...can make our own breakfast and so on. Wireless Internet and airconditioning are also a must. So we start our search for the holiday at the websites of different travel agencies. These websites are very easy to use, you can check several points in the sideline which you find important and then a couple of possible holiday options are shown. But once we thought that we found a good option, we always look on www.zoover.nl. This is a review site with information on the locations, appartments, resorts and near surroundings, all by other travelers who has been there. So, consumers’ reviews and their experience stories. From these reviews you are exposed to a lot of other information, than the formal information on the websites of the travel agencies who only wants to sell the holiday. Positive remarks are made, but also negative topics are discussed. So after reading the reviews you can make the decision yourself to choose for that particular appartment/holiday or look further for another appartment/place. For example when a appartment complex is very noisy and the Wi-Fi connection is very bad, this will only become clear after reading the reviews. Travel agencies are not going to put that on their website, because they only want to sell or maybe even not are fully aware of this particular circumstances. I’m then glad with this review, because I’m not going to...
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...1. Good Review – The good review I found was on goodreads.com for Life of Pi. The author of the review did not regurgitate the synopsis found on the back of the book nor laden the review with spoilers, but rather gave his/her opinion on the book, the narrative style, writing and structure and what was enjoyable about the book for him/her. 2. Bad Review – I found a bad review on amazon.com for The Girl on the Train. The reviewer, J.Regan, noted that the story was well written, that it keeps the reader’s attention but that the main character could be hard to like at times. There was no detail as to the writing style, nor why or how the author was able to keep reader’s attention. The reviewer also failed to explain why he/she did not like the main character at points in the book. With no further details, this review does not help someone interested in the book decide whether they may like it or not. 3. Fake Review – As I was looking for reviews on the book I’m reading for the critical review project, I Don’t Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet, I found a title of a review that struck me as odd and the review itself was a bit over the top which to me comes off as fake. It was rated five stars and the review appears to be written by a girl’s boyfriend stating that “she can’t put it down” and “she just raves about it constantly” (Bouton, 2003). The one part that really puts me off about this review is that he says “and I wish I had a nickel for each time I've...
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...Online Image and Reputation: Mitigating Negative Impact of False Reviews on Service Industry Businesses Texas A&M University-Commerce Texas A&M University-Commerce Table of Contents Abstract 3 Chapter 1: Introduction 4 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature 6 Chapter 3: Methodology 11 Chapter 4: Findings 12 Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations 14 References 15 Appendix 17 Abstract Online reviews are becoming an increasingly important component in generating a business’s image and reputation. Service industry businesses, particularly those that rely on positive word-of-mouth, are exposed to the negative influence of fake reviews and false ratings. This paper explores the ways that online reviews are manipulated, highlighting the effects of the social and anonymous nature of the Internet and online review sites. Additionally, this paper examines several methods that can be employed to mitigate the long-term impact of false or manipulated reviews, including a brief review of US law, and the monitoring of review sites to ensure that identifiably false reviews are removed. Keywords: online ratings, service industry, review manipulation Online Image and Reputation: Mitigating Negative Impact of False Reviews on Service Industry Businesses Chapter 1: Introduction Background Businesses, especially service industry businesses like hotels, restaurants, and rental agencies, rely on several methods of reaching out to potential...
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...Dell SWOT Analysis Strengths Build-To-Order Dell is servicing customers on a build to order PC model through an online sale channel more then through middleman retailers, giving Dell a great advantage over its competitors. This makes Dell computers more personalized and unique by giving each customer exactly what they want instead of a generic model PC offered to everyone while at the same time saving themselves money on production costs for Dell (Baker, 2011, 254). This strength that Dell has can offer consumers a variety of product differentiation that is not offered by other competitors. Dell allows customers to choose the size of their computer screen, the processor, the software, the color, the support, the protection, different cloud software, the storage detail and much more (Dell.com, n.d). Just-In-Time Michael Dell has been able to have an edge over its competitors since its life cycle began by focusing on cost efficiency as its top priority. In order to achieve such a big core competency Dell had to focus on a few key business models. Dell offers high quality products created in short spans of time to ensure quick delivery to consumers. This is done by working on a just in time manufacturing process which keeps finished inventory low leading to low inventory costs and low excess unwanted inventory. When fixed costs are low the savings can be related back to the consumer with aggressively low pricing (Baker, 2011, 254). Weaknesses Production Process Dell...
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...Introduction Dell computers are the best example of carrying out direct sales business in today’s business world. The direct sales business of the firm has been made by possible by using internet and digital media. However there are many issues and concerns of the corporation which has been elaborated in detail in this report analysed from the provided case study. Some of these issues are related to analysing Dell digital strategy and finding out the methods to enhance this strategy so that organization can increase its performance. The kind of challenges and opportunities available in order to implement the digital strategy has been explained briefly in this report. This report elaborates in detail how the firm is using internet and digital technology to interact with its stake holders. The second last part of the report explains change in methods of communication in organization by digital technology. The last part of the report provides details and evaluation on the digital strategy success of the firm. Company Background Dell Computer was founded by Michael Dell in 1984, while he was a student at the University of Texas, Austin. Dell began by selling upgrades of IBM-compatible PCs and in 1985 began to sell its own brand of PCs. From the beginning, Dell operated on the direct sales model, taking orders over the phone and building PCs to the customers’ specifications. Dell entered the retail PC channel for several years in the early 1990s, but a downturn in business in 1993...
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...BY LINDA UWAOMA, SHANSHAN LI, REHANA DAYANANDA AND ANDREA VAN DER WEST OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT REPORT- DELL COMPUTERS ! Table of Contents OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT REPORT- DELL COMPUTERS ...................................................1 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT REPORT- DELL COMPUTERS ...................................................2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..............................................................................................2 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................3 BODY..................................................................................................................4 EXAMINATION OF DELL’S SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS .......................................................4 • Direct to customers (DTC); a pull based system: ...............................................4 • Direct to Retailers (DTR); Employing Partners and specialty stores: .......................5 A Problem statement: ........................................................................................7 RECOMMENDATIONS ...............................................................................................8 • MARKETING AND PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS: .................................................................9 • SUPPLY CHAIN IMPROVEMENTS; A HYBRID PLAN: ............................................................10 • A NEW SYSTEM STRUCTURE AND VALUE CHAIN MODEL:..................................
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...system of Dell. In this system, customers are allowed to purchase electronic devices directly through the internet. First of all, let take a look on the some brief description about the company background and the system. 1.1 Company Background Dell Inc. is a world class e-commerce company that manufactures, sells, repairs and supports computers hardware and other related software and services. Dell does not own any direct stores instead the company is selling its products via online and other dealers or retailers like Wal-Mart and Best Buy. [1] Although the main business operation of Dell is in Round Rock, Texas, United State they have expanded to all the other places around the world with sizable manufacturing facilities in Austin, Texas; Limerick, Ireland; and Penang, Malaysia The founder of the company is Michael S. Dell. In 1 February 1984, Michael Dell founded a company called PC Limited with $1000 in his dorm. At that moment, he was a 19 years-old university student. [2] The company was selling IBM PC-compatible computers that equipped with stock components from various suppliers such as the processor from Intel. After he obtained $300,000 expansion capital from his family, he left the university to work full-time for his newly started business. He is the one who come out with the idea that sell directly to the consumer and enable people to custom the specification of their ordered unit based on the selected options. Because of this direct sales model, Dell is able...
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...especially if there is any negative sentiment attached to the company’s name. Online corporate reputation management is the solution or precaution for the loss company face due to bad reputation. Online corporate reputation management can reverse these negative sentiments and comments by employing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) practices, such as posting positive comments to bring your company's reviews to the top of search engine search pages. Online reputation management is a process of using strategic SEO and various other methods to reverse damage done to an individual's or a business's reputation (defendmyname, (n.d)). Online reputation management is a practice of monitoring, developing and controlling a company’s online reputation(defendmyname, (n.d)). Taking example of Toyota, which suffered a big setback, February 2010 recorded more than eight million Toyota cars that were recalled by the company. Due to sticky floor mats which slid down to the accelerators to faulty pedals, there was an accident in which people died. Various blogs, forums, review websites, news websites started downgrading Toyota. This was expected but what is commendable is the way Toyota managed its reputation online. Toyota launched a...
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...Introduction Michael Dell founded the Dell Company in 1984, and became successful based on the idea of direct marketing strategy. Dell sells directly to the customer with no retailers this eliminates any unnecessary cost and time. When the consumer orders a computer it is tehn assembled and customized to the specifications of what the customer has specified. There is little to no inventory held as the computers are assembled as soon as the order is placed, using the just in time approach. Direct marketing strategy with low prices, customization and e-commerce is the key to Dell’s success. In 1996, Dell became the e-commerce leader with its website containing pages of details of products and online shop specializing computers (Dell Inc.). People can now buy a computer on the website, which covers 80 countries, 27 languages and 40 currencies without leaving home. Strategy Dell’s strategy is to provide products, services and support to the consumer and does not involve intermediaries. Dell believes in a direct relationship with the consumer, also known as Dell’s ‘direct business model’ while eliminating wholesale and retail dealers, which add unnecessary time and cost or diminish Dell’s understanding of customer expectations (Dell’s 10-K report, 2005). The direct customer relationship allows the customer to review, configure and price systems from Dell’s entire product line, order systems online as well as track orders from manufacturing through delivery (Dell’s 10-K...
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...STANFORD UNIVERSITY CASE NUMBER: EC-17 November 2000 DELL DIRECT1 In 1995, a manager from a leading Japanese computer company was recounting his company’s plans to conquer the US Personal Computer (PC) market: “We have a strong brand name in consumer electronics, and what’s most important, we build many of the components that are needed in the PC ourselves: monitors, audio equipment, CD-ROM, DRAM, and so on. This will give us a tremendous advantage over American competitors, who have to buy everything outside” [1]. Several years later, it looks like the competitive weapon of this and other Japanese electronics giants had misfired. Hitachi, Sony and Fujitsu have spent vast resources trying to crack the US PC market, but had only captured a marginal share—and they had lost money doing it. At the same time, Texas-based Dell Computer Corporation, founded by 19-year-old Michael Dell in a university dormitory room, was growing rapidly, sustaining a much larger portion of the PC market than all Japanese vendors combined. And while the Japanese PC manufacturers were unable to earn any money in the US market, Dell, which produces no PC components, was highly profitable, grew by more than 50% each year over the 1995-1998 period, and saw its stock grow about 30,000% in a decade (see Exhibit 1 for Dell financial summary). Dell does not manufacture any components, but it can produce custom-built PCs in a matter of hours. How does Dell do it? Why did it succeed where the Japanese PC manufacturers...
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...STANFORD UNIVERSITY CASE NUMBER: EC-17 November 2000 DELL DIRECT1 In 1995, a manager from a leading Japanese computer company was recounting his company’s plans to conquer the US Personal Computer (PC) market: “We have a strong brand name in consumer electronics, and what’s most important, we build many of the components that are needed in the PC ourselves: monitors, audio equipment, CD-ROM, DRAM, and so on. This will give us a tremendous advantage over American competitors, who have to buy everything outside” [1]. Several years later, it looks like the competitive weapon of this and other Japanese electronics giants had misfired. Hitachi, Sony and Fujitsu have spent vast resources trying to crack the US PC market, but had only captured a marginal share—and they had lost money doing it. At the same time, Texas-based Dell Computer Corporation, founded by 19-year-old Michael Dell in a university dormitory room, was growing rapidly, sustaining a much larger portion of the PC market than all Japanese vendors combined. And while the Japanese PC manufacturers were unable to earn any money in the US market, Dell, which produces no PC components, was highly profitable, grew by more than 50% each year over the 1995-1998 period, and saw its stock grow about 30,000% in a decade (see Exhibit 1 for Dell financial summary). Dell does not manufacture any components, but it can produce custom-built PCs in a matter of hours. How does Dell do it? Why did it succeed where the Japanese PC manufacturers...
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...independent distributors and their inability to communicate and provide direct service to their customer base. Recognizing an immediate need to improve and enhance their supply chain, making it more cost effective and profitable, I have decided to implement portions of the supply chain strategy “Virtual Integration” from companies such as Dell. Although there are several main differences between the two companies which is visible in the comparison, pieces of Dell’s virtual integration strategy can be applied to Ford’s supply chain to improve operations. Through this solution, Ford will implement information technologies and internet, along with innovative concepts from high tech businesses, in order to directly interact and perform transactions with their suppliers and customers. This solution will allow Ford to increase its sales by gaining customer satisfaction and by providing rapid communication with their suppliers, manufacturers, and customers – but also keep current client that enjoy buying from dealerships. Since Dell and Ford are two different types of industries, a modification of the virtual integration system currently used by Dell will be applied. Aspects of the virtual integration system will be added concurrent to the current supply chain system, which will remain. This is critical since trying to introduce the full virtual integration business model alone and eliminating the existing supply chain system would put ford in high risk of losing current...
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...Company’s History and Growth Through the years Dell went from producing PC’s to software, hardware, workstations, electronics, printers, tablets, mobile devices networking, storage devices, servers, security products and other electronic devices and information technology systems but it all started with just building computer systems. Dell doesn’t just sell products to personal consumers, Dell also targets government, healthcare, education and small and large corporations. Michael Dell founded Dell Company; hence the name of the company derived from his family name but the company wasn’t known as Dell back in 1984 when it was founded. In 1984 the company was known as PC’s Limited which designs, manufactures and sells technologies that has a dedicated founder who left his university to commit his time and effort for the company. What separated Dell from other firms in the industry in 1985 is their unmatched service for their customers in their first PC, “Turbo PC” (Dell 2012). Dell provided a “risk-free returns and next-day-at-home product assistance” (Dell 2012). From that Dell continued to grow by providing what was back then the PC with the fastest performance and opening branches internationally. One of the significant time and moment in Dell’s growth is in 1988. Dell was able to do their public offering which upped their capital from 1 thousand to 85 million dollars and Dell was growing at about an 80 percent rate (Dell 2012). By this time PC’s limited officially changed...
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.............................................................................................................................................................. 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 4 PART 1: OVERVIEW – INTERNET PROPERTIES & MARKETING IMPLICATIONS .................. 6 Website analysis................................................................................................................................. 6 Web and other online content ............................................................................................................. 7 Website properties (table 1.6) ............................................................................................................. 8 Website design and usability features ................................................................................................. 9 Multimedia and interactive features .................................................................................................. 10 PART 2: BENEFIT, COST AND VALUE CREATION ..................................................................... 13 Customer relationship management .................................................................................................. 13 Benefit...
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...Flexibility of the Desktop PC ISCOM 476 April 9, 2012 Professor Gary Kowalkowski Flexibility of the Desktop PC Dell Computer Company founded in 1984 uses the business model of eliminating retailers from the sales channel and selling directly to customers. Dell used this model to deliver customized systems to customers with lower than market average prices. To assist Dell in accomplishing this achievement, Dell used contract manufacturers to build and supply various components of its computer equipment. However, Dell has identified issues arising from its L5 and L6 manufacturing processes regarding motherboard availability and the resulting increased cost of manufacturing and logistics. This paper will review and evaluate the L5 and L6 manufacturing and logistics cost, the manufacturing solution to best minimize the issues, and address the chipset supply concerns In addition, the business process improvement methodology will be reviewed, supply changes recommended, and the application to other industries and work environments. The L5 manufacturing and logistics process includes the assembly of the desktop PC chassis, floppy disc drive, fan, and depending on chassis configuration, the power supply. On the other hand, the L6 process includes all the processes in L5 plus the installation of the motherboard in the chassis. Currently, Dell suffers from the inability to provide contract manufacturers sufficient motherboards in a timely fashion. Several factors contribute to Dell’s...
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