Techniques For Getting User Attention And Promoting Sustainability In OfficeMax

Explanation

Color

Color attracts a user’s attention in a web page, but it should always be used in the correct amount (Swiss Higher Education, Techniques for getting user attention, 2012). Too much color disrupts perception and appearance of the website. The web designer of OfficeMax has made use of different colors to attract attention. The header and footer have different colors, the price tag with offers are put in red to attract attention and specials are put in orange.

Graphic adornments

Graphic adornments such as bold texts, italics and other special graphical characters can also be used to attract attention in a website (Swiss Higher Education, Techniques for getting User Attention, 2014). In the homepage of OfficeMax, the prices are put in bold text to attract the users’ attention. Also, the products with a maximum offer are placed on top of the page with the words freebie frenzy written using special graphics.

Animation

This is where items are made to blink or move to attract a user’s attention. OfficeMax uses animation to attract attention. The products from the best sellers move along the screen so that someone can be able to spot the products while scanning through the page easily.

Example 1

Example 2

·         Values. This is an element of organizational culture that shows the goals of the organization and general views of the organization. (Schein, Functions of culture in organizations, 2015)OfficeMax has shown this element of organizational culture by displaying their goals.

·         Norms. (Schein, Are you organized culture?, 2011) OfficeMax as an organization believes in social responsibility. They are sponsors of several education programs and other programs in New Zealand such as the Max-e Grants programme.

“It’s all about you.” This shows that the goal is to serve the customer first.

“Being a great company is more than just sales.” This shows that they have a culture of helping their communities.

How they promote a sustainable workplace

The norm of social responsibility helps to unite employees in the company. They come together to contribute and support the scholarship programs hence they can be able to interact and share useful ideas that ensure sustainability of the organization.

The goals set in the company help to ensure sustainable work culture by promoting commitment to the employees and attracting more customers since the goal is to serve them.

Ethical dilemma

Description

The ethical dilemma that OfficeMax may face is employees’ whistleblowing on social media or with the authorities. This is whereby they may openly expose their poor working environment or mistreatment in the company. (Kimberlee, 2018) This will show a negative picture of the organization to stakeholders hence affecting its sustainability. To address this ethical issue, I would use the common good approach.

Discussion

The common good approach helps to arrive at a decision that will not only be good to ourselves but also to others. (Battanglia, 2016) In this case of whistleblowing, I will make the decision that the employees should direct problems to their leaders in the organization before putting it on social media or reporting to the authorities and the leaders should address problems directed to them.

Justification

The decision will support the sustainability of the organization since the authorities in the organization will be able to change on issues that do not satisfy their employees so that they can serve the customers better. Also, the image of the company will not be ruined because of a problem they can easily correct.

Explanations

Economic

Sustainability in organizations largely depends on the economy. A healthy economy suggests that businesses are more sustainable while a poor economy suggests that businesses are less sustainable. (sustainable antigoish, 2018) The economy should be built through research and innovations which will ensure development hence sustainability. Education is very crucial to promote research and innovation.

Environmental

The well-being of the environment is important to human beings in general. (sustainabe antigoish, 2018)The rivers, trees, land, and animals should be protected to ensure better living conditions for human beings. With better living standards, people are able to improve the economy hence ensuring sustainability of businesses.

Social

This mainly refers to social equity. To ensure sustainability, everyone should be equally provided with basic needs and other essential needs such as security and education. (suatainable Antigonish, 2018) Businesses can play a role in the social pillar of sustainability by supporting education in the community through sponsorship and helping the needy. This will, in turn, ensure sustainability of the business.

Cultural

Culture is very important in ensuring sustainability. Cultural diversity ensures different people from different backgrounds come together. An organization with cultural diversity will be sustainable since newcomers will be welcomed and celebrated despite their differences. Embracing new cultures brings about new ideas and practices from the diverse backgrounds hence promoting sustainability. (Sustainable Antigonish, 2018)

Practice 1

Practice 2

Economic

OfficeMax ensures better communities through helping the needy children get basic needs. These basic needs are the main element in economic development. This, in turn, improves living conditions that ensure there is economic development. This ensures sustainability of the company.

OfficeMax promotes education in New Zealand through sponsorship. Education is very important in economic development. With education, people are able to carry out research in their fields of specialization hence may result in innovation. Innovation ensures growth and development of organizations hence bringing sustainability

Environmental

In protecting the environment to ensure sustainability, the organization can set aside a tree planting day whereby every employee of the organization is required to plant a tree every year and take care of it, or only the leaders in the organization could plant a tree and ensure it is taken care of.

The organization could also donate litter bags and dustbins to streets and schools and create awareness on proper disposal of litter to prevent people from throwing around litter which could make the environment dirty making it unsafe for human beings.

Social

OfficeMax has always had a social responsibility whereby they support education programs in New Zealand through sponsorship. They are sponsors of several education programs and other programs in New Zealand such as the Max-e Grants programme. This promotes education in the communities hence they are able to maintain their customers. (OfficeMax, OfficeMax, 2016)

The main goal of OfficeMax is to serve their customers. It is all about their customers. This ensures they have a good customer relationship that brings about customer loyalty. The loyal customers refer others hence ensuring development and sustainability of the company.  They also have a live chat button where they can connect with their customers in case of a need.

Cultural

OfficeMax supports different cultures by selling products from different cultural diversities and from many different companies. They sell products used by Africans, whites Asians among other races in the world. This brings together different people with different ideas hence new ideas to promote growth and development may come up. This ensures sustainability

OfficeMax has social network pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This promotes cultural diversity since social media is used by different kinds of people from different backgrounds hence they are able to connect with different people from different parts. The customers from different backgrounds are also brought together in the website.

SDG chose

Action

Quality education (United Nations, 17 goals to transform our world, 2016)

OfficeMax already supports education in New Zealand through scholarships. To achieve the goal of quality education by 2030, they need to do more than providing only scholarships. OfficeMax can put more resources into the scholarships to ensure more people benefit from them. They can also help the government in accessing schools to ensure good learning environment. They can also donate equipment to be used in schools to ensure quality education which will promote research and innovation hence promoting sustainability of the business.

Sustainable cities and communities (United Nations, 17 ways to transform our world, 2016)

One of the activities of OfficeMax as an organization is to create better communities. They can apply this activity in helping to achieve the goal of sustainable cities and communities by 2030. To achieve this, they can channel more resources towards community activities such as the development of infrastructure and settlement. They can also assist in ensuring communities are safe through education of residents on the effects of violence and how to resolve conflicts. This will ensure peaceful communities and cities where people are ready to work and invest their money hence raising living standards and ensuring development. This will ensure sustainability of the organization.

Element

Example (including description and explanation)

Engaging all stakeholders

Asking comments from customers. Customers are main stakeholders in OfficeMax company. Therefore the management should know their views in order to know what they are not doing right. This will ensure customers get exactly what they want hence they will be loyal to the company and even recommend their friends and relatives to buy from OfficeMax. This will ensure sustainability of the organization.

You are never alone

Networking with other organizations. The government together with other businesses always wants businesses to succeed. (CGMA, 2013). OfficeMax should network with other similar businesses to find out what their competitors have that they do not have. With networking, they can be able to come up with new ideas that may promote the development of their business. Development of the business will ensure sustainability.

Future Investing

Doing Research. Future investing is mainly for time management. OfficeMax can do research on products that people may want more in the next ten years and strategize on how they will venture into such markets in the future rather that wasting time in selling products that are not in demand. Time wasted can never be recovered. Therefore, future investing is very crucial in ensuring sustainability of OfficeMax company.

Walking the talk

Implementing all their goals in supporting communities and serving customers. OfficeMax has activities such as sponsorship which when implemented will in turn help in the sustainability of the organization. The organization should ensure they do exactly as they claim in their website or else they may fail.

Description of level

According to my knowledge and understanding, OfficeMax is at the strategic proactivity level which is the third level in sustainable development for organizations. This is a level whereby the organization finds its vision and strategy to achieve its goals (Flynn, 2013). The organization does various things that are meant to ensure its sustainability. An organization at this level also tries to connect with its employees and the outside world and set important strategies concerning the organization. This level is a deciding level of the final level in development hence the management in this level should be extremely careful and make the correct strategies.

Justification

I think OfficeMax is at the strategic proactivity level since the company has in place strategies to help achieve its goals and to promote its sustainability. For example, the company has clearly pointed out its main objective of serving the customers and all employees are supposed to adhere to that. They have put in place a live chat to enhance customer service. They also engage in social activities that help promote their image as a company. They sponsor educational activities and also support the need in the society to promote their living standards to ensure economic growth hence sustainability of the organization.

Disclosure: Proportion of spending on local suppliers

Description of information required

To report on this disclosure, the organization should be able to research on the local suppliers available and what they provide. The reputation of different local suppliers is also important to be included in the report. This can be found by asking the consumers of the suppliers or finding out from other businesses which buy their products form the suppliers. They should also report on different prices for same products provided by different suppliers. They should report on their research findings, for example: Who the best local supplier is, which products are fast moving in the market.

Explanation of how it will improve chosen organization’s sustainability performance

Reporting on the proportion of spending on local suppliers will help in improving the organization’s sustainability performance (Global Reporting Initiative). This is because OfficeMax will be sure that they are spending on suppliers who will provide quality products and avoid those with low-quality products. Low-quality products cause poor customer satisfaction hence reducing the market for products. The organization will also be able to select suppliers with the most favorable prices hence ensuring more profits for the company. By reporting on the fast moving products in the market, sustainability is improved since the organization will invest more money in the fast moving products.