Signature Learning Experience - Case Study Example

Name Instructor Course Date Signature Learning Experience Abstract Technology has brought changes to the society, and it has grown to be appreciated by all. Through technology, several innovations have come to exist. It is through technology that the group introduce DoKhair to curb some of the challenges associated with charity activities. DoKhair is a first of its kind initiative to offer charitable actions a new and convenient platform. The mobile app it is not only practical but cost-effective and efficient. With partnerships, DoKhair can help donators to securely transfer money at their choice of time and location. As a result, the collection and distribution of donation will be more efficient. The mobile app will change the world for the better. It has already been tested and its reliability confirmed. Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 Background 3 1.2 Objective of the Study 5 1.3 Technology Push 5 1.4 Justification of Development of Charity Application 5 1.5 Value Proposition 6 2.0 BRIEF IDEA ABOUT “DOKHAIR.” 7 3.0 COST OF DISTRIBUTION AND COLLECTION SPENT BY CHARITY ENTITIES 7 4.0 TARGET CUSTOMERS AND MARKET 9 4.1 Individuals and Companies 9 4.2 Demographics 9 4.3 Communication Channels 10 4.4 Competitive Factors 13 4.5 How “Dokhair” will be Protected 14 4.6 Prioritizing Marketing 15 5.0 BUSINESS MODEL 15 6.0 PROTOTYPE 16 6.1 Charity Entities 16 6.2 Events and Campaigns 17 6.3 Reminders and Invitations 18 6.4 Efta’a (إفتاء) Incorporation with Awqaf 19 6.5 Productive Families Market 21 7.0 COMPANY PROFILE 22 7.1 Industry Analysis 22 7.2 Business Model 23 7.3 Prototype 24 7.4 Unique Selling Points of the App 24 8.0 MARKET TESTING 25 9.0 GO TO MARKET STRATEGY 27 10.0 FINANCE- INVESTMENT REQUIRED 28 10.1 FINANCE- BALANCE SHEET 29 10.2 FINANCE- STATEMENT OF INCOME 29 10.3 FINANCE- BREAK-EVEN POINT 30 11.0 CONCLUSION 30 Work Cited 32 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Today, technology is the primary source of development. Technological improvement has contributed much to the development and under-developed countries. There is a close link between technological advancement and economic growth. In explanation, the level of technology is important in determining economic growth. Rapid growth rate can be determined through the level of technology in a community or state. Innovations and inventions have been the main cause of a rapid economic growth in most of the developed nations. Technology has several benefits. Today, several countries consider technological growth as a basic item in economic development. Capital cannot bring development on its own since it will need technological advancement. There are several ways in which the impact of technology can be judged. First, technology can be used to maximally and sustainably utilize the natural resources including minerals and land. Second, technology can help in the sustainable use of the capital. In explanation, it can improve the capital’s marginal efficiency thus increasing the output rate. It makes the capital more profitable and productive. Third, technology also helps in time saving. Increase in the demand of any commodity can be produced in the short period of time in the presence of effective technology. Technology increases the division of labor and specialization in all the economic sectors since the goods are produced in large scale. It can similarly used to improve the quality of services and goods as it enabled standardization and best packaging. Furthermore, technology can be used to expand the industry and improve the efficiency of labour. Technological advancement has also hastened the revolution in the international trade due to the internet facility. It has led to the investment increase in most of the scientific fields. Technology can also save labour since the help of machines and computers have ensured the shortest time is taken in the development of goods and services. Technology is very useful in the increase of national income as output is increased. Lastly, technology has led to the development of sectors including banking, transport, industry, agriculture among others. It is out of such importance of technology that the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan stated that “We live today in a world witnessing rapid changes and continuous developments, full of opportunities, discoveries and inventions. We must prepare and equip our generations in a manner that they fit in the world which we live, ensure their position among nations, and make a prosperous future for our similar to our present.” (Wam) It is out of such thinking that mobile applications were invented. A mobile application is a software application designed to run in mobile devises such as tablet computers and smartphones. Most of the devices have several applications written as pre-installed software such as a calendar, email client, web browser, and mapping program among others. Some of the pre-installed applications that can be removed through an ordinary process of uninstall thus giving more space for the desired ones. In the instances in which the software does not allow for the process, some of the devices can be rooted so as to eliminate the apps that are not undesired. 1.2 Objective of the Study The study's objective is to develop a mobile application for different charity entities and types. The study aims at ensuring charity work activities are hastened through technological developments. Its goal is to develop a new dawn for the era of charity work. The app aims at targeting specific current issues and makes a physical connection between donating and regular activity in the society. The application also aims to make an emotional connection between the population with abundance and those without. 1.3 Technology Push Technology push entails the re-designing of products due to the changes in the manufacturing methods and materials present. Today, the materials present in the market are mobile apps. Mobile apps have been used to develop a variety of industries in almost all the fields that affects our daily lives. Technological advancement based in the mobile applications has, therefore, become more available. In addition, there has been improvement in the properties of the mobile applications thus making it easier to make the products more efficient and cheaper. Furthermore, the productions cost of the mobile applications have been reduced due to technological advancement. 1.4 Justification of Development of Charity Application Charity organisations spend a lot of money on putting in place the donation boxes in different shops and malls. In addition, much is spent in the collection of such donations from their respective points. As a result, the process of collecting money has been ineffective and inefficient. Islam urges us to donate in discretion thus making donation boxes not appropriate for the religious practices. The donation boxes are usually situated in public, thus no longer discrete. In explanation, the Koran teaches that whatever the left hand gives should not be known by the right one. The verse encourages discretion in the performing of good deeds including charity. Islam encourages the act of charity; however, it encourages discretion since it comes with more rewards as opposed to public ones. 1.5 Value Proposition Mobile applications come with a variety of benefits to the charity donations activities. First, mobile applications hasten the process and prevent the wasting of time on part of those willing to donate. Conventionally, people donate either in donation boxes or the websites of different charity organisations. But the mobile applications offer a faster alternative than the two. For example, web browsing needs a launch of a web browser, entering of the URL, and waiting for the site to load. On the other hand, mobile app is not only convenient but fast since all the information is within a single app that needs just a press. In addition, the app can function offline thus convenient even in the remote of areas. Second, mobile applications cat as constant reminders for those willing to donate for charity activities. Since it is carried in portable gadgets that are often used such as mobile phones, it is impossible to forget whatever one needs to donate. It, therefore, helps build loyalty among donors since the applications make the activity attractive. Third, mobile applications will also increase the engagement among the donors. The donors need mobile applications because they quickly connect to the events that need charity that they have interest. Charity organisations need mobile applications to increase accessibility of the potential donors and improve the processes related to donations. The main goal of mobile applications is to ensure a smooth connection and interaction with the donors thus making a valuable tool for donation activities. Mobile applications also reduce the costs associated with donation activities. In explanation, the apps reduce the travel, collection and transaction costs. The communication through the mobile apps is based on direct, instant and secure interaction between the charity organisations and the donors. The mobile applications also reduce the workload of information request on part of the two parties and minimise phone calls. Phone applications can also be highly integrated thus combining several charity types in one application thus convenient. Furthermore, the apps can be used to reach people anywhere anytime due to their portability and physical nature. 2.0 BRIEF IDEA ABOUT “DOKHAIR.” Dokhair is a mobile application for different charity types and entities in the United Arab Emirates. The application is important in the inefficiency and ineffectiveness associated with charity organization practices. In explanation, most charity organizations in the world spend a lot of money on donation boxes placed in different shops and malls thus making the process of collecting the money expensive and inefficient. In addition, the process of using boxes for charity organisations might be used to encourage other people to donate thus eliminates the discrete aspect of it. The loss of its discrete quality makes donations to fail meeting the threshold of Islamic practices. Another shortcoming of donation boxes is that they are difficult to access and find whenever one wants to donate. 3.0 COST OF DISTRIBUTION AND COLLECTION SPENT BY CHARITY ENTITIES The conventional way of accumulating charity using boxes is quite expensive. For instance, in 2011, 500 boxes were used to collect charity in the United Arab Emirates. The approximate cost of each of the boxes is 60 AED. As a result, 30,000 AED was used in total to collect the charity funds. The calcultaions are summarised in the table below. The amount used in the collection of the funds are extremely high and could be used in the helping the needy people in the society directly.  The cost of transportation is also high. The transfer of the charity boxes to the central location is usually high thus making the process ineffective and inefficient. The charity boxes are usually transferred in the trucks. According to the table below, the transportation cost per mile is usually 0.78108. The distance covered is usually 416.6 miles thus leading to a total cost of 325.45 AED. On addition, the workers must be employed to conduct the activity. The minimum amount of workers can be three in which one is a driver while the other two are the loaders and off-loaders of the boxes. The total cost needed to pay the worker in each week is, therefore, 875 AED since the collection is conducted weekly. As a result, the total cost of the collection of donation boxes is 1,200.45 AED per week. In a year, the total cost is approximately 57,621.6 AED. The formulae used in the calculation of transportation cost per mile; Transportation Cost per Mile= (Fixed Cost/ Expected Cost) + (Variable Cost/ number of Actual miles drive) = (133, 200 AED/170,000 miles) + (21.6 AED/20,000 mile) = 0.7846 AED. 4.0 TARGET CUSTOMERS AND MARKET 4.1 Individuals and Companies The mobile application targets the companies and individuals willing to engage in community service. The act of donating has been for existence over years. Companies and individuals have been donating money, staff, and good for charitable causes that falls under the umbrella of philanthropy. In the case of a company offering donations, it is commonly known as corporate philanthropy. On the other hand, individuals can make donations to support the needy society around them or far away. Several companies have donated to the needy populations in the past through charities as a way of giving back to the society. But there has been a growing awareness on the fact that philanthropy can be a sustainable and appropriate way of tackling issues that affect the operations of businesses as well as the general society. As a result, the number of people and companies engaging in charity has increased over years. In addition, there has been an increase in the number of partnership between non-governmental organisations or charities and corporate. 4.2 Demographics The age group of the mobile app users is 18 years upwards. This makes the majority of the population in the United Arab Emirates (Index Mundi). It also targets the people who use the smart phones in the United Arab Emirates. United Arab Emirates is one of the countries in which the use of smartphone users has increased greatly over years. The application targets both the males and females in the country. However, the target is majorly people who earn more than 5000 AED a month since they are the people with the surplus in which they can donate. One do not have to a national to use to app but also those who reside in the country can use the application to conduct charity transactions. 4.3 Communication Channels One of the main communication means to which the mobile app will be used to reach the stakeholders will be social media. Social media will make communication easier with people not forced to make phone calls or write a letter. Social media saves time and money since one can just log in to an account and connect with the population of interest instantly. Some of these social platforms are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google among others. Social media is the leading social media when it comes to the number of users at every given moment. The group will, therefore, use social media to reach both the charity organisations and beneficiaries. Social media will not only hasten external communication but also internal communication. It will increase a communication among the donors and beneficiaries. As a result, internal communication can be used to hasten decision making and increase the efficiency of projects collaborations. Increase in the quickness in communication due to social media will hasten the decision on part of the charity organisation and developers. There are several reasons to why the group will use social media to reach its customers. First, social media is immediate since the response can be received immediately. Second, social media allows for an achievement of a more personal approach to the potential customers. As a result, the responders will have time to think carefully about the communication that includes checking at the tone of conversation. Social media will also lead to a transparent conversation since it will allow the potential customers to communicate. It also encourages the mentioning of brands in several sights owned by the charity organisation thus an easier way to sell the business. Lastly, it is easier to follow-up on the communication using a social media as opposed to other conventional means. Second, the group will use advertisement campaign as a communication tool. Advertising is one of the best ways in communication to the mobile app customers. It will help inform the customers that the brand that do exist in the market and those that are useful to them. It can be used to reach all the age groups and done using several media types with different techniques depending on the target population. The group will use advertising campaigns for trial, continuity, brand switch, and switching back activities. In explanation, trial will be used to introduce the mobile app in the market. Its aim will entail convincing the customers to buy new products in the market. The group will use attractive and flashy ads to make its potential customers to notice the product and purchase it for trials. Continuity advertisements will be used to ensure that the customers that already use the mobile app to stick to the product. It entails always introducing some adjustments to the product and the advertisements so as the already existing customers can buy it. The group will also use brand switch advertisement whose main objective is to convince the customers to switch from a given brand or method to which they conduct their charity activities. Lastly, the group will use advertisements for a switch back that entail making the previous customers that had moved to their customers to switch back. It entails different methods of attracting the customers which include packaging rework, new advertisements, and discount sale among others. Third, the group will also reach its potential customers through short messages based on Etisalat Mobile Advertising service. The mobile advertising will enable the customers to get the best of offers and list the mobile app as one of the preferred brands in the country. The service will be able to communicate to the customers about the latest and best offers, brands, new arrivals, and discounts in the market. Some of the benefits of the etisalat include the fact that one can get the latest discounts and offers and receive preferred ads at no charge. In other words, there are no charges for the services but only when one is replying to the texts or joining the exclusive network. Lastly, the group will use web advertising. Web advertising is one of the aspects of online advertising. Web advertisements will ensure that a large number of customers are reached. The advertisement is meant to reach the online community that have never even set foot on the physical location that efficient. It will offer online discount coupons to encourage the customers in visiting the website and increasing the sales. The work will entail the use of organic search methods or pay per click campaign to attract visitors from all areas of the country. The web advertising will also ensure cost effectiveness since it offers low-cost or free marketing means. The use of pay per click using search engines can be relatively inexpensive. One can have the opportunity to pre-set it such that one can click it on your ad. The group will also use free online business directories and classified advertising sites that enables a placing of listing. In addition, the business will use email advertising which is relatively cheap depending on the number of subscribers to be reached. The group can use the email advertising services that offer low-cost or free trial. Lastly, the internet will be used to develop a more personal touch with the potential and current customers. The website can be used to tell a great deal of information to the customers. It can be used to share the testimonials of satisfied customers. An email newsletter and website will also be used to educate the potential customers about the services and products. 4.4 Competitive Factors There are several factors that make Dokhair outstanding. First, the mobile app is innovative since it has managed to link charity donations challenges and technology. It has handled a problem that has been affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of handling charity donations. Second, the mobile app provides a solution to the society and people. It will help the people who are in need of charity in the society thus able to improve the lives of those suffering in the community. The same time, it eases the efforts that the rich and able have to put in place so as to reach the low in the community. The Dokhair mobile app will ensure that there is a link between the rich in the society and the poor or unable. As a way, it improves the livelihood of the poor people in the society and eliminating the gap between the poor and the rich. Third, the mobile app will improve the existing charity work. In explanation, the mobile app will ensure that charity work happens efficiently and effective. With the absence of charity boxes, there will be a direct connection between the donors and the charity organisation. As a result, less will be wasted in terms of cost that increasing the impact of charity organisations. The mobile app is also easy to access since it is just downloaded on the mobile phones, tablets and such like equipments. Ease of access ensures that most of the mobile users in the United Arab Emirates can download and use it. It ensures that all those who are willing to donate can do it at a touch of a mobile screen. The Dokhair also has a high demand due to technological development. Most of the people use mobile phones and tablets. As a result, many people have grown fond of doing things at a touch of the mobile screen. Technological development has, therefore, made it easy to use mobile applications as people appreciate them more. Lastly, the mobile app is the smart choice for customers. The customers will always choose a mobile app over the boxes. The advantages that come with a mobile app such as ease of access and secrecy in donation makes it loved by the customers. 4.5 How “Dokhair” will be Protected The intellectual property of the mobile app will be protected by copyright, patent, and trademark. The copyright will help protect the app developers as they are given the mandate to choose who can distribute, modify, copy, or make derivative works from the original mobile app. The patent allows the developer the right to prohibit others to export or use the original work. Lastly, the trademark aims at ensuring that the competitors or companies will not confuse people into believing and thinking that their company is somehow or linked to Dokhair. The image below is the trademark of the company. The patent and copyright will be used to protect the name of the app. However, the special features will help in the protecting the mobile app from imitation by other companies. Additional prototypes will be put in place to ensure that they are introduced. 4.6 Prioritizing Marketing The group will prioritize its marketing. First, the group will use public relations to improve the views of its potential customers, investors, and general public. The aim of public relations is to improve the reputation of the mobile app as per what it can do and what it entails. The public relations will focus on establishing and maintaining goodwill and mutual understanding between the public and group. Second, the group will use advertising to reach its customers. Advertising entails the use of visual or audio form of communication for marketing as a way to sell the product to the customers. As an advertisement sponsor, the group will use advertisement to promote its services or products. The difference between advertisement and public relations is that the advertiser normally pays for the services and has control over the message to be broadcasted. Advertisement is communicated through several media platforms including magazines, radio, television, and newspapers among others. Third, marketing will also be done using social media. The social media platforms to be used include Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram among others. 5.0 BUSINESS MODEL Dokhair is a free mobile application. The users of the app will be allowed to download the app online free of charge. As a result, the group will have other means of generating finances to ensure sustainability. The money will be generated through sponsors supporting the program as a way of social responsibility. In addition, finances will be collected through paying a certain fee as a way of advertising their products on the website. Furthermore, pop up ads also wil be used to collect the fee to support the Dokhair functioning processes. 6.0 PROTOTYPE The prototype is made of 7 main groups of players. These are charity entities, events and campaigns, reminders and invitations, eftaa in corporation with the Awqaf, productive families market, recruitment, and volunteering in running the app. The prototype can simply be represented as shown below. 6.1 Charity Entities The will be several charity entities that will benefit from the app. The list of images below indicates some of the charities that will be engaged in the app use. 6.2 Events and Campaigns There will be a number of occasions and campaigns put in place with the intention of capacity building the customers and general public. Most of the events and campaigns will ensure that the primary target which is the charity organisations are reached, and the beneficiaries are also aware of the existence of the app. In addition, it will be a way of bringing all the stakeholders together to ensure sustainability. 6.3 Reminders and Invitations Reminders and invitations will be used as a way of communicating to the customers. The two will be sent as a text message in a given moment and time. The type of messages to be used will not only remind and invite the clients, but also appreciate their efforts in making charity a success using the mobile app. In addition, it will update the clients on the progress of donations, what has been achieved and the target. As a result, it will ensure accountability and sustainability. The app will also allow sharing of information among the customers so as to ensure that most of the potential participants are reached at a short period of time. The image below shows a summary of the reminders and invitations. 6.4 Efta’a (إفتاء) Incorporation with Awqaf The two will help in the handling of the religious questions. The questions will be properly answered. As a result, the religious and socio-cultural sphere by extension will have been addressed thus ensuring sustainability. 6.5 Productive Families Market 7.0 COMPANY PROFILE Dokhair is a unique and secure way to donate to charity. Its mission is to contribute to the society and charity simply and efficiently. The vision of Dokhair is to be the preferred app for donation collection and distribution in the United Arab Emirates. Its values are integrity, generosity, trust, respect, peace, and care. 7.1 Industry Analysis DoKhair belongs to a mobile application industry. According to Statista, the global mobile app industry is expected to reach $101.1 billion in 2020 from $ 41.1 billion in 2015 (Sharma). DoKhair belongs to the mobile application industry and her main competitors are Emirates Red Crescent and Fujairah Welfare Association. Its main customer is the B2C while its high-value customers are B2B and B2G. The industry of application is so competitive according to the Porter’s Five Analysis. The threat of substitution is medium while the supplier bargaining power is medium to high. Threat of entry and bargaining power is high. Diagrammatically, Porter’s Five Analysis can be summarised as shown in the image below. 7.2 Business Model The business model of the mobile app is based mainly on the affiliate and commissions. Some of the affiliates are B2B, B2C and banks such as National Bank of Abu Dhabi and ADIB. Other affiliates are Abu-Dhabi Cooperate society, Lulu, and Carrefour. The program took into consideration the shopping companies and banks since they are visited by customers from all the income levels. Additional groups are the B2G, etisalat, and Ministry of Social Affairs. 7.3 Prototype 7.4 Unique Selling Points of the App DoKhair is simple to use just as short messages and Fujairah Welfare Association. It also can be accessed anywhere anytime. In addition, it has the start-of-art security and accepts bank transfers. DoKhair also can be integrated with the debit card and credit card donations. SMS money transfer can also be achieved and can be done by the DoKhair app, the sms, or the Fujairah Welfare Association. Lastly, the donations can be made through PayPal. The table below shows the summary of the unique selling points of Dokhair as a mobile app. 8.0 MARKET TESTING Market was tested and quantitative data collected and analysed through Survey Monkey. The number of respondents was 82. When they were asked how many times they donate, 9 said once a day, 23 said once a week, 29 donated one a month, while 6 donated quarterly. In addition, 3 donated semi-annually, 8 annually, and 4 indicated other options. The graph below summarises the responses of the participants. The respondents were asked on the donation method that they would prefer. Out of 59, 37 indicated to prefer electronic means which included short messages, and bank transfers among others. On the other hand, 27 preferred usual means which is made of donations boxes and coupons. The graph below is a summary of the responses. The respondents were also asked on the most useful and effective way to transfer money for donations. Out of 71 participants, 12 preferred IBAN, 23 preferred VISA, while 36 preferred SMS. The table below summarises the preferred means of money transfer. The participants were also asked on what they preferred to donate for. The total number of respondents was 214. In response, 14.95% indicated they would donate for Zakat, 13.08% Waqf, 15.89% orphans, 14.95% general, 12.15% masjid, 7.48% sponsorship, 6.07% foreign aid, , 7.01% medical support, 5.61% Kafarah Yasmin, while 2.80% preferred donating to other things. The responses are summarised in the graph below. The respondents were also asked if they are satisfied with the current donations from charity entities. The question was answered by 53 respondents while 7 decided to skip it. Using numbers 1 to 5 to determine the satisfaction level of the respondents, the table below summarises their reaction to the question. The respondents were also asked if they preferred having a single charity at a given place. The closed question was answered by 60 respondents. 36.67% of the respondents said yes while 63.33 % said no. 9.0 GO TO MARKET STRATEGY In the first year, DoKhair plans to partner up with Red Crescent to make secure and efficient donation facilities available. As a result, Red Crescent will gain a new way and technology to secure the donations from people. On the other hand, DoKhair will gain access to the Red Crescent’s wide network of donation centres across the United Arab Emirates. The partnership between DoKhair and Red Crescent will see people donating securely from anywhere and at anytime. The marketing strategy of DoKhair will look like the diagram below. 10.0 FINANCE- INVESTMENT REQUIRED 10.1 FINANCE- BALANCE SHEET 10.2 FINANCE- STATEMENT OF INCOME 10.3 FINANCE- BREAK-EVEN POINT Break-even is a situation in which sales or revenues are sufficient to cover the total cost of the project. The break-even point of the project is expressed as shown below. 11.0 CONCLUSION DoKhair is a first of its kind initiative to offer charitable actions a new and convenient platform. With partnerships, DoKhair can help donators to securely transfer money at their choice of time and location. As a result, the collection and distribution of donation will be more efficient. The mobile app will change the world to the better. Work Cited CIA World Factbook. United Arab Emirates Demographics Profile 2016. Index Mundi, 8 October 2016. < http://www.indexmundi.com/united_arab_emirates/demographics_profile.html >. Sharma, Nikhil. A Closer Look at Revenue Growth in App Industry. Your Story, 16 September 2016. < https://yourstory.com/2016/09/revenue-growth-app-industry/ >. Wam. Future is for Innovators: Mohammed. Emirates 24/7, 30 November 2014. 5 December 2016. < http://www.emirates247.com/news/government/future-is-for-innovators- mohammed-2014-11-30-1.571783 >. Read More