The word “selfie” has become rooted in the vernacular of the millennial generation from all corners of the globe. This phenomenon is usually associated with taking portraits and posting them accompanied with a caption on social media networking sites (Rettberg 22). As a fact, selfies tell others who you are. Mostly, they are used for entertainment. However, business owners can exploit the potential of selfie behavior grow their businesses (Wan et al. 1). This implies that selfies posted in social media can be used as marketing tools to attract and maintain customers. Studies have shown that companies and corporate are incorporating self images and other photos in their marketing plans (Kiprin Para 7). This has made selfie advertising a major sales-driving force in the current market.
Research has also asserted that selfies are also used in the promotion of certain brands such as Coca-Cola and Samsung. Therefore, selfies can be used in marketing; business organizations can use self images to drive their customer engagement, show their personality, give social proof, show the humanity of a brand, and ‘share a laugh’.
What marketers have realized is that selfies are not only taken and viewed by the millennial generation, but also by the elder generations. On the other hand, social media networking sites are widely used all over the world. This makes them the two (social media sites and selfies) huge tools that marketers can use to facilitate wider reach to potential clients (Rettberg 23). Additionally, the use of these sites is simple and completely free. Users can, therefore, open an account and connect with others by posting photos and selfies within a short period. In this regard, social media networking sites offer cheap and simple methods that various businesses can use to promote their businesses (Rettberg 23).
Companies can use selfies to share the “story” of their company or the zeal that they have for their businesses through selfies (Kedzior 13). Simply put, self images offer a free way for marketers and business owners to visually show their potential customers why they should consider their businesses. For instance, many companies and businesses are using Instagram to display their new products and new ideas. It is free, fast and has limitless potential regarding the number of people marketers can reach.
Moreover, the wider reach of clients is facilitated by the fact that selfies have become viral. This implies that when selfies are posted on social media networking sites, many people will share and react to them, which increase their effectiveness and reach (Wan et al. 2). Therefore, the use of selfies in marketing enables products to be viewed wide and fast.
Selfies-Marketing-Dissertation
There are various ways that companies
and businesses can use selfies to drive their customer engagement (Wan et al.
2). This implies that business people can use selfies in their marketing
strategies. Marketers can use the selfies to attract customers by showcasing
the personal side of their businesses, and by providing an innovative outlet
that they can use to show their products (Rettberg 21). Moreover, selfies can
be used to create awareness about a business by showing a client what a
business does and setting up a familiarity between a company and its potential
customers.
Companies can use selfies to show their personality. Traditionally, customers view authenticity as a top feature they look for when connecting and doing business with companies. Self images are very personal. Additionally, company selfies tell more about the conditions and the employees of a company (Kedzior 14). In this sense, they are very effective for connecting to clients and customers.
For instance, a selfie of smiling employees may be understood to mean that the company employees are satisfied, friendly and social. If such a selfie is posted by a company that specializes in giving services, it may help attract many clients because of the notion that the company’s staff is friendly (Rettberg 28). This is a marketing technique that is used by many companies to portray their good personality and thus, attract customers.
Selfies are also used by companies to give social proof. This mostly happens when customers post selfies in social media networking sites with a company’s products. This acts a recommendation of the product. Mostly, selfies are accompanied by captions. A good message on the caption is equally important. Since this selfie comes from a customer and not the company, it is interpreted that the customer is satisfied with the product and thus, serves as a good advertisement (Rettberg 33).
It is also assumed that clients will not post what they do not like. In this regard, many companies have hired celebrities to take selfies with their brands (Kiprin Para 7). When these selfies are posted on social media networking sites, there is a possibility that many people will be aligned to buy and consume a brand that is associated with their favorite celebrities.
Marketers also use selfies to ‘create and share a laugh.’ Wittiness can be widely used to promote various types of brands. Marketers post funny and hilarious photos because they have a great ability to go viral and spread all over the web. These hilarious selfies can carry certain messages that the marketers want to deliver (Wan et al. 5). In this way, they do not only create and share a laugh, but also pass their marketing messages over a wide area.
Marketing Selfies
Selfies also show the humanity of a
brand. Connecting with people is much easier than connecting with abstract
concepts such as companies. Thus, posting selfies helps companies show that
there are actual people behind their brands (Kedzior 13). This creates strong
emotional connections for those associating with the company’s products. For
instance, selfies of a company’s staff make customers realize that they are
talking to actual people. In this way, companies have been using selfies to
promote their brands.
Though selfies can be good marketing tools, they also pose a great risk. A competing business, companies or people with malicious ideas about ones’ business may post self images that a company may not be willing to associate with its brand. Though marketers can edit selfies posted on their websites and their social media networking sites, they have no control over what is posted by others on their sites. This is a big challenge for many marketers. They have to be watchful on what others are posting on their sites.
All in all, this paper discusses the use of selfies as a marketing tool. This marketing strategy is not only cheap but also fast and simple. Marketers can make use of self images to promote a company’s brand, attract, and retain customers. Selfies are innovative ways that marketers can use to create awareness of their brands and persuade consumers on the superiority of their brands. Though selfie marketing is a good way to promote a company’s products, marketers should also be watchful of selfies that may damage the reputation of their brands.
References
Kedzior, Richard, D. Allen, and J. Schroeder. “The selfie phenomenon–consumer identities in the social media marketplace.” European Journal of Marketing Special issue (2015).
Kiprin,
Borislav. “Go Selfie Yourself!.” (2013).
Rettberg, Jill W. Seeing ourselves through technology: How we use self images, blogs and wearable devices to see and shape ourselves. Springer, 2016.
Wan, Jinlin, Tailai Wu, and Yaobin Lu. “The Effect of Product Endorsers in Social Media: The Role of Self-Disclosure and Social Interactivity.” (2015).
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Title: Outstanding Management Dissertation Topics. Many management students studying at university often ask me what constitutes towards a quality management dissertation topic. There are many factors that contribute towards an outstanding management dissertation but it is always advantageous to examine important factors that underpin a dissertation. Firstly, a management dissertation provides the opportunity to research a particular business management topic that is relevant to your studies. Therefore, it is essential to base your management dissertation topic in this field of study. Your business management dissertation involves writing a significant piece of research, and provides hands-on experience in research design, data collection and data analysis all of which will be summarized in a concise conclusion section.
There are two common research approaches you will need to explore when starting your management dissertation. You may wish to undertake a quantitative study that may involve statistical analysis of survey data. You may opt for a qualitative study involving interviews and observation in organisations. Ultimately, you will naturally develop an enhanced understanding of management theory. When you undertake your management dissertation topic you will examine literature in order to identify potential research gaps, evaluate and reflect upon existing research. You will have the opportunity to critique management theory if deemed appropriate. Try to engage your dissertation supervisor and audience by clearly defining the vision, mission, aims and objectives of your management dissertation topic from the outset.
Management Dissertation Ideas
How will you kick start your management dissertation topic? I recommend that you examine previous research you have conducted in this field. Are you specialized in any business management theory? If so, look at expanding on this and incorporating it into your management dissertation topic. You will feel confident and more assured writing a dissertation in an area of research you are familiar with. I have a profound interest in entrepreneurship and submitted a handful of projects and an undergraduate dissertation in this field. When I began my MBA degree, I knew straightaway that I would expand on my knowledge of entrepreneurship and I am likely to submit my MBA management dissertation topic in this field. I must add that it was fulfilling when building upon my existing knowledge and it proved less stressful.
Business Management Dissertation Topics
Furthermore, you will need to give an explanation of why you chose this particular management dissertation topic? You will need to expand on 2 – 3 research questions within your chosen management dissertation topic. A brief synopsis of approximately 300 words describing your field of study is advisable. It is recommended to include key literature resources used in the dissertation abstract or synopsis section of your management dissertation. Discuss the sample size disposition and a brief explanation of the methodology framework for collecting the data in your management dissertation. These important factors need to be discussed at the beginning of your research and need to be highlighted in your management dissertation topic.
Writing the Perfect Management Dissertation
What will you gain from writing an engaging management dissertation topic? There is no doubt that you will enhance your writing and analytical skills. You will become more critical (within reason) of existing literature and research. You will not take everything you read and hear at face value, you will start to challenge existing knowledge within the business management field and you will become more commercially aware.
It is safe to say that once you have completed your management dissertation topic you will appreciate the range of methodologies in management research. You will demonstrate the ability of identifying, analyzing and integrating an existing body of literature into your management dissertation topic. You will be able to set out the principles of designing a viable research study and apply these in formulating a research study to investigate a management issue. Ultimately, you will demonstrate the ability of writing a quality management dissertation within demanding time constraints.
Sample Business Management Dissertations
Choosing the best management dissertation topic from the outset is important but sometimes a student can experience a writing block or loss of enthusiasm, there are many factors that can cause this. It happens to many writers. It is inevitable and many academic writers struggle with writer’s block at some point. Below is a list of sample management dissertation topics that will inspire you to write your own management dissertation. The sample management dissertations below are supplied as a reference guide and should not be plagiarized. You should not fall into the trap of plagiarism – always refer to your university’s guide on referencing material, I cannot stress this enough. Be mindful that you will fail your degree if you plagiarize material. The management dissertation topics below have been submitted by undergraduate and postgraduate business management students.
Whether you choose to write your management dissertation on the topics above or if you developed your own management dissertation topic, you need to ensure that you write your research on something you are interested in and knowledgeable on – do not conduct research in a field you have no genuine interest in. As previously mentioned you can reduce a lot of pressure on yourself when writing research on a field of management you are comfortable and familiar with.
I hope you enjoy reading this post and that you have added confidence in wiring your own management dissertation topic. I would be grateful if you could leave a comment below.
Title: The Benefits of Buying Sample Dissertations. During times of uncertainty during your studies, it is becoming more commonplace for university students to look at options to help them with their studies. The first port of call is often the internet, searching for material that would help in certain areas of study. Another method students undertake is to look at existing material that has been submitted in their own area of study.
This is something I did throughout my time spent in education but you have to be smart enough not to plagiarism any material. I often looked at assignment and dissertations that have been submitted into universities across the world. I refer to this as looking at sample dissertations. There are many sites that offer existing dissertations for students to reference but there are times when this material is outdated or unfit. Many university libraries grant access to dissertation repositories but not all are that great.
This is where students start to search for sample dissertation on offer from online suppliers or document sharing sites. In fact, these sample dissertation providers do more than you might think such as supporting students with their studies while providing on topic sample dissertations relevant to their subject.
Sample-Dissertations-University
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Avoiding
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is using the work of another person without giving the originator credit. There are different kinds of plagiarism; accidental plagiarism is a situation when you are not sure when to cite, summarize what a common knowledge is ending up renewing an old information, deliberate plagiarism; is copying the exact content of another person they way it is without making any changes. This is something that you need to consider when using sample dissertations and the work of others.
It is important to keep accurate sources of your own work, in order to be properly to attribute the exact words ideas you draw from them. When using sample dissertations be sure to record the exact page numbers if you dealing with a quotation. Paraphrasing is another way of avoiding plagiarism, as there is nothing wrong by summarizing other peoples work as long as you attribute the ideas to them. Quotation is away to which guidance from various departments in the institutions are given. Any direct inline quotations (that is quotations inserted in sentence) of someone else’s words must be put into quotation marks and attributed to their original author.
It is advisable to use a more strategic approach to dissertation writing. Always include full citation details for your sources and ensure that you note down the page number of each argument or quote you select. Stay on topic and to the main points, and summarise arguments in your own words as this helps you to understand them. Try not to approach any dissertation as a third person.
Sample Dissertations Features and Aspects
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Title: Reflective Model and Belbin Theory. In offering the best services in a healthcare facility, there is the high need to have in place an efficient and effective teamwork that can always be in appropriate position to address various health complications and circumstances (Firth-Cozens, 2001).
Eras are gone when dentists and doctors and other healthcare professionals in health organizations would be in any better position to offer quality healthcare services on their own that could end up fulfilling the expectations of patients. This as an evolutionally has been triggered further by the rising universal demand for new levels of patient care services and this calls for a parallel medical care expertise development which possesses huge focus on teamwork strategy that is essentially centered on the patient outcomes (Belbin, 2012).
Deploying the Reflective Model
This idea is contained in the Belbin’s model of roles of a team. Just as significant, one is always about to realize that every function that is needed in order to realize the objectives of the team, they are conducted to completion and in the best possible manner. This paper will reflect on a particular case that happened in a health care setting involving the code blue team in which case a failure in team work and corporation almost put the entire team at risk and in the process liking the life of a patient. The case will further be reflected by use of Gibbs model of “learning by doing.”
Description
When I completed my medical course, I joined the Mega Health facility in the capacity of a nurse specifically as a member of code blue unit. With the code blue team I was made to realize some of the responsibilities and situations that are involved in that particular unit in the hospital environments.
Code blue is a medical term utilized referring that a particular patient suffers from cardiopulmonary arrest that requires quick responses by performing resuscitation with immediate effect. The initial resuscitation process is however required to be conducted by the first medical staff that is present at the time of occurrence. Later, the code blue team is needed to take over the resuscitation treatment.
During this particular day, 65 year old woman was brought to the facility suffering from cardiopulmonary arrest. Unfortunately, at that particular time the nurse on duty was attending to other patients in the ward. I myself was assisting the doctor on another patient who required a chest surgery.
Reflective Model Belbin Theory
Even though my unit was on heart patients, there were no specified guidelines that gave specific job descriptions of the nurses within the facility. After the patient had stayed for almost five minutes I was called upon to come and assist. As my first time encounter of such an event I called the other nurses in circulation. When the senior nurse finally arrived, she started on checking the patient pulse and compressions.
Since there was no nurse assigned with the documentation and follow up of the patient, one of the nurses sent me to the second respondent to alert them for appropriate preparations. Since it was not recorded I described the patient’s condition as a heart attack.
Feeling
When the patient was finally taken to the second respondent she was directed to the intensive care unit ICU. This was a huge mistake as at that moment the patient required a complete resuscitation procedure conducted to her but it was not done. Later the patient got worse and she was referred to the provincial general hospital where she received the complete resuscitation treatment and she recovered.
It was only then that we realized the poor system in our teamwork within the code blue team and through our director we acknowledge to the family and solved the issue. The general feeling was that an error had been done and the justice of the patient had been compromised
Evaluation
From that incident it was very clear that teamwork in code blue team at our facility was failing and the entire arrangement had not done anything commendable. Understanding of the Belbin’s model is of immense importance for our team to make any improvements. In our team we require specified team positions since this would act as a strategy to deal with our responsibilities and our team members.
First teamwork is very crucial as it would have helped assisted bring a balance of what one does respect to what others are assigned. The other role is on specialist which our team was lacking. If we had a specialist among us they could have contributed to the entire group the technical abilities and knowledge. This in effect will impact positively on the safety of patients and their overall outcomes.
In combination with the Gibbs reflective model, one member of team can assist other members to construct sense of the circumstances so as to make them understand their responsibilities on what they have achieved and what they could improve in the days to come (Quinton, & Smallbone, 2010).
Analysis
In this particular case, the main factor that had hindered a better performance in the code blue team poor teamwork. The poor performance displayed by the team was mainly caused by lack of clear job descriptions for different members of the group. For instance, there was no nurse who was assigned the role of follow up and recording every detail of the patient.
The situation could be improved by laying down clear job description for every member in the team. Additionally, no verbal communication should be allowed whenever directives are conveyed regarding the requirements of patients. Adherence to these improvements would lead to reduced confusion, better understanding of the patients’ needs and thus positive patient outcomes.
Reflective Model Conclusion
After
the incident the close assessment revealed that if a better functional teamwork
with effective control and coordination was in place there could have been positive
outcomes from the situation. Whenever a particular team of workers performs at
its best levels, it becomes apparent to observe that every member in that team
follows a clear guideline which directs them to performing clearly described
responsibilities.
The other crucial role of coordinator was lacking in our team. If this was present, this is the individual who could have checked on the process and assist the other members in clarifying their intent and give a summary of what every individual requires (Clements, Dault, & Priest, 2007).
The need for a universally effective teamwork in healthcare environments is on the rise and this has resulted because of the ever growing co-morbidities and the amounting cases of complexities that require special health care. In Gibb’s theory, this is addressed on description of the situation to the team members.
Action
The
team needed an effective implementer who could have acted a practical manager (Aritzeta,
Swailes, & Senior, 2007). They could ensure that all plans and thoughts are
converted into conveniently executable roles. A mentor would analyze such circumstances
and give the best next step to follow whenever a hitch occur in the process.
Teamwork
is an essential component in a health care facility as it determines the overall
performance and reputation of workers and the organization. Belbin’s theory and
Gibb’s reflective model are important a tool that assists team members to have a
deeper thought and understanding of the manner in which they should respond to
various medial circumstances. In so doing, everyone is able to learn from whatever
happened in the past or in the present so that they can minimize the chances of
the same mistake occurring in the future.
References
Aritzeta,
A., Swailes, S., & Senior, B. (2007). Belbin’s team role model:
Development, validity and applications for team building. Journal of Management
Studies, 44(1), 96-118.
Belbin,
R. M. (2012). Team roles at work. Routledge.
Clements,
D., Dault, M., & Priest, A. (2007). Effective teamwork in healthcare: research
and reality. Healthcare Papers, 7(I), 26.
Firth-Cozens,
J. (2001). Interventions to improve physicians’ well-being and patient care.
Social science & medicine, 52(2), 215-222.
Quinton, S., & Smallbone, T. (2010). Feeding forward: using feedback to promote student reflection and learning–a teaching model. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 47(1), 125-135.
Did you find any useful knowledge relating to the reflective model and Belbin theory in this post? What are the key facts that grabbed your attention? Let us know in the comments. Thank you.
Porter’s National Diamond Analysis and Strategy – A Must Read For Business Management Students
Title: Porter’s National Diamond Analysis. Porter has undeniably enhanced understanding of competitive advantage with his published studies in The Competitive Advantage of Nations (1990) and On Competition (1998), among others. His analytical framework, called the ‘diamond’ captures the major determinates of competitive advantage of international business (Porter, 1990). Influencing the major determinates are chance and government.
Although Porter has focused his studies on developing or newly developed nations, the principles may be applied to developing nations, as demonstrated by Ainslie et al (2005). The core question was whether the principles would apply to lesser developed countries such as the island nations in the South Africa and particularly South African food retail industry. In this study we will discuss the Porter’s National Diamond analysis (PND), two key management issues and the market entry strategy in the selected county South African business environment to draw a clear conclusion and future recommendations to the top management of the food retail industry.
In this study Porter’s diamond analysis will discuss, which attempts to identify the sources of international competitive advantage, may be applied to lesser developed island nations of the South Africa. Porter (1990, 675) stated that the Porter’s National Diamond framework may be applied to lesser developed countries (LDC) where they tend to have a competitive advantage in industries. In these countries like South Africa, the basic advantage factors are cheap labour, abundant natural resources, and location advantages which increase their ability for export businesses.
Exports are sensitive to world market prices, leaving LDCs exposed to exchange rate and resource cost swings. This problem is intensified when an LDC faces the protectionist policies of the developed nations. Developed nations place trade restrictions on most of what an LDC does well: textiles and agriculture. By lifting tariff and non-tariff barriers on these sectors through the implementation of regional and multilateral trade agreements lesser developed countries may have the opportunity to develop competitive advantages in certain industries (Ezeala-Harrison 2005).
Porter (1990) has rendered a major service to the global community in identifying many of the explanatory variables of competitive advantage, which has shaped a new assumption to understand why a country’s success, but in some other industries. His analytical framework, known as the “diamond”, shoots the main determinant factors of competitive advantage. This framework includes demand conditions, factor conditions, support and related industries, corporate strategy, structure, and competition. Through a review of literature, the competitive advantage on production was evaluated by investigating the existence of clusters using Porter’s National Diamond theory.
Porter (1990) found the answer to why a nation achieves achievement in a specific industry in the course of four broad characteristics a nation possesses. These attributes shape the home business setting by which domestic firms participate to support or obstruct the establishment of competitive advantage. The four broad attributes, or what Porter defined as the determinants of nation advantage, include: demand conditions, factor conditions, support and related industries, company strategy, firm structure, and industry rivalry.
The four determinants work both as a system and individually to create the environment in which a South Africa’s food retail firms are created and compete to gain and sustain competitive advantage. Besides the four attributes of nation advantage, Porter (1990) incorporated the functions performed by the state and probability as issues affecting the proper functioning of the nation attributes.
The complete framework developed by Porter was presented in Figure 1. Porter termed the framework the diamond due to the obvious shape of the four determinants that it is a vibrant arrangement in which all fundamentals interrelate and strengthen every other factor. These systemic surroundings make it difficult to imitate the precise arrangement of the business in a different country. In view of the fact that the diamond is a jointly strengthening scheme, the effect of single determinant is dependent on the condition of the other determinants.
Aiginger (2006) explained that having one favourable determinant in an industry it will not lead to a competitive advantage unless other determinants can be created to respond. Advantages in one determinant may create or have a positive effect on other determinants. Nations are most likely to succeed in an industry where the determinants or the diamond is the most positive. To gain a complete understanding of the functionality of the diamond, each determinant was examined, as well as the factors influencing the determinants and the functioning of the diamond as a system.
Porter’s Diamond Framework
Porter’s National Diamond
Source:
Wall et al (2008)
Factor
conditions: Economists
have termed the resources or inputs necessary to produce a product or service
as factors of production, which include land, labour, capital, infrastructure, and
natural resources. Porter (1990) divided factors of production into two basic
distinctions, “the first involved basic and advance factors, where basic
factors include natural resources, weather, position, skilled and semi-skilled labour,
and capital of debt (p. 89). Porter (1990) examined that advance factors,
including contemporary digital data communication infrastructure, such as a
university graduate engineers and computer scientists with high academic
qualifications, a complex subject and university research institutions (p. 77).
South African food retail is endowed with basic factors or they require very little investment to create. These factors tend to be insignificant to the African national competitive advantage or they prove to be unsustainable. Advanced and sophisticated features are more important for company’s economic benefits in that they are scarcer due to their creation demanding huge and continued investments in human and physical capital.
While advanced factors are often built upon basic factors, innovation requires advanced factors that are imperative to the design and creation of products and processes. The second distinction among factors of production is developed on specificity, which Porter broke down into generalized and specialized factors. Factors such as the thoroughfare system, the supply of debt capital, motivated employees with college education or pool are also included in generalized factors. These factors can be utilized in many different industries. Specialized factors occupy barely skilled workers, road and rail network with precise assets, and information basis in meticulous areas (Porter, 1990, p. 78).
Demand
conditions. Porter
(1990) asserted three significant characteristics of requirements, composition,
the dimension and prototype of growth, and the internationalization of home
demand, where the latter two are dependent upon composition of home demand. The
composition of home demand dictates “how firms perceive, interpret, and respond
to buyer needs” (Porter, p. 86). Home demand has important influence on economic
benefit, more so than international demand as its proximity, both physical and
cultural, makes it easier and quicker to monitor and recognize the buyer’s
immediate needs and preferences.
The composition and quality of the domestic demand, relates to a certain extent than amount influential on competitive advantage. More complex and demanding buyers, the greater the pressure, product quality, features and services of local businesses, as well as enterprises able to anticipate the needs of the buyer, in order to meet the high standard terms and conditions. The scale and pattern of growth in domestic demand, with the ingredients, can strengthen its competitive advantage – outlined in Porter’s National Diamond.
Porter (1990) believes that several features of this property include: (a) the size of the domestic demand, it is able to take advantage of economies of scale, and (B) of the independent buyer “stimulus entry and speculation in the business reduce the apparent risk market enterprises will be shut down and limit the bargaining power of the dominant buyer, all profits (94), (c) the growth rate of domestic demand, which will lead to greater investment and technological growth, (d) anticipating buyers needs earlier than foreign rivals, and (e) saturation of the home market to create strong pressures to thrust along prices, bring in new description, develop merchandise presentation, and supply other inducements for buyers to reinstate new versions of old products.
This can happen when African domestic
consumers are mobile and travel to other nations to demand the products from
their home market, or when home consumers are multinational corporations with
operations in other nations. Another mechanism of internationalization is “when
domestic needs and desires get transmitted to or inculcated in foreign buyers”
(Porter, p. 98). This can occur when foreign travellers use the domestic
products or services and take the demand home.
Related and supporting industries
The presence of supplier industries and other related industries in a nation is an important determinant of creation and sustainability of competitive advantage. Porter (1998) stated that internationally competitive domestic suppliers create advantages in other industries in several ways. The competitive related and supporting industries can share common technologies, inputs, distribution channels, skills, customers, and even complementary products, to foster technological spillovers and exchange of information that can spur innovation and upgrading, and ultimately lead to competitive advantage.
According to Ketels (2006), the distribution of business knowledge would to spread between the business companies, human resources because they can be shared educational and research organisations. When internationally successful related industries are present in a nation, they can create demand for a complementary product. Porter referred to this as a “pull through effect” (1990, p. 106).
These complementary products provided by firms in the same nation may be more cost effective since the firms are used to dealing with their own rather than foreign firms. Lastly, firms from related industries may feel threatened by new firms wishing to enter the industry putting pressure on existing firms to improve their own competitive advantage.
Firm strategy, structure, and rivalry
Porter’s fourth determinant of
competitive advantage included the strategies and structures in which organisations
are created, planned and managed, in addition the environment of home rivalry
(1990). Porter insisted that the objectives, planning, and methods of organising
industries differ extensively between nations, but distinct patterns emerge within
nations. The argument was made that a good fit should exist between an
industry’s sources of competitive advantage and its structure, and the
strategies, structures, and practices favoured by the national environment.
Government and chance
As shown in Figure 1, the
government and chance are added to the diamond to complete the system. They are
not determinants of national competitive advantage, but do play a vital role in
influencing the four determinants. The government can influence and be
influenced by each of the determinants, both positively and negatively, which
is represented by the arrows pointing both ways (Porter, 1990). Each of the determinants
is affected in different manners. The Government’s education policies and
subsidies also affect factors conditions. Set of standards and regulations will
affect demand conditions and related supporting industries.
A firm’s strategy, structure, and
rivalry can be affected by the government’s involvement in capital market
regulations, tax policies, and antitrust laws. Porter (1990) viewed the
appropriate role of government as one of reinforcing the determinants of
national advantage instead of attempting to create the advantage itself. The
role of government is viewed differently as nation’s progress through
successive stages of competitive development. During the early stages of
development, especially relevant for developing nations, the government has the
greatest direct influence on national advantage. Factor creation is a vital
role for the government at this stage to encourage savings, accumulation of
capital, and develop infrastructure and technology.
As a nation develops, the
government must shift to an indirect role, always aware of its influence on the
diamond. The tools used in the early stages of development now become
counterproductive, so the government’s role is to create an environment where
firms are the innovators, and the government is the “facilitator, signaller,
and prodder” (Porter, p. 672).
Chance, also lying outside of Porter’s National Diamond, plays an important role in influencing competitive advantage. Some illustrations of chance events include development and innovation, oil shocks, major changes in world financial markets, and wars. Chance events may alter the diamond by creating forces that reshape an industry’s structure and allow for discontinuities that shift an industries competitive advantage.
When we start talking about management issues within the South African food retail industry, there are some very basic internal as well as issues which are increasing the impacts of management at internal level. There are a large number of contemporary issues in South African food retail industry; however, here we will discuss the flowing two among them.
Crisis process is a threat for the current situation and future of a business, it is very clear that administrative and organisational structure will require a significant change. During the crises, organisational stress reaches the top level. On the one hand try to find suitable solutions to resolve the crisis, on the other hand, the tension created by uncertainty and running time pressures negatively influence the management structure of enterprises.
Business managers have to try minimizing damages with precaution actions. To do this the first way is to make a series of organisational and administrative structure changes. Crisis requires rapid reactions, for this reason business structure is developed to provide quick decision. Standard decision-making methods are insufficient to resolve the crisis; these force managers for new decision-making methods. The important thing is to adapt personally to new environment (Basuroye t al 2003)
For
this adoption instead of keeping current values South African food retail
industry has to accept new values. Accurate collection of information,
communication, which cannot be easily settled up well, and psycho-social status
of employees are changing the organisations atmosphere. The atmosphere which is
changed will effect significantly communication, motivation, organisational
justice and moral, such as organisational trust and organisational citizenship
(Stone & Ranchhod 2006).
Another
issue which may increase the negative effects of crisis is an absence of proper
plan for dealing with crisis, which has to include customers, competitors,
vendors, partners, and credit agencies, various internal and external
environmental factors. South African food retail industry must have crisis
plan, in case they can face the reduction of mobility and flexibility.
There
are also some external issues besides the internal issues. Biggest external
issue is change in income of company and rapid price changes. The increase in
costs will automatically come with preventions such as: reduce the number of
employees, reduce the social benefits for employees and loading more work to
the existing workers. New law and regulations can also increase effects of it.
The new taxes, increasing social security contributions, to collapse of the
credit facilities, the new customs legislation can also affect business
dramatically (Boatwright et al 2007).
When
Business managers or owners fail to follow international business changes and
when they cannot keep pace with global developments or the country’s economic
situation, it can increase negative impacts. If managers of South African food
retail industry would not establish an early warning system by making the
internal and external business environment analysis, they can face it as an
another issue in their industry (Siggel 2006).
A sound
international market entry strategy is becoming gradually more important to the
success of new products. The time interval between the launch of the two
important issues of related to international market entry strategy are
undeveloped international launch window of time (the focus of the country’s
national launch of the product) and the sequence.
An important decision relating to international market entry strategy is the decision on the timing of entry into international markets. Two international entry timing strategies are commonly practiced (Chandrasekaran, Deepa, and Gerard, 2008). A waterfall or sequential release strategy is one in which the new product enters multiple countries sequentially. A sprinkler or simultaneous strategy, in contrast, involves almost simultaneous entry into multiple countries- Porter’s National Diamond.
Duan,
Bin and Andrew (2008) use a competitive game theory framework to examine
simultaneous and sequential strategies and show that sequential entry strategy
is appropriate if (1) the product has a very long life cycle, (2) the foreign
market is small, not innovative, and characterized by a slow growth rate, and
(3) competitors in the foreign market are week.
However,
empirical evidence for the success of each of these strategies is mixed. For
example, Chandrasekaran, Deepa, and Gerard (2008) find that the takeoff of a
new product category in one country increases the probability of takeoffs in
other countries, suggesting a sequential release strategy is preferable to a
simultaneous release strategy. Duan, Bin and Andrew, (2008) examine
international market entry strategies in terms of market scope and the speed of
rollout. They find that late mover brands that sequentially enter many large
international markets show greater marketing spending efficacy through
marketing spillover effect.
Foreign
market entry is one of the most important strategic decisions for firms.
Managers should consider cross-country spillover effect when they decide
country sequence. Firms can increase overall performance in foreign countries,
so enhance return on investment by taking advantage of these spillover effects.
A firm should launch its products first into countries that are culturally
closer to its home country and countries that are more open. Managers also need
to consider factors such as potential adopters’ familiarity with the new
product and cultural fit of the product with the country when deciding the
order of country in the international launch sequence. They need to carefully
consider the determinants of country sequence because they affect product
performance in foreign countries (World
Economic Forum, 2008).
To conclude we can say that international
business strategy is critical to the success of some products in several
industries. Departing from Porter’s approach allowed focusing on the possible
affects the regional trade agreement had on clustering. Porter’s (1990) viewing
of international competitiveness of industries through the diamond framework
seems to hold for the lesser developed nations like South African nations.
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