In this research, there are several areas of interest and which forms the basis of the research. The research proposal will follow a standard form proposal. As such, the following areas will be covered; foremost, the problem will be sufficiently defined in the title ‘Problem definition’. This section will be followed by definition of the objectives of the research.
In this section, the goals that the researcher will be aiming to achieve will be precisely established and as such, they will form the basis of the research (Kline & Littlefield 217). This section will be succeeded by research design. This section is the blueprint of the entire research.
This is because, there will be several notions covered including the study questions, specification of the relevant data, the type of data that will be collected and also the manner and steps to be followed in analyzing the data collected.
In order to come up with a superior research design, good research questions will be generated and the researcher’s orientation will be sufficient (Scholastic, Inc 32). The methodology section will follow this section.
This section will be essential as it will act as the guideline system for an effective solving of the underlying problem that the researcher is intending to research on. It will be constituted if specific components among them being tasks, phases, techniques, tools as well as methods (Saikku 95).
This will be followed by the limitations of the study section. In this section, every possible aspect that has the ability to diminish the effectiveness of the entire research process will be noted and possible ways of avoiding these limitations will be established (Colten 75). The interpretation section will then follow. In this section, the results of the research will be refined.
The main aim of this refining is to ensure that there is clarification of the results. After the refining of the results, the researcher will come up with suggestions as well as recommendations (Freudenburg et al. 66). This area is also significant as it will concentrate on advising the Company on how it can resurface itself to once again become a competitive force in the market.
This will depend on the results of the research has found by the researcher. Finally, the researcher will conduct a general overview of the entire research process. In this section, the important areas of the research will be identified and thereby concluded (The National Commission 55).
Significance of the study
This research is important as it will establish the negative notion existing among the direct and the indirect stakeholders and therefore enable the Company come up will the most effective strategies that will help reform the Company’s perception by the stakeholders.
In addition to this, the study will assist greatly as it will establish the areas of its operations that need improvement with regard to the Louisiana swamp and therefore assist it to put up measures that will see the area become bearable once again (Butlerb 72).
There are several ways in which this research will help the BP Company improve its position in the industry with its competitors as well as customers. Foremost, the research will establish the opportunities that that the competitors have not yet identified and therefore take advantage of the situation and in this way, it will be a notch higher as compared to its competitors.
In addition to this, the research will enable the Company come up with long term strategies concerning the conservation of the Louisiana swamp and as such, it will be seen as an effective corporate social responsibility strategy and therefore, the brand image will be greatly rebuilt and regain its competitive advantage (Kline & Littlefield 227).
This research will also be useful in rediscovering its position among the customers. This research will help the Company establish that not only conserving the Louisiana swamp but also the neighboring area will greatly facilitate the change from negative perceptions to positive perceptions with regard to the company by the customers (Vijayakumar 25).
Interpretation of the research
From the description of the results, it is clearly evident that the Company was desirable with a large number of people having positive perceptions on the Company.
With reference to the impact of oil leakage on BP oil products from BP Company, it is clear that a significant number of individuals were happy to be associated with BP Company and were regular customers to its products (Butlerb 45). However, right after the oil spill disaster, a significant number of customers seized to be BPs stakeholders.
However, a big number of individuals had plans to buy from the Company in the future. This is supposed to mean that there is still hope for the Company to recover its lost customers if it indeed initiates ways in which it will recover from the soiled name owing to the oil spillage (Scholastic, Inc 20).
Considering the likelihood of buying the Company’s products as compared to the products from the competitors, the oil disaster would lead to a significant shift from the Company and turn to the major competitors. It is also clearly evident that even minor competitors would be advantaged at the expense of BP (Butlerb 44).
However, a small number of individuals stuck to the company’s products. This means that the company must establish effective measures to make up for its mistakes in order to avoid the massive loss of customers to the competitors (Freudenburg et al. 50).
With regard to the effect of messaging on the intention of buying the oil products from the Company, it is clear that the Louisiana swamp played a significant role in the deciding whether a customer would buy the products from the Company or not.
This means that the Company, in order to maintain its success and competitive nature, it must take care of the ecosystem. Failure to this will impact hard feelings among the customers and as such, the performance of the company would fall or decline drastically (Butlerb 47).
With regard to the perceptions concerning the oil spillage as well as products from BP Company, a large number of people believe that perceptions of the image of the Company turned from positive to negative owing to the oil spillage (The National Commission 69).
Another segment is not aware of the effect of the oil spillage disaster on the perceptions of the Company (Scholastic, Inc 28). However, a small number of individuals were adamant in believing that the oil spillage had negative effects. Generally, all these beliefs are supposed to mean that most people are aware of the extent of negativity on the perceptions about the Company.
In addition to this an equal number of individuals are ignorant of the fact that the oil spillage indeed has negative effects on the perceptions of the Company (Kline & Littlefield 200). However, this number consists of individuals who, if they are ignorant of this fact, they are loyal to the Company and they don’t believe that the Company is declining (Vijayakumar 22).
On familiarity of the oil leakage problem, just a small number of individuals did not know about the existence of such a disaster. A small number were aware of the tragedy but were not concerned about it. However, a considerable number was aware of the tragedy and were keen on the unfolding of events (Saikku 80).
This means that the disaster was a great but negative event. In addition to this, it means that the people are concerned with the ecosystem and as such, they are ready to follow up on the issue to see the culprit, that is the BP oil Company, faces the consequences. The smaller number not aware of the disaster means that there is a category of people who are not concerned with the ecosystem (Freudenburg et al. 56).
Generally, if the Company would like to see all these negativities go into oblivion and as well regain its lost customers, it is essential that it conducts sufficient research and establish the best ways possible to clean its image (Colten 70).
Recommendations
From the data analysis, it is worth noting that there are a number of specific strategies that the company can implement in the Louisiana region. However, the recent negative perceptions of the Company with regard to the oil spill disaster have proved to be a challenge to the Company (Kline & Littlefield 212).
The Company can effectively use this information to understand its customers’ perceptions of the organization and its product portfolio in the marketplace through initiating desirable recovery projects. For instance, it can use this information to publicly assume the responsibilities of water purification in the Louisiana swamp to make the ecosystem regain its original nature (Saikku 85).
In addition to this, the Company can resolve to conduct some more research on what the people prefer the Company do in order to clean its name. Moreover, the company should use the information to assess whether there is a necessity to change the brand name to avoid further tarnish and regain its competitive nature (Butlerb 55).
Further recommendation is that the Company should make use of the findings of this research to preach a message that, when considering undertaking the oil business operations, it is necessary that the industry regulatory authority sufficiently assesses the conditions of the mining area.
In addition to this, the regulation authority should assess the effectiveness of the mining capability of the Company in order to avoid another oil spillage disaster in the future (Scholastic, Inc 30).
Final Observations, Suggestions and Recommendations
It is advisable that the Company makes use of the findings of this research in an effort towards regaining its competitive power. In addition to this, the Company should largely concentrate on rebranding itself through ensuring that Louisiana swamp is re-established to its original nature (Butler 47).
Moreover, the Company should seek to conduct some more research on what the individuals, both the direct as well as the indirect stakeholders, prefer the Company to do in order to clean its name so that the negative perceptions are eliminated.
In addition to this, the company should use the information as well as the results of this research to assess whether there is indeed a necessity to change the brand name to avoid further tarnish and regain its competitive nature (Scholastic, Inc 32).
The Company can also liaise with other environmental bodies to further improve the region hit by the effects of oil spillage disaster.
For instance, with reference to the concerns raised owing to the oil spill, the Company can liaise with the education board to pass a message to potential investors in the oil industry that it is essential that a company pays keen attention to the environment, especially the area surrounding the oil mines (The National Commission 69).
Further recommendation is that the Company should make use of the findings of this research to preach a message that, when considering undertaking the oil business operations, it is necessary that the industry regulatory authority sufficiently assesses the conditions of the mining area.
In addition to this, the regulation authority should assess the effectiveness of the mining capability of the Company in order to avoid another oil spillage disaster in the future (Vijayakumar 32).
The Company should see its established long term Louisiana swamp conservation strategies as opportunities and as a corporate social responsibility rather than looking at is as an own imposed burden. With this said and done, the Company will indeed reestablish itself as a competitive force and regain a high market share just as it had enjoyed just before the disaster.
Works Cited
Butlerb, Anne. Louisiana Swamp Tours: The Definitive Guide, Gretna: Pelican Publishing, 2009. Print.
Colten, Charles. An unnatural metropolis: wresting New Orleans from nature. Louisiana State, Belmont: Cengage Learning, 2005. Print
Freudenburg, William, Robert Gramling, Davis Matt & Dennis Cohen. Blowout in the Gulf: The BP Oil Spill Disaster and the Future of Energy in America. London: Prentice Hall, 2006. Print
Kline, Benjamin & Rowman, Littlefield. First Along the River: A Brief History of the U.S. Environmental Movement, Mittenzwei: GRIN Verlag, 2009. Print.
Saikku, Mulla. Down by the riverside: the disappearing bottomland hardwood forest of southeastern North America, Belmont: Cengage Learning, 2006. Print
Scholastic, Inc. Oil Spill: Disaster, New York City: Scholastic Inc, 2010. Print
The National Commission. Deep Water: The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling, Oklahoma: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print
Vijayakumar, Honnungar. British Petroleum Oil Spill Crisis and Aftermath: Corporate Governance, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. Print.