E-business strategy

E-business strategy 1. Management Summary 2. Introduction Tesco is Britains largest food retailer, employing over 240,000 people worldwide and has net yearly profits of over  £1 billion. Its website is one of the most popular in the UK, with over one million registered users. [free-encyclopedia-online] Tesco started in 1919 when Jack Cohen started selling surplus groceries from a stall in the East End of London. The Tesco brand first appeared five years later in 1924 he bought a shipment of tea from a Mr T. E Stockwell. The initials and letters were combined to form Tes-co and in 1929 Mr Cohen opened the flagship Tesco store in Burnt Oak, North London. The brand sustained its rise in the 1930s when Mr Cohen established a headquarters and warehouse in North London and in 1932 Tesco became a private limited company. In the 1950s the retailer bought 70 Williams stores and 200 Harrow stores, followed by 97 Charles Philips stores and the Victor Value chain in the early 1960s. In 1968 Tesco opened its first superstore in Crawley, West Sussex. Supermarkets revolutionised the way people shopped and by the 1970s Tesco was building a national store network to cover the whole of the UK, which it continues to expand to this day, while also diversifying into other products. In 1974 Tesco opened its first petrol stations, and would become the UKs largest independent petrol retailer. By 1979 total sales topped  £1bn, and by 1982 sales had doubled to more than  £2bn. In 1987 Tesco effectively completed a hostile takeover of supermarket opponent Hillards for  £220m. In the 1990s Tesco continued to tighten its grip on the UK with more store openings and an aggressive marketing campaign in an attempt to surpass Sainsburys as the UKs leading grocer. In 1992, the company launched is slogan every little helps, followed by the Tesco Value range in 1993. This was followed by the launch of the Tesco Clubcard scheme in 1995, helping Tesco to overtake rival Sainsburys as the UKs largest food retailer. 1996 saw the retailer introduce its first 24-hour store while it also expanded overseas opening shops in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Tesco.com was launched in 2000 and the supermarket continued to expand its range of products, which now includes clothes, electrical and personal finance products. In 2004 Tesco entered the broadband market. In 2006, the retailer announced ambitious plans to open stores in the US under the name Fresh and Easy and funded by existing resources. Tesco now operates in 13 countries. Group sales were  £51.8bn in the year to February 23 2008. In 2008 the retail giant took its conquest of the UK one step further by buying up some competitor Somerfield stores on distant islands in Scotland, giving Tesco a existence in every single postcode area in the country. More than 50p in every pound spent on food by the citys 66,000 residents is done so at a Tesco checkout and similar dominance in other towns has sparked controversy. Because of their size, supermarkets have been accused by some of abusing their position by forcing smaller local shops out of business. Clark, T, (2008) Below figure 2.1 shows a graph of Tescos profit over a five year period from 2003 to 2008. Figure 2.2Graph showing the improvement of Tescos product range Grocery home shopping service, toys electronics, sports equipment, cookware home finishing Financial services (Visa card, saving accounts, banks, insurance) Gas filling station Gasoline retailer Clothing, household Food 1919 1960 1990 199   1997 2000 Year 3. Situation Analysis In crafting a strategy it is important for a company to analyse the environment. All organisations operate within an environment that influences the way in which business is conducted. Situation analysis involves the review of the internal resources and processes of the company to assess its e-business capabilities and results to date in the context of a review of its activity in the market place. It also involves the review of the immediate competitive environment or micro-environment and the review of the wider environment or macro-environment in which a company operates. The micro-environment includes customer demand and behaviour, competitor activity, marketplace structure and relationships with suppliers, partners and intermediaries. The macro-environment includes economic development and regulation by governments in the form of law and taxes together with social and ethical constraints such as the demand for privacy. Chaffey (2009) 3.1. Present Position Analysis In this section the factors that impact Tescos strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats will be looked at. Figure 3.1 presents the factors that impact the SWOT analysis of Tesco. Strengths Advertising and marketing Strong customer base Product range Services offered International entrance Location Sale increase Brand name External economies of scale Product quality Cost reduction Weaknesses Transport cost Dependence on the UK grocery market Market dominated by another company Opportunities Online market Growth Product expansion Threats Tax increase Innovation of other companies Customer preference Internet security Tescos success in the market stands firm due to their product range which allows customers to choose products from different market segments. With this strategy Tesco establishment a strong customer base. They also kept and grew their customer base by introducing new services within the organisation and by way of their advertising both in store and online. They introduced a clubcard that encouraged and continues to encourage customers to shop online with rewards. To keep their customer base strong they use different advertising and marketing methods such as sending customers mails using effective mediums which include both direct mail and electronic mail. Advertising is can be done in store and is even more effective using the online medium such as advertising on Google or sites that are used regularly by general web browsers. Services such as insurance, visa cards, saving accounts, music downloads and gas filling stations where some of the services introduced by Tesco. The products and services offered by Tesco meets or at times exceed the expectations of customers. The brand name Tesco uses allows customers to identify them and the products and services they provide even though other companies provide similar products and services. Tescos strategy of branching out into different locations was a major move which allowed them to target all groups of customer wants and needs with the products and services they offered. They also branch out into international markets and expand their products and services into different cultures. Tescos move to the online arena allowed them to target all groups all at once and allow their customers to purchase items that are in or out of season and are not available in store. They also grant them five dollar discounts to encourage them to shop on the online market. Tescos have an advantage over their competitors and due to this fact the prices they offer for the same products are much lower allowing more customers to come into Te sco instead of the competitors. Dependence on the UK market is considered a weakness because of their dependence on UK suppliers for their products. Tesco can turn their dependence on the UK market into strength by outsourcing products with equal or superior quality than the products they currently offer. Tesco dominates the market but in certain cities, Tescos competitors have monopolised the cities. In order for this monopoly by their competitors to be destroyed Tesco needs to open more branches within the cities and boost up their services to gain a wide range of customers in those cities. 3.2. Industry Analysis Porters Five Forces for Tesco.com 4. E-Business Strategy Strategy development should be strongly influenced by considering the environment the business operates in. The most significant influences are those of the immediate marketplace of the micro-environment that is shaped by the needs of customers and how services provided to them through competitors and intermediaries and via upstream suppliers. Technological innovations are vital in providing opportunities to provide superior services to competitors or through changing the shape of the marketplace. Chaffey (2009) 4.1.E-Business strategy 4.2. Implementation 5. Legal and ethical issues Privacy of consumers is a key ethical issue since many laws have been enacted. Data protection legislation is enacted to protect the individual, to protect their privacy and to prevent misuse of their personal data. This affects all types of organizations regardless of whether they have a transactional e-commerce service. Chaffey (2009) When gathering information Tesco.com needs to take in mind what the Data Protection Act states concerning personal data and the use of that data. In schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 1998, it states eight principles by which data must be protected. These eight principles are: Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully and, in particular, shall not be processed unless— at least one of the conditions in Schedule 2 is met, and in the case of sensitive personal data, at least one of the conditions in Schedule 3 is also met. Personal data shall be obtained only for one or more specified and lawful purposes, and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes. Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed. Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. Personal data processed for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes. Personal data shall be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects under this Act. Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data. Personal data shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data. [opsi 2008] According to the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 above Tesco must ensure that: When Tesco.com collects information from a data subject, the data subject must be aware that their information is being captured and because they agree to it. This information is obtained when a customer registers an account with Tesco.com. This information will be used by Tesco.com to create a profile for the individual. Tesco.com must let the data subject know why they are collecting this information and how it will be used both now and in the future. They need to let the data subject know if they data will be sent to third parties or not and how long they will keep this information stored. The data requested by Tesco.com must be relevant according to their needs. It must also be information that a customer will feel comfortable disclosing. Tesco.com must ensure that the data being collected and processed from a data subject is accurate and up-to-date. When a customer requests the closure of their account Tesco.com should delete all data concerning that customer or they will be in violation of the fifth principle in the Data Protection Act 1998. Tesco.com should supply information to the data subject without hesitation once they request it. In gathering information Tesco.com must ensure that the data stored is safe and secure. In distributing data Tesco.com must ensure that the data subject agrees to it or the country to which the information is being transferred to must have proper data protection or else there will be a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 principle 8. According to the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations Act, Tesco.com must see to it that the e-mail sent to customers where based on the customers opt-in or consent to receive e-mails and should also have the option for them to opt-out or un-subscribe to getting e-mails. Tesco.com should also supply the customer with some contact information so that they can contact if they feel the e-mails being sent is spam. 6. Conclusion

Resisting Negative Peer Pressure Essay -- Peer Pressure Essays

â€Å"Conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to what individuals perceive as normal of their society or social group. This influence occurs in small groups and society as a whole, and may result from subtle unconscious influences, or direct and overt social pressure. Conformity can occur in the presence of others or when an individual is alone† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformity) Has there been a time when you suddenly found yourself watching a group of teens communicate and they all seemed to be doing something different from what you can see? How did this make you feel? Did you feel like you had to conform to their way of communicating to each other? If so you just failed victim to your desire to conform. Adolescence, go through different stages of development, these stages are meant to move adolescence between their childhood and their adulthood. These stages are the experiences a teen go through that brings about a variety of changes and emotional issues. Varies cultures play a part in the adolescence development, ranging from their preteens through 19 years of age. â€Å"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescence covers the period of life between 10 and 20 years of age. Adolescence is often divided by psychologists into three distinct phases: early, mid, and late adolescence† (World Health Organization). When an individual take on the behaviors, attitudes, and styles of their peers because of the pressure of fitting in, this is peer conformity, also known as peer pressure. In most cultures the amount of time we spend with our peers tends to increase, as well as the effect they provide for support. Peer influence can start as soon as the third grade for some an... ... Last there is Internalization, publicly changing behavior to fit in with the group and also agreeing with them privately† (http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformity.html). By studying conformity, I hope I will be able to help others keep their identity and follow their own values and beliefs and not give in to peer pressure and conformity. I hope I can make teens more aware of the many influences that peers pressure can have on them and the many choices that make them who they are. Reference Harris, J. R. (1995). Where is the child's environment? A group socialization theory of development. Psychological Review. Conformity, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformity World Health Organization, (2013). Adolescent Health and Development Conformity in Psychology, retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformity.html

Managing Cultural Diversity Essay

The following paper brie y debates the rhetoric of managing diversity and considers whether managing diversity is a distinct approach to managing people or a means of diluting equal opportunities in UK organizations. With respect to the realities of the concepts in UK organizations, empirical data from a survey of sixty UK human resource professionals and general line managers is presented. We pose a number of cautionary questions, including what does it matter and to whom? By doing so we intend to encourage further critique and challenges in respect to the concept of managing diversity in organizations. Keywords: Managing diversity, equal opportunities, HRM/D, rhetoric, reality Introduction Today the workforce does not look, think, or act like any workforce of the past, nor does it hold the same values, have the same experiences, or pursue the same needs and desires (Jamieson and O’ Mara 1991). The composition of today’ s workforce has changed signi cantly in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, culture, education, disabilities, and values. Running parallel to these changes is the shift in thinking by human resource theorists and practitioners with regard to addressing equality in the workplace (Cooper and White 1995; Liff and Wacjman 1996). This shift is underpinned by the emergence of the business case argument for equal opportunities, as opposed to the persuasive debate for social justice or equal opportunities as ‘ correcting an imbalance, an injustice or a mistake’ (Thomas 1990). There is now a view that, after twenty years of the ‘ stick’ of legal compliance (which has achieved little), the ‘ carrot’ of underpinning the business case for equal opportunities will perhaps achieve more (Dickens 1994). The business case argument for equal opportunities in organizations is often termed ‘ managing or valuing diversity’ , but, as with most contemporary Human Resource Development International ISSN 1367-8868 print/ISSN 1469–8374 online  © 2000 Taylor & Francis Ltd http://www. tandf. co. uk/journals 420 Peer-Reviewed Articles anagement issues, the underlying principles and interpretation of this concept are open to mass interpretation, criticism, and indeed misunderstanding. D. Miller (1996) argues that the significant widening of the meaning of equal opportunities has brought with it more complex and confusing messages for employers and practitioners. By drawing on literature and empirical data, we consider whether man aging diversity is a distinct approach to managing people or a means of diluting equal opportunities in UK organizations and pose a number of cautionary questions, including: what does it matter and to whom? By doing so, we intend to encourage further critique and challenges in respect to the concept of managing diversity in organizations. What is managing diversity? Thomas (2000) argues that, with the growing number of mergers and acquisitions, workforce diversity will become more of a priority for organizations and, therefore, in the future, people will become clearer on what diversity is and how to manage it. As with the debates surrounding de nitions of human resource management and development (HRM/D), managing diversity as a concept means different things to different people. It can relate to the issue of national cultures inside a multinational organization (Hofstede 1984); it can relate to the further development of equal opportunities or to a distinct method of integrating different parts of an organization and/or managing people strategically. Much of the literature regarding managing diversity relates to the US experience, where the concept is particularly popular; a re ection perhaps of the more pronounced diversity of workforce composition (Cassell 1996). In a recent report 1999), a Department of Education in America described managing and valuing diversity as a key component of effective people management, arguing that it focuses on improving the performance of the organization and promotes practices that enhance the productivity of all staff. Their dimensions of diversity include gender, race, culture, age, family/carer status, religion, and disability. The de nition provided also embraces a range of individual skills, educational quali cations, work experience and background, languages, and other relevant attributes and experiences which differentiate individuals.

The Chocolate War Essays - The Chocolate War, Free Essays

The Chocolate War Essays - The Chocolate War, Free Essays The Chocolate War The Chocolate War The Chocolate War is a book written by Robert Cormier. It is about a teenaged boy named Jerry and his life as an individual at an all boys catholic school called Trinity. Every year the school sells chocolates to raise money. Every student is meant to sell fifty boxes, and they all do, except for Jerry. Jerry was forced not to sell the chocolates for 10 days by the Vigils, a school gang. At first thats what he planned to do, but as the 10 days went on, Jerry started to feel control over his life and decided to continue not to sell. By doing so, Jerry disobeyed the Vigils and made them look like a bunch of fools. Jerry is a fourteen year old freshman at Trinity. He is 59 and 145 pounds. He plays football for the school team. His mother just recently died of cancer and he lives alone with his father. While dealing with his mothers death, Jerry felt that he had absolutely no power or control over his life, that is until he stood up to the Vigils by refusing to sell chocolates. Archie is a part of the Vigils. He plays the role of the assignor. For this job he has to select students and give them assignments. In this case, He assigned Jerry the duty of not selling chocolates for 10 days. Archie is a very powerful and manipulative person and he can turn someone against another in the blink of an eye; Just like when Jerry prolonged his assignment. In the following paragraphs, it will be showed how Archie turned Jerry from a hero, to an outcast and finally, to a victim. Jerry became a hero to all in Trinity. A hero by definition being a man or boy admired for his bravery, great deeds or noble qualities. In this case they looked up to him for his bravery to stand up to Brother Leon and refuse to sell the chocolates, something they all had wanted to do, but never had the guts. For example, in roll call on the first day of the chocolate sales Brother Leon went through each boys name and they were to answer yes or no. Yes meaning they would sell the chocolates and no meaning they wouldnt. Every single boy said yes, except for Jerry, he said no. Brother Leon didnt just let him be, he put pressure on him, tried to make him feel badly about not selling, tried to make him feel guilty. It didnt work though, Jerry stood his ground and stuck be his original answer, NO. At first Jerrys motif not to sell the chocolates was just the assignment given to him by the Vigils, but soon after, that changed. Jerry started to feel control over his life, he started to feel like an individual for once. He also had become recognized by the school as a rebel, and as a leader. For example, Jerry was on the bus and this person hes never talked to before sat down beside him and said, -Hey, Renault, you got guts, know that Boy, you really let Leon that bastard have it. Beautiful. People hed never talked to were looking up to him, he couldnt back down after ten days, nor did he want to, so he continued not to sell chocolates, even after his assignment was finished. Jerrys fame didnt last long after he disobeyed the Vigils, due to Archies ways, Jerry soon became an outcast. An Outcast by definition being a person or animal cast out from home and friends, friendless. When Jerry continued his refusal, he made a mockery of the Vigils, something no one else has ever done. He also unknowingly set the Vigils up for some trouble. The Vigils had made a deal with Brother Leon to support the chocolate sales, and with Jerry standing up for himself like that, things couldnt go on for the better. Other people were bound to follow in his footsteps and that wouldnt be a good thing. Archie had to come up with something quick, so he decided to take charge put Jerry on the spot. The Vigils somehow made chocolate selling the

The Role Of Women In essays

The Role Of Women In essays In the eyes of the masculine society, the dominance of women has never been seen with pleasure. Their egotistical macho egos will not tolerate women prevailing over them. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, was Ken Keseys tool to demonstrate the evils of domineering females. Every one of his feminine characters was given birth with malignant, evil inflicting individualities. Ken Keseys views of women are as spiteful creatures that take pleasure in the anguish of men. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, exposes the malevolent powers of women, and the detrimental effects of what these powers can do when they are not restricted. In the masculine perspectives of Ken Kesey, the female characters are downsized to just two roles in the story. Each of which is created to bring down the self-worth of men, or to use sexuality to inflict havoc in the lives of which they meet. Ken Kesey has women who cause men to undergo a metaphoric castration. The characters of Nurse Ratched, Billys mother, and the Ch iefs mother are focused on the removal of the masculinity of the male characters in the story that they are involved with. Ken Kesey, writes about the destructive powers that women exert over men, inflicting the reader with the ideals of the masculine form of thought. Nurse Ratched is the perfect woman that Ken Kesey uses to demonstrate that the matriarchy of women is wicked. To describe the character of the nurse, Ken Kesey uses a male figure, which is the Chief. This demonstrates the how unfairly even from the start women are being described by the biased eyes of a male. Ratched, her name suggests her role to tighten the stronghold that she has on the men in her ward. Even the beauty of a womans smile is twisted and turned by Ken Kesey. The more infuriated she becomes, the more machinelike and, therefore, funny she becomes, ...she really lets herself go and her painted smile twists, stretches to...

Overview the legislation that impacts the workplace in Canada at both Research Paper

Overview the legislation that impacts the workplace in Canada at both the provincial and federal levels - Research Paper Example rengthened the legal claims of employees while encroaching upon workplace norms that were formed through collective agreements and managerial prerogatives. The inclusion of human rights as part of the legislation impacting the workplace in Canada was achieved through the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which forms part of the constitution Act 1982. Hogg (1982) explains that the Charter is a set of laws outlining the basic rules about how the nation operates. It describes the powers of the provincial governments and the federal government in Canada. It also outlines the rights and freedoms that the Canadian people believe are necessary and important in a free and democratic society. The Charter has had a notable indirect impact on both public employers and private employers who are not considered as government employees because of its application to both provincial and federal human rights legislation. Black-Branch (1995) states that the government has amended these human rights statutes through judicial interpretation in order to conform with the Charter. The impact of this process is the making of Charter principles that are directly applicable to all workplaces in Canada. Some of the rights in the Charter are the right to live and seek/get employment anywhere in Canada and the right to equality, including gender equality. Generally, the provincial and federal legislations in Canada affecting the workplace govern issues such as labour relations, human rights and workplace health and safety. Section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees individuals with disabilities the right to equal benefit and equal protection of the law and without discrimination by the Canadian government, agents of the government and its delegates. It also protects individuals with mental disabilities and this interpretation has been expanded to include individuals with learning disabilities. Employers governed by the Charter must therefore provide equal

Political and economic developments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Political and economic developments - Essay Example The American political scene has for a long time been dominated by two major political parties despite the constitution allowing the existence of as many parties as the citizens would deem fit. These two parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. These two parties differ in policies and fundamental political ideologies. However, having only two political parties is a show of political maturity. This has contributed to the country’s economic prosperity. With the attainment of independence of most countries, the notion of self rule brought with it the possibilities of the countries liberating their citizenry from poverty and even bad governance. This new system of self governance took a myriad of forms with most of the colonies taking after their colonial masters (Michael & John, 2000). This made early European civilization receive much acknowledgement. Most of these types of governance were based on democracy which is a system that allows the populace the author ity to elect their leaders. According to varying preferences, some countries opted for the presidential system in which the president would be directly elected by the populace. The United States is a classical example of this kind of governance. Others opted for a parliamentarian system in which the elected legislatures elect the president. ... Factors that lead to the creations of these nations differ; these are such basic factors as the size of the country, the population size, the religious beliefs of the populace, and multiple others. These are responsible for the formulation of the laws that the legislators deem relevant. What is of relevance in one region is never relevant tin another. The relativity in legal relevance thus explains the difference in regional legislations. The economic growth of a country is determined by a number of factors. Most of these factors are politically instigated. A country that is politically stable like the United States attracts investors. With investors coming to such demography’s, the implication would imminent economic progress (Hill, 2010). The American currency The dollar is the most traded currency globally. This is a clear show of how strong the country’s economy is. The strong economy is sustained by fundamental economic concepts which suit its economy as well as po pulace. There are deliberate moves made by the American government to sustain its economy and safeguards its interests in the world market. These are highlighted in the proceeding part. The American economy has over the years projected manageable rates of inflation due to sound financial policies. This implies a strong economic prospect for the country. Furthermore, this also ensures that the currency retains a strong presence in the financial markets globally. The second factor that has led to the strong currency is the high interest rates that characterize the country’s banking and lending sector. When interest rates are high, the market becomes attractive to investors who would in turn take part in the investments in the securities such as bonds (Stefan, Christopher & Jochen, 2008). This