How Does the Brand Image of IBM Effects the Customer Loyalty of Its Laptops - Essay Example

Respondent: Mr. XYZ, Research Questionnaire Honorable respondent, This is to inform you that you have been chosen to participate in a research process, which is conducted to determine the effects of the brand image of IBM on its customers’ loyalty. You are requested to fill out a research questionnaire, which is enclosed herewith. Thank you. Yours truly, Mr. ABC, Assistant Research Coordinator, IBM Department of Research RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE Topic: How does the brand image of IBM effects the customer loyalty of its “laptops”? Respondent Profile Date: ______________________________ Gender Male Female Name: _____________________________ Occupation: _________________________ Contact: ______________________________ Instructions: Please answer all the questions, mark appropriate choices and provide comments where required. 1. Which laptop brand you are currently using? And why? IBM HP Dell Apple Other 2. What immediately comes to your mind when you think about IBM laptops? 3. Rate IBM laptops on the following performance criteria: Friendly Features Non Friendly Reliable Unreliable Efficiency inefficiency Modern Design Obsolete Expensive Inexpensive 4. Rate IBM laptops’ on the following characteristics over a scale of (1-5), to determine imagery of the brand; number 1 indicates your preference to the choice. User profile Exclusive Leader Experience Youthful Inclusive Brand Personality Sincerity Excitement Competence Sophistication Ruggedness 5. How favorable is IBM’s image to you? Most Favorable 1 Favorable 2 Neutral 3 Unfavorable 4 Highly unfavorable 5 6. What are the critical factors of the brand IBM, which can make you switch on or off the current usage? Elaborate. 7. Where IBM lacks in fulfilling your expectations? 8. Will you continue using IBM laptops in future? Dear respondent, thank you for your time and effort!! REFLECTIVE REPORT ON CLASS DEBATE Introduction This report reflects the debate, which was held in the class. The report content argues over the topic that companies should have limits or makes a fixed value for the wage of senior management in the companies’ compensation policy. This report evaluates the both the arguments which were in conformance with or against the topic. The discussion over the topic also weighed the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments posed by the opposing groups. The report concludes with the learning outcome on how arguments over a topic are developed, structured and evaluated in a debate. Discussion The motion of the report was that the companies should have limits or makes a fixed value for the wage of the senior management in the companies. My team members were against the motion of the debate i.e. the companies should not put limits or doesn’t make a fixed value for the remuneration of senior management in their compensation policy. First, my team members worked hard in identifying the possible arguments that supports our point of view and go against the topic of the debate. Secondly, my team members organise and structure the arguable points in the most meaningful manner that convinces the opponent debating group. My group members would have worked better if we had used some known evidence or statistics from literature and research. My Team Members’ Argument The key points developed in support of the argument were to discuss the idea and purpose of the compensation system and policy, addressing the worth of senior management for companies in a broader context, the changing perspectives on the reasons why management wages are not kept fixed, and identifying reasons that justify the extended worth of senior management. Before arguing over the topic, it is important to first understand the rationale behind the wage system and policy of companies. The compensation policy by which companies reward their employees is not a mere system of paying off workers for their time and efforts, rather a compensation policy is often a strategic competitive edge by which companies retain the human capital to their organisations for a longer period of time (Bratton, & Gold, 2009). It is a strategy for creating appeal for senior management so that these assets are not taken over by the rival organisations (Salaman, Storey, and Billsberry, 2005). Management personnel and seniors in a company serve as assets because; one, there is no substitute of experience; second, the cost of attracting new talent is too stupendous than retaining the old ones (Taylor, 2010). The senior employees of a company develop a strategic fit with that company’s culture, design, operations, vision, and objectives. So, substituting such an asset would cost a company both in financial and nonfinancial terms. Furthermore, the process of attracting new talent to the organisation is too prolonged and cost consuming, from recruiting, screening, selecting, evaluating, interviewing, final hiring to training. These are the changing perspectives and reasons why management wages are not kept constant (Henry, 1995). Therefore, maintaining an unfixed value for the wage of the senior management in companies is a strategic policy that cut recruitment costs and enables companies to retain their indispensible experienced assets. The strength of the argument was it develops logical link between the supporting statements, whilst the weakness was that some of the researchers and books were against my opinion. For instance, Kramar, Mcgrew, & Schuler (1997), Jackson, Schuler, & Werner, (2009) and Secord, (2003) in their books have shared a different opinion. Other Side Arguments The key points presented by the opponents were that wage discrimination leads to professional jealousy, influences motivation, detainment of financial resources around senior management and that performance criterion are reflective of job description, responsibility and skills. The other side argued that the companies should have limits for wages of senior management, as this wage discrimination creates a negative internal competition, decreases employee motivation and professional jealously amongst the lower and top management employees (Secord, 2003). The wages are set across the board on performance standards and criteria. These performance standards are reflective of the job descriptions, responsibilities and capabilities (Jackson, Schuler, & Werner, 2009). So, when preset performance standards systematically justify the professional worth of every individual irrespective of the management level then what is the reason for delimiting the wage scale for senior management on behalf of their extended worth? It is an unfair company policy which consumes a large proportion of organisational financial resources for around a small group of individuals. This limits a company’s ability to leverage and transfer benefits to a major portion of employees working for that company (Kramar, Mcgrew, & Schuler. 1997). Moreover, a company cannot retain the senior management for the rest of company’s life, later at some point in time the company has to initiate recruitment and selection process for talent hunt. So, it is totally justifiable that companies should have limits over the wages of their senior management staff. The strength of the argument was it develops logical link between the supporting statements, though the researchers and authors have commented on both the arguments and there is no right conclusion for this debate found in the research. My Learning Experience I learned a lot from this debate experience. It practically helped me in understanding the importance of identifying the valid reasons to support the argument. I also learned about how to counter the opposing arguments and defending one’s position. It was a great practice and learning experience. References Bratton, J. & Gold, J. (2009). Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice, 4th edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Henry, C. (1995). Human Resource Management: A Strategic Approach to Management. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Jackson, S., Schuler, R., & Werner, S. (2009). Managing Human Resources. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Kramar, R., Mcgrew, P., & Schuler. R. (1997). Human Resource Management in Australia, 3rd edition. Longman: Australia. Salaman, G., Storey, J., and Billsberry, J. (2005). Strategic Human Resource Management: theory and practice. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Secord, H. (2003). Implementing Best Practices in Human Resources Management. Canada: CCH Canadian Limited. Taylor, S. (2010). Resourcing and Talent Management, Fifth Edition. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. TASK II: LEARNING SUMMARY Lecture 9: Critical Thinking and Developing Scholarly Argument This lecture is concerned with critical thinking process of individuals. The lecture determines that the identification of valid reasons, false assumptions and flawed conclusions proposed in an arguments; all constitutes the ingredients of critical thinking process. The lecture describes that an argument is a valid reason and evidence that adds value to a person’s point of view and enhances its acceptability for others. An argument has two components one is the reason and other is the assertion of one’s point of view. The more valid and known reasons are used to support one’s assertion, the greater would be the consistency of an argument and the higher would be its strength of convincing others. This lecture enlightened the importance of using scholarly arguments in professional report writing. Moreover, the understanding of false premise helped me in identifying the validity of a piece of writing. Lecture 10: Critical Reading and Note Taking This lecture conveys that critical reading is an approach that doesn’t merely helps a reader absorbs the written information rather it enables one to; evaluate a subject in terms of validity of its arguments and assumptions; interpret the idea embedded behind the text; and reuse the information conveyed. SQ3R is an efficient reading method. Notes’ taking is important as it helps one to maintain a record of most repeated and emphasised information, which can be used to develop links for future learning and use. Notes taking practice sustains one’s focus to information stressed both non/verbally. Outline, Cornell and mind mapping; are 3 note taking methods. However, mind mapping seems more applicative and adaptive to one’s own style. It is more informal and creative than the other two as it has no hard and fast method of noting. Lecture 11: Structuring and Signposting The structuring and signposting lecture conveys how formal reports should be written. The structure of a document refers to the logical order in which information is presented, which develops a link between series of statements. Grouping refers to stacking of similar viewpoints. Sequence means finding a best fit for a supporting reason in an argument. Signposting encompasses paragraphing, punctuating and organising texts. It refers to identification of changes in the direction of the proposed argument. The fully blocked letter layout further identified the nitty-gritty of professional writing. Lecture 12: Learning From Experience This lecture advocates that a person’s everyday life experience can be developed as an edge for employability competition, provided you have the ability to present, what u have learned, in a manner that creates employer appeal. The idea conveyed in this lecture is the proliferation of transferable skills. These are the skills that can be leveraged across domestic and professional jobs. These primarily include communication, trustiness, numeracy, punctuality, information seeking tendency, learning, teamwork, leadership etc. Lecture 12: Assessing Your Professional Value This lecture, from an employer’s point of view, identifies the domains around which employers evaluate a person’s professional worth and wellbeing transferable to their organisation. Communication, leadership, problem solving, emotional intelligence, creativity, planning, initiative and writing are the domains of employers’ prime interest. Thus, by rating oneself on these areas, one may judge his professional value and accordingly, identify the corresponding strengths and weaknesses to work on. An individual must capitalise on a couple of these domains by exploiting his strengths and abilities. A person’s academic and everyday life provides opportunities for cultivating professional and domestic experiences on the aforementioned domains; which in future help that person to cash these learned experiences. The lectures have been helpful in increasing my knowledge and in helping me to know about a lot of things that I was not aware of before. I will try to use this knowledge and information gained from the lectures practically to improve my career. Read More