Discount coupons have long been a staple in the marketer’s toolkit, enticing consumers with the promise of savings and driving sales. In the ever-evolving landscape of mobile commerce (m-commerce), where smartphones have become virtual shopping malls, the role of discount coupons has taken on new dimensions. While these digital vouchers undoubtedly boost short-term sales, their long-term impact on customer loyalty and trust is a subject of ongoing debate and research.

The Allure of Discount Coupons in M-commerce

M-commerce apps have revolutionized how consumers shop, offering convenience and personalization at their fingertips. Discount coupons, often delivered through push notifications or in-app messages, have proven to be a potent weapon in attracting and retaining users. The appeal is simple: Consumers love saving money, and coupons provide a tangible incentive to make a purchase.

Research by Mishra and Sengupta (2024) indicates that coupons are particularly effective in m-commerce due to the personalized nature of mobile interactions. M-commerce apps can leverage user data, such as location and browsing history, to tailor coupon offers, making them more relevant and enticing.

Moreover, the immediacy of mobile coupon redemption, often facilitated by QR codes or unique coupon codes, adds to their allure. Consumers can instantly apply discounts at checkout, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

The Dark Side of Discounting

While the short-term benefits of discount coupons are undeniable, their long-term consequences are less clear-cut. Overreliance on discounts can create a “discount dependency” among consumers, where they become conditioned to expect lower prices and may hesitate to purchase at full price. This can erode profit margins and devalue a brand’s perceived worth.

Furthermore, it was also found that while coupons drive continued app usage, they can negatively moderate the relationship between customer satisfaction and continued usage. In other words, while satisfied customers are more likely to continue using an app, this effect is weakened when coupons are involved. This suggests that coupons may attract deal-seeking customers who are less loyal and more likely to switch to competitors offering better deals.

Building Trust and Satisfaction: The Long Game

To foster long-term customer loyalty and trust, m-commerce businesses must look beyond the allure of discounts. Mishra and Sengupta (2024) emphasize the importance of building trust through consistent positive experiences, reliable customer service, and secure transactions.

Customer satisfaction, driven by factors like perceived usefulness and confirmation of expectations, plays a pivotal role in trust formation. When users find an app easy to use, meets their needs, and delivers on its promises, they are more likely to trust the platform and continue using it, even without the constant lure of discounts.

Striking the Right Balance

The key to success in m-commerce lies in striking a balance between short-term sales promotions and long-term relationship building. Discount coupons can be a valuable tool for attracting new customers and driving occasional purchases, but they should not be the sole focus of a marketing strategy.

M-commerce businesses should invest in creating a user-friendly app, providing excellent customer service, and building a brand reputation that instills trust. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and trust, they can cultivate a loyal customer base that values the overall shopping experience, not just the discounts.

The Future of Discount Coupons in M-commerce

As technology continues to advance, the use of discount coupons in m-commerce is likely to evolve. We can expect to see more personalized and targeted coupon offers, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict consumer preferences and behaviors.

Additionally, the integration of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) into m-commerce apps may open up new avenues for coupon delivery and redemption, creating immersive and interactive shopping experiences.

However, the fundamental challenge remains the same: how to leverage discount coupons effectively without sacrificing long-term customer loyalty and trust. M-commerce businesses that can navigate this delicate balance will be well-positioned for success in the increasingly competitive mobile marketplace.

Key Points

• Discount coupons are effective in driving short-term sales in m-commerce.
• Over reliance on discounts can create discount dependency and erode profit margins.
• Building trust and customer satisfaction is crucial for long-term loyalty.
• M-commerce businesses should strike a balance between discounts and relationship building.
• The future of discount coupons in m-commerce lies in personalization and immersive experiences.

The article draws from an article published by the author Mishra and Sengupta (2024) and includes additional inputs from recent research and publicly available information.

References

Mishra, A. N., & Sengupta, S. (2024). Discount Coupons Versus Trust and Satisfaction—Which is Better for M-Commerce?. Management and Labour Studies, 49(1), 28-42.

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Boutique hotels are unique and differentiated from traditional hotels, offering personalized service and a memorable experience to their guests. However, managing a boutique hotel can be challenging, especially when it comes to meeting the diverse needs and expectations of guests. A recent large-scale study of online reviews has shed light on the key factors that drive guest satisfaction in boutique hotels. Based on the findings of this study, here are 10 tips for managing boutique hotels:

1. Prioritize the Ease of Booking: The study found that ease of booking is a critical determinant of guest satisfaction, particularly in the US market. Ensure that your hotel’s booking system is user-friendly, the process is streamlined, and check-in is seamless. This includes optimizing your website for mobile devices, offering multiple payment options, and providing clear and concise information about your hotel and its amenities.
2. Focus on Service Recovery: While high-quality service is expected, the absence of expected service quality significantly decreases guest satisfaction(Mishra et al., 2024). Therefore, it’s crucial to focus on service recovery. Train your staff to handle complaints effectively, empower them to resolve issues quickly, and go the extra mile to turn negative experiences into positive ones.
3. Personalize the Guest Experience: Boutique hotels are known for their personalized service. Tailor your services to the individual needs and preferences of your guests. This could involve offering personalized recommendations for local attractions, providing customized amenities, or simply remembering their names and preferences.
4. Maintain High Standards of Cleanliness: Cleanliness is a basic expectation for any hotel, but it’s even more important for boutique hotels that promise a luxurious and comfortable stay. Ensure that your rooms and common areas are spotless, and pay attention to details like fresh linens, towels, and toiletries.
5. Invest in High-Quality Amenities: While boutique hotels may not offer as many amenities as larger hotels, the quality of the amenities they do offer is crucial. Invest in high-quality bedding, towels, toiletries, and other amenities that will enhance the guest experience.
   
   
6. Offer Unique and Memorable Experiences: Boutique hotels should strive to offer unique and memorable experiences that guests can’t find elsewhere. This could involve hosting special events, offering unique packages, or partnering with local businesses to provide exclusive experiences.
7. Leverage Technology: Technology can be a powerful tool for managing boutique hotels. Use property management systems to streamline operations, customer relationship management software to personalize guest interactions, and reputation management tools to monitor and respond to online reviews.
8. Monitor and Respond to Online Reviews: Online reviews are a valuable source of feedback for boutique hotels. The research paper by Mishra et al., 2024 provides step by step approach to collect and analyze guest reviews. Monitor reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor and respond promptly and professionally to both positive and negative feedback. Use negative reviews as an opportunity to learn and improve.
9. Engage with the Local Community: Boutique hotels should strive to be a part of the local community. Partner with local businesses, participate in community events, and support local charities. This will not only enhance your hotel’s reputation but also provide unique experiences for your guests.
10. Continuously Innovate and Improve: The boutique hotel industry is constantly evolving. To stay ahead of the competition, you need to continuously innovate and improve. This could involve introducing new services, upgrading your amenities, or simply finding new ways to surprise and delight your guests.

How to make the guest experience more personal and memorable?

Personalization in boutique hotels is a key differentiator that elevates the guest experience beyond simply providing a place to sleep. It’s about crafting a unique and memorable stay that caters to individual preferences, fosters a sense of connection, and ultimately drives customer loyalty.

The Importance of Personalization in Boutique Hotels

Boutique hotels, by their nature, offer a more intimate and curated experience compared to larger, standardized chain hotels. This smaller scale allows for a greater degree of attention to detail and flexibility in catering to individual needs.

Personalization is more than just remembering a guest’s name or preferred room type. It involves understanding their interests, anticipating their needs, and tailoring every aspect of their stay accordingly. This could include personalized welcome amenities, curated local experiences, bespoke dining options, or even customized room décor.

The Benefits of Personalization

1. Enhanced Guest Satisfaction: When guests feel seen, heard, and understood, their satisfaction levels naturally increase. Personalized touches make them feel valued and appreciated, leading to positive reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations.
2. Increased Loyalty and Repeat Business: A personalized experience creates an emotional connection with guests. They are more likely to remember their stay fondly and choose to return for future visits, driving repeat business for the hotel.
3. Differentiation from Competitors: In a crowded market, personalization helps boutique hotels stand out. It gives them a unique selling proposition that resonates with guests seeking a more tailored and memorable experience.
4. Higher Revenue Potential: Personalized experiences often come with a premium price tag. Guests are willing to pay more for a stay that caters to their specific needs and desires, leading to increased revenue for the hotel.
5. Data-Driven Insights: Personalization efforts often involve collecting guest data, such as preferences, interests, and feedback. This data can be analyzed to gain valuable insights into guest behavior, enabling hotels to further refine their personalization strategies and offerings.

Examples of Personalization in Boutique Hotels

• Pre-Arrival Questionnaire: Gathering information about guest preferences before their arrival allows for personalized welcome amenities, room setup, and activity suggestions.
• Handwritten Welcome Notes: A personal touch like a handwritten note from the hotel staff can make guests feel special and appreciated from the moment they check in.
• Curated Local Experiences: Offering bespoke itineraries and recommendations based on guest interests ensures they have a unique and memorable experience exploring the destination.
• Personalized Dining Options: Catering to dietary restrictions and preferences, or even offering private chef experiences, creates a truly bespoke dining experience.
• Customized In-Room Amenities: Providing personalized toiletries, snacks, or even a curated playlist can add an extra layer of luxury and comfort to the guest experience.

By following these tips, boutique hotels can enhance guest satisfaction, improve their online reputation, and ultimately drive more bookings. Remember, the key to success in the boutique hotel industry is to provide a unique, personalized, and memorable experience that guests will cherish and share with others.

This article is based on research paper Mishra et al. (2024) published in the Journal of Computer Information Systems and can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2024.2362824

Mishra, A. N., Li, J., Sengupta, P., & Oztekin, A. (2024). NLP-Driven Insights on Boutique Hotel Satisfaction. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 1-16 https://doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2024.2362824

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What is Jugaad and what can you learn from this special technique of solving problems? Jugaad is improvising on limited resources. It can be inducted into strategy and product development. Although the concept of jugaad as a fast, frugal innovation comes from India, other places have their own analogs. Let us look at an overview of this concept and see how that can be used in a managerial context.

Now, let us look at different ways to define jugaad. In fact, we can write an entire essay just defining jugaad. However, it makes more sense to summarize some of the definitions so that it is faster and easier to understand.

Next, we look at a practical example to demonstrate the meaning of jugaad. In some rural areas in India, jugaad word is used for these jalopies. Older engines from motorcycles, cars, water pumps, etc used to fabricate vehicles to carry people. This vehicle is technically illegal in India. Nevertheless, that is not a deterrent for poor people to get around and some people to make money from driving around these vehicles. If you observe closely, it is only a wooden platform resting on a two-wheeled cart. The wheels are made from tractor front wheels hence sturdy to carry loads in excess of 2000kg or 2 metric tons. Usually, there is one wheel or sometimes two wheels at the front. The driver sits near an engine, generally derived from old motorcycle engines.

Jugaad in other cultures:

This concept of frugal innovation is not limited to India alone. Moreover. other countries across the world have some words for this kind of solution-oriented approach. Some of these are listed below:

The relevance of Jugaad in Management

Rajdou and Prabhu have talked about the applications of jugaad in their book Jugaad Innovation. One of the challenges faced by firms across the world is the growing demand for “value for money” products. These are products that offer premium value at a lower price. Recently, we have seen plenty of Chinese alternatives to well-established brands. While many of these products are questionable 3rd-grade copy, there are some true gems coming out of the land of dragons. On one hand, there are companies that cater to a niche market. For instance, companies like Fiio and Hifiman have continuously put pressure on western high-fidelity audio products. Similarly, many automotive companies like MG Hector are attempting to be the Hondas of today. Sometimes, they are successful, at times they are not. However, we can’t deny their role in innovation and bringing better quality products to more consumers. This also creates mimetic pressure on western companies to provide competing products.

Secondly, markets are moving towards emerging economies like Africa. We need simple, effective products for these markets. Google created their new logo in 2015 using a technique to reduce the size to mere 305 bytes. On the other hand, the earlier logo was around 14000 bytes. This may seem trivial for us surfing the net at 4g or 5g speeds. However, for a child in Somalia opening a browser on 2g speeds may benefit immensely from this small jugaad. 

As a solution in uncertain times

The covid19 pandemic took the world by surprise. It was an unanticipated and sudden disruptor. It presented some of the peculiar challenges. We shall see two of such challenges and solutions to these problems:

1. Remote classroom: Image a teacher. She realizes that the only way to reach her students is through video lectures. However, she does not have the required infrastructure. She eventually finds the solution in form of a jugaad. What is this jugaad? It is simply tying up a cloth hanger to the chair and ceiling fan and further attaching her phone through elastic bands to this hanger. This simple makeshift hanger helped her deliver a lecture without a tripod.

2. Social distanced milk delivery: Maintaining social distance is important. At the same time, it was also important to deliver milk to the scores of customers. What seemed like an impossible task, required just an innovative mindset. A milkman created a contraption using PVC pipes and funnel to deliver milk while staying distant from the customers.
   

It may also provide life-saving solutions especially when the options are limited. One such example is the story of the Hollywood film Apollo 13. In this movie, the space crew is faced with an impending challenge. Therefore, they need to find out a way to maintain oxygen levels. The problem is that they have to make do with whatever they have in hand up there in space in limited time. Check out this clip to know more:

Measuring the ‘jugaad-ness’ of individuals

Bricolage is the approach of working with whatever you have. Generally, resource-constrained makes people reuse whatever they have and combine stuff to create something new and useful. Also, strategy literature also suggests that there is a value in the combination of existing capabilities. Using this approach can also bring down the cost of R & D for the firms.  Moreover, you can use the Inventor Bricolage questions from the work of Garud and Prabhu published in 2020. This will help you operationalize the concept of jugaad in your organization.

Now, the next question comes up : how do you use it? Certainly, individuals who have higher propensity to involve in bricolage or jugaad will have higher chnaces of finding fast and frugal solutions to the problems.

FAQ

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What exactly is service quality and how do we measure it? This is an extremely tricky question, and the SERVQUAL questionnaire can help us answer it.

It is very difficult for firms to thrive, in a cut-throat business environment. One of the ways of differentiating yourself is through your service quality. Service quality can make or break any brand. Even if you have got the best product in the market, you need to back it up with an excellent service. High-quality service helps in the success of firms. 

Why is service quality important? 

Service quality is extremely important for firms that deliver services to their clients. It can increase customer satisfaction levels as well as it can help the firms achieve higher loyalty and profits(Minh et al., 2015). Service quality can be an indicator of what is going right or what is going wrong with your organization. It gives voice to the most important stakeholder of the organization – the customer.  Firstly, we will look at an interesting case:

Rackspace is a web hosting company. If you have ever troubleshot our website you would know what kind of mess can be. A customer was on a call with the customer support team of Rackspace. Given the complexity of the problem, it was going to take a long time. 

In the middle of this troubleshooting session, The customer care representative heard that the customer said to her colleague that she was feeling hungry. The customer support representative instantly ordered a pizza for the client. Unaware of the order, they were delightedly surprised. This helped reduce the customer’s anger towards the service provider. Additionally, it also helped them in solving the problem faster with renewed energy. 

The SERVQUAL questionnaire for service quality 

The SERVQUAL questionnaire is one of the most widely used surveys for capturing service quality. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry developed this scale in 1988. They found that there was no measure of service quality. Therefore, they attempted to developed a measure of service quality. Firstly, the customer feels the service quality. They also proposed that it was different from satisfaction. 
 
Section A: In dissection, please provide some directions for the respondents. You may start by welcoming them to your survey and brief them about the objective of your study. Subsequently, you need to inform them how to interpret the questions. Also, tell them about how to respond to the questions. Generally, responses are taken on 5 point or 7-point scale. The original paper suggests we use a 7-point scale. You can have your responses ranging from strongly-disagree to strongly-agree or from points 1 to 7. 7 being the strongly-agree in that case. Here is a snapshot from the paper for your reference: 

The survey is done in two parts:  

1. Expectation from the given service 

2. Perception of particular service received

SERVQUAL Questionnaire template

You may use this template to create your survey form. You may modify it for internal usage within your organization. However, if you want to use it for consulting or providing services to a 3^rd party, please contact us. 

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A brief explanation of the SERVQUAL survey: 

The SERVQUAL survey has following sections: 

1. Reliability 

2. Assurance 

3. Tangibles 

4. Empathy 

5. Responsiveness 

The first section is on reliability and it has 5 questions. In this section, we check service delivery quality. The second section with 4 questions covers the skills and trustworthiness of the staff. Thirdly, we have the tangibles, which also has 4 questions. This section captures the physical attributes of the firm, employees, and the delivery environment. Fourthly, we come to the empathy section with 5 questions. In this section, we inquire about the level of empathy given to the customers. Fifthly, and finally, we have the responsiveness section. In this section, we have 4 questions that capture the ability to respond to customer queries and resolve their problems. 

Each of these surveys exhibits the gaps in the five sections of the SERVQUAL questionnaire. These gaps provide us with areas to improve upon. For example, we get the feedback that the staff is not prompt enough in solving customer problems. In this case, we shall look into training them to improve customer service. 

What are some of the criticisms of the SERVQUAL model? 

• One of the problems with the concept of expectations is that is difficult to respond. Firstly, customers who have prior experience with the brand will behave differently than others. Secondly, they may not have an accurate memory of the experience. Thirdly, the expectations are dynamic and change over time and context. 
• Some researchers have questioned the SERVQUAL Questionnaire. Firstly, the survey may capture the satisfaction of the customers and not service quality. Secondly, usage in different contexts may not yield the same result and should not be compared directly. 
• It is a long questionnaire with 22+22 items or 44 items(questions). It can bore the participants. A shortened questionnaire called SERVPERF is the solution to this issue. This survey has half the questions by eliminating the expectation section altogether.   

Is the SERVQUAL questionnaire reliable?

After all, this questionnaire has some major criticisms. In this light, should we still use it?

Firstly, this scale is usually used for marketing. Therefore, it is alright to have less than 100% precision. Most social sciences models work a certain degree of uncertainty. Secondly, many subsequent research papers published using this scale support the reliability of the scale.

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A 5 step planning process helps formalize strategic planning. It can help in making the strategy more successful. Additionally, it also makes the process easy to follow. Research shows that formal planning may be more beneficial for larger endeavors. Let us see, how it can be used to develop organizational strategy.

When should we go for step-by-step planning

There are two major schools of thought in strategy: design school and emergent school. While design school advocates that there is a correct way of planning strategy based on needs and conditions. On the other hand, the emergent school of strategy believes that strategy emerges over time. Planning can be done at any time. However, certain contexts necessitate step-by-step planning. Methods like 5 step planning process become more valuable in these situations:

1. Mergers and Acquisitions
2. New Product Development
3. Market crisis
4. Expansions in unknown territories
5. Uncertainty in the external environment
6. High competition or Rival threats

What is the 5 step planning process?

A school of thought in strategy suggests that executives should develop a strategy based on extant internal and external conditions. A planning process helps an organization in developing the strategy. Strategy thinktanks also call this an explicit approach. 5 step planning is an example of a formal planning process.

Amstrong developed the 5 step planning process. He proposed this process to ensure a higher success rate for planning. We have the following major steps, in the 5 step planning process:

1. Defining Objectives
2. Generation of alternative strategies
3. Evaluation of alternatives(and selection of a strategy)
4. Obtaining commitment
5. Monitoring the results

Defining Objectives

The objectives are essentially the center-point of the formal planning process. This is the first step in the planning process. Managers can start with the specification of the objectives. These objectives define the goals. One of the best ways of setting goals is to ensure the goals that work. You may read 34 research-backed tips to set workable goals. In essence, the goals must be specific and measurable. Here are some key issues that need to be looked at when we are defining objectives for planning.

1. Include the perspective and expectations of all the stakeholders
2. Map the expectations of all the stakeholders through stakeholder mapping techniques
3. Distribute the work and responsibility
4. Get the mid-level managers on-board with the planning process by taking their inputs
5. Ensure that the objectives are economically and technologically feasible

Generation of alternative strategies

We often overestimate our potential to come up with a good solution. One of the ways of avoiding this is through multiple solutions in the early phase. You can conduct a brainstorming session to develop multiple competing strategies. Among these strategies, the best one can be selected by evaluating the pros and cons.

The work of project managers is paramount in this stage. Also, the best plans are those that are flexible and less resource-dependent. Additionally, when doing this step of the planning process, one should ensure that there are fewer or no bottlenecks.

Evaluation of alternatives(and selection of a strategy)

Traditional methods of evaluating the different strategies rely on consensus. Alternatively, apprehensions can be voiced for a strategy. Often, strategic success is more about reducing uncertainity and risks than creating a perfect plan.

If you need a more robust method, you can use the Delphi method. This method is more powerful at the evaluation of the alternatives. It relies on the responses of experts. You can also hire independent consultants to evaluate and rank the strategies.

Obtaining commitment

Top managers do most of the planning. However, execution is generally done by the lower and mid-level employees. One point of failure for any 5 step planning process could be in this step. Senior managers should develop this.

Commitment can come through a mutual understanding. We must take the subordinates on board with the idea. They must be made aware of their responsibilities. The deliverables must not come from a target. It should come from a shared goal.

Monitoring the results

Execution is more important than the plan. Here are some aspects that Amstrong has mentioned. We should try to monitor these.

1. External environment (such as business landscape and competitors)
2. Internal environment ( such as resources, capabilities)
3. Actions of the organization and actions of competitors
4. Linking actions to the outcomes (feedback based monitoring)

Insights from latest research on planning process

We have discussed some key aspects and processes of 5 step planning process. Modern research also suggests that we take a holistic and human approach. Our planning process has to be more meaningful for the employees. One of the largest endeavors by NASA was the lunar missions. A janitor is often quoted as “I’m Not Mopping the Floors, I’m Putting a Man on the Moon.” Can’t we try to emulate this in our plans?

Organizations have also been augmenting traditional tools with new ones. For instance, methods like cognitive mapping show good results. Also, a strategy can be developed around stories and narratives rather than upon bullet points.

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What are softs skills and why are they important for a startup’s success? Join us to know about the soft skills of entrepreneurs. Firstly, soft skills are often overlooked. Secondly, we may not understand how they are relevant to entrepreneurship. However soft skills would go a long way in helping entrepreneurs run their firms successfully.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills are essentially people skills. These are also called noncognitive skills. However, these skills are less apparent.

” The skills, abilities, and traits that pertain to personality, attitudes, and behavior rather than to formal and technical knowledge “

Moss and tilly, 1996

Some of the important softskill areas are:

1. Communication skills
2. Interpersonal skills
3. Creativity
4. Innovation
5. Crisis management
6. Adaptability
7. Proactivity
8. Leadership
9. Mindfulness

Importance of soft skills for entrepreneurs

Soft skills were not considered important for a long time. In fact, even now some people consider it less important than hard skills. There are two reasons for the same:

1. It is difficult to assess the level of soft skills. You can test a person for their score in English grammar. However, it is very difficult to score someone on how they use language to convince other people.
2. It is difficult to appropriate success to soft skills. This is another challenge. When we look at the success story of a startup, we often overlook the soft skills. We see an iPhone as a brilliant product but it’s not easy to see how Steve Jobs made the development possible.

This difficulty in assessing the level and impact of soft skills for entrepreneurs may veil their true importance. Nevertheless, soft skills are even more important than hard skills(technical skills) for success. This is especially true for an entrepreneur.

There is an undeniable pay gap between Caucasians and blacks in America. Some researchers who have studied this gap found that a lack of soft skills could be one of the contributors to this pay gap. Similarly, soft skills have been found to be an essential skill for entrepreneurs.

Developing soft skills for entrepreneurship

Some important soft skills for entrepreneurs:

Research insights on soft skills for entrepreneurship

Bolton and Lane have highlighted that entrepreneurial orientation rests on three broad types of soft skills:

1. Creativity & Innovation
2. Risk-taking
3. Proactivity

Creativity

Creativity can be developed in a lot of different ways. Entrepreneurs who want to improve this soft skill can try different things. Firstly, there is a strong link between expertise and creativity. If you are an expert in a skill, you tend to generate more solutions. Secondly, you need to get into a ‘system of creativity.’ Acknowledge the importance, embrace uncertainty and failure. Thirdly, you also need to use tools to your advantage. It need not be complicated software. For example, you can use a notebook to jot down your ideas. Fourthly, you can use brainstorming to generate creative ideas.

Risk-taking

One of the important skills for entrepreneurship is the ability to take risks. Although it is a trait, there are ways to improve risk-taking. Firstly, you need to accept that risks are part of the startup game. Secondly, you need to ensure that you don’t go overboard. Take only calculated risks. Thirdly, plan well for handling the risks. That is it. If you follow these tips, you can manage your risk fairly well.

Proactivity

Is being proactive good for an entrepreneur? And it is really a soft skill for entrepreneurship? The answer is Yes! Being proactive will improve your wellbeing. An entrepreneur not just takes risks, he/she also engages in a highly stressful life. Learning this soft skill will help you improve your wellbeing.

On the other hand, it will also help you professionally. Here are some ways in which you can be more proactive:

• Have a business plan, a vision, and a mission. All your actions should be aligned with these guiding lights.
• As an entrepreneur, you should always have a bird’s eye view. Other employees need to focus on nitty-gritty while you have to focus on the startup itself.
• Develop a habit of asking for help. A lot of founders try to do work on their own. This can over-burden you. Be proactive even in seeking help.
• Have a “Plan B”. Always. It even helps to have a plan C in place. Situations may change fast. You have to steer your course as per the need arises. Being proactive in these cases is really a helpful soft skill for entrepreneurs.

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App WOM (Word of Mouth) refers to communication between consumers about any product or service. They can talk about the features, the benefits, usage or problems related to the product. App WOM is not very different from the traditional WOM but we will see how it changes the rules of the game. We will also discuss some cases where negative App WOM lead to losses of billions of dollars. Finally, we shall discuss how we can leverage it to maximize the marketing impact.

What is Word of Mouth or WOM?

“Word of mouth” started off as a marketing catchphrase, but soon went on to become quite popular. So popular that it found itself into the vocabulary of the masses.

In essence it should fulfil the following:

1. It conveys information about a product or a service
2. The communication of message happens only through personal channels (not mass media)
3. The information is shared without any commercial motive

It’s easy to understand but difficult to design a WOM strategy. WOM works quite naturally. It is challenging and takes a lot of creativity to ensure people tell their friends about a product or service. However, there are some success stories too. Famous shoe retailer Zappos was one of the first e-commerce companies to sell shoes. They devised an entire marketing strategy keeping user experience as the center point. Zappos made the shoe buying experience so user-friendly that people started sharing it with their friends. They were successful primarily on word of mouth.

What is E-WOM?

One of the biggest changes in how people communicate happened with the advent of the internet. The Internet helps us to communicate faster. It also helps us to connect with a larger number of people via social media, blogs, and multi-media. Electronic word of mouth(WOM) refers to the use of the internet for communication between consumers. Although similar to WOM, E-WOM is different in some ways:

1. WOM is a private communication. While E-WOM need not be private and publicly available
2. WOM is between known people. While E-WOM can take place between unknown people also.
3. The message is communicated more quickly between the sender and recipient(s)

App WOM or A-WOM

We define App WOM as the consumer to consumer communication about a product or service through smartphone apps. Some things are very different about the apps because they work over platforms of communications. The entire process of consuming, satisfaction, and sharing has changed quite a bit. These platforms are strongly intertwined with smartphone apps. The App WOM or A-WOM is a distinct new concept. It is different from E-WOM in the following ways:

Easier to share

What makes the experience different for A-WOM is that it all happens seamlessly. Smartphone Apps make the ‘work’ of communicating much easier. You just need to click on the ‘share’ button. Further, in two more clicks, you share the link for a product listed on Amazon. If you have a good/bad experience with Uber, you can instantly share it via Apps.

On the other hand, you may not remember or have the motivation to spread the same message by WOM or EWOM. It would take considerably more effort in EWOM. Firstly, you reach home, switch on the laptop, and open a browser and logon to a website, then you can post the same experience with your cab service. The loss of a message is even higher for WOM. In the middle of some random conversation, you remember your experience and you share it with your buddy. They nod their head and you never know whether they really got your point.

Instant feedback

The discussions on mobile apps are more interactive than websites. It is easier to comment, easier to ‘like’ and share. In fact, apps are designed keeping in mind the interactiveness of the experience. Compared to traditional WOM and E-WOM, the A-WOM gives you instant feedback. The feedback is notified to the user instantly. Every single interaction that others do with your shared message is notified to you 24×7. The feedback cycle has a major impact on the speed of transmission of a message. This is critical for public relations activity.

Multi-channel communication

E-WOM communication takes place on a specific website. Generally, people do not cross-post the content elsewhere. Whereas on mobile devices, people have a much higher chance to share it on multiple platforms. Chinese WeChat is not just a chatting software, it is also an e-commerce one. People share product reviews right inside the app. They can then click on it and buy it within the app itself. The next moment, they can even share the pictures of the newly bought product on Instagram.

Intimacy with the apps

Mobile devices are more intimate to the users. People have access to apps almost 24×7 at an arm’s length. This is important when we compare the apps to traditional web based systems like Desktop and Laptop. Secondly, mobile devices are more of a fun/lifestyle gadget. People spend a lot of time on social sharing. This satisfies their personal or professional requirements.

How App-WOM works?

Firstly, the way we express our excitement or disappointment with a product has changed. On the one hand, we do tell the person in the next cubicle about our exciting weekend trip. On the other hand, we also share a review of the hotel on Tripadvisor. We share photos of the restaurant on Facebook. Some of us even upload a video on Youtube. Without realization, we just campaigned for the different brands we encountered. All of this, without any commercial intent and without using any mass media, which the very definition of word-of-mouth.

Secondly, the virality of the word of mouth has also changed because of the apps. The apps give a platform for the information to go viral. Apps like Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, etc are designed to be sharing platforms. They have massive user bases in billions or hundreds of millions. These platform apps create some fragile opportunities where the response of the brand is critical. It can make or break a brand within hours. However, major moderators of the virality are the initiator’s content, network size, clout, etc.

Limitations of A-WOM

There are some limitations to the WOA. Trust is a big issue when it comes to nonpersonal communication. This applies only to E-WOM and A-WOM. There are PR agencies that specialize in ‘starting a trend’ on social media. Sometimes, these are obvious and users don’t suspect it but at times, it can be an irritant to the users. There is also another issue of trust in the information. People don’t trust reviews by unknown people as much as they do for their acquaintances. Secondly, there is a lack of focus. We are subjected to spams, promotional messages, ads, misleading information can all damage the reputation of a brand.

Key takeaways for App WOM

The essential take away here is that the App Word of Mouth is a game-changer. Firms need to treat it with the attention it deserves. This will enable the firms to take full advantage of it. At the same time, firms need to cover the downsides with appropriate policies in place. A well-planned strategy will come handy to build customer trust and loyalty. It will also safeguard against unexpected reputation damages.

The post App WOM: Managing Word of Mouth today! appeared first on Management Weekly.

IoT is one of the trending technologies and an essential part of Industry 4.0. However, it is an untested technology. We need to develop an appropriate IoT business strategy. We shall first discuss what IoT means for your business. Subsequently, we shall see how it can provide a competitive advantage. Finally, we shall throw some light on the most difficult part of technology adoption: the implementation and its challenges.

What does IoT mean for your business?

IoT is an acronym for the Internet of Things, sometimes written as IoT. The concept of IoT was started by Kevin Ashton in 1999. It is a network of wirelessly connected things using smart sensors. Most importantly, IoT shares information on the backbone of interfaces, protocols, and standards.

There have been many waves of technology revolutions in the world and IoT could potentially be one of them. We can learn from older technologies and innovations. Subsequently, we can use it in the case of the IoT. This will help us in developing a strategic position. We need to develop an IoT business strategy in terms of the competencies. Further, we need to foresee the potential changes in the business environment. The larger implications will be clear only in the future. It is also possible that this may be technology fad but companies need to invest if their domain of business requires such infrastructure.

IoT and competitive advantage

Researchers and futurists across the world have speculated some remarkable changes due to IoT. IoT is not just another technology or tool but it is an entire ecosystem. We are witnessing a wake of a new digital corporate environment. This is possible due to IoT driven business processes. IOT opens up new avenues of research. Although technical aspects have been explored better, there is a lesser understanding of the business aspects. There is immense potential to improve the business models.

We shall try to analyze some research to find out how to deal with changing landscapes. We shall be seeing this to get an idea of how this can be used in the context of IoT platforms. This shall help us understand, predict, and control the change that is expected in the IT landscape when companies have to either deal with fully interconnected devices in the IT network.

IoT is the new wave of IT

Porter and Heppelmann discussed the three phases of IT waves that have transformed the organizations:

During the first wave, the individual processes were automated. This transformed the value chain for the organizations. Essentially, a phase of computerized mechanical systems as well as computer-aided planning. The second phase was about the rise of the internet. Internet as a communication medium changed how the firms did business. The changes in business processes lead to a global network of businesses.

Today, we are witnessing the wake of the third IT wave. Porter and Heppelmann have projected the third wave. In this wave, IT is embedded in the product itself. These new products use interconnected data resources. Therefore, they will create a richer value chain for the firms.

IoT’s impact on business processes

IoT will create three big changes to the business processes:

1. Integration of IoT into the business processes.
2. Enhanced usage of data in business intelligence.
3. Enable real-time analytics

The vast array of devices, sensors, and actuators will create an information network. Firms have already started using IoT in manufacturing and Logistics. However, very soon it will be used in other departments. Therefore when we talk about IoT business strategy, we must think about the network of information.

However, information by itself is not very useful. We have to integrate it into the business processes. Most importantly, the integration of IoT in business processes would help in real-time analytics.

Leveraging IoT to improve business processes

IoT use case in the aviation industry

Consider an airline. One of the biggest challenges for an airline is turnaround time. The turnaround time is the time taken to prepare an aircraft for take-off after it has landed. It typically ranges between 40 to 60 minutes.

There are about 25 different activities between flight arrival and departure. It is a laborious and sophisticated process. The use of IoT in such business processes could lead to a significant reduction in the turnaround time. A time saving of a few minutes is can provide a competitive advantage to an airline.

IoT implementation framework

Top executives can become overwhelmed with the complications of technology. We can simplify IoT business strategy development by dividing it into smaller manageable units. There are essentially three major types of IT: Function IT, Network IT, and Enterprise IT. This typology was created by McAfee.We can use this to analyze the implementation of IoT. It will help us visualize the impact of IoT clearly.

The best thing about the function IT is that it is independently deployable which helps in speedy diffusion. In the case of IoT systems that are functionality based, they are already being developed and sold as they are not dependent on the complements to be there in place. These are interconnected in a rudimentary sense only.

On the other hand, the network IT aspects of the IoT systems would be the core of the technology as it would form the information platform for the devices to interconnect and share information with each other. Even at this stage, it can be deployed without dependency on another. Moreover, a lot of the information highway would be based upon internet protocols.

When we come to the Enterprise IT, we see that it imposes major challenges as that needs to be implemented enterprise-wide which is a difficult task. It would require several inter-dependency, co-ordination as well as standardization of the subs-systems. It may require years of effort analogous to the effort required for the ERP systems. However, the use of efficiency, performance gains, etc from IOT need to implemented in a phased manner as per the development of the technology takes place.

Alignment of organizational strategy with IoT strategy

When we look at the interconnected system from a larger perspective, we need a unifying theme. The strategic direction of the firm is the ingredient that guides the development, deployment, and usage of IoT. We also need to look at people and processes. The synergy and alignment are the foundations for the success of any IT change in an organization.

Tallon and Kraemer developed this model for strategic alignment. It shows the relationship between the strategic aspects of management and firm performance. We can say that IoT adoption should aim to add business value. We also need to ensure that it is aligned with the organization’s business strategy. Subsequently, it will lead to better performance.

Getting everyone onboard

It is challenging to develop a consensus for new technology. It is because strategizing essentially demands a common unified vision. The biggest challenge is to get everyone on board. Subsequently, allocating a sizeable investment in the new technology is another pain point. This is one of the critical roadblocks to the acceptance of IoT in the firms.

However, there is a straight forward solution. Firstly, we need to propose IoT as a strategic business tool along with a cost-benefit analysis. There is a major role of investment in the acceptance of the technology. This will make it somewhat easier for the top management to relate to a proposal for new investments. Secondly, it can also justify the overhauling of infrastructure.

Secondly, we have to align the IS strategy with the firm’s strategy. One of the ways to get more people on-board is through brainstorming. When people have a say in the transformation process things are much easier.

Thirdly, as executives, when we propose a major technology implementation, we have some more obligations to the firm. As stated earlier, no one knows how the IoT systems will evolve and mature. There is an inherent risk in technology projects. We must first understand the risk. Then prepare the risk assessment report. Even a simple SWOT analysis could help. This increases the legitimacy of the proposer. Further, it would strengthen the IoT business strategy.

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What is goal setting?

I have curated 34+ tips for goal setting that have shown to work wonders. Those who know how to set goals are 10x more likely to be successful. However, before we begin, let us understand two things:

• Definition of ‘goal’
• What is ‘goal setting’?

What are ‘goals’?

A goal is something you wish to achieve. Goals can be a future state, objects, relationship states, social, managerial, or emotional. Essentially, anything that we desire to achieve in the future can be categorized as a goal. It need not be too specific but it has to have a meaningful value for the person visualizing it.

What is ‘goal-setting’?

Goal setting is the proces of visualizing a goal conciously. When you visualize a goal conciously, you not just create a mental picture of future state, you also process and internalize the purpose and benefits. Most importantly, one should also ensure that the goals are measurable and time-bound. This part of the goal setting is often overlooked.

Why Goal setting is important?

The rule of life is simple. Success is hugely dependent on your goals. Very few people who set out without goals succeed. This is true not just for professional success but also for personal. One of the leading researchers in Goal setting, Locke says that “Every person’s life depends on the process of choosing goals to pursue; if you remain passive you are not going to thrive as a human being.”

Tips for goal setting: a simple formula for success

Another competing explanation for professional success is ‘motivation.’ Researchers have shown that motivation by itself is a poor predictor of performance. Instead, goal setting has been shown to increase the chances of success by 10 times.

Set a goal ⮕ Convert it into a schedule

Simplest of the tips for setting a goal is to visualize the goal. Let’s say you want to learn a new skill in the next six months. You can simply convert this into a schedule. Firstly, try to find out the number of hours needed for the training. If the course requires 50 hours of training. Also mark the days you would be doing it. Let us say, you would be doing the course on Monday and Friday. Therefore in six months, you have about 48 days to learn. Hence you would need roughly 1 hour every day. In order to help you stay compliant you can also check out our insights on time management and procrastination management.

Tips for goal setting

Goal Philosophy

1. Set inspirational goals. If you are not motivated about your goals, in the beginning, you can’t be sure you would be later. As you progress towards the goal you will meet roadblocks. Unless you have an inspiring or compelling goal, you will lose steam and get tired.
2. Your principles should be aligned with your goals. It is very important not to set goals that would benefit you at the cost of your principles. You will pursue it half-heartedly and won’t be totally satisfied even if you succeed in achieving the goal.
3. Set goals that are under your control. At times we are overoptimistic. We commit ourselves to the impossible. Stretching your limitations is great but never commit to goals that are unreasonable.
4. Ask yourself ‘why.’ It is critical to ‘believe’ in your goals. When you are crystal clear about ‘why’ you want something, you will figure out the ‘how.’
   
   Goal-setting methods
   
5. Split the goals into 2-3 smaller goals. A bigger goal can be easily achieved through a set of smaller and more manageable goals.
6. Set SMART goals. This is one of the most commonly discussed goal-setting methods. Set up goals that are specific, rather than vague. Secondly, they should be measurable. Thirdly, don’t pursue goals that are not attainable. Fourthly, set up goals that are relevant to you. Finally, always time-bound your goals. A goal without a deadline is just a dream.
7. Create stretch goals. It really helps to push ourselves to our own limits. This is how we grow. Set a goal that is slightly more than what you can achieve. It will also help you work harder.
8. Goal-Tree Method. Take a piece of paper, write down your goal. Then below it, write down 3-5 objectives that need to be met for the goal. Next, write down measurable targets for these objectives. This method is especially helpful when you set a goal for solving a problem.
9. OKR method: A method pioneered by Google where the goal is decomposed into objectives and key results. This method is also similar to the Goal-Tree method. On one hand, where KPI are
   
   Strategically set your goals
   
10. Eliminate less important goals – James Clear, a leading author in this field, suggests that we should eliminate the non-important goals “ruthlessly” and pursue only the important ones.
11. Goals that are both specific and difficult lead to overall improved performance.
12. Set optimum level of quality –  Research suggests that goals set, without quality controls, may lead to the employees focusing on completion of goal at the expense of quality.
    
    Process for setting goals
    
13. Write it down. Writing down using a pen and paper is quite helpful. When you write, you spend time inking your idea into words. It has a psychological impact. This also gets imprinted in your brain.
14. Visualize What You Want – Draw it out, make a scrapbook or create other visual representation that you can review time and again
15. Don’t set a deadline, set a schedule
16. Take time to plan – when we spend more time on planning, there is a higher likelihood of success. Additionally, it is also better to spend time in creating an optimum goal than discard it midway because it becomes non-feasible.
17. Avoid half-hearted goals – It has been shown that low-quality planning leads to lower performance during execution of the goals.
18. Proactively plan for possible problems and solutions
19. Create a blueprint for every goal
20. Leverage emotional intelligence – It has been shown that emotional intelligence can help navigate the problems. It can also keep you motivated.
    
    Tips for goal setting for managers
    
21. Involve the team – a goal that is forced by the top may lead to a narrow focus on completion using known solutions. This approach is called ‘tunnel vision.’ It inhibits creativity.
22. Focus on the process, not the outcome. Being detached from the goals yet mindful is a balancing act. Try to manage things by focusing on the process that leads to the goal. It is better than a mindless pursuit of the goal.
23. Keep it visible. Put up a poster or a chart with your goal above the workplace. Something that is visible will keep people motivated.
24. You can also make a habit of writing down your long term goal every morning before the workday and every evening after you come back. Usually, all our focus is on managing the smaller, petty things that come up day after day. This activity can keep a goal orientation at the back of your mind when you pursue other activities to ensure those smaller activities are also aligned with your larger goals.
25. Flexibility to adapt to the barrier is critical to success. Your goals should include the planning for such adversaries.
26. Valuing a goal is extremely important. Keeping yourself and your stakeholders updated about the importance of the goal from time to time helps.
27. Always schedule the reviews for your goals. Very few people use this simple but effective technique. A haphazard review may not be as helpful as a planned and scheduled analysis of your progress, reassessment, and strategic changes.
    
    Managing the goals
28. It is important to understand the subtle differences in how team-goals and individual-goals are structured. Research has shown that if the manager gives feedback related to individual goals, the focus of the employee would be on maximizing it. On the other hand, if the feedback is given towards the team goal then focus is on fulfilling the team goal.
29. Never establish goals under the premise of negativity. It is a bad idea to set up a goal with a threat. People may work under the fear of a negative consequence like a bad appraisal. However, it can very soon lead to stress and anxiety.
30. Always attempt to bring attention to goal-orientation. One of the reasons for failure is that people may establish alternative goals or lose focus from the goal and put in most of their effort in secondary aspects. It is a managerial responsibility to keep the team focussed on the pursuit of the goal.
31. Encourage an atmosphere for positive reinforcement. Research shows that peer acceptance, as well as social approval, improves the motivation to pursue common goals.
32. Monitor the progress towards the end goal. You can use any method for goal setting, be it SMART goals or Goal-Tree method. However, periodically meet with the team to understand how they are moving towards the destination. Monitoring the progress is critical to the success of goal setting.
33. Reward yourself and your team. It is important to celebrate smaller victories.
34. The last among the tips for goal setting is to embrace ambiguity and dynamism. Sometimes things may rapidly change. It is important to reevaluate the situation and plan accordingly. At times you may have to abandon the pursuit. When that is needed, do that with grace and move on. There will be more opportunities in life.

The post 34 Tips for Goal Setting That Actually Work appeared first on Management Weekly.

Most of us want to be proactive in our lives. This is because we believe that by being more and more proactive, we can achieve more in our lives. In our previous article, we had mentioned what being proactive means and how you can be more proactive. In case you have missed it out, you may read it by clicking here. However, researchers have long been pondering about the actual benefits of being proactive, especially for individual wellbeing. Is being proactive good all the time? If no, under what circumstances is it bad? Does it mean that your efforts to enhance proactivity will lead to decreased wellbeing? Read this article to find out the answers backed by research evidence.

What is proactivity?

Proactivity refers to anticipatory, self-initiated and goal-directed behavior. A proactive person is one who can think ahead and foresee possible future conflicts and scenarios. In addition, such individuals also take the initiative to change so as to adapt to the upcoming event. They are good planners, excellent team players and know when and to whom to delegate work. Proactive individuals are not passive respondents. Rather, they are co-creators of the situation itself.

Based on the description of a proactive person, you may be tempted to conclude that being proactive is a strong predictor of success in work life. You are right. However, what is the impact of proactive behavior on wellbeing? In addition, sometimes, the situation is such, that even a positive action on your part may be perceived negatively. Such is the case with proactivity too. In certain situations, proactivity may decrease your wellbeing. Let’s explore how.

Cangiano and colleagues conducted extensive research that was published in the Journal of Organizational Behaviour in the year 2018. They explained in great detail how proactivity can enhance wellbeing in certain situations while decreasing the same in other situations.

When does proactivity increase wellbeing?

Drawing from the self-determination theory, Cangiano and colleagues developed an energy-generating pathway of proactive behavior in the workplace. They claimed that when individuals engage in proactive behavior, they experience positive feelings and vitality. In other words, being proactive in the workplace is a source of energy and aliveness. Such vitality and aliveness are a result of an increase in the sense of perceived competence. Perceived competence refers to a feeling of being able to perform ones’ job well. It is one of the innate drives as described in the self-determination theory. This assumption is also prevalent in Ryff’s conceptualization of wellbeing: competence and mastery over the environment is a predictor of wellbeing.

How does proactivity increase perceived competence?

1. Proactivity enhances challenge. Since we do not know the exact outcomes of the behaviour, we might feel optimally challenged when we are being proactive. Also, proactive behaviour is change-oriented. Change is challenging in nature. In addition to this, proactive behaviour may also lie beyond the formal job description. Thereby, making it more challenging. Research suggests that completion of challenging jobs increase feelings of competence. The same is true for proactive behaviour.
2. Most of the time, proactivity leads to success. This is because when we are proactive in dealing with challenges, we often have an edge in terms of time and efforts. We are prepared before the dire need for action arises. Therefore, the chances of success are also high. When we are successful, we feel competent.
3. Since proactive behaviour is self-initiated, success and positive outcomes are attributed to the self. This also increases perceived competence.

Therefore, when we engage in proactive behaviour, we feel competent. Competence is an innate drive. The fulfilment of our needs and drives strongly enhances feelings of wellbeing. Therefore, proactive behaviour enhances wellbeing when we are successful at the task.

When does proactivity decrease wellbeing?

Proactive behavior is risky in nature. We do not know what fruits our actions will reap in the future. Moreover, proactive behavior is change-oriented and individuals are averse to change. Hence, our proactive efforts might not be welcome by our co-workers. As a result, the person driving proactive change has to pass through several barriers. First and foremost, they have to convince their supervisors that the change is impending and it is better to embrace it before it becomes too late. Then they have to convince other top management decision-makers. After this comes the challenge of communicating the change initiative to the other members of the organization, overcoming resistance from their side and gaining the trust of all stakeholders. Sounds tiring, doesn’t it?

In addition, there is a component of risk. Since the outcomes are uncertain, a proactive person does not know whether his or her efforts will see success. This may optimally challenge some people. However, some people may also perceive it as a threat. Therefore, proactive behavior can also induce anxiety.

The third reason for proactivity to be detrimental is explained by the resource depletion theory. Every individual has a fixed amount of cognitive energy for performing all daily chores and home and work. A proactive person often expends too much effort in the workplace because they may be taking more work than they can deliver. This might lead to exhaustion and depletion of resources at the end of the day. Research suggests that many times, proactive people experience more exhaustion and fatigue at the end of the day and the following morning as well because they are constantly spending their cognitive resources. This leads to increased and prolonged stress due to allostatic load. Hence, being extremely proactive at work might be detrimental to wellbeing.

Implications

Feeling confused about whether to be proactive and be more successful at the cost of your wellbeing? Do not worry. Most of the time, we can strike a balance. Keep the following things in mind:

1. Make sure that your proactivity is driven by autonomy. Do not push yourself too hard to be proactive just because your colleagues are doing so. Be proactive only in causes you believe in. Do not be a pawn in your colleagues’ dreams. Proactivity should be driven by autonomy. Proactivity, together with autonomy is likely to enhance wellbeing.
2. Delegate work. Even when you are the initiator and driver of the change, keep in mind that you cannot do all the work yourself. You have to delegate work to others as well. This will not only decrease your work stress but also increase chances of success, thereby, enhancing wellbeing.
3. Understand the importance of leisure. If you take breaks in between work, you are more likely to be able to sustain in the long run. If you drain all your resources today, there will be none left for tomorrow. Hence, the replenishment of resources is also important for wellbeing.

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