Swot Analysis Company Essay Example for Free

Swot Analysis Company Essay 4. SWOT Analysis The overall evaluation of a company’s Strengths(S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (O) and Threats (T) is called SWOT Analysis. It is a way of monitoring the external and internal marketing environment. 4.1. Analysis of Strengths and Weaknesses This analyses the internal environment of a company. According to our comprehensive observation and analysis, the following Strengths and Weaknesses of Mini Co-op city are identified. 4.1.1. Strengths †¢ As the cost of living is relatively high, this cater to low income earners by providing commodities at controlled prices, which results in lesser price fluctuations. †¢ Samurdhi beneficiaries receive stamps of Rs.240, Rs.340, Rs.540 per month to purchase commodities. 4.1.2. Weaknesses †¢ Lack of parking facilities. †¢ The name board is not attractive and eye catching. †¢ Arrangement of goods and layout is ineffective. †¢ Display has not been utilized in correct manner and the eye level shelves are empty. †¢ They are practicing the sales oriented concept, not the marketing oriented concept. †¢ No marketing and promotional effort. †¢ Lack of staff and currant members are not enthusiastic. †¢ The place in which outlets are located is not convenient. 4.2. Analysis of Opportunities and Threats This analyses the external environment of a company. According to our observations, we identified following Opportunities and Threats of Mini co-op city. 4.2.1. Opportunities †¢ Existence of a network of branches and opportunity to further expand it through government fund allocation. †¢ With terrorism coming to an end and achievement of peace, ability to capture new North and Eastern market which attracts relatively low competition. 4.2.2. Threats †¢ Limited availability of funds. †¢ High political influence and change of political parties will affect entire policies and practices. †¢ Higher competition faced retail sellers and well organized chain of supermarket

Sexual Coercion and Social Learning Theory Essay Example for Free

Sexual Coercion and Social Learning Theory Essay The Social Learning Theory (SLT) of Ronald Akers provides a way to analyze why certain behaviors not only occur but persist. This paper looks into sexual coercion through internet child pornography with regards to the case of Joshua Kistler through the SLT. The paper attempts at analyzing why Kistler’s behavior persisted, predicting and preventing similar cases in the future, and providing recommendations on how to process the offender through the criminal justice system. Sexual Coercion and Social Learning Theory Pornography is defined as any form of material manifested either through printed words or through images or pictures that is explicitly sexual in nature (Langton, 1990, p. 312). On the other hand, what can be termed as ‘sexually explicit’ may refer to a type of an indexical term of a concept that selects characteristics based on what has specific consequences or alters specific taboos depending on the identified context or the specific culture (Rupp, 2007, p. 525). Pornography has been one of the primary social issues that have concerned individuals from all range of ages regardless of racial or religious background and remains to this day as a growing threat to the ethical and religious precepts of various cultures and societies (Rea, 2001, p. 119). Specifically, child pornography has created threats to the integrity of the moral precepts of parents seeking to build a well-defined sense of morality for their children amidst the changing values of the larger society from the economic to the legal doctrines and many others (MacKinnon, 1989, p.316). There are many reasons behind the existence of child pornography and pornography in general. Apart from reasons of immediate implicit desire to obtain ‘sexual pleasure’, certain forms of pornography may be derived from sexual coercion. In general, sexual coercion gives one the idea of the deed of persuading or convincing a minor individual in taking part into a sexual activity that is unwanted by the minor through the use of physical strength or threats of using it as well as the manipulation of the minor’s emotions (Brantley, 2005, p. 3). On the other hand, Robert Franklin (2000) views sexual coercion as not necessarily including the employment of physical force, threat, or intimidation as the minor may not necessarily view the behaviors involved as coercive. Nevertheless, sexual coercion remains one of the primary reasons behind the persistence of child pornography in the society as countless prominent cases emphasize such claim, cases such as Ashton v. Free Speech Coalition (Cothrel, 2002, p. 8). Another instance of child pornography is the case against Joshua Kistler who was convicted to 24 years of federal imprisonment. What separates the case of Kistler from the rest is the fact that he posed through the internet as a teenage boy with a terminal case of leukemia. This he did in order to coerce young girls from 12 to 14 years of age into forwarding Kistler images that are ‘sexually explicit’ (Associated Press, 2007). This paper attempts to analyze the case of Kistler by explaining 3 relevant issues pertaining to the topic in the context of Ronald Akers’ Social Learning Theory: why Kistler’s case occurred, how the Social Learning Theory can be used in order to predict and prevent the likelihood of a similar crime from occurring in the future, and the suggestions that the Social Learning Theory will probably give on how to process Kistler through the criminal justice system. In order to pursue with the goals set forth, it is an imperative to have a brief and concise look into Akers’ Social Learning Theory. Within the field of criminology, Ronald Akers along with Robert Burgess (1966) formulated the Social Learning Theory (SLT) in order to elucidate on the idea of ‘deviancy’ through the combination of certain elements that advanced delinquency such as the social pressure from reckless peers with the elements that dissuade delinquency such as the responses of parents after knowing the delinquent status of their child. Roughly speaking, the concept of ‘deviancy’ may be interpreted as diverging away from the mainstream precepts or notions in the larger society, of what currently upheld as the norm or the manner in which things are ‘normally’ conducted such as the dominant behaviors established by a certain society not only as acceptable but also worth promoting.

Non Scheduled Maintenance On Computer Systems

Non Scheduled Maintenance On Computer Systems When talking about maintaining computers the programs used that come to mind are things like anti-viruses and other different updates for a system, these can be routine and non-routine checks and updates. When talking about routine checks it describes a program that has a set time or date to do maintenance whether it is every day, week or month the routine will stay the same. Non-routine is when the maintenance is performed manually and does not have a set time for an update. Routine maintenance on a computer is very important for the health of a computer as you could forget to do an update and it would do it anyway as it is routine. If using an anti-virus routinely it can delete anything that is slowing or hurting your system, non-routine is something like a disk defragmentation being done every few months by yourself, this is because a disk defrag isnt necessary say for example every week but needs to be done every once in a while non routine. If you have a good planned schedule fo r routine and non-routine maintenance on a system the computers health should be very good and it is recommended. In a business doing routine and none routine maintenance could help you by. Improving Tradesperson productivity, giving reduced direct labour costs Increasing Equipment Availability, due to better planning Increasing Equipment Reliability through the identification of repetitive faults Improving Stock control, giving reduced inventory levels and fewer stock outs Improving long-term reduction in Maintenance costs Improving Safety by providing detailed Standard job procedures Routine maintenance of your computer is a vital step in keeping your system running smoothly and efficiently. Problems ranging from not shutting down to screen freezes are most likely a result of poor maintenance, NOT hardware problems. Good computer preventive maintenance also includes keeping a written record of any repairs or changes to a computer. Its also good to write down when software is added or removed from a computer. This can help with any possible troubleshooting at a later date. Keep all your documentation for the computer in a safe place. Things like operating system CD and product keys, Software, manuals and driver disks and also Passwords to various programs and websites. . You can use many types of documentation to keep your maintenance up to date and these are just a few. Schedules chart Help you to plan out the tasks that need to be completed Give you a basis for scheduling when these tasks will be carried out Allow you to plan the allocation of resources needed to complete the project, (maintenance) Help you to work out the critical path for a project (maintenance) where you must complete it by a particular date. Gantt Charts The strength of the Gantt chart is its ability to display the status of each activity at a glance good for computer maintenance So there are lots more different ways to plan your computer maintenance you need to do this so you can keep track of it all and then you will not forget when it has been done and when the next time is needed. P3: You will be required to identify housekeeping procedures that need to be performed on computer systems on a regular basis P3 The first thing to do is invest in an efficient anti-virus system, if you havent bought one with the PC. This will help you keep your computer clean and tidy and virus free. Set up a good filing system on your machine so that you can retrieve information quickly. Do this with both your e-mail system and your off-line files. This is good house keeping. Regularly clear out the cookies, temporary internet files and internet history. They gradually accumulate and take up disk space unnecessarily. This is very good practise. Also From time to time clear out temp files. They show up with the file extension .TMP Periodically perform disk clean up and defrag to tidy up the way that information is stored on your drives Regularly make back-ups of your important files. An external hard drive is one to do it. You can then store it separately from your PC so that if anything happens to the PC you still have access to the data you use. clean inside you computer case get a can of compressed air from a good computer shop and a small face powder fluffy make up brush open your computer and carefully blow any dust away the has accumulated in side paying particular attention to the fans and the cooling system using the brush very lightly on any stubborn areas. This is worth doing to maintain your computer. P5 Practical M1: In your own words, explain why it is necessary for organisations to have policies and procedures to control the maintenance of computer systems. M1 Policies and procedures Organisations have policies for Protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction. And also maintenance of plant equipment can significantly reduce the overall cost, while boosting the productivity of the plant. The key success is the implementation of management of change, the use of engineering standards and proper work instruction and procedures as set by the equipment manufactures. An example could be a file naming policy/procedure might be in place when a member of staff names a file they might for example go to the shared drive on a sever create a folder in the customer name then name the file customer name brief description, date If everybody in the company does the same for anything there save, its going to make looking for files a lot easier than if everyone does their own thing..(increases productivity and maintains the optimal use of server hard drive space as files wont get duplicated.) Other policies may include things that computer users arent allowed to do for security reasons or staff productivity such as certain website blocks other policies may include a churn of equipment e.g. a company might say that it will renew its server every 3 years and its PCs/laptops every 4 years. A company cant afford to wait until it breaks to fix it. A company would have some sort of back-up procedure. Most will back up their server data every day and take the backup tape/disk off-site so they still have their data if theres fire/theft/malicious damage. Companies will have a procedure of what to do if a computer fails. They will usually have some sort of IT support contract in place or an in house IT guy/team all members of staff would be told what to do if they have a computer problem. Companies pay their staff to work not sit waiting for there PCs to be fixed so they want them fixed quickly within a guaranteed time scale. D1: Discuss the benefits and improvements to undertaking regular housekeeping procedures? D1 By doing regularly computer house keeping you will help speed up your computer a lot because cleaning your computer will keep it organized, virus free and running fast. One of the many ways of doing this could be upgrading your hardware with doing this you will be keeping up with all the latest updates keeping your computer to its max level. Cleaning and ventilation will also keep your computer running smooth. Computer maintenance, Cleaning the dust out. will Benefit things malfunctioning/over heating. Improvements: improves computer performance the fans on the processor and power supply need to be kept clean. If you smoke you need to clean fans more often because tar builds up on the fans. Defrag and cleanup your drive with increase efficiency of the drive and thereby cut drive access times. Disk clean up benefits: clears space improvements: speed ups pc Virus scan benefit: removes potential viruss improvements: keeps files/pc safe and working correct. Running anti viruss every week or so its just so your computer stays functional. And cleaning your hard drive also makes it stay fast (same as deleting viruss spyware etc.) So its a Good idea to maybe once a week to run an antivirus, spyware, malware scan then hard drive clean. Scanning and removing spyware and toolbars periodically is another good housekeeping tactic. They sap your computers resources and internet bandwidth. Back up your pc this will help you if something goes wrong or you accidently delete something backup can be a huge help if need be. Turn off properly, shut down when not in use and do not just turn the switch off dont just click the off button on your pc because this can damage files on your computer. Always go to start and turn of from there this is safe practise. Cleaning your Mouse Cleaning your Keyboard Cleaning your Monitor Surge Protection All these are good housekeeping tips to cleaning your mouse will allow you to work properly on your computer and the same goes for your keyboard always keep them nice and clean and free of dust. Reduce the number of programs that run in the background or on start up this will make your computer start up quicker.

The One-Drop Rule Essay -- Racial Issues

The growth in the multiracial population in the United States of America since the 1970’s has greatly increased and is continuing to increase. Although the number of biracial and multiracial Americans is relatively small to the total population at 5 million, the multiracial population is growing at a rate of ten times faster than that of the White population (Stuckey 2008). These facts weren’t officially known until the United States government’s verdict to allow individuals to claim multiple races on the 2000 US census. Along with these aspects, the increased exposure of multiracial public figures and celebrities such as Tiger Woods, Halle Berry, and Barack Obama, has caused the focus of public discussion and scholarly attention on multiracial people to increase greatly. Much of this discussion focuses on racial identity. Racial Identity is put to question in censuses and other polls, applications, and in personal meetings. When it comes to answering in these si tuations I believe most biracial White-Black people internally identify as Black, and describe how both Blacks and Whites see them as Black. I argue that the one-drop rule still shapes racial identity. Blacks and Whites first began mixing significantly in America in the 17th and 18th centuries, between African slaves and the European indentured servants. Fearing that these interracial relationships would tarnish the purity of the White race, states passed laws in the 1660s to prohibit interracial marriage. Despite these strict anti miscegenation laws, the relationships continued, sometimes through consent and other times through force, as White slave owners often raped their Black female slaves. As a result, many multiracial children were born as the circumstance of bru... ...h to Understanding the Racial Identification of Multiracial adolescents. Conference Papers—American Sociological Association, 1-22 Pearlmann, J. and Mary Waters. 2002. The New Race Question: How the Census Counts Multiracial Individuals. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Qian, Zhenchao. 2004. â€Å"Options: Racial/Ethnic Identification of Children of Intermarried Couples.† Social Science Quarterly 85:746–65. Rockquemore, Kerry Ann, and David L. Brunsma. 2002a. Beyond Black: Biracial Identity in America. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Roth, W. 2005. The End of the One-Drop rule? Labeling of Multiracial children in Black Inermarriages. Sociological Forum, 20(1), 35-67 Stuckey, M. (2008, May 28). Multiracial americans surge in number, voice. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24542138/ns/us_news-gut_check/t/multiracial-americans-surge-number-voice/

Time Management Action Plan Essay -- essays research papers

For me it seems like there is too many tasks to complete and seldom enough time. Effective and efficient time management is something that I have room for improvement on and have great use of. I started by taking a time management survey. #1 Accept Problem My results from this diagnostic survey on time management assured me that my time management skills are low. The survey revealed that I am on the bottom of the scale of time management. There were two sections of the survey. One section measured your time management skills in an office setting and the other section measured your time management skill in your personal life. By having two sections you can compare your time management skills for the two different settings. The total score measures your overall time management skills and it also puts the score in a category. My scores of 27 points for personal life and 31 points for office settings combines to a 58 point total score. My combined score falls in to the lowest category that suggests that training is necessary and will considerably enhance my effectiveness. The first step of solving a problem is identifying it. After taking this survey I have proof that my time management skills are low. Time management has been a long time problem for me. I have always found excuses for not doing things on time or running late. My main excuse is being involved in so many things as a college student. All of this is true, but it shouldn’t be an excuse. I currently work as a lifeguard between classes, tutor nights and weekends, work at a bar weekends, I hold a vice president position in American Marketing Association, I am a member of Society for Human Resource Management, team captain for Cleveland State’s division I swim team, and I am co-president for Student Athletic Advisory Board. Good time management is needed for all these extras. If I could improve my time management skills I think I would get better in most things that I do. I would be able to enhance my grades in school and be better in the workforce. I would be more relaxed and have a feel of control. #2, Goals and Priorities The first step in effectively managing time is to develop a statement of long-range goals. This statement of goals will allow you to set short range goals and to prioritize specific activities according to how much they contribute to your goals. Setting these long-range goals ma... ...t already have the software required or a hand held organizer. For me I am using this as a last step also as a goal. When I reach this point I will allow my self to buy a hand held computer. This would be my reward for reaching this far. This step should take 1-3 weeks. Implementing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have many times tried to improve my time management. Every semester I start with a calendar, but about half way through I usually do not use it anymore. This semester I decided that I needed to use it all the time and I am still using it. I think that if I had used this action plan the first time I wanted to start using a calendar I would have been successful at first. Now when I will start using this action plan I am sure that I will keep using my calendar and also be able to live a less stressful life. It will stop me from my last minute studying for tests and forgetting about meetings. I will be able to live a well-balanced, goal-oriented life without unnecessary stress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   References: Poser, B. (2003) Time Management for Students http://www.yorku.ca/cdc/lsp/tmonline/time.htm Whetten, D., Cameron, K. (2002) Developing Management Skills

Waking up too early is unhealthy Essay -- Expository Essays

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! You’re familiar with that sound, it’s the sound of you’re alarm clock. It’s really hard for kids to wake up to the sound isn’t it? It’s not even good for them either! Yet, kids, whose appetites for sleep are the biggest, have to wake up as early as 6:00 a.m.! It’s crazy how they, the school boards, set the system up. And bus drivers, who also have to wake up quite early, might be having problems waking up. Even if they don’t, someone behind them might be and that puts the whole bus at risk! Anyways, the point is that the decision made for the school arrival time was wrong and it needs to be changed on a large scale. This means in EVERY high school. Starting school too early is not only a nuisance but it can also be very dangerous and it can have negative effects on a teen’s education. A Chicago chief of medicine states that sleep deprivation, found in many teens, can have negative affects on a teen’s mood, performance, attention, and behavior. Because teens start driving in high school, their safety in a car is also related to sleep deprivati...

Buyer and Seller Relationship in the retail industry Essay

1. Introduction For many years buyers and sellers in the clothing retail sector have been battling to answer the question as to why it is difficult to build a steady relationship with one another. This can be due to the knowledge gap that there is in a lack of understanding on the issue. We aim to thoroughly associate the concepts of Collaboration, Information Sharing, Joint Relationship Effort, Dedicated Investments, Commitment and Trust, Satisfaction and Performance with the different buyer – seller relationships that exist in the clothing retail sector. Thus the problem being investigated is the unsteady relationship that exists in the clothing retail sector between buyers and sellers. The study will be using a survey consisting of 37 questions that will be issued to buyers in the industry. A sample size of 500 clothing companies will be used in Cape Town, South Africa which was selected to answer the surveys. The research method is quantitative in nature. Thus the study aims to carefully examine how buyers and sellers interact within the supply chain relationship. Some papers have touched on supply chain relationship issues, but have not done the association with these particular concepts our study aims to use. The main objective of our research is to provide buyers and sellers with the necessary information to assist them as to why there are certain imperfections in the relationship. 2. Literature Review Some research has be done on the concepts collaboration, information sharing, joint relationship effort, dedicated investments, commitment and trust, satisfaction and performance, which gave an insight to how these variables develop, change and how they are maintained in the context of buyer-seller relationship. Therefore for the purpose of this study twelve (12) articles written in the context of buyer and seller relationship will be used to define and explain the above mentioned concepts and how it is used throughout our research study. Collaboration Collaboration can be defined as latest development in supply chain management which involves the process of working together with your suppliers, business partners or clientele in achieving a common goal that benefits all parties (McLaren, Head & Yuan, 2002). Ellinger, Daugherty & Keller (2000) observed what exactly links marketing and logistics within a company’s integration, as well as measures of performance that are both objective and subjective in nature. They found and identified collaboration as a variable that impacts a relationship in a progressive way in that it increases sharing information and ideas and leads to partners functioning together. Information sharing McLaren, Head & Yuan (2000) has identified information sharing as the exchange of important company information with your supply chain partner for purposes that would assist each partner in the future. McLaren et al. (2002) discusses how a partnership between the buyer and seller can be beneficial for both parties where information sharing is of key importance. Their findings were that, creating partnerships between buyers and sellers were beneficial for both parties and that the success of information sharing depends on the type and size of the company as well as which mechanism they used for information sharing. Joint relationship effort Joint relationship effort refers to the combined determination and drive that is put into collaboration between buyers and sellers. Monczka, Petersen, Handfield & Ragatz (1998) argued for example that when task organisation is performed between buyers and sellers, the buyer can then form a perceptive trust in their partner’s abilities which will later form a solid trust in their relationship. Dedicated investments Knemeyer, Corsi & Murphy (2003) defined dedicated investments as particular  resources and goods that are transferred to another party that is highly important towards producing services and products. They tried to prove that there are different levels of partnership development in logistics management by research done by previous researchers who have also done research on the existing topic and if there is in fact a difference between these levels. Their findings were that the more trust there is within the relationship, the more partners invest in the relationship which directly increases dedicated investment. Commitment and trust Commitment refers to buyers and sellers engaging themselves and maintaining a working relationship in a way that will benefit both their own organisation and the company they have an association with. Trust refers to the reliance, surety, confidence or ability in a person or thing. In this case, it is having the reliance, surety, confidence or ability in the working relationship of one or more organisations. Mohr and Spekman (1994) was the first to find that trust and commitment are of utmost importance in a buyer – seller relationship, and that these factors lead to the success of the relationship. Satisfaction and Performance Satisfaction can be defined as referred to Mohr & Spekman (1994) as the completion of a task by which the involved party is pleased with the quality and degree of work carried out and it meets the standard set by the partners. Performance on the other hand can be defined as the completion of a task by a degree higher than specifications set out by the individual involved. Mohr & Spekman (1994) argued that the buyer-seller relationship is a partnership which generates satisfaction when performance expectations have been achieved. A study had been conducted and showed that commitment and co-ordination are positively associated with satisfaction and an increase in profits would bring about satisfaction among those parties involved in the supply chain 3. Research Hypotheses The hypotheses are constructed with a purpose of assisting in answering the research question, which is seeks to find The Nature of Buyer-Seller Relationships in the Retail Sector. Based on the review of the relevant literature, our hypotheses are based on some of the important variables that exist in the supply chain relationships. The relationship variables focused on are: commitment and trust, performance, satisfaction, joint relationship effort and collaboration, and will be shown using the relevant hypotheses. These relationships form the basis of the research propositions that will be tested in the duration of this study. H1: Commitment and trust has a positive impact on collaboration. Since committed partners make an effort to achieve the goals of their business relationship, high levels of commitment are most likely to produce a good collaborated relationship. H2: Performance has a positive impact on collaboration. The strength of collaboration in a supply chain relationship depends on the power of the chain performance: short-term (performance within one year), medium-term (performance over one to three years) and long-term (performance over two to five years). H3: Satisfaction has a positive impact on collaboration. The extent to which the buyers and sellers in the supply chain relationship are satisfied, determines the strength of their relationship. Thus, when both parties are satisfied with the collaboration, their relationship will produce good results. H4: Joint relationship effort has a positive impact on collaboration. By engaging in a joint relationship effort that involves sharing resources and capabilities, buyers and sellers can achieve a profitable collaboration that they cannot create alone. 4. Research Methodology An exploratory-descriptive study was conducted to write this research report. The context selected for this study focused on the clothing retail sector. The unit of analysis in this study was the nature of buyer and seller relationship in the clothing retail sector. We focused on the buyer’s perceptions of the relationship as we were unable to collect data from both buyer and seller. Even though having data collected from both parties would have been more beneficial, time and finances were a constraint and had to be taken into consideration; therefore it resulted in focusing on one side of the relationship. Internet searches of various clothing companies were compiled. Each company was contacted by telephone so that we would be able to speak directly to a clothing buyer. They were notified beforehand as to the purpose of this study and that their participation would be fundamental in completing this research report. The clothing buyer had the choice as to receiving the questionnaire via email or an interview. Most questionnaires were sent via email as buyers had other commitments as well and preferred this form of communication. A sum of 500 questionnaires was sent to various companies within the clothing retail sector, of which, only 106 (response rate of 21%) responses were received that was used for analysis. This response rate was lower than we had anticipated but we had to work with the data provided and continue the process as it was a busy period for most buyers at that time. The surveys were coded and then uploaded on a spreadsheet as it was simpler to analyse the data and descriptive statistics had been implemented to construct the necessary graphs that would conclude the findings. The following chart was designed to illustrate the response rate of the survey. Figure 1: Percentage of Responses Coded 5. Data analysis and Findings In this section of the report there will be a detailed discussion on the data collected in the survey as well as a representation of the findings. There will be a detailed analysis of the hypothesis tested and also an explanation of how the findings were derived. To complete the report 500 surveys were distributed to companies across South Africa. Only 106 of the companies responded but there were a number of biases. With regards to the nature of the relationship with supplier 5 respondents didn’t answer, under the sections joint relationship effort, dedicated investments and commitment and  trust there was 1 respondent who didn’t answer the questions. Under the satisfaction section 7 answers were left blank and 2 of the questions were answered with incorrectly. Under the performance section 8 answers were left blank. The following table was designed to displaying the mean, median, mode and range. Below is the table 1 showing all the data. MEAN MEDIAN MODE RANGE 1. NO. YEARS AT COMPANY 8.738095 7 5 38 2. NO. YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION 6.629482 4 1 37 3. NO. YEARS WITH SUPPLIER 12.016 10 10 60 Table 1: Mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation The first row in the table 1 above illustrates the number of years the respondent has been with the company. This information shows that the average amount of years a respondent has been with the company is 8.738095 years, the middle frequent response was 7 years, the most frequent response was 5 years and the difference between the respondent who has been with the company the least amount of years and most amount of years is 38 years. Since the respondents have a number of years with the company it means that they are familiar with the company’s way of business, how they deal with suppliers, who all the suppliers are and also the type of relationship they have with the suppliers. The second row illustrates the number of years the respondents have been in the company. It shows that the average amount of years a respondent has been with the company is 6.629482 years, the middle frequent response was 4 years, the most frequent response was 1 year and the difference between the respondent who has been with the company the least amount of years and most amount of years is 37 years. The high number of years that some of the respondents have been in their current positions gives an indication the information given is reliable and that it will aid in answering the question at hand. The third row depicts the number of years the company has spent with the supplier. It shows that the average amount of years a respondent has been with the company is 12.016 years, the middle frequent response was 10 years, the most frequent response was 10 years and the difference between the respondent who has been with the company the least amount of years and most amount of years is 60 years. The high number of years with same supplier shows that the information collected depicts a mature relationship between the buyer and the seller. Seeing that the relationship is matured the main focus of both the buyer and the seller would then be to continue to build on the relationship so that they can be in business for even more years to come. The following chart illustrates the position of the respondents which in turn goes with the number of years the respondents have been in their current position. It shows that 5% are CEO’s, 1% COO’s, 7% directors, 10% sales manager’s or supervisors, 12% other employee’s and 48% buyer’s. The fact that such a high number of the respondents are buyers displays that the questions answered are quite accurate since they have a good understanding of the relationship with the supplier. The buyer’s best understand the relationship with the supplier and since the study at hand is looking at the collaboration of buyers and sellers, the information gathered will have a great impact in answering the given hypothesis. Figure 2: Current position Commitment and Trust Figure 3: Degree of respondents to questions about commitment and trust Description The above data represents responses pertaining to questions about commitment and trust amongst buyers and their suppliers in supply chain relationships in the clothing sector. The graph illustrates whether the buyers agree or disagree to the extent of commitment they have with their suppliers. The x-axis of the graph represents the scales between strongly disagree and strongly agree. Meanwhile, the y-axis of the graph represents the response scores of the buyers. Analysis When assessing the data, it is evident that seven hundred and forty one (741) responses were obtained in the commitment and trust section of the questionnaire. Taking a closer look at the responses, it is evident that 4% of the respondents strongly disagree that commitment and trust have a positive impact on collaboration. Meanwhile, 6% of the respondents have a neutral opinion, and 90% of the respondents strongly agree to the questions. The low 4% might have been supported by the fact that their companies are in business on a short-term basis. Thus, they do not foresee the business relationship continuing for a long time, very little investment has been injected to their relationship, thus commitment is very low. The slowly rising 6% response rate could have been due to the fact that buyers are not certain where their loyalties lie with that certain supplier. Another factor could be because they are still in early business with the supplier, so the supplier’s commitment and trust to the buyer’s company have not reached maximum levels yet. The very high response rate of 90% can be influenced by various factors. The supplier is genuinely concerned that the buyer’s company succeeds; buyers expect the business relationship to continue for a long time; the buyers are committed to their supplier; effort and investment have been made to build their relationship; they expect the relationships to strengthen over time, etc. These factors prove that these buyers support the hypotheses stated, that commitment and trust have a positive impact on collaboration. Therefore, this data proves Mohr and Spekman (1994) correct when they found that trust and commitment are of utmost importance in a buyer – seller relationship, and that these factors lead to the success of the relationship. Performance Figure 4: Degree of respondents to questions about performance Description The graph depicts the responses of clothing buyers to four questions relating to performance being a factor of a successful collaboration among buyer and seller relationships. The horizontal axis(x – axis) illustrates the Likert scale from 1 – 7 which ranges from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The vertical axis(y – axis) depicts the score, which is the cumulative responses received from the clothing buyers. The above graphical representation shows the movements of responses to a set of questions aimed at performance and just by glancing at the graph; one can already notice that most respondents (about 74%) strongly agree that performance has a positive impact on collaboration. Analysis When assessing the data it can be seen that four hundred sixteen (416) responses were received that answered this section of the questionnaire. However on a scale of 1 – 3, 12% respondents strongly disagreed with the notion of performance enhances collaboration, 14%(scale 4) were neutral and 74 %( scale 5 – 7) strongly agreed on most of the questions that had been asked. The reasons that may have led to a 12% response rate could be that the buyers never had one focal supplier or were not in a long business relationship to determine if the relationship affected the business’s overall performance. Furthermore, the 74% response rate may have led to buyers agreeing with H2: performance has a positive impact on collaboration, as their relationship with the seller may have contributed to the increased performance of the overall relationship and company. Other factors contributing to the 74% response rate might have been that the relationship, reduced cycle times, improved order processing accuracy as well as punctual delivery of goods, this in turn increased the accuracy of forecasts that may have been conducted. According to Ellinger, Daugherty &Keller (2000) performance may be conceptualized as the extent to which the firm’s goals are achieved, and as illustrated in the above graph the percentage of respondents that strongly agreed already indicates that performance aids in positive collaboration which in turn would allow firms goals to be met effectively. Joint Relationship Effort Figure 5: Degree of Respondents to questions about joint relationship effort Description The above bar graph describes the number of respondents (clothing buyers) that disagree or agree that joint relationship plays an important factor in the buyer and seller relationship in the clothing sector. Respondents had to choose between a scale of 1 till 7 by which 1 stipulates strongly disagree and 7 refers to strongly agree. Thereafter the data was grouped together according to the number of individuals that did choose between the scales of  1 till 7. Respondents were asked three questions relating to joint relationship effort. These were as follows , whether the firm and supplier has: 1) joint teams 2) conduct joint planning to anticipate and resolve operational problems and whether they make 3) joint decisions about improving overall cost efficiency. When looking at the results, one can see that 49 respondents had a neutral view regarding joint relationship and 74 of the respondents strongly agrees that joint relationship plays an important role in the buyer and seller rel ationship. Analysis When assessing the data it can be seen that 307 responses were received that answered this section of the questionnaire. However on a scale of 1-3, 25% respondents strongly disagreed with the notion of joint relationship that enhances collaboration, 16% (scale 4) were neutral and 62% (scale 5-7) strongly agrees on most of the questions that had been asked. The reason that has led to a 25% response rate can be due to buyers and suppliers does not have joint teams and thus do not plan together as a team. Therefore they do not know the benefits of having joint teams. Therefore this data show case a broad view regarding joint relationship effort as being an important variable as the graph has an upward trend. Furthermore, the response rate of 62% may have led to buyers agreeing with H4: joint relationship effort has a positive impact on collaboration, as their effort and commitment in creating joint teams and planning together might have improved collaboration between buyer and supplier. Satisfaction Figure 6: Responses to Satisfaction in the Clothing Industry Description The above graph describes the number of respondents (clothing buyers) that disagree or agree that satisfaction plays an important factor in the buyer and supplier relationship in the clothing sector. Respondents had to choose  between a scale of 1 till 7 by which 1 stipulates strongly disagree and 7 refers to strongly agree. Thereafter the data was grouped together according to the number of individuals that did choose between the scales of 1 till 7. Respondents were asked eight (8) questions relating to satisfaction. The questions were as followed: whether the buyer was satisfied with the relationship in terms of 1) coordination of activities 2) participation in decision making, 3) level of commitment 4) level of information sharing 5) management of activities 6) profitability 7) market share and 8) sales growth. When looking at the results, one can see that 153 respondents had a neutral view regarding satisfaction and 448 of the respondents strongly agrees that satisfaction plays an important role in the buyer and supplier relationship. Analysis When assessing the data it can be seen that 1508 responses were received that answered this section of the questionnaire. However on a scale of 1-3, 6% respondents strongly disagreed with the notion of satisfaction enhances collaboration, 10% (scale 4) were neutral and 84% (scale 5-7) strongly agrees on most of the questions that had been asked. The reason that led to a 6% response rate can be due to buyers and suppliers having a young business relationship and thus not reaching satisfaction levels as yet. When looking at the data, the response rate of 84% may have led buyers agreeing with H3: satisfaction has a positive impact on collaboration. This can be due to respondents identifying market share and sales growth as being two of the most important factors being satisfied by the supplier. This relates to a study done by Mohr & Spekman (1994) as they identified the completion of a task by which the involved party is pleased with the quality and degree of work carried out and it meets the standard set by the partners, market share and sales growth being the standard set by the buyer. 6. Conclusion As mentioned above the problem being researched was the knowledge gap between buyers and sellers perspective of the nature of the supply chain relationship. The research study conducted on the nature of buyer-seller  relationship in the clothing industry was a lengthy procedure that involved plentiful of consultations and analysis of the data obtained. However, we have concluded that our data findings have committed to the hypotheses mentioned in the research report. As previously mentioned time and finances were major constraints for the duration of the study hence the weak response rate of 21%. Some of the other constraints were the buyers having their own responsibilities because of the short time frame given in which to complete the survey. In addition, 50% of the buyers were reluctant to answer some of the questions as they contained confidential company information. Furthermore, the report only focused on the buyers’ perspective of the relationship. 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