development of | | |service quality goals, etc. | | | |3 |Investment in people: (recruitment, training and retention), investment in technology, redesigning | | |workflow, encourage self organized teams; improve internal communication, clear job specifications to | | |avoid ambiguity, reward service excellence, etc. | | | |4 |Brief the advertising agency of the company, external communication of what the customer can expect | | |through advertising, training employees not to over-promise, penalize employees who over-promise, | | |encourage customers to sample the service experience, excel at service recovery, encourage and manage | | |customer complaints, etc. | Buttle, 2004; Gronroos, 2001 and Looy, Gemmel Dierdonck, 2003) 2. 3. 4 Service Guarant ee An organization tries to balance its customers’ expectations with the delivered service. A service guarantee promises the customers a certain service quality and backs up such promise with a payout, making services more ‘tangible’, reducing the perceived risk of purchasing a service. â€Å"A service guarantee makes the customer a meaningful promise and specifies a payout and an invocation procedure in case the promise is not kept. Each of these elements is equally important in making a guarantee successful† (Looy, Gemmel Dierdonck, 2003) The key elements of this definition are discussed below: The Promise Through introduction of a service guarantee, an organization makes a credible promise to its customers. For example, PTT Telecom promise to connect new telephones within three working days and to fix telephone lines within a day and a half. This promise is a credible one in a European context, where shorter lead times are highly desirous by customers (Looy, Gemmel Dierdonck, 2003). In defining a promise, a company should be careful not to promise what would be expected anyway. This may negatively signal that service failures are likely to be expected. Some promises are limited in scope i. e. guarantee only less important service aspects or are highly conditional, excluding all major causes of service failure. For example, Lufthansa guarantees that its customers will make their connecting flights if there are no delays due to weather or air-traffic control problems. Ironically, these two problems cause in total 95 percent of all flight delays. Furthermore, the guarantee is applicable only if all flights including connecting flights are with Lufthansa (Lufthansa airlines, 1987). The presence of a service guarantee can support the perception of service reliability, which is one of the most critical determinants of customer satisfaction. However, sometimes a guarantee may give out a negative message, indicating that service failures may occur due to customers wondering why it is necessary to provide a guarantee. For example, Lufthansa promises its customers that their luggage will arrive with them. However, this created the perception that lost luggage is more a problem with Lufthansa than its competitors (Lufthansa airlines, 1987). The effectiveness of communicating a service guarantee also depends on the source of the message, especially if the form has a history of service problems, making it difficult for a service firm with bad service reputation to send out credible message. The Payout In a situation where promises are not kept, the customer shall receive a payout which will encourage the customer to communicate all service failures, which has a double effect: Service recovery: The customer who claims his payout is less likely to defect or spread a negative word of mouth. Hence, service recovery becomes a possibility. Service quality improvement: Each claim represents valuable information about quality errors and their possible causes, but the avoidance of future payouts functions as an incentive to all staff to participate in improvement projects. In order to achieve service recovery, the payout has to be meaningful to customers. It should not only make up for all the damage and inconvenience suffered bu t also make the customer ‘whole. ’ For example, the payout offered by the Dutch bus service organization, â€Å"Interliner,† makes their customer ‘whole’ by guaranteeing that their passengers will reach their connecting flights and buses. A refund would not adequately compensate the passenger who missed a connection. Therefore, any passenger who would have to wait for more than fifteen minutes for a connection due to delay by Interliner would be taken to his destination by taxi at Interliner’s expense (www. interliner. nl). A payout can also be too high. For example, in India atleast, Domino’s Pizza offers customers its pizza free of charge if they were not delivered within thirty minutes from ordering. The Invocation Procedure The final aspect of the service guarantee is the invocation procedure. Invocating a guarantee should be either easy or proactive. For example, supermarkets Hoogvliet (Netherlands) and Match (Belgium) promise short queues at their checkouts. If all tills are not manned and if some customer is the third one (Hoogvliet) or the fourth one (Match) in the queue, he does not have to pay (Hoogvliet) or receives a significant discount (Match). An example of unconditional satisfaction guarantee which is easy to invoke is that of Superquinn’s Goof Card System. Superquinn is the leading supermarketing chain in the Greater Dublin area. Periodically, customers who participate in the loyalty saving system called ‘Superclub’ receive a ‘Goof Card’. Each time Superquinn ‘goofs’ i. e. produces a service failure, the customer simply has to point it out to any member of staff, and he shall receive thirty bonus points worth ? 1. The guarantee offers unconditional satisfaction guarantee as customers are able to define the goof themselves, however, for further help to customers, Superquinn lists ten examples of goofs. The invocation of PTT Telecom’s guarantee for example is proactive as well. After each connection or repair, PTT Telecom makes an after-sales call to the customer trying to assess customer’s satisfaction. If there is a failure of promise, the customer is immediately informed of the payout (Looy, Gemmel Dierdonck, 2003). 2. 3. 5 Service Recovery The real test of the customer orientation of a service provider takes place when service failure has occurred. Ideally, quality should be high throughout and failures should not occur in the service processes. However, in reality employees makes mistakes, systems break down, customers in the service process may cause problem for other customers, etc. Service recovery is a strategy for managing mistakes, failures and problems in customer relationships (Gronroos, 2001). As defined by Tax and Brown (2000) (in gronroos 2001), â€Å"Service recovery is a process that identifies service failures, effectively resolves customer problems, classifies their root cause(s), and yields data that can be integrated with other measures of performance to assess and improve the service system. † Service recovery includes all actions taken by company when there has been a service failure. Services fail for different reasons- sometimes technical service fails; sometimes functional service quality (Keaveney, 1995 in Buttle, 2004). Problems caused by a service failure are two-fold; factual and emotional problems (Gronroos, 2001). In a problematic situation when service recovery is called upon, customers are often frustrated, possess high expectations and tend to have a narrower zone of tolerance that normal (Tax et all, 1998). Therefore, service recovery could be risky (Smith and Bolton, 1998) and needs to be well managed. Service recovery performance can be better if the employees are more committed to the visions, strategies and service concepts of the firm. Moreover, empowered employees can be expected to perform better in recovery situations, inclined to deal quickly and effectively with service failures (Boshoff and Allen, 2000). When companies resolve problems quickly and effectively there are positive consequences for customer satisfaction, customer retention and word-of-mouth (Tax et al, 1998). Service recovery process should be developed and exercised to maximize fairness as perceived by the customer (Ruyter and Wetzels, 2000). In addition to mistake correction, quick response and adequate compensation are considered crucial elements of service recovery (Johnston and Fern, 1999). It has been discovered that customers who have been let down, then well recovered, are more satisfied than customers who have not been let down all (Hart et al, 1990). A well managed recovery has positive impact in development of a trusting relationship between a firm and its customer and may also deepen the customer’s commitment towards the service provider (Tax et al, 1998). Service recovery is an important factor influencing perceived service quality and is a criterion which can have a positive effect on functional quality. Satisfaction with the service can be increased through good service recovery (Spreng, Harrell Mackoy, 1995). According to Patrick Mene, Director of Quality at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company â€Å"1-10-100 rule of service recovery†, what costs the firm one pound, euro or dollar to fix immediately will cost ten the next day and hundred later on (Patlow, 1993). An example of quick service recovery is an incident that took place at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. A group of four MBA students from Europe had attended a seminar at the hotel and wished to spend a few hours of leisure time at the swimming pool before leaving for the airport. When they arrived at the swimming pool around mid afternoon, they were politely told that the pool area was closing because the area was to be prepared for an evening reception and dinner. The students explained that during their stay at the hotel, that was the only time they could spend at the pool before returning to the freezing temperature of their country and they had been looking forward to this opportunity. The waiter requested them to wait while he sorted out the situation. After a short while, a supervisor arrived to inform them that the hotel unfortunately had to close the entire pool area for evening preparation. However, he added that a limousine was waiting for them outside the main entrance to take them and their luggage to Biltmore Hotel where the pool area would be at their disposal. This limousine was at the Ritz-Carlton’s expense undoubtedly. This delighted the group and their already favorable perception of the hotel was improved further. They also engaged in considerable amount of positive word-of-mouth communication (Gronroos, 2001). 2. 3. 6 Complaints management Customers complain under one or both of the conditions: their expectations being underperformed to a degree that falls outside their zone of tolerance or unfair treatment. Complaints management process should be developed to take a positive view of customer complaints. Customers who complain provide an opportunity for the service firm to identify root causes of problems as well as win back unhappy or dissatisfied customers to retain their future value (Buttle, 2005). A complaints management process should allow company to capture complaints before customers spread a negative word-of-mouth or take their business elsewhere (Buttle, 1998). Up to two-thirds of customers who are dissatisfied do not complain to the organization (Richins, 1983). However, they may complain to their social networks. Dissatisfied customers are likely to inform twice as many people about their experience than customers with a positive experience (TARP, 1995 in Buttle, 2005). According to Wilson (1991), only 4 percent of the dissatisfied customers actually complain, providing valuable feedback to the company. The remaining 96 percent choose to simply leave the business and go elsewhere. Companies choose to deal with complaints efficiently to bring about customer retention, continuous improvement in service quality and build a customers of each such benefit are mentioned below Recognition: A customer may feel more valued and important when recognized and addressed by name Personalization: For example, over time, a hotel manager may understand a customer’s particular preferences or expectations Power: For instance, some of the power asymmetries in relationships between banks and their customers may be reversed when customers feel that they have personal relationships with their bank officers and managers. Risk reduction: Risk may be in the form of performance, physical, financial, social or psychological. High levels of perceived risk are uncomfor table for many customers. A relationship has the ability to reduce, or even eliminate risk. For example, a customer may develop a relationship with a garage to reduce the perceived performance and physical risk attached to having a car serviced. The relationship provides the assurance that the job has been skillfully accomplished and the car is safe to drive. Status: For example, customers may feel that their status is enhanced by a relationship with an organization, say, the Hilton. Affiliation: people’s social needs can be met through relationships. For example, many people join particular forums or associations to be a part of a community. However, there are some customers who would be satisfied with the service quality and perhaps decide to be loyal, but not want a relationship as such with the supplier for privacy issues. It is a known fact that suppliers wish to increase their sales to customers. In order to know and analyze their customers, companies collect extensive data on their customers through various channels. One popular rather common channel is through loyalty programs and cards. Examples include Tesco loyalty cards, Hilton hhonors program, British Airways frequent flyer cards, etc. The companies provide some benefits to customers and collect data like contact name, history of purchase, money spent in the past on company’s services, etc. However, if the data is mishandled or incorrectly handled, it can destroy the trust and loyalty in the relationship. (Vargas, 2006) Privacy and data protection are key concerns of customers, who are increasingly concerned about the amount of information that organizations have about them and the uses to which information is put. In reality, most customers are unaware of the quantity of information available to companies. Some customers may wish to simply not join any loyalty programs in order to secure their privacy and prevent intrusion into personal information. 2. 5 Synopsis This section has provided available literature about CRM. The gap model explained shall be a strong basis for explaining the dark side of CRM. Privacy issues shall be given importance as well. The customers’ perception of service quality is to be given supreme priority by the hotel industry. It is important how customers perceive the service quality to be. What they receive and how they receive corresponding to their expectations helps them judge the service quality to a large extent. Chapter 3: CRM and Hotel Industry The hotel industry today has been recognized as a global industry, with producers and consumers spread around the world. The use of hotel facilities such as: room, restaurant, bar, nightclub or health club; are no longer considered a luxury. For many people these services have become an integral component of lifestyle. Moreover, in the last two decades, demand for and supply of hospitality services beyond that of the traditional services intended for travelers have escalated the growth of the hospitality industry globally, leading to intense competition in the market-place. One of the greatest challenges facing hotel organizations today is the ever-growing volume and pace of competition. Competition has had major implications for the customer, providing increased choice, greater value for money and augmented levels of service. Additionally, there is little to distinguish one hotel’s products and services from another. Thus it has become imperative for hotel organizations to gain a competitive advantage. There are two strategies most commonly used by hotel managers in order to gain a competitive advantage, which are low-cost leadership through price discounting and developing customer loyalty by providing unique benefits to customers. Hotels that attempt to improve their market share by discounting price run the serious risk of having a negative impact on the hotel’s medium- and long-term profitability. As a result, it is quality of service rather than price that has become the key to a hotel’s ability to differentiate itself from its competitors and to gain customer loyalty. Getty and Thompson (1994) studied relationships between quality of lodging, satisfaction, and the resulting effect on customers’ intentions to recommend the lodging to prospective customers. Their findings suggest that customers’ intentions to recommend are a function of their perception of both their satisfaction and service quality with the lodging experience. However, satisfying customers alone is not enough, since there is no guarantee that satisfied customers will return to purchase. It is now becoming apparent that customer loyalty is significantly more important than customer satisfaction for success. Numerous examples illustrate that it is important that the hotel industry develop customer loyalty, as opposed to relying solely on pricing strategies. Researchers have shown that a 5 per cent increase in customer loyalty can produce a profit increase of 25 per cent to 85 per cent (Reichheld and Sasser, 1990). Hence a dedicated focus on customer loyalty is likely to become a necessary prerequisite for the future survival of hotel organizations. In the hotel industry, Customer relationship management (CRM) is more than the practice of collecting guest-centric data. It’s the art of using historical, personal, and experiential information to personalize a guest’s stay while generating incremental revenue opportunities. For instance, knowing a traveler is an avid sports fan creates the opportunity to market tickets to a game; knowing a guest had a less-than-memorable experience in the hotel restaurant gives you a chance to win them back the next time they are in town. With the latest offerings in CRM, hoteliers can develop comprehensive guest profiles from reservation information and demonstrate to guests that the property is in touch with their needs, drive guest-centric data down to the transaction level, allowing employees and guest-facing technology to deliver greater value to the guest, generate a realistic profile on the spending and stay patterns of guests, allowing the property to create guest-centric marketing for increased loyalty and spending, etc. Microsoft, 2006). To summarize, the shift in the sales and marketing landscape requires the hotel companies to be as advanced as technology will allow in managing their customer relationships. â€Å"There will be a sea change from management of customer data to management of customer relationships†. Hotel companies must carefully consider how they store, track, analyze and act upon every aspect of their relationships with their guests and booking customers. † The emphasis should be on using the data intelligently to predict consumer behavior, such as loyalty and usage patterns, and to use the customer knowledge to anticipate the customer needs or problems (EURHOTEC, 2000). Chapter 4: Methodology and Research Design 4. 1 Overview Methodology can be defined as (i) â€Å"a body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline†, (ii) â€Å"a particular procedure or set of procedures or (iii) â€Å"the analysis of the principles or procedures of inquiry in a particular field†, the common idea being the collection, the comparative study, and the critique of the individual methods that are used in a given discipline or field of inquiry (Wikipedia, 2006). This chapter of the paper provides an overview of the research design (i. e. the case study) used for research about the hotel industry. The objectives of the research have been mentioned followed by a definition of research design and the qualitative approach of the case study. The researcher then presents his justification for choosing Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company as his case example leading to methods of data collection for the research conducted along with each method’s strengths and weaknesses. This chapter concludes with discussion on data analysis and the reliability and validity issues with data collection 4. 2 Research objectives A review of the present literature is a stepping stone in compiling the objectives behind the research. In this regard, the literature review enabled an understanding of how can the hotel industry improve its business performance through service quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The service quality is provided by hotels to ultimately satisfy the customers and the hotel managers must know what their customer wants rather than blindly assuming. Even though the service quality may be satisfactory, there may be a gap between the expected service quality by the customer and their experienced service quality. The hotel management has to strive to bridge these gaps to improve service quality and customer satisfaction and attempt to bring about customer loyalty which in turn would impact business performance. The literature review also highlighted that there is possibly a ‘dark side of CRM’ which refers to privacy issues of the customer and doubts about customers willing to build relationships in the long run. There is also not ample literature available on the customer’s perspective i. e. how he customer feels about what the hotel provides him with, if the hotel actually provides them with what they promise to deliver, if the customers value all they receive and how much, the privacy issues and possibly customers’ reaction to certain experiences during their stay, just to name a few not so explored sides of CRM. Inspired by the above, the research objectives are as follows: 1. Does the gap model explain the dark side of CRM? 2. Is there more to the dark side of C RM than what is explained in the gap model? 3. How can the dark side of CRM be reduced? . 3 Research design A research design can be explained as the â€Å"detailed blueprint used to guide a research study toward its objectives† (Aaker, Kumar and Day, 2003). Research design provides the â€Å"glue that holds the research project together. A design is used to structure the research, to show how all of the major parts of the research project the samples or groups, measures, treatments or programs, and methods of assignment work together to try to address the central research questions† (Social research methods, 2006) The process of designing a research study requires some interrelated decisions to be made. The most significant decision is the choice of research approach which determines how the information will be obtained. The choice of research approach is dependant on the nature of the research to be conducted. Research approaches can be categorized into one of the three general categories of research i. e. exploratory, descriptive and casual (Aaker, Kumar and Day, 2003). Exploratory research: This type of research is undertaken when one is seeking insight into the general nature of a problem area, the possible decision alternatives and relevant variable that are to be considered. The research methods are loosely defined, highly flexible, unstructured and qualitative. The researcher begins without firm preconceptions as to what will be the outcome. The absence of structure allows a thorough pursuit of ideas and clues about the problem situation. Such research is conducted because a problem has not been clearly defined. Explor