Critically Analyse the Role of Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Essay

Critically Analyse the Role of Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in the Strategic - Essay Example It is worth mentioning in this context that SMPP of a company comprises of certain specific steps on the basis of which companies should formulate as well as implement plans for accomplishing its objectives in an effective manner. These steps or procedures are required to be adopted by the management of companies with the objective of attaining a better strategic marketing plan inculcating the values of customer tastes and organisational profit objectives. There are usually four phases in an effective strategic marketing plan, which include determination of goals as well as objectives, analysing the situational position in various market segments, formulation of strategies and allocation of resources as well as monitoring process which should be followed in an appropriate manner with the aim of performing business activities effectively (Pajunen, 2012). Emphasising on this particular understanding, the paper will intend to discuss the SMPP strategies current practiced by companies to obtain high degree of customer satisfaction and loyalty. In this respect, the notions as well as perceptions of various authors will be interpreted through a rigorous literature review. Literature Review Strategic Marketing Planning Process (SMPP) The concept of SMPP is identified to be a vital element for companies to improve its competitive position in the global market segments (McDonald, 2006). As stated by McDonald (2006), SMPP is formulated as well as implemented by modern day organisations with the intention of acquiring better competitive advantages in relation to its products and/or services which are offered in the market segments. Companies should also identify their capabilities and business opportunities for conducting their business activities efficiently with the application of SMPP. McDonald (2006) stated that companies should determine market competitions as well as requirements of consumers in target market segments when focusing on SMPP implementation. Companies with the examination of all these factors will be able to perform their business operations effectively and competitively (McDonald, 2006). Moreover, McDonald (2006) also stated that there are certain advantages in accordance with which SMPP is adopt ed. For instance, with the virtues of effective SMPP implementations, companies will be able to identify opportunities as well as threats which are emerging in the worldwide market segments. Companies with the assistance of strategic plans will be able to adopt changes in the business environments in a rapid manner. Furthermore, companies will also be facilitated with the opportunity of allocating its resources in an appropriate manner with the implementation of an effective SMPP approach (McDonald, 2006). In a similar perspective, the article

How the Trans Alaska Pipeline Affected the Lives of the Alaskan Essay

How the Trans Alaska Pipeline Affected the Lives of the Alaskan Nativesand the company itself - Essay Example The single 48-inch (1.22 m) diameter pipeline was built between March 27, 1975 and May 31, 1977 at a cost of around US$8 billion. Five different contractors employing 21,000 people at the peak of work constructed the pipe in six sections; 31 were killed in accidents during construction (Trans Alaska Pipeline). during the course of the project (qtd. from Cowans). The obstacles faced and overcome in building the trans-Alaska pipeline are simply astounding. The harsh temperatures, rough terrain, lack of Arctic pipeline building knowledge at this time and the environmental concerns of a pipeline had to all be considered in making this project a success. In 1994, the American Society of Civil Engineers named the Alaska pipeline one of the "Seven Wonders of the United States". Their list includes the Panama Canal, Golden Gate Bridge, Hoover Dam, the Kennedy Space Center, the Interstate Highway System, and the World Trade Center (qtd. from Cowans). Along the pipeline, there are eleven pump stations, each with four pumps. Diesel or natural gas generators power each electric pump. Twelve pump stations were planned but Pump Station 11 was never built, though the southward numbering system for the pump stations retains a place for this nonexistent station. Usually only around seven stations are active at one time, and plans to replace the existing pumps with newer high-efficiency pumps may reduce the number of active stations even further (qtd. from Trans Alaska Pipeline). In areas where thaw-sensitive permafrost exists but the line must be buried, such as highway crossings or avalanche-prone areas, the pipe is encased in an insulated, refrigerated ditch. Nearby refrigeration, plants pump cold brine through 6-inch (15 cm) pipes, which absorb heat and keep the soil cooled. Other areas of burial are either conventional covered ditches or unrefrigerated but insulated ditches, depending on the sensitivity of the surrounding soil (qtd. from Trans Alaska Pipeline). The pipeline was completed on June 20, 1977 and the first oil was pumped into the pipeline. On July 8, 1977, a huge explosion destroyed Pump Station Eight. The explosion killed one worker and injured five more. Human error was attributed to the cause of the explosion. On July 19, 1977, a loader damaged a valve just south of Prudhoe Bay. Approximately 2,000 barrels of oil spilled onto the ground before the leak was stopped and repaired. On the next day, the first attempt of sabotage occurred. A section of insulation from the pipeline was torn off and supporting pipe brackets were torn from the line just north of Fairbanks. The pipeline itself was not injured and the oil continued to flow south towards Valdez. Several people were later arrested and convicted for malicious destruction of property (qtd.