Customer Centricity Without customers, businesses could not succeed.  The term “customer centric” has, therefore, become synonymous with proactive business strategy worldwide.  Primarily due to advances in technology, we are experiencing a fundamental shift in marketing – from a previous focus on companies to a spotlight on consumers.  This gives customers a much stronger voice in both the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) markets. This core reading discusses how customer centricity fits into an organization in three ways:  as part of a knowledge management system (understanding the customer); as part of developing strategic competence as a learning organization (building a customer-centric culture); and as a foundation for corporate strategy development and execution (serving the customer). Following your review, prepare responses to the following discussion questions: According to research, what are some of the key customer-centric characteristics of successful companies? What are some of the ways that technology has shifted power from companies to consumers? In discussing Net Promoter Score (NPS), why does Reicheld suggest doing surveys frequently rather than annually or just a few times a year?

Assignment 1 Research the latest trends of electronic media in the workplace.Write a 700- to 1,050-word journal entry in narrative style.Select and summarize three specific software products or computer-mediated communication trends. Compare their advantages and disadvantages.Analyze areas for opportunity in your workplace concerning the implementation of specific web conferencing software by answering the following questions: How would implementing new forms of computer-mediated technology affect your organization's communication? As a manager, how might you make computer-mediated communication most effective? Consider any necessary training and costs, the challenge of keeping your staff on task during virtual meetings or webinars, the use of proper etiquette, the effect of computer-mediated communication on team dynamics, and so on. What is the importance of managers selecting the appropriate channel for message distribution in the Information Age? Assignment 2 Research current articles about how to effectively use communication technology to complete this assignment.Complete Parts I and II of the University Material: Communication Channel and Context Matrices. Please use the uploaded context matrix word doc. Assignment 3 Review the HR Ethics Scenarios in the HR Ethics Scenarios Worksheet.Complete the HR Ethics Scenarios Worksheet.

Assignment 4: Negotiating a Contract with the Navy Worth 150 points Based on the same scenario as in Assignments 1, 2, and 3, you are now considering additional factors needed for your proposal based on RFP #123456789, dated 07/14/2014, where another local competitor intends to submit a proposal. Additional factors to consider are: Although you have always built in a profit margin of ten percent (10%) for commercial flooring jobs, you are willing to consider a lesser profit margin in this case in order to win the contract. The Navy’s Contract Administration Officer is known to be a smart, tough negotiator. Write a three (3) page paper in which you: Determine two (2) potential profit objectives that you will consider for accepting a less than normal profit margin if you win the contract. Provide a rationale for your response.Determine two to three (2-3) negotiation strategies or tactics that you feel would be effective for winning the contract. Provide a rationale for your response.Use at least four (4) quality references Note: Wikipedia and other related websites do not qualify as academic resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: Explain the government acquisition process using sealed bidding, negotiations, and alternative contracting methods. Outline and explain the process for developing competitive proposals and source selection. Use technology and information resources to research issues in federal acquisition and contract management. Write clearly and concisely about federal acquisition and contract management using proper writing mechanics. Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric. Points: 150 Assignment 4: Negotiating a Contract with the Navy Criteria Unacceptable Below 60% F Meets Minimum Expectations 60-69% D Fair 70-79% C Proficient 80-89% B Exemplary 90-100% A 1. Determine two (2) potential profit objectives that you will consider for accepting a less than normal profit margin if you win the contract. Provide a rationale for your response. Weight: 35% Did not submit or incompletely determined two (2) potential profit objectives that you will consider for accepting a less than normal profit margin if you win the contract. Did not provide or incompletely provided a rationale for your response. Insufficiently determined two (2) potential profit objectives that you will consider for accepting a less than normal profit margin if you win the contract. Insufficiently provided a rationale for your response. Partially determined two (2) potential profit objectives that you will consider for accepting a less than normal profit margin if you win the contract. Partially provided a rationale for your response. Satisfactorily determined two (2) potential profit objectives that you will consider for accepting a less than normal profit margin if you win the contract. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your response. Thoroughly determined two (2) potential profit objectives that you will consider for accepting a less than normal profit margin if you win the contract. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response. 2. Determine two to three (2-3) negotiation strategies or tactics that you feel would be effective for winning the contract. Provide a rationale for your response. Weight: 40% Did not submit or incompletely determined two to three (2-3) negotiation strategies or tactics that you feel would be effective for winning the contract. Did not provide or incompletely provided a rationale for your response. Insufficiently determined two to three (2-3) negotiation strategies or tactics that you feel would be effective for winning the contract. Insufficiently provided a rationale for your response. Partially determined two to three (2-3) negotiation strategies or tactics that you feel would be effective for winning the contract. Partly provided a rationale for your response. Satisfactorily determined two to three (2-3) negotiation strategies or tactics that you feel would be effective for winning the contract. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your response. Thoroughly determined two to three (2-3) negotiation strategies or tactics that you feel would be effective for winning the contract. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your response. 3. 3 references Weight: 5% No references provided Does not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices. Does not meet the required number of references; some references poor quality choices. Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices. Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices. 4. Writing mechanics, grammar, and formatting Weight: 5% Serious and persistent errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting. Numerous errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Partially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting. Mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting. Error free or almost error free grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting. 5. Appropriate use of APA in-text citations and reference section Weight: 5% Lack of in-text citations and / or lack of reference section. In-text citations and references are given, but not in APA format. In-text citations and references are provided, but they are only partially formatted correctly in APA style. Most in-text citations and references are provided, and they are generally formatted correctly in APA style. In-text citations and references are error free or almost error free and consistently formatted correctly in APA style. 6. Information literacy / integration of sources Weight: 5% Serious errors in the integration of sources, such as intentional or accidental plagiarism, or failure to use in-text citations. Sources are rarely integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. Sources are partially integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. Sources are mostly integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. Sources are consistently integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. 7. Clarity and coherence of writing Weight: 5% Information is confusing to the reader and fails to include reasons and evidence that logically support ideas. Information is somewhat confusing with not enough reasons and evidence that logically support ideas. Information is partially clear with minimal reasons and evidence that logically support ideas. Information is mostly clear and generally supported with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas. Information is provided in a clear, coherent, and consistent manner with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas.