Coding of the Interview and Theme Analysis

Name

Professor

Institution

Course

Date

Coding of the Interview and Theme Analysis

List of codes developed for the interview transcript

0-irelevany

1 –less important

2- important

3- Relatively important

4-important

5-highly important

Work process

The research was mainly on analyzing the competitiveness of the firm and the general strategies that the firm uses to increase it sales volume and the guiding principles in the company quest for Creating and maintaining customer relationships. The research question was also geared at determining the correlation between successful relationships and revenue at Hewlett Packard Company.”

Along this line the researchers considered the factors that are most important to the company in its quest and awarded them the highest value in weight. For example, Creswell, (2002), states that those factors and statement that were more important to the company in achieving its objectives were awarded either 3 or five depending on the scales. In a scale of 1 to 5, the researcher awarded 5 to the most important factor such as customer focus and 1 to irrelevant factors that may not contribute to the success of the company (Babakus, & Boiler, 1992). For those scales between 3 and zero, the researcher awarded code 3 to very important factors and 0, 2 to not so important, and 1 to less important factors. However, for those factors which the respondent is not so sure about or just neutral or does not know, the researcher indicated that the respondent should check neutral coded 0 due to lack of weight or value to the research process.

Small-Scale Qualitative Research Project—the Perugini Interview

Interview for Michael Perugini- Director of Sales, Hewlett Packard Company, Incorporated

Interviewer: What are the principles of the HP Corporation on the issue of appropriate business ethics, especially in sales?

Perugini: HP takes the issue of ethics very seriously. We have been sure to put measures in place to enforce that, and it begins with the quarterly certification process all employees must complete. As you know, we mandate that every employee must certify, on a quarterly basis, that they have not operated in an unethical way. We also have leadership training sessions and must also certify that we are not aware of you guys doing anything you are not supposed to.

0230505In a scale of 1 to 3 what is the principle of HP Corporation on the issue of appropriate business ethics, especially in sales?

1-not serious

2 serious

3 very serious

In a scale of 1 to 3 what is the principle of HP Corporation on the issue of appropriate business ethics, especially in sales?

1-not serious

2 serious

3 very serious

Interviewer: How has the company’s management structured the principles to cater for its customers’ specific needs?

Perugini: Well, we always put our customers first, at least we are supposed to. I believe that if you do the right thing by your customer, you will have a customer for life.

19050207645Consider the following points and chose appropriately, what are the main things that the company has done to ensure that its principles on ethics are used to met the need of its customers?

1. Capital planning and execution

2. Operational excellence

3. Customer focus

4. Superior customer relations strategy

Consider the following points and chose appropriately, what are the main things that the company has done to ensure that its principles on ethics are used to met the need of its customers?

1. Capital planning and execution

2. Operational excellence

3. Customer focus

4. Superior customer relations strategy

Interviewer: How long have you been involved with the sales department within the company?

Perugini: I have been at HP for 3 years now. Wow, time flies. I also spent close to 20 years in the industry with some of HP’s largest competitors

-12382540640How long have you been involved with the sales department within the company?

Long time (more than three years): 3

Short time (between two and three years): 2

New (less than one year): 1

How long have you been involved with the sales department within the company?

Long time (more than three years): 3

Short time (between two and three years): 2

New (less than one year): 1

.

Interviewer: How does a good customer relationship affect general revenue to the company?

19050321945How does a good customer relationship affect general revenue to the company?

1: It highly affects the general revenue of the company as we invest a lot on customers

2. Does not affect, the company does not make provision for customer entertainment

0. I don’t know/ Neutral

How does a good customer relationship affect general revenue to the company?

1: It highly affects the general revenue of the company as we invest a lot on customers

2. Does not affect, the company does not make provision for customer entertainment

0. I don’t know/ Neutral

Perugini: I think this is the single largest piece of the puzzle. In our world, if you

do not have the relationships, you will never have the sale. At the end of our quarters, we can never afford not to have the sale. That’s why I was so lenient on expenses around client entertainment. Take them out to dinner, shows, and drinks, whatever. Get to know these guys and spend time with them. That is the only way to get things done in our world. Make the sale. Whatever it takes.

Interviewer: What does it mean to the company’s performance when the customers are satisfied with its products and services and hence consume them abundantly and more frequently?

1428752540What does it mean to the company’s performance when the customers are satisfied with its products and services and hence consume them abundantly and more frequently?

5. More profits

4: Increased sales volume

3. Increased repeat purchases

2. Reduced

1. Stability

What does it mean to the company’s performance when the customers are satisfied with its products and services and hence consume them abundantly and more frequently?

5. More profits

4: Increased sales volume

3. Increased repeat purchases

2. Reduced

1. Stability

Perugini: Well, we will obviously see an increase in software use, which should, in theory, drive additional revenue for us. A happy customer is a customer that keeps buying our software. At the end of the day, that why we are all here, right? To sell software and make a lot of money.

Interviewer: How well is the company prepared for the challenges posed by its major competitors who may also apply the same remedies to entice customers so that they remain relevant in the software industry?

-3810060960How well is the company prepared for the challenges posed by its major competitors who may also apply the same remedies to entice customers so that they remain relevant in the software industry?

3. Very prepared to go to any length to please their customers

2. Still preparing to meet the challenges that would be posed by competitors

1. Not prepared

How well is the company prepared for the challenges posed by its major competitors who may also apply the same remedies to entice customers so that they remain relevant in the software industry?

3. Very prepared to go to any length to please their customers

2. Still preparing to meet the challenges that would be posed by competitors

1. Not prepared

Perugini: I always thought of our industry as a boxing match. Are you old enough to remember Muhammad Ali? The “Thriller in Manila?” That is our industry. You battle. Sometime you get hit with a few hard shots that stagger you, sometimes you are the one making the shots. You go back and forth until there is a winner. Hopefully it is you. You have a hundred vendors calling on a single company CIO. This guy gets hundreds of calls every week to go to dinners, lunches, and baseball games with people he could care less about. Why should he go with you? I mean, you are not that good looking. No offense. A good guy, but no model. You have to show him you add value. Working for HP is a huge advantage. Everyone knows us, and it is easier to get the appointment, but then it is up to you.

Interviewer: Where do you see the HP Company in the next five years in terms of their competitiveness and maintenance of business ethics?

-4762560960Where do you see the HP Company in the next five years in terms of their competitiveness and maintenance of business ethics?

5. Very stable and developing

4 very stable but not developing

3. Not stable but developing

2. Not stable and not developing

1. has been making loses and is likely to close shop

Where do you see the HP Company in the next five years in terms of their competitiveness and maintenance of business ethics?

5. Very stable and developing

4 very stable but not developing

3. Not stable but developing

2. Not stable and not developing

1. has been making loses and is likely to close shop

Perugini: We are a big company, and the fact is we will not be going anywhere anytime soon. I think we did around $126 billion last year. We have the revenue to sustain us through any market fluctuations. We have industry leading products, and strong innovation. Did you see the new HP computer we just unveiled? All touch screen. It is amazing. Innovations like that is what will allow us to remain the market leader for years to come.

Interviewer: Thanks Mike, it looks like our 20 minutes are up. Thanks again for your time, I really appreciate it.

Perugini: Anytime. Hope you get an “A.”

References

Black N, Brazier J, Fitzpatrick R, Reeves B. (1998).Customer relations questionnaires. In: corporate Research Methods—a guide to best practice. London: BMJ Books,

Creswell, J. W. (2002), “Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods Approaches” 2nd Ed. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

Babakus, E. & Boiler. G. (1992) “An empirical assessment of the SERVQUAL scale” Journal of Business Research, Vol. 26 No. 6, pp. 253-68.