Knowing Your Audience

Running head: KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE Knowing Your Audience Name BCOM/275 Teacher Knowing Your Audience On August 5, 2010, a little copper mine situated in Chile endured a collapse which left 33 specialists caught underground. With laborers being caught 300 meters subterranean with restricted food, water, and oxygen, no one knew without a doubt to what extent they would endure. Following four days of being caught, there was still no thought if any of the diggers were even alive. At no other time have such a large number of laborers endure being caught underground for such a long time (Yang, 2010).Fortunately, for this situation, tears went to wonder as every one of the 33 diggers were found and safeguarded with no lives lost. No one actually ever hopes to experience a circumstance like this until it occurs. What does the business tell the groups of the individuals who are caught in the mine? What does the business tell its workers? These are questions that numerous individuals don't se t themselves up for. These sorts of interchanges must be taken care of carefully and considering the crowd. What are a few contemplations to recollect given the various jobs and individuals in the audience?This paper will examine a portion of the possible needs of the groups of the diggers in getting a message about this episode. It will likewise talk about the expected needs of the company’s representatives while getting a message about this episode. At long last, this paper will discuss what moves an individual must make when the message is conveyed to guarantee that it was gotten as proposed. As referenced before, there are a few contemplations an individual needs to recall when speaking with the groups of the people in question and workers in this issue as a result of the various jobs and individuals in the audience.If the crowd isn't thought about when passing on a message, the correspondence could be lost, misjudged, or deficient. This could leave the crowd misled and i rate. When speaking with the families, there ought to be a feeling of compassion and compassion coordinated toward them. Correspondence to the families ought to be expeditious with the goal that they don't need to find out about what befell their friends and family on the news. The groups of the casualties might presumably want to know how this could have occurred and what is being done to get them out.The families don’t know as much about mining as the workers do so they would most likely like a clarification of what turned out badly. These kinds of circumstances are extreme in light of the fact that the organization needs to keep the families educated, however now and then the sender knows as much about the episode as the families do. Conveying to the representatives about the occurrence would be somewhat extraordinary. Individuals that work in the mining field think about the threats of collapses as of now. So there would be no compelling reason to really expound on the ep isode. The correspondence ought to emphasize the significance of security on-the-job.The correspondence should likewise tell the representatives that everything conceivable is being done to safeguard the caught laborers. Remembering that the representatives could have companions who are caught, the correspondence ought to likewise make reference to workers that on the off chance that they are not in the â€Å"right condition of mind† to work, they should get some much needed rest for their own security. Before a message of any sort is conveyed to the crowd it ought to be edited and twofold checked for linguistic blunders and incorrectly spelled words. The sender ought to likewise see whether there will be any language obstructions when speaking with the audience.If the technique for correspondence is a call, it is a smart thought to have a prewritten content to peruse off of to guarantee that the correspondence is clear and compact. Toward the finish of the message, the sende r ought to inquire as to whether they have any inquiries with respect to the message or the circumstance. This will ensure that the message was conveyed plainly and precisely. Contingent upon the conditions, a subsequent correspondence might be caused important to keep the families and representatives to exceptional on the circumstance. End All correspondences must be planned with the crowd in mind.The correspondence will differ, contingent upon the conditions and needs of the crowd. In the event that the requirements of the crowd are not considered before passing on a message, there is a decent possibility the correspondence could be fragmented, incorrect, or unsatisfactory for the crowd. In a circumstance like what happened in the Chilean mine breakdown, additional consideration should be taken when connecting with the groups of the people in question. References Weik, J. (2010). More than 30 specialists caught after chilean mine breakdown. Composition submitted for distribution, Library, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona. Recovered from http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. om/ehost/detail? sid=84e3b3de-0140-Yang, J. (2010). From breakdown to save: inside the chile mine. The Star, Retrieved from http://www. thestar. com/news/world/chile/article/873382 Communication 1 (Phone call to groups of caught diggers) This is Mike Miller, activities boss at San Jose mine. One of our mines endured a collapse today leaving 33 of our workers, including your better half, caught underground for now. We have no data with regards to their state of being or to what extent it will be before we can contact them. We have everybody conceivable taking a shot at the circumstance and we are planning to have them out very soon.I simply need to tell you that my petitions are with your family. In the event that you have any inquiries whatsoever don’t dither to call. When we hear anything you will be the first to know. Correspondence 2 (Memo to workers) To: Sa n Jose Mine Employees One of our mines endured a collapse today leaving 33 of our representatives caught underground. We are at present taking a shot at the circumstance and are doing all that we can to contact them. This circumstance ought to remind us how cautious we should be the point at which we are working in the mines. When we have any data on the circumstance we will tell you. HR Knowing Your Audience Running head: KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE Knowing Your Audience Name BCOM/275 Teacher Knowing Your Audience On August 5, 2010, a little copper mine situated in Chile endured a collapse which left 33 specialists caught underground. With laborers being caught 300 meters subterranean with restricted food, water, and oxygen, no one knew without a doubt to what extent they would endure. Following four days of being caught, there was still no thought if any of the diggers were even alive. At no other time have such a significant number of laborers endure being caught underground for such a long time (Yang, 2010).Fortunately, for this situation, tears went to wonder as every one of the 33 excavators were found and safeguarded with no lives lost. No one actually ever hopes to experience a circumstance like this until it occurs. What does the business tell the groups of the individuals who are caught in the mine? What does the business tell its representatives? These are questions that numerous ind ividuals don't set themselves up for. These sorts of correspondences must be taken care of carefully and in view of the crowd. What are a few contemplations to recollect given the various jobs and individuals in the audience?This paper will talk about a portion of the likely needs of the groups of the excavators in accepting a message about this episode. It will likewise talk about the expected needs of the company’s workers while getting a message about this episode. At long last, this paper will discuss what moves an individual must make when the message is conveyed to guarantee that it was gotten as expected. As referenced before, there are a few contemplations an individual needs to recall when speaking with the groups of the people in question and workers in this issue on account of the various jobs and individuals in the audience.If the crowd isn't thought about when passing on a message, the correspondence could be lost, misjudged, or fragmented. This could leave the c rowd deceived and irate. When speaking with the families, there ought to be a feeling of compassion and compassion coordinated toward them. Correspondence to the families ought to be instant with the goal that they don't need to find out about what befell their friends and family on the news. The groups of the casualties might presumably want to know how this could have occurred and what is being done to get them out.The families don’t know as much about mining as the representatives do so they would most likely like a clarification of what turned out badly. These kinds of circumstances are extreme on the grounds that the organization needs to keep the families educated, yet now and again the sender knows as much about the occurrence as the families do. Imparting to the representatives about the occurrence would be somewhat unique. Individuals that work in the mining field think about the risks of collapses as of now. So there would be no compelling reason to broadly expound on the occurrence. The correspondence ought to emphasize the significance of wellbeing on-the-job.The correspondence should likewise tell the representatives that everything conceivable is being done to protect the caught laborers. Remembering that the representatives could have companions who are caught, the correspondence ought to likewise make reference to workers that on the off chance that they are not in the â€Å"right condition of mind† to work, they should get some much needed rest for their own wellbeing. Before a message of any sort is conveyed to the crowd it ought to be edited and twofold checked for syntactic blunders and incorrectly spelled words. The sender ought to likewise see whether there will be any language hindrances when speaking with the audience.If the strategy for correspondence is a call, it is a smart thought to have a prewritten content to peruse off of to guarantee that the correspondence is clear and succinct. Toward the finish of the message, the sender ought to inquire as to whether they have any inquiries in regards to the message or the circumstance. This will ensure that the message was conveyed plainly and precisely. Contingent upon the conditions, a subsequent correspondence might be made important to keep

Locke on the Social Contract Theory Free Essays

Implicit understanding Theory is a way of thinking, which expresses that political and moral commitments of an individual are rendered to him, upon an understanding between the ruler and the general public. This understanding administers both the ruler and the controlled society to act as per each other. John Locke, alongside Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau, is extraordinary compared to other known defenders of this hypothesis, which rose as one of the most persuasive political speculations throughout the entire existence of the Modern West. We will compose a custom article test on Locke on the Social Contract Theory or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now Implicit understanding Theory was a response to dismiss the Divine Right Theory, which was utilized by lords and sovereigns as their reason for their entitlement to run the show. Locke’s generally significant and powerful works are in his book, Two Treatises on Government. The first treatise in quite a while composing is outfitted towards the dismissal of Divine Right hypothesis; and the subsequent treatise states Locke’s own perspectives on the support for the common government, which he entitled An Essay Concerning the True Original Extent and End of Civil Government. John Locke’s Social Contract Theory held a positive view about human instinct. He contended that people have an endowment of reason, and man’s regular condition is a condition of great and complete freedom wherein, people live their lives at its best without impedance from others. Individuals are thought to be in equivalent balance with each other and are limited by the Law of Nature. This Law of Nature anyway is as indicated by Locke’s see is the premise of all ethical quality, and in this way should not stretch out to hurt different people’s rights with respect to their life, wellbeing, freedom or assets (Locke 2003). Further more, as his idea of State of Nature needs thoughtful force among men and an intrigue to the Law of Nature permitting individuals to guard themselves. In light of this absence of power, a war is probably going to break out, accordingly inciting the motivation to forsake the State of Nature and perceive an agreement that will thus frame an administration. This, thus to man’s being able to think judiciously, people submit themselves to a more significant position expert for the security of their privileges. In any case, in Locke’s Social Contract Theory, a levelheaded individual will just consent to an administration, with insignificant and restricted control, and a legislature that is constrained by the residents. Since for Locke, the administration can be effortlessly attracted to get prohibitive, degenerate and harsh of forces, in this way inciting the people to consistently hold some control over the legislature for opportunity and equity. This issue concerning opportunity has consistently been integral to Locke’s showcase government. Government should consistently utilize the correct mix of opportunity and limitations with it. For the individuals, their property and lives are their discerning advantages; and their idea to shape an administration is outfitted towards the assurance of these interests. Along these lines, the individuals, despite the fact that placing the security of their privileges in the legislature, are as yet frightful of the government’s potential force (The Social Contract). Along these lines, as per Locke, should the administration stop to get receptive to its residents, the legislature ought to be toppled. They despite everything hold the option to rebel against their ruler in the event that they understand that their ruler is not, at this point ready to take into account their requirements and has been harsh and severe to the privileges of man. Locke likewise bolstered the possibility of free enterprise, wherein there will be constrained government intercession for the market to have the option to create a prosperous common society dependent on individual’s balanced rivalry. Locke’s variant of the hypothesis has assumed an extraordinary job in the improvement of the Western governmental issues, especially in America. His implicit agreement in addition to free enterprise, has additionally turned into the reason for advertise organizations. Locke’s hypothesis has been powerful to the present criminal equity framework, with property assuming a fundamental job in the society’s government and agreement that sets up it. With the State of Nature acting naturally confused when nobody will undoubtedly control the condition of freedom for men, henceforth realizing the State of War, and in the long run making the need to set up an agreement between the ruler and the controlled society to empower individuals to legitimately safeguard their life and freedom. Along these lines, the need to ensure their properties has incited the individuals to forsake the State of Nature and structure the implicit understanding between the common society and the legislature. Given the incredible impact that John Locke has presented through his political hypotheses, his ways of thinking have kept on living until now, particularly in American governmental issues. The criminal equity framework and world legislative issues when all is said in done have shown solid compelling legacy from Locke’s ways of thinking; specifically relating to the manner in which the administration must deal with its issues, in order to satisfy the common society who set them in power. The Democratic type of government and criminal framework, wherein the common society is constantly left with a decision to whom must be placed into power is a case of an implicit understanding. What's more, thusly, the oust or government pioneers who didn't much perform to help the individuals is an outline of Locke’s hypothesis. Reference Locke, John. (2003) Two Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration. Yale University Press. The Social Contract. Recovered October 25, 2007 from http://www.sagepub.com/upm-information/2769_Swri01.pdf  Step by step instructions to refer to Locke on the Social Contract Theory, Essay models

Key Activities Block in Business Model Canvas

Key Activities Block in Business Model Canvas KEY ACTIVITIESAs the title suggests, these are the most important tasks a company must carry out in order to fulfill its business purpose. To be successful, a company must carry out key actions that are primarily dictated by its business model. As we studied with the key resources building block, key activities are similarly pivotal in an organization fulfilling its value proposition, reaching its customer segments, sustain its customer relationships and ultimately create long-term revenue streams. Key activities are different according to the business model of the organization carrying out the activity. Hence, an organization that relies heavily on its 3rd party contracts will list channel management as a key activity. A product-driven business will lend more significance to activities such as continuous research to understand their users better as well as constant innovation in technology.Hence, it is safe to assume that a key activity for software giant Microsoft is Software Devel opment; similarly, for computer manufacturer Dell, supply chain management may be a key activity, and a consulting business like McKinsey probably lists solving client problems as its key activity.QUESTIONS TO CONSIDERWhen evaluating your business through the Key Activities building block it is essential that you take a holistic view of the business and evaluate related building blocks as well, to understand how they will contribute to your key activities.Based on our value propositions, what kinds of activities are key to our business?What kinds of activities are key to our distribution channels?What kinds of activities are important if we want to maintain our customer relationships?What kinds of activities are fundamental to our revenue streams?Our Value Propositions will obviously have the most profound impact on the kind of activities we carry out. However, as the business flourishes, we may begin to include unnecessary activities within this block as well. To prevent this, we u se a method called the Minimum Viable Product or MVP, which is the most basic version of your product made through a single cycle of the build, measure and learn loop. Most entrepreneurs will resist the Minimum Viable Product because everyone believes that for a product to be a success, it must provide maximum value to its customers. This brings us back to the Customer Segment and Value Proposition building blocks where we learnt that we have to be selective about the customers we target and the kind of value we provide by relieving their pains and giving them gains. Creating a bloated product with tons of extra feature that are of no value to your customer but which add to his investment, is not the way to go. A product is a combination of its form and function, function being what it does and form detailing how it does it. This form is crucial to the customer experience and helps in determining the key activities. Similarly, the kind of customer relationship you want establish wil l also entail certain key activities to bring it about and so on.TYPICAL ACTIVITIESAs mentioned earlier the Key activities building block creates a bridge between your value propositions and the customer segments’ needs. Some typical key activities that are commonly practiced by most organizations are listed below;Research DevelopmentThe research and development department is required to liaise with all other functions of the company whether it be production, marketing or sales. The typical functions of a research department are mentioned below;New Product Research: Before a new product can be produced, it must first go through the research and development department which will explore what the design of the product should be, the expected production costs and how long it will take to produce sufficient amounts of the product. RD also looks into how much customers want or need the product.New Product Development: the research phase naturally leads to the product being developed d ue to the results achieved from the research phase.Existing Product Updates: RD must also look into existing products to see if they require an upgrade based on evolving consumer needs or new entrants into the product category in the market. These changes can additionally be attributed to product glitches that need resolving.Quality Checks: Companies can ask their RD departments to conduct quality checks or they may require the department to collaborate with the Quality Assurance team since they are well versed in the specifications of the product and are ideal for evaluating whether all products are up to the quality standards set by the company.Innovation: The RD team is also responsible for keeping an eye on innovations and new trends within the industry and ensuring that their product stays abreast of these trends.ProductionProduction management consists of a number of activities which are outlined below;Selection of product and design: the first step is to select the right prod uct and the right design for the product. This is a crucial decision because the combination of the right product (Value Proposition) and the right design (Key Activities)will dictate the success or the failure of the company. Value engineering and value analysis are parts of this activity.Selection of Production Process: this stage consists of deciding what production process the organization will be using including the right technology, machines, inventory management system, etc.Selecting Right Production Capacity: The production management must have full knowledge of the expected demand for the product and set the production capacity accordingly, since either a dearth or a surplus of the product may lead to problems for the company. Break-even analysis is the most popular tool used by production managers to predict capacity.Production Planning: The production manager must decide on the routing and scheduling of the product. Routing is aimed at creating a smooth flow of work by di scovering the easiest and most economical flow of work. Scheduling, on the other hand, refers to the timing of activities by mentioning a start and end time for each.Production Control: The production manager is also responsible for monitoring and controlling the production process. This is done by comparing planned production with actual production, exploring deviations if any and ultimately correcting these deviations to meet planned production.Quality and Cost Control: In today’s economically driven world, consumers won’t the maximum quality for the cheapest price and access to the internet and a world of options make them more discerning and fickle. Hence, it falls on the production manager to not only ensure that he is continuously improving the quality of the product but also to reduce costs so their product can remain competitive in the market in terms of price.Inventory Control: Inventory Control is fundamental to a production driven business because it prevents overstoc king or understocking. Overstocking means the company will be spending more money on materials that will ultimately go to waste. Understocking will effect production and result in late deliveries.Maintenance and Replacement of Machines: The production manager must be on top of the condition of the machines under his function by constantly monitoring them and scheduling regular maintenance like oiling, replacing worn parts, cleaning, etc. This function ensures that there are no unexpected breaks in production.MarketingThe Marketing department is responsible for the growth of the company by getting word of the company’s existence and the value it provides to its customers. The functions of the marketing department are explained below;Strategy: The senior members of the marketing team are responsible for drafting and getting approval of a marketing strategy for the company, based on its overall goals and missions before cascading this strategy throughout the department and creating g oals based on it.Market Research: The Marketing department must have full knowledge of the market the company is operating in including the strengths and weaknesses of the product according to the customer, potential competitors in the market to whom the company may lose market share or weaker competitors from whom company can get market share.Product Development: The marketing team works in conjunction with the product development team constantly. This is done by identifying possible gap areas in the market for which the company can develop a product to address an unmet need. They are the ones with their fingers on the customer pulse and are a source of insight into consumer needs and feelings. Once the product is developed, the marketing team is also involved in pricing the product.Communications: The marketing team is responsible for all communication to go out in the market regarding the product. The nature of this communication varies from press releases to online product revie ws, advertisements, e-mails, etc.Sales Support: Marketing also works closely with the Sales team by providing them with customer leads, as well as promotional materials for potential customers.Events: Marketing is also responsible for organizing and executing events such as seminars, product launches, exhibitions, etc. they will typically call key or prospective customers to such events as well.Sales Customer ServicesSales and customer service play a key role in the purchase and post purchase behavior and experience of your customer. This department is key to ensuring that you build a cadre of repeat customers who will become your advocates in the market and drive more business in through word of mouth. Conversely, these customers can also be extremely vocal if they have suffered a bad customer experience with you and can just as easily drive business away. Hence, one of the most crucial weapons in your arsenal is your sales and customer services team. They fulfill the following re sponsibilities on behalf of your company;Handling Problems: Customer service representatives generally spring into action when customers call in with complaints. The breadth of their authority is dependant on company policy but their core task is to ensure that when an irate customer calls, they do everything, within the scope of their job description, to leave him happy or satisfied when he hangs up. Some customer representatives are empowered to solve the problem on the spot by providing a replacement or returning the money. Others may act as gatekeepers who take information and then route it to the relevant departments.Assisting in Sales: Customer representatives are also depended upon to help increase the sales of the organization. They may do this by educating customers on the value propositions the product offers. Others may use upselling by telling customers who call in to upgrade their services for improved quality.Clerical Tasks: some companies may include administrative an d clerical tasks within the ambit of the role of the customer services representative. So representatives may be routing calls to relevant support departments, maintaining a record of customer accounts including new customers and recording any changes that may occur in these accounts.Job Specific Responsibilities: though the general spirit of the role remains the same, the details may vary according to the organizational context and industrial realities facing the organization. Hence a customer services representative at an FMCG company may be responsible for a big account like Metro. A customer representative at a bank may also be doing some duties that a bank teller typically does such as counting money, etc.CATEGORIES FOR KEY ACTIVITIESProductionThese activities are generally a characteristic of manufacturing firms and entail the design, creation and delivery of significant quantities of the product.For a company that manufactures and sells pantyhose, typical value propositions a re listed below;This pantyhose lasts longer and, therefore, saves consumers the money they would spend on frequent replacements.It provides resistance, so feet don’t slip in heels.The product is machine washable.Easy to store packaging.The Key activities would then be;Control of production and manufacturing;Manage website, online orders and the distribution of the product;Create a branding strategy;Marketing and promotion of the product;Product and packaging design.Problem-solvingSome consumers or customers have chronic problems. Organizations that list problem-solving as a main activity are usually aiming to find unique solutions to these individual problems. Consultancies, hospitals, and most service organizations typically are trying to solve customer problems uniquely. These organizations are characterized by lots of knowledge management and a focus on continuous learning.Jiffy Lube is a chain of over 200 businesses in North America which offers oil change and other automotive services to its clientele. Hence, it is a service firm that aims to provide a solution to a recurring problem its target customers may have. Jiffy’s value propositions are:Keep cars healthy;Keep clothes clean and garages tidy;Save customers’ time and help them avoid the hassle of their cars breaking down.Based on these, the key activities performed at Jiffy can be as follows;Change the oil of cars;Perform other maintenance work;Promote their services to customers through upselling and other marketing activities.Such organizations will have detailed records on repair work done on the automobiles of their repeat customers and will be able to handle the car with full knowledge of its history, much like a doctor with a regular patient.Platform/ networkA business model where the platform is a key resource usually has platform or network-related key activities. Networks, brands, and software can all be a part of a platform or network-related business.Agile Enterprise Architecture or AEA offers its services to companies experiencing a surge of work or a cascade of models that need to be done within a limited amount of time. The company’s value propositions are as follows;Low-cost architecture modeling;Agile and available when needed by customers;In the cloud;Its environmentally friendly especially if the client company is willing to forego travel;Efficient and effective;Involves minimal risk.Based on these the key activities for this organization are;Cloud-based architectural modeling as a service;Cloud-based enterprise architecture software as a service;Frequent health checks for the architecture to make sure it remains robust with changing environment.CASE STUDY LINKEDIN © Entrepreneurial Insights based on the concept of Alex OsterwalderIn this article, we will look at the “Key Activities” block in the Business Model Canvas. We will cover, 1) an introduction to key activities, 2) questions to consider, 3) typical activities, 4) categories for key activities, and 5) a case study on LinkedIn.KEY ACTIVITIESAs the title suggests, these are the most important tasks a company must carry out in order to fulfill its business purpose. To be successful, a company must carry out key actions that are primarily dictated by its business model. As we studied with the key resources building block, key activities are similarly pivotal in an organization fulfilling its value proposition, reaching its customer segments, sustain its customer relationships and ultimately create long-term revenue streams. Key activities are different according to the business model of the organization carrying out the activity. Hence, an organization that relies heavily on its 3rd pa rty contracts will list channel management as a key activity. A product-driven business will lend more significance to activities such as continuous research to understand their users better as well as constant innovation in technology.Hence, it is safe to assume that a key activity for software giant Microsoft is Software Development; similarly, for computer manufacturer Dell, supply chain management may be a key activity, and a consulting business like McKinsey probably lists solving client problems as its key activity.QUESTIONS TO CONSIDERWhen evaluating your business through the Key Activities building block it is essential that you take a holistic view of the business and evaluate related building blocks as well, to understand how they will contribute to your key activities.Based on our value propositions, what kinds of activities are key to our business?What kinds of activities are key to our distribution channels?What kinds of activities are important if we want to maintain o ur customer relationships?What kinds of activities are fundamental to our revenue streams?Our Value Propositions will obviously have the most profound impact on the kind of activities we carry out. However, as the business flourishes, we may begin to include unnecessary activities within this block as well. To prevent this, we use a method called the Minimum Viable Product or MVP, which is the most basic version of your product made through a single cycle of the build, measure and learn loop. Most entrepreneurs will resist the Minimum Viable Product because everyone believes that for a product to be a success, it must provide maximum value to its customers. This brings us back to the Customer Segment and Value Proposition building blocks where we learnt that we have to be selective about the customers we target and the kind of value we provide by relieving their pains and giving them gains. Creating a bloated product with tons of extra feature that are of no value to your customer b ut which add to his investment, is not the way to go. A product is a combination of its form and function, function being what it does and form detailing how it does it. This form is crucial to the customer experience and helps in determining the key activities. Similarly, the kind of customer relationship you want establish will also entail certain key activities to bring it about and so on.TYPICAL ACTIVITIESAs mentioned earlier the Key activities building block creates a bridge between your value propositions and the customer segments’ needs. Some typical key activities that are commonly practiced by most organizations are listed below;Research DevelopmentThe research and development department is required to liaise with all other functions of the company whether it be production, marketing or sales. The typical functions of a research department are mentioned below;New Product Research: Before a new product can be produced, it must first go through the research and development department which will explore what the design of the product should be, the expected production costs and how long it will take to produce sufficient amounts of the product. RD also looks into how much customers want or need the product.New Product Development: the research phase naturally leads to the product being developed due to the results achieved from the research phase.Existing Product Updates: RD must also look into existing products to see if they require an upgrade based on evolving consumer needs or new entrants into the product category in the market. These changes can additionally be attributed to product glitches that need resolving.Quality Checks: Companies can ask their RD departments to conduct quality checks or they may require the department to collaborate with the Quality Assurance team since they are well versed in the specifications of the product and are ideal for evaluating whether all products are up to the quality standards set by the company.Innovation: The RD team is also responsible for keeping an eye on innovations and new trends within the industry and ensuring that their product stays abreast of these trends.ProductionProduction management consists of a number of activities which are outlined below;Selection of product and design: the first step is to select the right product and the right design for the product. This is a crucial decision because the combination of the right product (Value Proposition) and the right design (Key Activities)will dictate the success or the failure of the company. Value engineering and value analysis are parts of this activity.Selection of Production Process: this stage consists of deciding what production process the organization will be using including the right technology, machines, inventory management system, etc.Selecting Right Production Capacity: The production management must have full knowledge of the expected demand for the product and set the production capacity accordingly, since eit her a dearth or a surplus of the product may lead to problems for the company. Break-even analysis is the most popular tool used by production managers to predict capacity.Production Planning: The production manager must decide on the routing and scheduling of the product. Routing is aimed at creating a smooth flow of work by discovering the easiest and most economical flow of work. Scheduling, on the other hand, refers to the timing of activities by mentioning a start and end time for each.Production Control: The production manager is also responsible for monitoring and controlling the production process. This is done by comparing planned production with actual production, exploring deviations if any and ultimately correcting these deviations to meet planned production.Quality and Cost Control: In today’s economically driven world, consumers won’t the maximum quality for the cheapest price and access to the internet and a world of options make them more discerning and fickle. H ence, it falls on the production manager to not only ensure that he is continuously improving the quality of the product but also to reduce costs so their product can remain competitive in the market in terms of price.Inventory Control: Inventory Control is fundamental to a production driven business because it prevents overstocking or understocking. Overstocking means the company will be spending more money on materials that will ultimately go to waste. Understocking will effect production and result in late deliveries.Maintenance and Replacement of Machines: The production manager must be on top of the condition of the machines under his function by constantly monitoring them and scheduling regular maintenance like oiling, replacing worn parts, cleaning, etc. This function ensures that there are no unexpected breaks in production.MarketingThe Marketing department is responsible for the growth of the company by getting word of the company’s existence and the value it provides to its customers. The functions of the marketing department are explained below;Strategy: The senior members of the marketing team are responsible for drafting and getting approval of a marketing strategy for the company, based on its overall goals and missions before cascading this strategy throughout the department and creating goals based on it.Market Research: The Marketing department must have full knowledge of the market the company is operating in including the strengths and weaknesses of the product according to the customer, potential competitors in the market to whom the company may lose market share or weaker competitors from whom company can get market share.Product Development: The marketing team works in conjunction with the product development team constantly. This is done by identifying possible gap areas in the market for which the company can develop a product to address an unmet need. They are the ones with their fingers on the customer pulse and are a source of insi ght into consumer needs and feelings. Once the product is developed, the marketing team is also involved in pricing the product.Communications: The marketing team is responsible for all communication to go out in the market regarding the product. The nature of this communication varies from press releases to online product reviews, advertisements, e-mails, etc.Sales Support: Marketing also works closely with the Sales team by providing them with customer leads, as well as promotional materials for potential customers.Events: Marketing is also responsible for organizing and executing events such as seminars, product launches, exhibitions, etc. they will typically call key or prospective customers to such events as well.Sales Customer ServicesSales and customer service play a key role in the purchase and post purchase behavior and experience of your customer. This department is key to ensuring that you build a cadre of repeat customers who will become your advocates in the market and drive more business in through word of mouth. Conversely, these customers can also be extremely vocal if they have suffered a bad customer experience with you and can just as easily drive business away. Hence, one of the most crucial weapons in your arsenal is your sales and customer services team. They fulfill the following responsibilities on behalf of your company;Handling Problems: Customer service representatives generally spring into action when customers call in with complaints. The breadth of their authority is dependant on company policy but their core task is to ensure that when an irate customer calls, they do everything, within the scope of their job description, to leave him happy or satisfied when he hangs up. Some customer representatives are empowered to solve the problem on the spot by providing a replacement or returning the money. Others may act as gatekeepers who take information and then route it to the relevant departments.Assisting in Sales: Customer represen tatives are also depended upon to help increase the sales of the organization. They may do this by educating customers on the value propositions the product offers. Others may use upselling by telling customers who call in to upgrade their services for improved quality.Clerical Tasks: some companies may include administrative and clerical tasks within the ambit of the role of the customer services representative. So representatives may be routing calls to relevant support departments, maintaining a record of customer accounts including new customers and recording any changes that may occur in these accounts.Job Specific Responsibilities: though the general spirit of the role remains the same, the details may vary according to the organizational context and industrial realities facing the organization. Hence a customer services representative at an FMCG company may be responsible for a big account like Metro. A customer representative at a bank may also be doing some duties that a ba nk teller typically does such as counting money, etc.CATEGORIES FOR KEY ACTIVITIESProductionThese activities are generally a characteristic of manufacturing firms and entail the design, creation and delivery of significant quantities of the product.For a company that manufactures and sells pantyhose, typical value propositions are listed below;This pantyhose lasts longer and, therefore, saves consumers the money they would spend on frequent replacements.It provides resistance, so feet don’t slip in heels.The product is machine washable.Easy to store packaging.The Key activities would then be;Control of production and manufacturing;Manage website, online orders and the distribution of the product;Create a branding strategy;Marketing and promotion of the product;Product and packaging design.Problem-solvingSome consumers or customers have chronic problems. Organizations that list problem-solving as a main activity are usually aiming to find unique solutions to these individual proble ms. Consultancies, hospitals, and most service organizations typically are trying to solve customer problems uniquely. These organizations are characterized by lots of knowledge management and a focus on continuous learning.Jiffy Lube is a chain of over 200 businesses in North America which offers oil change and other automotive services to its clientele. Hence, it is a service firm that aims to provide a solution to a recurring problem its target customers may have. Jiffy’s value propositions are:Keep cars healthy;Keep clothes clean and garages tidy;Save customers’ time and help them avoid the hassle of their cars breaking down.Based on these, the key activities performed at Jiffy can be as follows;Change the oil of cars;Perform other maintenance work;Promote their services to customers through upselling and other marketing activities.Such organizations will have detailed records on repair work done on the automobiles of their repeat customers and will be able to handle the car with full knowledge of its history, much like a doctor with a regular patient.Platform/ networkA business model where the platform is a key resource usually has platform or network-related key activities. Networks, brands, and software can all be a part of a platform or network-related business.Agile Enterprise Architecture or AEA offers its services to companies experiencing a surge of work or a cascade of models that need to be done within a limited amount of time. The company’s value propositions are as follows;Low-cost architecture modeling;Agile and available when needed by customers;In the cloud;Its environmentally friendly especially if the client company is willing to forego travel;Efficient and effective;Involves minimal risk.Based on these the key activities for this organization are;Cloud-based architectural modeling as a service;Cloud-based enterprise architecture software as a service;Frequent health checks for the architecture to make sure it remains robust with cha nging environment.CASE STUDY LINKEDINLinkedIn is one of the world’s premier business networking websites. The value propositions it provides to its customers are as follows;Manage professional profile and build a robust professional network;Target and reach the right talent;Communicated with the right audience;Access to LinkedIn database though API’s and widgets.As you can see LinkedIn is a platform/ network based company characterized by a high focus on providing sharing capabilities to its customers. The Key activities performed at LinkedIn would then be;Platform DevelopmentHence, LinkedIn spends a majority of its budget and time in ensuring that its platform remains scalable and usable as the consumer base grows rapidly.