Myopia also known as nearsightedness happens when eye elongates longer than normal from back to front. This in turn results in focusing of the images in front of retina instead of on the retina which causes the blurriness of distant vision. Recently, numbers of people suffering from myopia have increased drastically. Studies have reported that numbers of myopia affected people today are almost 1.89 billion people globally (Holden et al. 2016). Considering that recent prevalence rate of myopia does not change, almost 2.56 billion people will be affected by myopia by the year 2020 which is almost one third of total world population (Holden et al. 2016). A project steered by Garo Meghrigian Institute for Preventive Ophthalmology showed that 11 per cent Armenian school children suffer from refractive error of the eye (Giloyan, Harutyunyan and Petrosyan 2017).
Current report shows that Sweden (14.8 %) has the highest penetration rate amongst European countries followed by Denmark (13.19 %) and Norway (11.37 %) (A Comparison of European Soft Contact Lens and Lens Care Markets in 2017 2017). Reports also suggest that contact lens market in Europe has grown 4.3 per cent in the year 2017 (A Comparison of European Soft Contact Lens and Lens Care Markets in 2017 2017). Worldwide market for contact lens in 2016 was valued at USD 9.91 billion with a forecast of steady growth over the coming few year (Contact Lenses Market Analysis, By Product Type, By Design Type (Spherical, Toric, Multifocal), By Usage Type (Corrective, Therapeutic, Cosmetic, Prosthetic), By Regions, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 – 2025 2017).
Despite of that contact lens has lower penetration rate in comparison with spectacles. The reasons behind this are many folds. First of all, contact lenses are expensive product and have a lesser shelf life in comparison with spectacles. People tend to prefer a longer lasting period of a product for which they are paying premium price. Secondly, retailer also plays a hand in this. Still now, retailer prefers to devote most of their attention towards selling spectacles. Finally, to keep up with modern time, new technologies are emerging rapidly. With new technology come new products which increase the already premium price even more.
Usages of contact lenses have become widespread throughout globally. A distribution network is needed to reach product from manufacturer to consumer. Distribution of contact lenses can be varied depending on the different parameters. These parameters are availability of lenses, practitioner perceptions, patient demographics, cultural factors and disposable income. There are different type of distribution model such as Business to Business (B2B), Business to Consumer (B2C) and Consumer to Consumer (C2C) (Brennan 2014). In the recent year, Alcon has adapted a Business to Business model which means they only supply their product to the distributors. Alcon’s Business to Business model has a significant chance to increase its market share and penetration rate.
To summarize, potential market for contact lenses are huge as nearly one third of whole world population will be affected by myopia by 2020. Penetration rate for contact lenses is steadily increasing globally, but it is still less compared to spectacles. To achieve that a strong distribution network is needed for any manufacturing company of contact lenses. Alcon is one of the companies which is aspiring to be the leading brand in contact lens sector. Recently, Alcon has adapted a Business to Business model as it does not sell to the consumer directly. To this extent, finding a good distributor is paramount for Alcon’s success. Hence, a through and detailed research is needed to find a proper distributor for the success of Alcon’s in Armenia.
Alcon is one of the leading Eye Care companies in the world and was the part of Nestle group until 2011. During this period Alcon developed its distinct organizational structure as well as the distribution. Beside its dominant pharmaceutical (ophthalmic products) and surgical (intraocular lenses, surgical equipment) business, Alcon vision care was so far only active in the lens care products.
After Alcon’s acquisition by Novartis the Swiss based pharmaceutical company in April 2012 Ciba Vision the world’s number two contact lens manufacturer and also an important player in the lens care products market will became Alcon Vision Care , as it is merged with Alcon ,which Novartis wholly acquired in 2011 from Nestle and independent shareholders.
Ciba Vision sells and sold its Contact Lenses and Lens Care Products either directly to the eye care professionals (ophthalmologists, optical shops, clinics, optometrists, optical chains, etc.), or via distributor. To deal with the markets where CV was selling through a distributor, company has a business unit called International Distributor Markets (IDM), based in Switzerland. Company had to decide on how to find or change the current distributor to better one in a certain country of interest. Ciba Vision did not and now Alcon does not sell to consumers; it is a B2B business only.
The Business to Business process somehow allows making commercial transaction with one company to another (Bunatyan 2016). Market attractiveness has evolved through the process and contact lens presentation has started in a high range. International Distributorship market has widened different distributor company to come up and find some better way of distribution. Ciba Vision has put the restriction over the Alcon as they do not want that parent company will not sell their product and thus a distributorship concept of theoretical market has started in this business.
This work intends to describe ways how Alcon’s IDM group can better select the right distributor and ‘go to market’ model for a given a country it currently serves or intends to do so in the future.
The paper shows ways to find a distributor. A list of criteria as well as an evaluation matrix for deciding between several distributors should be developed for profiling that all meet the required profile, but may have different strengths and weaknesses.
The business operation of Armenia has changed as the investment opportunities and support from the investors are huge in this 21st century. Support from organization sites and business investments are the maximum enforcement in business and development funding if Armenia also boosting Armenia’s products in international market. Some of the specific trade programs have faced huge financial enhancement and for this reason other companies also keen to establish their market in Armenia (www.who.int 2011).
Contact lenses are one of today’s most advanced alternative to the spectacles options of vision correction. The other options are the different versions of refractive surgery. The contact lenses and spectacles are substitutional to each other, and on the other hand they often exist together, meaning a contact lens wearer still has spectacles as back-up for times when he cannot wear contact lenses and many spectacle wearers do occasionally also wear contact lenses.
The lens care products (solutions) also are big an annual expense or even more than the contact lenses themselves. The amount of effort and money spend for the care is a big turn off for the wearers which can in many cases lead to discontinuation of contact lens wear. They are called drop-outs (dropping out of contact lens wear). Another cause of drop- out is a short cutting the care requirement (i.e. noncompliance with the systems) which leads to such complications as infections, inflammations and /or irritations.
Cosmetic contact lenses are a relatively small sub segment; they can also be used for therapeutic reasons, i.e. as a bandage after trauma, after surgery or for chronic conditions.
Refractive surgery aims to the independence of the both contact lenses and glasses and is in many cases not reversible or only by undergoing another surgery.
RQ1. How the company evaluates its present distribution model with regards to distribution method in Armenia?
RQ2. What are the proper and prominent criteria for appropriate distributorship for development of vision care in Armenia?
RQ3. What is the most appropriate distributorship process to influence the market development?
The vision care initiative in Armenia takes a mission of eliminating preventable blindness in Armenia in the 21st century and the process has entirely covered the child and adult people in the nation. The research goal of this vision care project is to provide the current practice and improve the future handling of the distribution process of vision care section in Armenia. The objectives of the research project are
Armenian medical enhancement and contemporary health care practices
In case of culture, science and politics global enrichment have made in Armenia in recent years. However, the world knows very less about Armenia or Armenian and the rich experience that has suppressed in between them is unknown to the world. The thesis of the literature review is highlighting the profound heritage and past practice of the medical science of Armenia and the scenario of the progress of Armenia as well (Gharibyan 2013). The betterment of valuable tools and progress of health care performance is the key aspect of Armenia medical world and through the ethical and theological perspective, Armenia has done this process for several years. Comparing with the past and the present, it is understandable that the drift in the contemporary health care arrangement is more motivated to an emphasis on primary health care, deterrence, and patient-centered care, just as was the training of by-gone periods. Health care system in Armenia has changed as the nation has focused into solving those processes in a greater way and provides some effective changes as well so that medical processes have evolved a bit from the past situation (Export.gov 2017). The aim and objectives of Armenia in the healthcare sector have improved a lot and some challenging situations are also mitigated by their own health care experts. Public financing increases approximately $17.8 million to $173.6 in between 2000 to 2011 (Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 2012). Some of the sectors in Armenia people get a good amount of money and medical workers have got increased salaries over those places. High prices are considered as the barrier in Armenian hospitals and people are not able to go there, however, after the increased medical facilities and 50%, cost reduction in health care section people engage in a government hospital is increased (Martirosyan et al. 2012).
Patient care framework and palliative care alignment is the concern improvement is the main aspect that defines the holistic health care issue in the physical, psychological and legal aspect of life-threatening illness. There are some responsibilities has taken by the government of Armenia and this is the reason most of the patient care analysis has been done in a formulated way. As per the statistics provided by the World Health Organization, 14% of people need to palliate care and most of the physicians are unknown about the fact. As asserted by De Luca et al. (2017) the diseases are identified through the symptoms and patient care homes and the particularly the pain and health care analyzing ensure the global palliative care for the people in Armenia. In most of the cases, injured people are suffered by the curative form and case analysis is depending on that matter (Zarifian 2014).
Drug regulation problem presents in Armenia as well. As commented by De Luca et al. (2017) patients and their families have not the sufficient information about palliative care.
Today, contact lenses and Lens Care Products are classified as medical devices. While in the past each country had more or less its own regulation, today the creation of the EU has eliminated many of these, replacing them with the harmonized EU’s medical device directive (MDD). Armenia also follows the EU’s medical device directive.
Therefore, all the findings and patient care analysis are concerning the patients’ mindset and their behavior. All the changes need to be done are the basic possibilities of changing the approach to health care in Armenia. The issue of development and changing vision care steps are being taken by the government in form of vision 2020 and this will bring the social, economic and developmental change in Armenia (www.dfa.am 2018). Strategies have been taken by the government and that directed towards the vision for the better adjustment to the improved scenario of the Armenia vision care department.
Armenia’s geographic isolation, a narrow export base, and pervasive monopolies in important business sectors have made it particularly vulnerable to volatility in the global commodity markets and the economic challenges in Russia. Armenia is particularly dependent on Russian commercial and governmental support, as most key Armenian infrastructure is Russian-owned and/or managed, especially in the energy sector. Remittances from expatriates working in Russia are equivalent to about 12-14% of GDP. Armenia joined the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union in January 2015, but has remained interested in pursuing closer ties with the EU as well, signing Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU in November 2017. Armenia’s rising government debt is leading Yerevan to tighten its fiscal policies – the amount is approaching the debt to GDP ratio threshold set by national legislation.
Health expenditures – 4.5% of GDP – amongst the lowest in the world (155th place – CIA fact book) – which further emphasizes the need of an affordable treatment for the population.
Treatment of eye care process in Armenia was not good enough in recent past. There were some infrastructure issues and training problems. The fellowship training was not provided in a right way and the surgical department was not directed in a right manner. Some of the treatments are very difficult to for the medical department in Armenia as the patients have some acute problems in their eye (Moss 2014). In case of intraocular pressure control or the loss of vision needs some enhance equipment to deal in case of surgery. Production of cataracts and related amblyopic vision problem are the reason behind the enhancement of tools used for the surgery.
Myopia is stated to be one of the most highlighted short-slightness diseases that are often found among the children aging from 13 to 22 (Sullivan et al. 2009).
In 2015 the interviewer-administered survey along with eye screenings was conducted among school children living in Yerevan (the capital city) and Gegharkunik province. The research team used multi-stage random sampling technique to draw a representative sample of 1,260 school children 5–19 years old (Giloyan et.al. 2015).
Refractive errors were prevalent among 26.8% of children and 18.1% of school children had myopia. In a univariate analysis age, gender, height, weight, region, school achievement, parental myopia, near work, continuous reading and additional studies were significantly associated with having myopia, while physical and outdoor activities had protective effect against myopia.
As commented by Giloyan et al. (2017) the average myopia rate among schoolchildren in Armenia is about 18, 1%, much higher in capital city Yerevan – 23, 3%. Now a day the significant public health problem worldwide is a visual impairment resulting from uncorrected refractive error. The percentage of vision correction needed varies by country, but more so by the
geographical region. The percentage of myopic patients (short sighted) among the young
people is much higher in Asia than it is in Europe or the USA. Also, the level or degree of the myopia is on average higher. Poor vision due to can greatly affect a child’s school performance, productivity, and generally impair quality of life.
Soft contact lenses are a well-established and widely used by the practitioners’ mode of optical correction, because soft contact lenses provide high visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, they are a relatively safe and effective form of refractive correction that can also prevent the progression of myopia.
The patients can wear them for many years, they have a known safety record, and the potential complications are familiar to practitioners. The progression of myopia can be slowed
significantly in eyes wearing soft contact lenses compared with glasses, whether myopia progression was assessed as change in eye refraction or its elongation. (Anstice and Phillips 2011).
There are limited numbers of studies have reported significant reductions in myopia progression with bifocal or progressive multifocal spectacles, although mostly still clinically insignificant, effects have been reported in children with near point esophoria (normal refraction) and/or accommodative dysfunctions. 1-year, prospective, randomized, clinical trial of bifocal contact lenses for control of myopia in children with eso fixation disparities at near has been conducted by Aller et al. (2016).
According to the study the bifocal contact lenses achieved greater control over myopia progression and eye elongation compared with most published results with multifocal spectacles.
It is now obvious that population size is important in terms of a market’s attractiveness or potential; more important factor is the demand for vision correction (including contact lenses) as a % of population. Not always it is easy to reach the data about actual vision correction need in the particular country.
One important industry measure for the importance of the CLs in a given markets is
called penetration. Penetration is percentage of CL wearers relative to the population in of a country, market. In principle, it would be better to use the percentage of CL wearers of the vision correction needed, but this number is not readily available for many markets including Armenia, while population data is. Within the industry, it is also common to use the population aged 15 to 64 years of age, which is available on the CIA factbook website for almost all countries in the world. (https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/).
Why the limitation? First of all, the vision care need is relatively low among the newborn, until the age of eight to ten. It would be better to use data from ten on, but it is not readily available. Secondly, the use of contact lenses among older people is also very low, even though almost 100 % of them need one form of vision correction (reading only or distance and near). Again it would be better to have a cut of around 70 or so, as today’s 64 years old are still very active and may as well wear contact lenses, but this data is not available. The use of the penetration rate makes it easier to compare markets that are very different with regards to total value, i.e. a small country and a large one.
The penetration rate can be calculated using UN data which offers some basic information for many countries including Armenia. https://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=contact+lenses+Armenia&d=ComTrade&f=_l1Code%3a90%3bcmdCode%3a900130%3brtCode%3a51. See figure 1, for a screen shot.
Figure1: Screen shot of the UNDATA website (UNDATA)
Access to detection and correction as well as the affordability are very important factors in vision care. Being able to afford is one of the potentially most important criteria on assessing the market potential. . This is for vision correction in general and also for contact lenses which can be considered more of a luxury item in this regard. Usually, the vision correction need is first of all served by the dispensing of a pair of spectacles. In such countries as Armenia not everybody who needs vision correction, can afford it, or at least cannot afford contact lenses. Contact lenses require a certain level of care, hygiene and have a limited utilization time comparing with the spectacles. Affordability can be analyzed by is to looking at the GDP per Capita, i.e. the country’s wealth.
Contact lenses require fitting and the role of the Eye Care Professionals in this case is very high. Against the belief that due to the wide availability of contact lenses in the optical shops, internet and in some countries even on the shelf of supermarkets and beauty parlors, many consumers have ability to choose the contact lenses individually. Contact Lenses are a medical device and do require what is called a ‘fitting’.
The fitting is truly a fitting. After a careful eye exam, including beside the refraction the use of a bio-microscope and taking many measures like topographical data, etc., then the optometrist selects a contact lens. This process requires special skills and trainings.
Therefore, from the above discussion, the findings on the visual acuity and patient helplessness have evolved. Patient analysis and detection of the phases are the concern reason in that case. The pathology and epidemiology treatment are the most concern factor that needs to be analyzed in that certain way and that consist in a form of better health care situation for the people of Armenia.
It has been argued by Steinman et al. (2000) that the essence of market orientation is the successful management of a relationship between supplier and customer.
The key success factor for the exporting firm in overcoming the risk of unfamiliarity in overseas markets is dealing with the correct overseas partner. As the international arena is different and unknown for the exporting firm this risk comes from environmental factors. The differences in overseas markets may play against the implementation of the company’s marketing concept and market orientation (Cadogan and Diamantopoulos 1995).
The exporting firms having a local distributor, whose business characteristics are in line with the marketing concept and market orientation of the exporting firm, may help the exporter to implement that concepts. The selected international distributor in this case can be characterized as a ‘‘facilitator’’ that helps the exporter firm in implementation of their market orientation overseas (Beaujanot et al. 2006).
The concentration given overall to customers within the market orientation literature is well established, but most of the research as cited above has focused on understanding the customer’s value chain and responding to customer needs. Focusing on that leads to the ignoring of the importance of choosing the proper customer. As a result, important customer characteristics, or in our case, of an exporter’s overseas distributor, would seem essential in determining the exporting firm’s success at the market. The ability of an international company to select the right distributor seems to be a prerequisite the success in delivering of customer value (Steinman et al. 2000; Svensson 2001).
It is essential that the business characteristics and the market strategy of the buyer (distributor) to match those of the seller (exporter). The more market oriented is the distributor, the more the seller (exporter) will emphasize distributor capabilities (Tamtam 2001).
Our research has opened the door to an important consequence of two of the dimensions of market orientation. It is obvious that different distributor characteristics will be important in different industrial sectors. There is a need to further investigate and empirically generalize those customer’s characteristics essential for vision care products exporting firms to implement their market orientation and strategy.
Recently, case study is emerging as a research strategy for researchers and students for research performing in modest scale. Most difficult part of using case study as research strategy tool is that the transformation of descriptive data into research investigation. Generally, there is a skepticism about case study, however, case study offers many insights which might not be obtained by any other methods and hence, they are widely used in market research. Researchers have also argued that case study is the base for the development of structured survey tools needed for experiments. Case studies are useful to provide answer for ‘Why’, ‘What’, ‘Where’, and ‘How’ type of questions which can be helpful to developing research questions. Consequently, selection of research questions is very vital as it helps determine the most appropriate approach. Additionally, case study is very helpful for contemporary study where manipulation of behavior is not possible (Rowley 2002). In this article, the research questions stated earlier are mainly dealing with ‘Wh-questions’ regarding current distribution situation in Armenia and most efficient model. As a result, selection of a proper and relevant case study will help to determine the design of the research better and propositions of research objectives.
Research philosophy underlines the in-depth analysis of the research. Distributor selection is very important choice that the company will make in exporting. Exporting through a distributor, might have some disadvantages such as limitation of the extension of learning about the target markets, impedance of direct communication with customers, reduction of the exporter’s ability to give the products, or too many products. However, the key disadvantage is, the lack of control and flexibility that companies have over the marketing activities of the foreign distributors. The distributors in foreign countries carry on the responsibility of products and servicing customers in the local market. The numerous characteristics can contribute to successful distributorship, making it imperative for manufacturers to employ a systematic approach to selection. In-depth interviews with experienced international business executives will led to the development of a comprehensive set of selection criteria (Cavusgil et al.1995).
The distributorship of Alcon vision care and the future handling process of manufacture, processing, and business dealings are the concern reason behind the market in Armenia. In this research process, positivism philosophy will be used. In this philosophy, all the factual knowledge has gained from the observations. Trustworthy and data collection is the concerned way of this philosophy. Through the philosophy quantifiable observations will be done and that heads towards the statistical analysis (Androniceanu, Ohanyan 2016). The philosophy also gains knowledge from the resources and human experience and through the experiences and findings qualitative and quantitative findings are drawn from the philosophy. The events and observable elements of grand view is the concern manner of this philosophy and that includes the primary data collection method as well to support the fact (Giloyan et al., 2015).
The research approach is another interpretation in research that generalizes some specific method of data collection, evaluation of the process and creates research questions to verify the theory (Tonoyan, Muradyan 2012). The existing theories are needed to be established through the identified themes and that used in the secondary research process. However, the approach also justifies the conceptual framework and this modification of framework has made a linkage with the subsequent data collection process. In this research process, deductive research approach will be used and that approach has formulated some hypothesis or research questions to understand the process.
Research design another important aspect of research formulation and through the design insight situation of the research can be judged. In case of a set, some specific fundamental view design is a relevant option to formulate the work. Change in aim and explore some scientific aspect in the research is important for the some of the research sectors where two variables are not judged in a parallel way (Balabanova et al. 2012). In this research descriptive research design will be taken. The descriptive design is used for the analytical identification of the research establishment. The possible employing method and current issues in this research regarding the topic are also formulated in that case. The possible essence of employing this format and describing the variables through the process of observations and case study relation is the best way to read and understand the research.
Data collection method is a significant process in research to understand the evaluation of the variable and their impact on the environment as well. In this research process, Primary data collection process will be taken and the process signifies the research validity and analytical support to justify those situations (Karapetyan, Harutyunyan 2013). Quantitative and Qualitative data collection methods are used for the feelings, emotions, observations and mathematical calculation respectively. Nature of aim and objectives are justified through the process.. Interviews, questionnaires, open ended and close ended questions all are underlining the importance of evaluation of findings and anticipation of the result.
The data collection will be performed via questionnaires.
These are different form the of the owner’s origin and attitude to CLs, business in general.
Professional oriented usually still run an ophthalmic practice and / or an optical retail outlet, shop. They have good product and profeccional knowledge and final customer orientation, but therefore maybe not focused on a business in itself. In small markets such as Armenia and in those in a ‘building-up’ phase, this type of distributor may be very beneficial. The size of the market and the Alcon contact lens business is not as critical, a change to a new distributor or even a cancellation of the contract is less risky as in bigger markets and where Alcon has a significant market share. One of the problems with this type of distributor is the lack of focus on the business. Another problem is that the other eye care profeccionals may see the distributor one more as a competition rather than a distributor. This limits the ability to gain numeric distribution. The lack of distribution business knowledge and experience in general is a limitation for future growth. The ability and willingness to future finance growth is also questionable.
In principle for the business oriented it does not matter to them what they do, as long as it pays for the time and the effort, the money invested. They come to contact lens business as whole salers from different backgrounds.
Contrary to the professional oriented distributors his owner, is interested in growing and running the business as an independent to their practice / shop. This eliminates some of the disadvantages of the professional oriented.
The business orientation is already reflected in the fact of having built an optical chain. One of the big advantages is the rapid gain of numeric distribution. Another one is that they can command the primary use of Ccontact lenses in their own shops by employing those the product knowledge is present. The secondary goal of such distributors is increasing their overall profits by vertical integration. It may become one, when the chain uses its extra margin to gain market share by selling at very low prices to the consumers. This will upset the others to force them to buy from the competitor.
In case of a true commitment of the chain to contact lenses and Alcon especially, conducting training in local language as well as running promotions to gain new wearers can thus accelerate penetration and market value growth. One challenge is that Alcon can face is being very dependant on such a dominant chain.
In some countries, each of the three of four major chains has their own contact lenses and contact lense care distributorships. This blocks certain shops from becoming strong customers, even more if not customers at all.
Engaging with a pharmaceutical distributor makes it easier to have an access to their warehouse. The familiarity with medicinal products, vigilance systems and regulations in general is an advantage. Being unfamiliar with the optical business, lacking a customer base thereof is a disadvantage. Normally, there are more pharmacies than optical outlets in distributor markets. Pharmaceutical wholesalers therefore usually offer efficient and effective in-country logistics services. In Armenia contact lenses are sold in pharmacies as well, so pharmaceutical distributor may be considered as a apporpriate one for contact lens distribution. However, increasing the number of distributors increases, the potential for conflicts and requires management capacity.
Sometimes, distributors of other goods than from the optical field or pharmaceuticals are willing approach Alcon products. Here, the lack of product and industry knowledge is a disadvantage. Their expertise in warehousing and systems is of value. The ratio of the Alcon business vs their other businesses has to be carefully looked at. The same investigation needs to be done with regards to their motivation for going after contact lenses and lens care products especially their willingness to continue in difficult times.
Developing a rating scale
Use of standardized clinical assessment tool is becoming more frequent in healthcare fields. It is very like to increase further. To do this, a substantial amount of effort goes to formalized assessment and the development of rating scale. Survey questions will be in multiple choice formats. Each answer will be given a weightage or rating in numerical value based on the response. After the survey is completed, the value will be calculated to compare the response of the participants (De Vaus 2013).
To collect the authentic response, information is needed regarding people who uses contact lens or spectacle or is suffering from myopia. In order to do that, accession of patient information is needed. Hence, a request will be made to the local hospital and eye clinic centre for the information regarding the concerned patient. The information will be collected in either electronic or paper form.
To conduct the survey 125 responses will be collected from the patient with access to contact lens product. Along with that, 10 distributors will also be interviewed.
Close ended questionnaire response will be taken for the quantitative analysis. However, this questionnaire will not be able to answer the facilitators and barriers for effective distribution. For this purpose, interviews will be conducted with the distributors for qualitative analysis. The interview questions will be open ended for better understanding of the facilitators and barriers for effective distribution. The whole interview process will be recorded in electronic format for later evaluation.
Analysis of quantitative data
Quantitative data is associated with numerical value. This data generated directly from rating scale. First of all, responses will be managed by entering the value in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Frequencies and percentages table will be used for the evaluation of the data. Standard deviation will be calculated to study the average distance between the data set (Miles, Huberman and Saldana 2013).
Data collected from this section will be categorical format. To analysis the qualitative data, first the raw data need to be indexed. This will be performed by using SPSS statistical software. After that, the data will be organized in specific manner using database management system like MS Excel Statistics Add-in. Finally, simple chi square test will be performed for the statistical analysis (McHugh 2013).
In this research paper, all the ethical factors will be reached in an effective way. No person will be harmed in this research process. The sense of privacy will not be disturbed in any case. People, those will not share their feeling will not be pressurized at all for the sake of justice. The information will be gathered from authentic sources and while taking that information every time permissions will be taken from the concerned person (Legislation.act.gov.au 2014). Personal interference will not be done by the researcher and sense of expressing any bad manner towards the people, who are not involving in the project, will not show. The interview will be done in this primary research process and that is the reason treatment of man management will be also a concerning factor for this. Name of the interviewees will be considered as the confidential process and these will not forecast by any means. During the interview process, the pressure will not be created towards the interviewee and that is the reason most of the balancing response will be taken. To manage a good relationship with people is the essential part of the ethical consideration. Judgments will be fair and logical. There will not be a single chance of disrupting the approach and general ethics will be maintained throughout the case.
The outcomes are quite productive in case of analyzing Armenia. Less number of people is aware of the nation’s culture and that is the reason vision care is considered one of the important aspect of the Armenian people and their government. Alcon is one of the renowned lens services that channelize by the different lines in Armenia and all over the world, but the impact of the eye development is the concern reason behind the success of Vision 2020 and vision care market. Through the literature review section, all the changing patterns of visual implementation are noticed in Armenia. The changes are found at the rate of blindness and low vision case.. The worldwide impact of patient care in case of refractive errors is mitigated through the increasing number of tools available in Armenia. The status of the current vision care market can be defined by analyzing the several characteristics. How big is the market today? Is there room for growth? How is the market split up? The answers of these questions have different importance for company which is already in the market.
Armenia has a small market for business compared to other European countries. The business of Alcon is not critical in the current situation. Distributors in Armenia are professional oriented and run either ophthalmic practice or retail centre. Alcon’s Business to Business model is still good enough in current situation to increase market share. But one of the disadvantages of this situation is that lack of focus from them. To increase and enhance the commitment and service of these distributors Alcon is arranging training for them in local language to accelerate penetration and market growth value. The main problem of this Business to Business model is that Alcon is totally dependent on the distributors for their business as Alcon does not deal with the consumers directly. Hence, from the present circumstances, it can be inferred that Alcon’s current Business to Business model can be effective and profitable if Alcon is willing providing support to the distributors through training and financial (investment in their business) aid.
Conclusion
Therefore, it can be concluded that assessment of healthcare issues and quality in vision care is increasing in the aspect of Armenia’s point of view. The proposal has been constructed in the form of in-depth information about the condition of healthcare as well as vision care treatment in Armenia. The challenge is mitigated in a form of better quality tools, training methods and development opportunities given by the right distribution set up of vision care products in Armenia.
Each of the distributor types has different strength and weaknesses. Some require more investment from Alcon in terms of training and support some less. Some need time to grow the business, while others have a strong initial growth phase and then flatten out. Each of the distributor types listed above has a certain profile. The criteria for this profile are and should be the same as the ones that Alcon would look at when searching a distributor. The required profile also depends on the chosen business model, the market development phase and the competitive status. A distributor should be measures against a series of specific competencies. Those include:
Following the profiling of the distributors and linking these profiles to the specific market conditions will result in a higher chance for success.
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