https://www.echeat.com/ Some nice proverbs that we have 2021-10-21T14:00:47.017-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Some-known-and-funny-proverbs-45514.aspx 2020-10-19T23:32:18.627-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/I-just-want-an-outline-of-this-assignment-an-not-the-whole-thing-45500.aspx RESEARCH METHODS (BASED ON SAUNDERS ET AL. (2016) By Name Name of Class Professor University City Date Research Methods (Based on Saunders et al. (2016) Researchers face many challenges while trying to gain access to organizational data. These challenges depend on whether the scholar is an internal researcher or an external researcher. Therefore, it is important to understand ways through which various researchers may overcome the challenges they face. This paper discusses research scenarios that various research may encounter while looking for data. Part One: Strategies to Gain Access Based on Given Scenarios a) An external researcher seeking direct access to managers who will be the research participants: The external researcher will need to ensure that he or she is familiar with the organization. Besides, Saunders, Thornhill, and Lewis (2016, 229) note that external researchers may use suitable language and facilitate replies to gain access to managers as participants. Therefore, an external researcher will have to familiarize with the organization and use appropriate language as well as facilitate replies to access organizational managers as participants. b) An external researcher seeking access through an organizational gatekeeper/broker to their intended participants or respondents: The researcher may consider developing access incrementally, establishing credibility, and overcoming organizational concerns to gain access to organizational gatekeepers. Besides, it would be appropriate for the researcher to provide a clear account of purpose (Saunders et al., 2016, 229). Therefore, external researchers have huge responsibilities while seeking access to organizational gatekeepers. c) An internal researcher planning to undertake a research project within their employing organization: An internal researcher may use existing contacts to gain access to information within an organization. Besides, the researcher may find it necessary to establish credibility when dealing with unfamiliar individuals (Saunders et al., 2016, 271). Luckily, internal researchers have a significant advantage over external researchers due to prior knowledge and familiarity with the organization. What Strategy I Will Need I will need to employ a variety of strategies to gain access in my research. Since I will be investigating whether alpha exists for either active or passive management, my research will be carried out externally. Therefore, I will need to use suitable language, overcome organizational concerns, provide a clear account of the purpose of the research, and develop new contacts while seeking access to organizational information. Part Two: Strategies for Collecting Primary and Secondary Data Various techniques can be employed to collect primary and secondary data. The main techniques for collecting primary data include observation, administration of questionnaires, and group interviews. On the other hand, 2019-05-16T02:15:32.97-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/RESEARCH-METHODS-BASED-ON-SAUNDERS-ET-AL_-2016-45486.aspx Green Marketing Name Institution Green Marketing Introduction Green marketing is the process of selling products and services that are deemed environmentally friendly. The strategy takes into account various consumer concerns of environmental conservation. It involves highlighting the unique aspects of the company’s products and services that support the preservation of the natural environment (Paillé, Chen, Boiral & Jin, 2014). The products may be environmental friendly in their nature or may be produced in a way that is environmentally friendly (Brindley & Oxborrow, 2014). It includes products that; • Are generated in a sustainable way • Do not contain deadly components such as greenhouse gasses • Can be recycled or mass-produced from other recycled materials • Are produced from renewable resources • Are packaged using low quantity of material • Can be refurbished rather than being thrown away A number issues have caused organizations in various sectors to integrate environmental ethics into their practices. The central issue includes the increasing awareness among consumers of the degradation of the natural environment, which has some detrimental impacts (Brindley & Oxborrow, 2014). The awareness of environmental problems has impacted customers significantly, and it is reflected in their choice of products and services. Companies have responded to this awareness through green consumerism and novel marketing approaches to adhere to changes in consumer preferences. Green marketing enhances the brand image of a business and secures its market share among the increasing number of consumers who are concerned about the protection of the natural environment. Characteristics of Green Marketing Green marketing focuses on environmental friendliness, sustainability, and social responsibility. As stated previously, it involves commercialization of products that are believed to support environmental conservation. It makes sure that the interests of both the consumers and the company are protected through mutual benefit (Polonsky, 2015). Green marketing ensures that the natural environment is protected through reduction of the detrimental impacts the production and consumption of goods and services have on the natural environment. As stated by Brindley and Oxborrow (2014) “the use of goods and services by humans is by nature damaging to the natural environment.” Thus, through green marketing, the key goal of businesses is to reduce the detrimental effects but not to completely eradicate them. The Use of Sustainable Materials The production of different products involves the use of various materials and consumption of energy. Every company has the potential to take part in green improvement and marketing. The constant use of non-renewable materials in the production of goods hinders the goal of environmental protection, 2017-04-22T09:51:45.69-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Green-Marketing-45312.aspx PepsiCo Sustainable Strategies Name Instructor Institution Course Date PepsiCo Sustainable Strategies According to Rosenberg (2015), the concept of sustainable development is a well-acknowledged business principle. Amid the intensifying consciousness of the potential impressions of organizations on the environment, companies of all types and sizes have begun instigating environmental sustainability initiatives into their structural frameworks. As such, firms seeking sustainability have introduced programs that are bent on mitigating the adverse effects of their business processes on the environment. PepsiCo is one of the enterprises that have sustainable management practices that enable its executives to effectively drive a sustainable culture. Undoubtedly, PepsiCo cultivates sustainability right from its employee culture. PepsiCo is using its human resource department as a tool to integrate the concept of sustainability into the firm’s culture (PEPSICO, 2015). The establishment inspires sustainability from the procedures of hiring employees, training them, and providing employee welfare packages. PepsiCo hires only qualified candidates, who are then trained on sustainable business practices (PEPSICO, 2015). This creates a sense of belonging, which is further cemented by the presence of an employee welfare package. As a result, PepsiCo’s employees are always motivated to work harder; mirrored in the high quality of the company’s products. In addition to a sustainable employee culture, PepsiCo also engages in ecological manufacturing practices like (but not limited to): diverting its waste from landfills, reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and organic packaging. Additionally, PepsiCo’s executives efficaciously drive a sustainable culture by the reduction of water usage per unit of beverage production, climate protection, empowering women, and sustainable farming initiatives (SFIs) (PEPSICO, 2015). In this regard, PepsiCo can be referred to as a “sustainable company” because it engages in organizational practices that are characteristic of an ecologically conscious company. Above and beyond the sustainable management initiatives that PepsiCo has in play, there are other feasible strategies it can successfully employ. It is important to take note of the fact that PepsiCo is majorly engaged in a sustainable “resource management” type of strategy because its good manufacturing practices (GMPs) are aimed at saving natural resources like water, food (SFIs), and energy. Nonetheless, PepsiCo can also engage in sustainable stakeholder management as a strategy. Using this management approach, PepsiCo can review the feasible option of adding value 2016-09-26T23:19:37.79-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/PepsiCo-Sustainable-Strategies-35229.aspx Effects of Music on Video Production Music has been part of man since time immemorial. Music has many impacts on human nature and defines man in different ways. Movies and music have been working together for a long time and the latter plays a significant role in filmmaking. It has prominently featured in movies because it affects our emotions; it can make one cry, laugh or can even scare. Scientific findings show that music affects the auditory cortex which handles sound in the brain and the emotion center (Boltz 116). Therefore, music improves memory and accelerates brain function and in return, helps the audience to memorize the film for a long time. It also enables the audience to absorb more from the movie. The research conducted from the drama “The Memory Dealer,” shows that music in the film has so many effects. The study showed that music played a fantastic role in enabling the subjects to be absorbed into the action movie. It also indicated that the music helped the actors to become more confident and therefore, making them hold on to a certain amount of self-reflection and get engaged fully into the action by understanding their roles. The music helped create a particular atmosphere that made the actors move quickly and understand who they were in the movie. It is believed that music works upon our unconscious mind and therefore, the listener does not need to understand the meaning of the music, but rather, pay attention to how the music makes them feel. The music helps one create their thoughts; evoke memories, and feelings while watching the movie. Music helps us get involved with the movie and affects our behavior and our moral attitudes while watching the film. It also helps us reflect on the actions in the movie from our sitting comfort or even in our sleep. The interrelation between the visual and auditory aspects of the movie makes it fascinating and adds heightened realism. The aspect of music in advertisements to influence the customer’s feeling and association with the product is likened to how music in movies, 2016-09-22T11:50:02.903-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-Effects-of-Music-on-Video-Production-35227.aspx Virginia Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a highly effective and comprehensive system of standing and ground defense techniques utilizing rules of leverage. Many real life examples show most street attacks will end up on the ground. This makes BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) an ideal martial art for theses situations which demand simple and effective responses. Individuals will be able to train realistically in a safe environment. Notwithstanding it’s selfdefense potential, BJJ offers a tremendous workout emphasizing aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, making it an enjoyable workout for women, men, and children regardless of athletic ability. The greatest advantage Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers is the ability for a smaller person to learn principles of leverage that will assist them in defending against or defeating a larger opponent. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques were refined and innovated by the late Grand Master Helio Gracie who weighed no more that 145 pounds. Master Gracie focused on using only techniques that involved the use of very little strength but emphasized leveraging and positioning the body to defend attacks and control a harmful situation. We are proud and most fortunate to have Master Pedro Sauer, a red-black belt directly under Helio and Rickson Gracie as the main instructor for our Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program. Master Sauer was voted the “Best of the Best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructor” in a worldwide poll. Adult and Children’s classes are offered. Muay Thai Boxing Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand. Muay Thai is a style of kick boxing where participants fight in the ring using their fists, feet, elbows and knees in a style that has become world renowned for its simplicity and effectiveness. The term “kickboxing” originally referred to a sport which paired International Rules Boxing with Kicks allowed above the waist. Over the last 30 years, the term “Kickboxing” has now come to encompass all manner of full contact striking sports, including Shoot fighting, San Shou, San Da, Savate, and Muay Thai. Muay Thai is, in fact, considered the original sport of Kickboxing, having adapted international-style rules to compete in a boxing ring during the late 1920’s and 1930’s. The Muay Thai program offered at Pedro Sauer Total Self-Defense Academy is based upon the teachings and philosophy of Ajam Chai Sirisute, the founder and President of the Muay Thai Boxing Association of the United States. The programs offered are taught by Khru Bryan Mossey. Khru Mossey has studied Western Boxing, Filipino Panatukan Boxing, and Thai Boxing for a combined 27 years. Khru Mossey is a certified instructor under Ajam Chai Sirsute and continues to support Thai boxing Association worldwide. Krav Maga Krav Maga is the official hand to hand combat system of the Israeli Defense 2015-11-05T05:53:35.63-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Virginia-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu-35147.aspx How To Grind Like Diddy Learn How To Sell Anything Anthony Frasier, James Lopez Built On Wax, Inc. New York, NY How To Grind Like Diddy Copyright © 2013 by Built On Wax, Inc.. This book was produced using PressBooks.com, and PDF rendering was done by PrinceXML. Dedicated to anyone trying to be filthy rich with a clean heart. Contents Disclaimer vi Introduction 1 The Experience 4 The Legacy 7 The Quality 10 Make Everything Big 12 Gratitude 16 Inspire 20 Laws Of Success aka Diddyisms 24 About the Publisher 28 v Disclaimer Anthony Frasier, James Lopez, and Built On Wax, Inc. are in no way affiliated with Sean “Diddy” Combs or his entities. This is not a parody, it is a work inspired by one of our favorite people in the world and our own research. Email: Hello@ThePhatStartup.com Twitter: @thephatstartup vi - How To Grind Like Diddy vi Introduction Sean Combs aka Diddy was everything kids from any innercity neighborhood wanted to be: successful, having fun, driving the latest whips, and making hit records. Knowing how he became who he is today takes more than what you see on the outside. We had to dig in and see what else was making the gears turn. We always admired Diddy and the way he handled his business. Today he is the richest man in the Hip Hop entertainment industry with an estimated net worth of $550 million. A big part of his success is his ability to make himself a brand. Diddy has mastered the art of selling and can virtually place himself next to any product. We all have heard the popular quote “be true to yourself” when it comes to success. Diddy is one of the figures that provided many the visuals to what that quote means. Diddy is the same person wherever he goes. That may not play so well as he attempts his acting career, but in business it is his strongest asset. On reality shows, hosting gigs, behind the scenes clips, studio footage, interviews, marathon tracks, commercials and more. He never breaks out of a fictional character because it is real, he is being true to himself. So how do you hustle like Diddy? That’s what this guide is all about. We wanted to explore how Diddy sells, then apply those lessons to our business. They say to be great, study greatness. We put together this short, straight to the point fluff free guide so you can grind and sell like Diddy. 1 Who is this guide for? This guide is for anyone looking for a beginners guide to selling. We wanted to create something Hip Hop lovers could relate to and bring a fresh perspective on how to be a great salesman. We intend for this 2013-03-28T00:13:41.643-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Advertising-and-Marketing-like-Diddy-34839.aspx 1. Location based digital marketing- Also called proximity marketing has been one of the huge trends in Digi-marketing in 2010. Foursquare, Gowalla. Facebook places, twitter locations are few of the major examples. And then there is Google latitude. “Social location-based marketing is where social media tools give users the option of sharing their location, and hence give businesses the opportunity to use proximity or location-based marketing to deliver targeted offers and messages to consumers and collect data about their preferences and behaviour.”- says Dave Chaffey 2. Videos- It’s the trend you can’t afford to ignore: by 2014, it is estimated that 90% of all Internet traffic will be video. And that means marketers and communicators will need to stop producing ad-hoc videos and get a strategy together for maximum impact and maximum cost-effectiveness. It’s no longer about one or two videos a year – you’ll need to be creating many more! Invest half a day and get a valuable overview of what the video marketing trend means for companies like your own. 3. Gamification: it is the use of game design technique like rewarding points to people who share experiences on location-based platforms such as Face book's "Place" feature, Foursquare, and Gowalla. Some of the techniques include achievement badges, achievement levels, challenge between users etc. It is interesting to see users indulging themselves in Gamification. 4. Security and privacy Customer privacy and security is one of the top issues that marketers and business owners should give special attention to. No matter what kind of business you are, keeping customers informed of how you manage and handle their personal information is essential to their trust with your brand. If you are able to provide them with superior knowledge and control of their data, they will in turn trust in your business more. 5. Influence Marketing- We are talking about a new kind of celebrity, ever heard of “influence” score to web users? Ever seen the top influencers list at the page? That is what we are talking about here. It is the specific community experts who are the true celebrities today. They influence the consumer’s decision like anything. Expect companies in 2012 to focus marketing on those customers most likely to be influencers or brand ambassadors. With all the emerging marketing strategies, Digi-marketing has proved 2012-11-07T03:31:38.027-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/digital-marketing-trends-34736.aspx The game was released in 2004 in the hands of developers XXV Productions - a company that merged with a number of darkling creation studio. In 2009 it is an improved version of Cut the director of various cosmetic changes to the site - added an interview 2012-07-25T03:18:25.437-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Swtor-comes-in-four-dimensions-of-time-34605.aspx In the UK, the average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 52. In this article: What is the menopause? Diagnosis Advice & Support Symptoms Treatment Causes How Chemist Online can help What is the menopause? A natural part of the ageing process, the menopause is a phase which indicates the end of your reproductive years. Think of it as your last menstrual period, where your periods gradually become less frequent until they stop altogether. If you reach the menopause stage before the age of 45, this is known as early menopause. However, this is relatively uncommon. Symptoms Symptoms of the menopause include: Periods becoming less frequent until complete cessation of them Changes to the vagina and genital skin, where these areas become drier and thinner Aches and pains in joints Hot flushes Sweats Headaches Weight gain Disturbed sleep Reduced libido Irritability Depression Anxiety Also, during or as a result of the menopause, many women develop depressive illness, as well as the aforementioned mood disorders. Please see contact details for the Depression Alliance at the Advice & Support section at the foot of this article. Causes As we have seen, the menopause is a natural stage in the ageing process. However, some things can cause an early menopause, such as: Having a genetic predisposition (i.e. there is a history of early menopause in your family – the propensity to you having an early menopause is passed down from a previous generation, therefore) Surgery to the ovaries (note: with age, your ovaries produce less oestrogen and stop producing eggs. Early menopause can occur as a result of your ovaries having been removed for some reason) Radiotherapy or chemotherapy – as part of treatment for cancer (particularly if the radiotherapy has been used in the pelvic area) Hysterectomy – removal of the uterus Diagnosis Most women are able to ‘self-diagnose’ there menopause by being aware of their symptoms and what this indicates as they reach their early 50s. However, if you would prefer a confirmed diagnosis (or suspect that you may be going through an early menopause), make an appointment with your GP. After taking your medical history, he or she will ask you about your symptoms, and may carry out some hormone blood tests to establish whether your menopause is early or whether you are going through the menopause as a natural stage of the ageing process. Treatment As you reach the menopause, one treatment option is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). This actively boosts hormone levels (i.e. the hormones that are reduced as a result of the onset of the 2012-05-14T09:52:05.86-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Menopause-34563.aspx Glandular fever is most common in adolescents and young adults. In this article: What is glandular fever? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment How Chemist Online can help Advice & Support What is glandular fever? Glandular fever is a viral infection. Although it is not a particularly serious condition, glandular fever can be difficult to accurately diagnose due its symptoms being extremely similar to several other fever-like health conditions. If you become infected with glandular fever it is rare that you will suffer a second bout of the illness in your lifetime. This is because your body’s immune system will have developed antibodies which will protect you from becoming re-infected. The virus that causes glandular fever is called the Epstein-Barr virus. Although the symptoms of glandular fever can make you feel rather unwell, it is a self-limiting illness. This means that the symptoms ease and clear up altogether after about a week. Symptoms Symptoms of glandular fever include: Swollen lymph nodes in the neck Sore throat Headache Muscular and skeletal aches and pains Fever Tiredness (this can sometimes be overwhelming fatigue) Weight-loss (due to a lack of appetite) Puffy eyes Other associated symptoms which sometimes occur include a widespread rash over the body, jaundice and depressive illness (please see contact details for the Depression Alliance in the Advice & Support section at the foot of this article). Causes Glandular fever is usually passed on from one person to another through close contact, such as kissing (the virus is passed on through saliva), or through the sharing of things such as cups, glasses and/or food containers that have been used first by an infected person, then by others. The Epstein-Barr virus is highly contagious and it is not uncommon for an entire family to develop glandular fever after a family gathering, such as a birthday party, wedding or christening where relatives greet each other and part by kissing. It only takes one person infected with the Epstein-Barr virus to be in amongst the group for the virus to spread. This is why, if you do have glandular fever, it is best to avoid all close contact with others unless your symptoms have completely cleared up. Diagnosis If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms and think that you may be suffering from glandular fever, arrange an appointment with your GP. After taking your medical history, asking you some questions about your symptoms, and then carrying out a short examination of your neck to feel for swollen glands, you will then be asked to have a blood test. The purpose 2012-04-18T07:04:21.587-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Glandular-Fever-34540.aspx Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that affects over half a million people in the UK. In this article: What is Alzheimer’s disease? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Advice & Support What is Alzheimer’s disease? If you are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease it means that you are experiencing the gradual loss of your cognitive abilities. You will find that your memory becomes poorer as the condition progresses. Your ability to reason and make sense of things will not be as good as it used to be. As yet, and despite in-depth research worldwide, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Also, it is a chronic (long-lasting) condition where symptoms gradually become more severe as the years pass. Symptoms Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include: Memory loss Confusion Difficulty in saying the right words Loss of interest in activities you would normally enjoy Difficulty concentrating Difficulty recognising people and places that used to be familiar to you Frustration Mood swings Depression Anxiety Causes Although the precise cause of Alzheimer’s disease is still unknown, it is thought that for many sufferers the onset of the condition is simply part of the ageing process. Also, for some people, genetic factors may play a part in them developing the disease. That is, they may have genetic predisposition to having Alzheimer’s disease because it is already in the family and has been passed down from a previous generation. In fact, almost 50 per cent of people with Alzheimer’s disease have a relative with the condition. Other causes of Alzheimer’s disease may include: Head injuries (which may have resulted in some kind of damage or disturbance to the brain) High blood pressure High cholesterol levels Diagnosis There is no basic diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s disease. Also, establishing a confirmed diagnosis is often made difficult due to many of the symptoms and associated symptoms being similar to those which can occur as a result of the development of other conditions, such as brain tumour and thyroid problems. If you think you may be suffering from the Alzheimer’s disease, arrange to see your GP. After taking your medical history and asking you some questions about your symptoms (and how often they occur) your GP will make a decision on whether to arrange a referral appointment for you with a specialist. Specialists in Alzheimer’s generally use diagnostic tests such as memory tests and/or a brain scan when attempting to confirm diagnosis. Treatment Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, some medications are prescribed to help delay the condition’s development. These may be prescribed by your GP, and include: Memantine Donepezil, and 2012-03-21T11:44:08.74-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Alzheimer’s-disease-34518.aspx Most small or superficial burns can be treated at home. In this article: What are different types of burns? When to go to your GP Symptoms When to go to hospital (A&E) Common causes How Chemist Online can help Treating burns at home (what to do) Advice & Support What are different types of burns? Burns can generally be categorised into three types: Small burns (or superficial burns or scalds, where only the top layer of the skin is affected) – these are usually caused by small incidents such as a spilt hot drink, or kettle steam, and can be treated with basic first aid at home Partial thickness burns – more severe than small burns because the damage is deeper and blistering tends to occur in tandem with the loss of skin and the redness and pain in the affected area Full thickness burns – this is where the entire thickness of the skin is affected to the point that the skin becomes blackened (these types of severe ‘charring’ burns as also known as ‘third degree burns’ and can leave considerable scarring) Symptoms Symptoms of burns include: discoloured skin peeled skin blistered skin pain around the affected area (ranging from mild to severe) swelling charred skin damage to muscle, bone and body tissue Other symptoms which can occur as a result of sustaining burns can include: shock, increased heart rate, headache, fever and faintness. Common causes Common causes of burns include: Hot water and/or steam (e.g., baths where the water is at a scalding temperature, accidentally knocked over cups of tea…) Cooking fluids Contact with fire The skin touching extremely hot surfaces, such as an open oven door scalding the backs of a child’s legs, or a metallic burns sustained from absentmindedly sitting upon a car bonnet on a boiling hot day… Accidents with inflammable liquids and gases – usually sustained in the workplace Chemical burns – also usually sustained in the workplace Electrical burns (also known as electricity burns) – these can be sustained at home or in the workplace Laser burns (e.g., where an operation that involves laser surgery may go wrong for some reason) Sunburns Note: The severity of a person’s pain from a burn may not necessarily correspond with the severity or classification of the burn itself. In fact, some small burns can be significantly more painful than a partial thickness burn. Treating burns at home (what to do) What to do: Immediately use cool (but not very cold) water to cool the burnt area. Keep the affected area under this stream of tepid water for not less than twenty minutes, even 2012-03-20T10:22:32.433-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Burns-34517.aspx Meningitis is a serious condition for which immediate medical attention must be sought. In this article: What is meningitis? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Effect on your life Treatment How Chemist Online can help Advice & Support What is meningitis? When the lining that covers the brain and spinal chord becomes inflamed, meningitis is diagnosed, the cause usually being established as being a viral or bacterial infection. Meningitis is a serious condition (particularly in children). The difficulty with spotting meningitis is that the symptoms can be very similar to those associated with cold or flu. However, if your baby has a bulge in his or her fontanelle (the soft area at the top of the head) then this can be a strong indication of meningitis and you should seek immediate medical assistance. Symptoms As well as the aforementioned symptoms/indicators, other symptoms of meningitis in babies and small children can include: Shrill crying Unusual moaning Refusal of food Lethargy Fever and chills Rejection of adults when being held or handled Fast breathing patterns Irritability An unnatural stiffness of body or an unusual floppiness Sleepiness which is a deeper sleep than normal, making the infant more difficult than usual to wake up Cold hands and feet Pain in the hands, legs and feet Blue lips Pale complexion Causes Babies and small children are much more susceptible to being infected with viruses and bacteria (than adults) due to their immune systems not being as strong or as fully developed yet. That said, the exact cause of why the particular meningitis virus and bacteria affects infants is as yet unknown. (Note: In adults, the infection/bacteria is spread through coughing, sneezing, and sharing personal possessions such as toothbrushes and/or gargle cups in the bathroom.) Diagnosis If your child is suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, seek immediate medical help. Do not wait for an appointment with your GP to become available, go immediately to the A&E department of your local (or nearest) hospital. Awaiting the results of diagnostic tests can take several hours, so it is important that your child is examined by trained medical professionals as soon as possible. Once a confirmed diagnosis of meningitis has been established, an appropriate treatment will be recommended for your child. Effect on your life Obviously, it can be extremely upsetting and worrying for any parent to receive a confirmed diagnosis of meningitis in their child. And also to witness their child struggling to cope with the symptoms of meningitis can also be hugely upsetting. The good news is that most cases of meningitis pass with appropriate treatment and leave no lasting affect. 2012-03-19T11:56:01.19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Meningitis-in-babies-and-small-children-34515.aspx Guillain Barré syndrome can be a fatal condition as the muscles which control breathing can be affected. In this article: What is Guillain Barré syndrome? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment How Chemist Online can help Advice & Support What is Guillain Barré syndrome? Guillain Barré syndrome is a disease of the body’s nervous system (where the affected nerves of the limbs cause muscle weakness to develop). Guillain Barré syndrome can affect people of any age. It is more common in women. Symptoms Symptoms of Guillain Barré syndrome include: Progressive muscle weakness in the arms and legs Paralysis in the legs (not in all cases, but often) Tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes Difficulty swallowing Breathing problems (a feeling of restricted breathing and/or breathlessness) Blood pressure problems Digestive problems Lack of sweating Vision problems Note: Some people who develop Guillain Barré syndrome also develop deep vein thrombosis, due to becoming immobile. Causes Despite worldwide medical research, as yet the exact cause of Guillain Barré syndrome is unknown. However, analysis of patients has brought to light that the vast majority of sufferers who develop Guillain Barré syndrome do so after having a viral or bacterial infection which has then triggered an autoimmune reaction (where the body attacks itself). Diagnosis If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms (particularly a tingling sensation or numbness in the fingers and toes, and progressive muscle weakness in the arms and legs) then arrange an appointment with your GP. Your medical history will be taken, and you will be asked some questions about your symptoms. A confirmed diagnosis of Guillain Barré syndrome is usually confirmed after a lumbar puncture and electrodiagnostic tests (where electrical activity in the brain is analysed). After confirmed diagnosis, an appropriate course of treatment will be recommended to you. Treatment After confirmed diagnosis, your GP will send you to hospital for the following treatment(s): Immunoglobulin infusion – these injections accelerate recovery through the clearing of abnormal antibodies in your blood Blood plasma exchange therapy (for a fresh supply of plasma). The official name of this therapy is plasmapheresis. Physiotherapy – to relieve discomfort and improve mobility Prescribed medication for nerve-related pain relief How Chemist Online can help Through this website we have a range of treatments available to buy which can help promote better blood circulation. www.chemistonline.co.uk Advice & Support Guillain Barré Syndrome Support Group Tel: 0800 374 803 Website: www.gbs.org.uk The Circulation Foundation Tel: 020 7304 4779 Website: www.circulationfoundation.org.uk Lifeblood – The Thrombosis Charity Tel: 020 633 9937 Website: www.thrombosis-charity.org.uk This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made 2012-03-16T10:10:47.723-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Guillain-Barré-Syndrome-34513.aspx Tooth decay generally develops as a result of a bacterial infection of your teeth. This is usually caused by poor oral hygiene. In this article: What is tooth decay? Diagnosis Advice & Support Symptoms Treatment Causes How Chemist Online can help What is tooth decay? Tooth decay is common throughout the UK with over half the population developing the condition at some point in their lives. People of all ages can suffer from tooth decay, with signs of childhood decay being evident as people visit their dentist in adulthood. With the increasing popularity of fizzy drinks and other sugar-based products among Britain’s youth, it is perhaps not surprising that the vast majority of tooth decay sufferers are children or teenagers. Symptoms Symptoms of tooth decay include: Toothache Tooth sensitivity that makes you wince whenever you eat or drink something cold or hot Holes and crevices in your teeth Discoloured teeth, where tiny spots have developed as a result of the decay Tooth abscesses Mouth infection Gum pain Jaw ache A build up of plaque or tartar around the upper and lower teeth bad breath (halitosis) Causes Causes of tooth decay can include: Poor oral hygiene Smoking A high carbohydrate diet Eating too many sweet things Drinking too many fizzy drinks Passive smoking (the involuntary inhalation of smoke, when tobacco smoke permeates your environment) – this is often a cause of tooth decay in children and teenagers Abnormally low production of saliva (usually due to taking prescribed medications) GORD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) Diagnosis A confirmed diagnosis of tooth decay will be made by your dentist through a physical examination of your mouth. Treatment Treatments for tooth decay can include: Good oral hygiene advice with an emphasis on regular brushing of teeth with fluoride toothpaste, mouthwashing as part of your everyday routine, and flossing – to prevent a build-up of tartar and plaque and to flush out any trapped tiny morsels of food around your teeth and gums Special fluoride treatments, such as: gels, foam or liquid solutions – to clean up the affected area(s) Reparation of the damaged teeth through fillings and crowns Root canal treatment – now a relatively painless procedure for getting to the core area of the tooth decay and replacing the pulp there with an artificial option Tooth extraction – surgical removal of the offending tooth or teeth, and then the replacement of these with artificial implants How Chemist Online can help Through this website we have a range of dental care products available to buy, such as Sensodyne ProNamel Daily Toothpaste which is specially formulated for people with sensitive teeth to help protect against acid wear 2012-03-15T08:55:41.607-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Tooth-Decay-34509.aspx Botulism is a paralytic illness. It is serious but rare. In this article: What is botulism? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment How Chemist Online can help Advice & Support What is botulism? Botulism causes flaccid paralysis of the muscles. There are three types of botulism: Food-borne botulism: This is botulism caused by bacteria contaminating food (i.e. food kept in cans, tins, jars and also foods preserved in oil). The contamination is usually due to a fault or improper practice in the canning or preservation process. The onset of symptoms occurs when you digest the food as your body reacts to the spores of the organism Clostridium Botulinum – the bacteria that is at the core of botulism. Wound botulism: Where the spores of the Clostridium Botulinum organism infects an open wound and then multiplies (massively reproduces within the wound and, to a certain degree, beneath the skin in the wound’s surrounding area). This can often occur to drug users injecting Class A drugs (e.g., heroin) into muscle tissue. Infant botulism: This is rare, but occurs where an infant (usually before they have reached 12 months) somehow consumes the spores of the Clostridium Botulinum bacteria/organism. Once the child reaches its first birthday, its body will then develop a defence mechanism against the spores. Symptoms Symptoms of botulism in adults include: Muscle paralysis Dry mouth and throat Droopy eyelids Headache, blurred vision and double vision Speech and breathing difficulties Weak muscles (resulting in poor grip, for example) Constipation Nausea and vomiting Abdominal pain Symptoms in botulism in children include: Constipation A flat facial expression Irritability Lethargy Floppiness Breathing problems Muscle weakness Weak sucking Feeble crying Reduced movement Swallowing problems Excessive drooling Causes The Clostridium Botulinum bacteria can be found in soil and foods, such as honey and corn. Diagnosis If you (or your baby) are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms and think that you may have developed botulism, seek immediate medical treatment. Also call 999 and ask for an ambulance if you suspect that someone you know may be suffering from botulism. At your local (or nearest) hospital: After taking your medical history, asking you some questions about your symptoms and carrying out a physical examination, you will be asked to undergo either an MRI scan or a CT scan. Based upon the results, a confirmed diagnosis will/may be made. These tests (as well as a possible spinal tap test where a sample of cerebrospinal fluid is taken from your lower back) will also help to rule out other possible health conditions, such as Guillian-Barre Syndrome, mild heart attack or stroke – all of which have similar 2012-03-14T12:01:59.533-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Botulism-34508.aspx Male infertility can have many possible underlying causes, but is most commonly caused by semen abnormalities. In this article: What is male infertility? Effect on your life Advice & Support Causes Treatment Diagnosis How Chemist Online can help What is male infertility? Male infertility is where a man is unable to produce offspring, usually as result of an inability to produce a sufficient amount of healthy sperm. The good news is that, although there are no guarantees, there are treatments that can help a number of people with male infertility. Causes The most common causes of male infertility are low sperm counts, sperm abnormalities, and recurrent impotence. However, other causes can include lifestyle issues, such as: being overweight smoking recreational drug use excessive alcohol consumption stress poor diet some herbal supplements, such as: St John’s Wort, cotton and androstenedione (a natural steroid) lack of exercise, and environmental factors, such as working for long periods with particular types of solvents and pesticides Fertility problems can also be the result of sexual problems, side-effects of medication, the type(s) of contraception you and your partner were using prior to trying to conceive, and also if you have undergone a course of chemotherapy treatment (which can affect sperm counts and, in some cases, create sperm abnormalities). Diagnosis If you are a man and have been experiencing fertility problems for up to a year, then consider making an appointment with your GP. He or she will take your medical history (and social history) and ask you some questions, such as: for how long you and your partner have been trying to conceive, and if your partner is also experiencing fertility problems (due to things such as her medical history, lifestyle or previous pregnancy complications). Your GP may then carry out a physical examination of your testicles and penis, to check for things such as lumps, deformities and/or structure abnormalities. You may also be asked to provide a semen sample for analysis of your sperm count, and also a Chlamydia test (a Chlamydia infection can cause swelling and tenderness in the scrotum, impacting negatively upon ejaculation and overall healthy sperm production). Effect on your life For most couples, male infertility can be extremely stressful, emotionally draining and physically taxing – putting their relationships under enormous strain. Many men find that counselling and joining a support group helps. Treatment Male infertility treatments include: Erectile dysfunction therapy Hormonal treatments for low sperm counts A procedure called Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE) where a needle is used to release trapped sperm in the testicles Assisted conception techniques, such as: donor insemination and IUI 2012-03-13T11:22:59.457-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Male-Infertility-34507.aspx ADHD is the most common behavioural disorder in the UK and tends to start at an early age. In this article: What is ADHD? Diagnosis Advice & Support Symptoms Effect on your life Causes Treatment What is ADHD? ADHD mainly affects children (3–9 per cent of school-aged children and young people in the UK) and consists of a combination of hyperactivity and an inability to concentrate on anything for more than a very short period of time. Boys are more commonly diagnosed with ADHD than girls. However, behavioural psychologists suggest that this may be because of some differences in behaviour between genders (see Symptoms section below). Symptoms The symptoms of ADHD can range from mild to severe, and include: persistent restlessness excessive impulsiveness excessive inattention being easily distracted constant fidgeting an inability to ‘wait your turn’ in situations where this is required, and a tendency to become withdrawn and ‘dreamy’ (behaviour usually displayed by girls with ADHD, rather than boys, whose overall behaviour is livelier) Other problems children with ADHD may have to cope with include: sleep disorders low self-esteem learning difficulties, and a tendency towards anxiety and depression Symptoms usually become apparent at around the age of five. Causes The exact cause of ADHD is as yet unknown. However, in-depth research consisting of clinical interviews, trials and observational psychological studies into ADHD have led to the following suggestions as being possible causes as to why some children develop the condition: Genetics – an inherited imbalance of neurotransmitters (chemicals that transmit nerve signals to the brain). Usually a parent or a close relative also has the condition. Diet – some food additives can aggravate hyperactive behaviour (these can be found in foods like ice cream and confectionery). Antenatal and Obstetric problems – premature babies and babies with a low birth weight can be prone to developing ADHD, as can babies of mothers who smoke, drink alcohol and use recreational drugs during pregnancy. Severe deprivation – where maternal deprivation occurs in the child’s early ‘mother–infant’ attachment stage. Diagnosis If your child is displaying the aforementioned symptoms and you suspect that they may have ADHD then make an appointment with your GP to confirm an accurate diagnosis. (Please note: it may be that your child’s school will first raise the issue regarding your child’s hyperactive behaviour and inability to concentrate.) Your GP will make a diagnostic assessment which may include: a discussion with your child a physical examination (to rule out other possible cause such as thyroid problems) memory tests, and problem-solving skills If your GP diagnoses ADHD, your child will be referred to a specialist who will be able 2012-02-29T09:18:26.8-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder-ADHD-in-Children-34496.aspx Cushing’s syndrome is named after Dr Cushing, an American physician who first described the disease in 1932. In this article: What is Cushing’s syndrome? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment How Chemist Online can help Advice & Support What is Cushing’s syndrome? Cushing’s syndrome is essentially a group of changes to the body caused by a hormone disorder – your body producing excessive amounts of Cortisol. About cortisol: Cortisol is a vital hormone in the human body. It is made by the adrenal glands. You have two adrenal glands. They are positioned above each of your kidneys. The reason cortisol must remain at an appropriate level is because it helps to regulate your blood pressure, blood sugar level, and immune system. Also, a sufficient level of cortisol in your bloodstream can help to guard against Stress. Symptoms Many people with Cushing’s syndrome develop a ‘hump’ between their shoulders – something they can feel self-conscious of. The increased deposits of fat in this area of the body are caused by cortisol being redistributed there. Through the redistribution, a hump-like mound develops. Other symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome include: Rapid weight-gain and fat deposits to the face (which also becomes rounded and reddened), stomach and chest Fat deposits on the back of the neck Skin changes (spots, stretch marks, changes in skin colour…) Excessive facial and body hair (women are particularly affected by this) Fluid retention in the legs Excessive sweating The arms and legs being noticeably disproportionate in size (i.e. smaller than normal) to the rest of your body Being easily bruised Weakened bones and muscles Interruption to menstrual periods Diminished libido Erectile dysfunction in men Fatigue Associated symptoms include: Mood disorders, such as: anxiety, irritability and panic attacks High blood pressure High blood glucose Baldness in women (in rare cases) Headaches and migraines Raging thirst An increased need to urinate (this can be mild or an urgent need, depending upon the severity of your condition) Causes As we have seen, Cushing’s syndrome is caused by excessive amounts of the cortisol hormone. Your metabolism is affected by this excess, resulting in the onset of the aforementioned symptoms. Most cases of Cushing’s syndrome develop as a result of taking long-term medical steroids. Also, people with rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions can develop Cushing’s syndrome. In many cases, Cushing’s syndrome can occur naturally, due to their being a small, cancerous tumour in the pituitary gland (this lies just below the brain). Diagnosis If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, make an appointment to see your GP. After taking your medical history and asking you some questions about your symptoms, you will 2012-02-27T11:17:49.65-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cushing’s-Syndrome-34495.aspx Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK. In this article: What is prostate cancer? Causes Treatments Symptoms Diagnosis Advice & Support What is prostate cancer? Prostate cancer usually develops in older men. The prostate gland (which only men have) lies just beneath the bladder. It is approximately the size of a chestnut and its primary function is to produce fluid which enriches and protects sperm, and also helps with the carriage of sperm out of the penis during ejaculation. Cancer is a disease where abnormal cells in the body begin to grow, divide and reproduce in an uncontrollable way. These abnormal cells then invade and destroy healthy tissue, including organs and glands. Prostate cancer develops when some of the cells in your prostate gland start to grow out of control in this way, invading and destroying healthy cells. Symptoms Symptoms of prostate cancer include: Occasionally passing of blood when urinating Painful and problematic urinating Pain and stiffness in your lower back, thigh bones and hips Pain at the base of the penis Painful orgasms Tiredness and loss of appetite Most, if not all, of these symptoms are common among older men. However, if you are experiencing these symptoms, please arrange an appointment with your GP. Causes As with other cancers, the exact reason as to why prostate cancer develops is unknown. However, risk factors may include things like: a poor diet (that is high in fat and low in fruit and vegetables), ageing, genetics, and also your ethnic group (prostate cancer is most common in African-Caribbean men). Diagnosis If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, then it is important to arrange an appointment with your GP as soon as possible. He or she will carry out two simple tests that can help diagnose prostate cancer: A PSA test – a blood test to measure levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood A Digital Rectal Examination to check your prostate’s size and shape and whether any lumps can be detected Note: PSA is a protein produced exclusively by your prostate gland. If your PSA level rises, this may be an indication of prostate cancer, and your GP may wish to refer you to an urologist for further tests. Treatments Treatment options for prostate cancer include: Hormone therapy – where the prostate is ‘starved’ of testosterone in order to try to slow down the spread of cancerous cells from your prostate Surgery – where the prostate is removed Brachytherapy – where radioactive seeds are implanted in the prostate www.chemistonline.co.uk Advice & Support The Prostate Cancer 2012-02-13T11:57:45.743-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Prostate-Cancer-34475.aspx Cervical dystonia is thought to be a neurological condition. In this article: What is cervical dystonia? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Effect on your life Treatment How Chemist Online can help Advice & Support What is cervical dystonia? Cervical dystonia is a condition which affects the behaviour of the neck muscles. It is the most common form of dystonia and affects over 35,000 people in the UK. Symptoms The main symptoms of cervical dystonia are neck muscle contractions and spasms. This can lead to your head and neck: twisting shaking, and being pulled backward, forward and/or side-to-side in an involuntary fashion An associated symptom of cervical dystonia is neck pain. Note: Some people with cervical dystonia develop depressive illness as a result of struggling to cope/come to terms with their condition, and also after surgery (if their condition is particularly severe and all other treatments proves unsuccessful, brain surgery may be recommended as a final option). Please see contact details for the Depression Alliance in the Advice & Support section at the foot of this article. Causes The involuntary and sustained muscle contractions and spasms which characterise cervical dystonia are thought to be caused by a problem with the sending of signals to muscles from the brain (the area of the brain involved in controlling movement is called the basal ganglia). The behaviour is thought to occur as a result of the following causes: A previous course of medicine An imbalance of a neurochemical called Dopamine Trauma (both neurological and psychological/emotional) Having a genetic predisposition to developing cervical dystonia. That is, you have a family history of it and the propensity to developing it is passed down. This is thought to occur only in rare cases. Note: Cervical dystonia can often result from an underling health problem, such as: a brain injury, stroke or having tuberculosis. Diagnosis If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, make an appointment to see your GP. After taking your medical history and asking you some questions about your symptoms, you will then be asked to have a urine or blood test (to check for the presence of toxins). You may also be referred to your local hospital for an MRI scan – to check for evidence of a stroke. Where these tests prove inconclusive, you will be referred to a neurologist specialising in movement disorders. Effect on your life Many people with cervical dystonia feel self-conscious and also embarrassed about their symptoms when in the company of others. This is because the abnormal movements the muscle contractions and spasms cause. Treatment Despite worldwide medical 2012-02-08T08:01:20.977-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dystonia-Cervical-34468.aspx Insomnia (poor sleep) affects about 1 in 5 people in the UK. In this article: What is insomnia? Diagnosis How Chemist Online can help Symptoms Effect on your life Advice & Support Causes Treatment What is insomnia? People with insomnia are unable to enjoy a restful night’s sleep. Due to a number of possible causes, insomnia sufferers find it extremely difficult to get off to sleep and, as a result, this can affect them during the daytime. Insomnia can be categorised into two types: Primary insomnia (where there is no obvious underlying cause), and Secondary insomnia (sleep problems due to a medical condition) Symptoms Symptoms of insomnia include: an inability to fall asleep periods of wakefulness throughout the night waking up earlier than planned in the morning, and feeling unnaturally tired upon waking Causes As well as things such as caffeine and alcohol consumption, nicotine, and medication side-effects, causes of insomnia can include: stress worry and anxiety turmoil due to relationship problems and parenting issues depression dementia illness being too hot or too cold in bed an uncomfortable bed pain & discomfort (e.g., asthma) environmental noise shift work, and jet lag Insomnia can also be caused by eating late at night. Diagnosis If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, and techniques to combat insomnia have all proved unsuccessful, then make an appointment with your GP. He or she may refer you to a psychologist trained in assessing your condition and able to recommend a range of therapeutic treatments (such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which may help. Effect on your life If you suffer from insomnia you may find that you do not function as well in the daytime as someone who benefits from a restful night’s sleep. For example, you may become irritable, find it difficult to concentrate when doing things such as reading, driving, participating in conversations and focusing upon your work. Unsurprisingly, people with insomnia often complain of feeling chronically tired during the daytime and of being in an unbreakable cycle of lost days due to sleepless nights. Treatment Treatments for insomnia can include: vitamins such as melatonin (which should only be taken with medical supervision) the amino acid L-tryptophan herbal remedies, and acupuncture Note: Sleeping tablets are not commonly prescribed for insomnia, except as a short course to help someone sleep after a period of recent trauma. Although there is no cure for insomnia as such, as well as the above treatments there are lots of things you can do to promote better sleep and overcome insomnia. For example: Reduce caffeine (not just in the hours prior to bedtime, but also throughout the day) Avoid eating a heavy meal, drinking 2012-02-07T12:11:32.843-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Insomnia-34467.aspx An episode of shingles can last for up to a month. In this article: What is shingles? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Effect on your life Treatment How Chemist Online can help Advice & Support What is shingles? Shingles can be a very painful health condition. It usually affects people over 50 years of age. If you have had chickenpox in childhood, it is possible that the chickenpox virus has ‘stayed in your system’ lying dormant for years, but has then been reactivated in later life – causing shingles to develop (please see Symptoms section below). About chickenpox: Chickenpox is a red rash which can appear on most areas of the body – after infection. It is uncommon for an adult or child to have chickenpox more than once. Once infected by the chickenpox virus – the varicella-zoster virus – a nasty rash develops which may leave scabs. As well as chickenpox, other health conditions/diseases which weaken the immune system (e.g., HIV/AIDS) can cause shingles to develop. Symptoms Symptoms of shingles include: A tingling, burning sensation to the skin – usually down one side of the body (the chest, abdomen, trunk…) A nasty, painful red rash in the form of a band (this develops after a few days and affects the aforementioned skin areas where the burning sensation has developed). Nerve pain in the face Arm and leg pains Feverish symptoms Headache A general feeling of being unwell and having aches and pains Swollen lymph nodes (these can feel tender as they become enlarged) Causes Shingles is caused by a virus called the varicella-zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox. Once your childhood episode of chickenpox has passed, the varicella-zoster virus remains in your system, ‘sitting’ in the nerve cells of your spinal chord for the rest of your life until, for some reason, your immune system becomes weakened, and shingles develops. You are at greater risk of having shingles if you are elderly, have had cancer treatment, drink alcohol excessively, smoke, or are under extreme stress for some reason (due to problems at home, or through being under constant pressure to achieve a sales target at work, for example). Diagnosis If you are suffering from the aforementioned symptoms, arrange an appointment with your GP immediately. They will take your medical history, ask you some questions about your symptoms, and then carry out a short physical examination (inspection of your rash). It is highly unlikely that any kind of test will need to be made. However, if attaining a confirmed diagnosis proves difficult, then the shingles virus 2012-02-06T10:24:16.383-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Shingles-34466.aspx Cataracts are a major cause of blindness and can be common in older people. In this article: What are cataracts? Diagnosis Advice & Support Symptoms Treatment Causes How Chemist Online can help What are cataracts? If you have a cataract you have a cloudy spot in the lens of your eye(s) which makes things appear blurred. This ‘mistiness’ in your vision can become progressively worse if you do not seek treatment (surgery) as early as possible, or if treatment proves unsuccessful – this can occur in rare cases where an operation to remove a cataract goes wrong or can not ultimately be performed for some other reason. Symptoms Symptoms of cataracts include: seeing a spot in the centre of your vision, rather than a sharp picture overall a progressive blurring of vision over time double vision abnormally reduced vision at night or in a dark environment seeing a ring of light (like a halo) around lights experiencing a stronger, almost blinding glare from both sunlight and powered lights (e.g., lamps, headlights) difficulty in distinguishing some colours from others, and the sense that colours seem faded Also, if you are suffering from cataracts you will probably find that you have to keep changing your glasses to a different prescription (i.e. more often than normal). Causes A cataract develops in the eye when the protein in the lens forms into clumps. This prevents enough light from reaching the back of the eye where the retina sits ready to form a clear picture. Blurring occurs as a result. This clumping of protein usually occurs as part of the ageing process – about a third of all sufferers are of pensionable age. However, younger people can also develop the condition. Cataracts can occur due to: being diabetic having high blood pressure having a cardiovascular disease having a genetic predisposition (i.e. cataracts are in the family and this predisposition is passed down) smoking overexposure to the sun experiencing an episode of extreme dehydration at some time in your life (this may be through a particularly severe bout of diarrhoea when travelling abroad, for example, or as a result of developing a viral infection or other condition) prolonged use of steroids Diagnosis A confirmed diagnosis of cataracts is usually made through an eye test. Treatment Cataracts are treated through a delicate but surprisingly quick surgical procedure where the cataract is removed and replaced with a new artificial lens. How Chemist Online can help Many people suffer from severe headaches after cataract surgery. Through this website we have a range of treatments available to buy which can help, such as: 2012-01-23T11:16:53.333-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cataracts-34443.aspx Line extensions are a type of branding strategy in which businesses come up with new and innovative ways to introduce new products to the world. In this strategy, owners of a particular brand decide to use their brand name to sell other products. In most cases well known brands venture off into completely different products than the ones they originally sell, or they decide to keep the product and make minimal but effective changes. This strategy serves as a means to get the community to fulfill various needs, but still have a sense of stability and trust in the brand that they are familiar with. Numerous companies embark on this branding strategy, one of which being the Coca- Cola Company. The Coca Cola Company has been around since 1890 and still continues to grow strong. Coca –Cola first appeared in bottles in 1895 and has been evolving its image ever since. The company understands that society is always changing and always in demand for new products, and they keep up with it. In the turn of the twenty-first century, it was and now continues to be all the rage to be fit and live a healthier lifestyle. The Coca-Cola Company saw this change and decided to expand its brand and create a Diet Coke that was artificially sweetened and contained no sugar, fat, or cholesterol. This beverage later led to the development of Coke Zero, one of Coca Colas biggest successes. The company makes other beverages such as sparkling waters, and even alcoholic beverage mixers. The popularity of the brand has allowed Coca Cola to be one of the most successful beverage companies in the world. People trust its name, and have no problem purchasing any product the Coca- Cola Company endorses or creates. Dove care products are another excellent example of line extension. The dove company has gone from making standard body bars, to making body bars in a variety of scents and uses. The company’s success has allowed them to venture in to a new line of skin care products. Dove now houses a variety of lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and deodorant. Although usually associated with woman products, Dove has tried to further expand their company by creating a line of male body washes and face bars. The male products that dove created were smart in the sense that they were able to appeal to an entirely new group of 2011-12-25T14:45:08.58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Line-Extensions-AKA-a-Type-of-Branding-Strategy-34405.aspx Dell Computer Corporation Strategy and Challenges You don’t ever really know whether you’ve come up with the right plan until much later—when it either works or it doesn’t. What is the right plan? It’s the one that helps you identify what you need to do to ensure success. It’s the one that rallies your employees around a few common goals—and motivates them to achieve them. It’s one that involves your customers’ goals and your suppliers’ goals and brings them altogether in a unified focus. —Michael Dell In 1984, at the age of 19, Michael Dell founded Dell Computer with a simple vision and business concept—that personal computers could be built to order and sold directly to customers. Michael Dell believed his approach to the PC business had two advantages: (1) Bypassing distributors and retail dealers eliminated the markups of resellers, and (2) building to order greatly reduced the costs and risks associated with carrying large stocks of parts, components, and finished goods. While the company sometimes struggled during its early years trying to refine its strategy, build an adequate infrastructure, and establish market credibility against better-known rivals, Dell’s build-to-order, sell-direct approach proved appealing to growing numbers of customers worldwide during the 1990s as global PC sales rose to record levels. And, as Michael Dell had envisioned, the direct-to-the-customer strategy gave the company a substantial cost and profit margin advantage over rivals that manufactured various PC models in volume and kept their distributors and retailers stocked with ample inventories. Dell Computer’s Market Position in Early 2000 Going into 2000, Dell Computer was the U.S. leader in PC sales, with nearly a 17 percent market share, about 1 percentage point ahead of second-place Compaq. Gateway was third with 8.9 percent, followed by Hewlett-Packard with 8.8 percent and IBM with 7.2 percent. Dell overtook Compaq as the U.S. sales leader in the third quarter of 1999, and it had moved ahead of IBM into second place during 1998 (see Exhibit 1). Worldwide, Dell Computer ranked second in market share (10.5 percent) behind Compaq (14.0 percent). IBM ranked third worldwide, with an 8.2 percent share, but this share was eroding. Since 1996, Dell had been gaining market share quickly in all of the world’s markets, growing at a rate more than triple the 18 percent average annual increase in global PC sales. Even though Asia’s economic woes in 1997–98 and part of 1999 dampened the 2011-11-24T05:22:35.15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Dell-Computer-Corporation-Strategy-and-Challenges-34355.aspx Assignment 1 – Theme Parks Contents 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 An Overview of the Market 3 2.1 The main players in the market 3 2.2 Recent Trends 4 2.3 Environmental Influence 6 2.4 Expenditure on marketing communications and share of voice (SOV) 7 2.5 Customers and how do they buy – Consumers and their Expenditure 9 3.0 A Comparison between two brands within the theme park market 11 3.1 Objectives 11 3.1.1 Disneyland’s Objectives 11 3.1.2 Pleasure Beach’s Objectives 11 3.2 Main Message 12 3.2.1 Disneyland’s Main Message 12 3.2.2 Pleasure Beach’s Main Message 12 3.3 The Positioning Strategy 12 3.4 Target Audience 12 3.5 How much money are they spending and how 12 3.6 Marketing Communications Tools and Media 12 3.6.1 Disneyland’s Marketing Communications 12 3.6.2 Pleasure Beach’s Marketing Communications 12 3.7 Evidence of IMC 14 4.0 Conclusion 16 5.0 Reference 18 6.0 Bibliography 19 1.0 Introduction In this report, I aim to provide an overview of the theme parks market. Using useful sources such as Keynote and Mintel, the market research will identify who the main players are in the market, recent trends, expenditure within the market, the target market of theme parks and spending trends. With this information, these should allow and help form up a PESTLE analyse on the market as well as on the main players within the market in order to make a conclusion on why the marketing communication strategy within the theme park industry is successful. 2.0 An Overview of the Market 2.1 The main players in the market In the theme parks market,their are many contenders within the industry. As the theme parks market has evoled into a multibillion industry, its entertainment factors has drawn vistors from all around the world in which many themes have generated over the years. Having looked at companies information, annual reports and other theme park resources, they have provided estimates of theme parks attendance to distinguish the main players in the market. Figure 1 (below) shows the top 10 amusement/theme park attraction chains worldwide. Fig. 1 [8] It is clear that the most visited theme park in the world in 2007 was Magic Kingdom at Orlando’s Walt Disney World and has been for the last couple of year. Coming second was Disneyland Tokyo, with an estimate of 15.1 million vistors in 2007. Having looked at the 2007 report on the attendance in amusement/theme parks, it is clear that the dominate players in the theme parks market are DisneyLand, Universal Studios and Everland. Attendance for the top 25 theme parks worldwide increased in 2007 by 0.5 percent to 187.6 million vistors. Vistors to the 20 most popular parks in Europe increased by 2.8% - 41.2 million. 2011-11-21T02:05:42.34-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-Communication-Mix-34352.aspx 1) Mountain Man Lager Mountain Man Lager, also known as “West Virginia’s Beer, is a symbol of toughness, authenticity, and uniqueness. Despite the association with taste, the Mountain Man Beer Company (MMBC) was also associated with best-in-class quality. Brand equity, followed with substantially high brand awareness and loyalty, is main factor enabling the company to survive in the face of adverse market trends and increased pressure of major national players. MMBC has strong ties with blue collar, middle to low income men over age 45. These are the core drinker for MMBC, very much loyal over the long period for perceived quality, taste, toughness and availability of the product. In fact, sole brand loyalty of MM Lager is higher than that of Budweiser or Bud Light. MMBC was wise enough to nurture&capitalize on brand equity. It is earlier efforts to get off-premise locations and effective use of grass-roots marketing and resulting m-o-w secured the company a strong enough distribution and large enough market to compete in. MM lager is sold in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio: impressive for what amounts to a regional specialty brew. In West Virginia, Mountain Man is the market leader. Their lager is rated as the best-known regional beer, and has won “best beer” awards in both West Virginia and Indiana. Mountain Man is an established, 75+-year-old brand with a loyal, if aging blue-collar clientele. I think main elements of the MMBC brand equity stems from its simplicity; a tough beer for mountain men of East Central America. It has a distinct flavor prepared with a century old recipe. It gives you the taste of interacting with previous generation. One participant says, “My dad drank MM just like my granddad did. They both felt it was as good as you can get anywhere”. As long as this guy remembers his granddad, MM Lager will remain best beer of Virginia for him. 2) Perceptual Map Map 1: Regional Beer Market Map 2: Regional Light Beer Market Full-flavor premium market segment on the other has been witnessing decrease in volume, and facing increased cost/marketing pressure from import and big pocket national companies. Latest trends in beer market have virtually eliminated second quadrant; small regional brewers (except high priced specialty beers). Economies of scale and skimming are only viable strategies. In this regard, two types of producers seem to stay profitable; very small/micro brewers and 2011-11-18T23:07:53.663-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Harvard-Case-Mountain-Man-Lager-Answers-34351.aspx 2011-11-09T06:17:31.69-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/gfh-34321.aspx Amende Dinant (fine dining) By Navirah Zafar One is constantly enchanted by the allure of M.M Alam road and the various culinary it offers to food lovers of the city. In this bewilderment of fine cuisine a délicat new restaurant by the name of “Chez’ Nur” has entered to relish the taste buds of food lovers all over Lahore. The name itself personifies the owner’s amour (love) and whole heartedness for the French fare “Chez’ Nur – at the place of Nur”. Nestled in the neighborhood of M.M Alam Road, this French bistro adamantly is doing its part to bring a little of France to this side of the city. This very restaurant is a serene spot you can't help but turn toward for its delicious specials. French Cuisiine at Chez’ Nur is a mix of fine culinary and creativity. Entering the doors of this French restaurant, one is mesmerized by the soothing tones and contemporary art work displayed. Keeping with the whole ambiance the interior does not over power the serenity created by the tone which is amidst of gold, beige, sun yellow and brown. An array of French delicacy are offered which includes soups, salads, starters, pastas, seafood, poultry, meat, mocktails, deserts, hot and cold beverages. The menu is traditional French bistro; Oignon Gratinee (a classic onion soup), Calamari Gruillade (grilled squid in a garlic, sun-dried tomato and herb butter dressing), Wild Mushroom Cappelleti (fresh pasta stuffed with mushroom, minced chicken in creamy and fresh basil pesto) and Cotes d’ Agneau la Moutard (grilled lamb chops with creamy horseradish sauce and mustard relish) are just a few to mention. Starting off with complimentary olive bread with a light garlic herb butter dip was delectable yet impeccable. I as a food enthusiast myself, was enticed by the appetizers which were unique in their presentation and taste; the Caviar Blinis and Asparagus Sauce Maltaise were light and rejuvenating. The use of crème fraiche and caviar on blinis was tantalizing and the combination of steamed asparagus with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce was eccentric .Poulet a’ la Provencale (escalopes of chicken layered with creamy potatoes with herb, tomato and olive sauce) and Steak Béarnaise (fillet of beef with classic béarnaise enriched with pepper, mint and anchovy butter) were the show stealers for the evening. The combination of creamy potatoes, herbs, tomato and olive sauce renewed the concept poultry. Beef steak with its precise dash of classic 2009-03-20T08:17:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Amende-Dinant-fine-dining-By-Navirah-Zafar-34022.aspx Wal-Mart Corporation Wal-Mart was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton when he and his brother James Walton opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas. Since then, Wal-Mart has grown to be the second largest company in the world (Wal-Mart Stores, n.d., p. 1). In the United States, the company includes Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Club warehouse membership clubs. The company also has many international operations. Wal-Mart is considered a variety store which focuses on low prices, and has been committed to upholding their basic value of customer service. Wal-Mart employs three basic beliefs which are respect for the individual, service to their customers, and striving for excellence (Hayden, 2002, p. 2). Wal-Mart’s corporate management strategy involves selling high quality and brand name products at the lowest price possible. In order to keep low prices, the company reduces costs by the use of advanced electronic technology and warehousing. It also negotiates deals for merchandise directly from manufacturers, eliminating the middleman. Wal-Mart’s new slogan is “save money, live better” (Wal-Mart Stores, n.d., p. 1). According to the company’s website, “saving money is a means of helping our customers live better. By offering the best possible prices on the products our customers need, we can help them afford a little something extra” (Wal-Mart Stores, n.d., p. 1). For each strategy that Wal-Mart promotes in flyer ads or television commercials, they measure the return on investment from these promotional strategies. If a strategy does not have a return on investment of a certain percentage in sales, those strategies are revamped or discarded. Backward expansion strategy is another key to Wal-Mart’s success. Unlike other retail stores, Wal-Mart opens their stores in a small town first before entering into metropolitan areas. “Wal-Mart spreads out like molasses from its Arkansas base by constructing new stores strategically located near distribution hubs and smaller towns, rather than leapfrogging across the nation like the other retailers” (Harper, 2004, p. 2). The driving force behind every Wal-Mart initiative is the continued growth and profitability of its operations. As Wal-Mart developed over the decades, it continually sought ways to become more efficient and for new avenues in which to pursue profitable growth. One of Wal-Mart’s competitive advantages is their remarkable logistics system. They are able to ship merchandise from any 2008-10-14T00:43:16-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Wal-Mart-Marketing--33804.aspx Harley Davidson Harley Davidson has been in business since 1903. According to the website, “four young men experimented with internal combustion in a tiny wooden shed. Not only does the shed not burn, but the motorcycle they build goes on to serve for over 100,000 miles” (Harley Davidson, n.d., 1). In 1901, William S. Harley draws a blueprint of a motor to fit a bicycle. Later, he is joined by Arthur Davidson and they build the first Harley Davidson motorcycle. Harley Davidson has excess demand for its products. Its products include motorcycles, accessories, and apparel. It is the only U.S. born motorcycle manufacture. Its website provides the internet user, or motorcycle enthusiast, with interesting, useful, and visual information on its products and services. Harley Davidson’s market niche is a wealthy or above average income individual. Many of their buyers are older adults who like to ride for relaxation. Harley Davidson uses customer surveys and motorcycle rallies to conduct their marketing research. This research has influenced Harley to start to manufacture motorcycles for women. Women riding motorcycles has increase 10% since 1987. On their website, Harley has a separate web page for women riders. On this page, topics include why women ride, learning to ride, women riders making headlines, and the history of female riders (Harley Davidson, n.d.). Harley Davidson appeals to consumers through brand identity. “The value of brands in today’s environment is phenomenal. Brands have the power of instant sales, they convey a message of confidence, quality and reliability to their target market” (Learn Marketing, n.d., 2). Everybody recognizes the bar and shield symbol of a Harley Davidson. Owning a Harley Davidson motorcycle signals American pride, and depending on what type of motorcycle the individual has it could also signal wealth. Harley Davidson’s target market can be subdivided into smaller niches. These niches include the motorcycle itself, fashion, charity runs, the Harley Davidson Owners Group (also known as H.O.G.), and social events. Harley Davidson has chosen the strategic direction of targeting a younger market. With the introduction of the V-Rod motorcycle, Harley Davidson is trying to capture the performance cruiser marketplace. “To target the younger market with the new product line, the company has adopted the following marketing objectives: to expand its current market (market expansion), diversify 2008-10-14T00:40:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Harley-Davidson-Marketing-33803.aspx McDonald's Marketing Strategy McDonald’s is the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chain. It has more than 30,000 restaurants in over 100 countries. Over one billion more customers were served in 2007 than in 2006. Although net income was down by $1.1 billion in 2007, McDonald’s sales were up 6.8%, and revenue was a record high of $23 billion. “The unique business relationship among the company, its franchisees and suppliers (collectively referred to as the System) has been key to McDonald’s success over the years. The business model enables McDonald’s to play an integral role in the communities we serve and consistently deliver relevant restaurant experiences to customers.” (McDonald's, 2008, 25). McDonald’s overall strategic plan is called Plan to Win. Their focus is not so much on being the biggest fast-food restaurant chain, rather it is more focused on being the best fast-food restaurant chain. McDonald’s “strategic alignment behind this plan has created better McDonald’s experiences through the execution of multiple initiatives surrounding the five factors of exceptional customer experiences – people, products, place, price and promotion” (McDonald's, 2008, 25). McDonald’s also incorporates geographical strategic plans. In the U.S., McDonald’s strategic plan continues to focus on breakfast, chicken, beverages and convenience. These are the core areas in the United States. McDonald’s has launched the Southern Style Chicken Biscuit for breakfast and the Southern Style Chicken Sandwich for lunch and dinner. In the beverage business, McDonald’s starting introducing new hot specialty coffee offerings on a market-by-market basis. In Europe, McDonald’s uses a tiered menu approach. This menu features premium selections, classic menu, and everyday affordable offerings. They also “complement these with new products and limited-time food promotions” (McDonald's, 26). In the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa markets, McDonald’s strategic plan is focused around convenience, breakfast, core menu extensions and value. With McDonald’s overall strategic plan and its geographical strategic plan, the company should start to see more positive financial results. McDonald’s incorporates several organizational strategies. Some of the organizational strategies consist of better restaurant operations, placing the customer first, menu variety and beverage choice, convenience and daypart expansion, and ongoing restaurant reinvestment. McDonald’s plans to “continue to drive success in 2008 and beyond by leveraging key consumer insights and our global experience, while relying on our strengths in developing, testing and implementing initiatives surrounding our global business 2008-10-14T00:39:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/McDonald-s-Marketing-Strategy-33802.aspx Starbucks Corporation Marketing Headquartered in Seattle Washington, Starbucks Corporation is a premium coffee retailer offering a wide selection of hot and cold beverages, fresh food, premium ice cream, merchandise, and entertainment. Starbucks opened its first location in 1971 at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Although Starbucks closed approximately 600 underperforming stores this year, it still operates more than 16,000 stores worldwide with over 11,000 stores in the United States. (Herman, 2008). Each store varies its product mix depending upon the size of the store and its location. Larger stores carry a broad selection while smaller stores offer a more limited selection. The product strategy of Starbucks can be summarized by the company’s vision statement. As stated on its website, the company’s vision is to “establish Starbucks as the most recognized and respected brand in the world and to be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world” (Starbucks, n.d., p. 1). Starbucks has strong global brand recognition which is built on a solid reputation for premium products. The company is well known with consumers for making high quality beverages, food and associated goods. Starbucks takes pride as being recognized and respected as the top coffee store in the world (Allison, 2007, p. 2). The atmosphere of its stores is what keeps customers coming back. The stores are designed where customers can get in and out quickly or stay and enjoy the camaraderie. Starbucks does not mass advertise. Most of their marketing is done by word of mouth, and in supporting local events within the communities where their stores are located. As Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks states: At Starbucks, we have integrated ourselves in a way that is very different than selling a cup of coffee. We have an emotional relationship with our customers. It’s not one thing, but a lot of things. It’s not good enough to have a good ad, but everything you do helps complete the circle…the packaging, the community involvement, the service all help build that emotional connection. (Lewis, 2008, p. 3) Starbucks has created very loyal customers who continue to return to Starbucks. These customers are willing to pay four dollars for a cup of coffee. The average Starbucks customers are middle to upper class, working adults. Also, there are a lot of 2008-10-14T00:38:25-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Starbucks-Case-Study--33801.aspx TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 RCCL CRUISE LINES 1 1.1 MARKET DEFINITION AND ANALYSIS 1 1.2 MARKET SEGMENTATION 2 1.3 INDUSTRY STRUCTURE AND COMPETITION 3 1.4 STRATEGY FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 4 1.5 MARKET TARGETING AND POSITION STRATEGIES 8 2.0 OBJECTIVES AS I SEE IT 9 3.0 NAVIGATION 9 4.0 GRAPHICAL DESIGN 9 5.0 EASE OF FINDING PRODUCT INFORMATION 10 6.0 EASE OF FINDING SUPPORT INFORMATION 10 7.0 EASE OF ORDERING 10 8.0 FEATURES THAT REALLY STAND OUT 10 9.0 BEST ASPECTS OF SITE 10 10.0 BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES 10 11.0 SITE SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE 10 12.0 OVERALL IMPRESSION, IMPROVEMENTS, SUGGESTIONS 10 13.0 URL 10 1.0 Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) is the world's second largest cruise company (behind top-ranking Carnival), with over 20 cruise ships and a total of 60,590 passenger berths as of August 2005. Founded in 1969, the company has been active in changing the cruise industry from a ocean carrier service into a vacation option in and of itself. RCCL offers a variety of different itineraries and its ships travel to many destinations like the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Asia, Australia, Bermuda, South America, Transatlantic, Europe, Bermuda, Panama Canal, Hawaii, New England, and Canada. The company operates under two separate brands, RCCL International and Celebrity Cruises. A large percentage of its passengers are from North America even though the company operates internationally to their port destinations, itineraries, activities and amenities designed to appeal to every taste, energy level and age group giving our guests the opportunity to create their own adventure. The RCCL vision: “Our vision is to empower and enable our Employees to deliver the best vacation experience to our Guests, thereby generating superior returns to our Stakeholders and enhancing the wellbeing of our Communities.” (“Royal Caribbean International,” n.d.) 1.1 Market Definition and Analysis Successful sales strategy hinges on your ability to identify buyers' needs and wants. Needs are defined as objective requirements. The buyers' wants relate more to a value statement. A want exists when a consumer has an unfulfilled need and determines that a particular good or service will satisfy it. (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel, 2006) When a consumer plans a vacation they are attempting to get away from their everyday life and enjoy themselves. RCCL has identified its buyer’s needs by offering a luxury product with all inclusive services in that effort to get away. Buyers have the ability to force competitors to lower prices. Many vacationers will choose the package that is less expensive, causing others to lower their prices as well. This can affect the profits for the company. For a lot of people the television show "The Love Boat", which was filmed on a 2008-02-10T20:24:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Royal-Carribean--33517.aspx HISTORY Mc Donald’s is one of the most well known franchisers of fast food restaurants. The first Mc Donald’s restaurant was opened in California by two brothers Dick and Mack Mc Donald’s. The main activity now of this fast food restaurants is the leading global food service retailer with more than 35,000 local restaurants, serving nearly 70 million people in more than 121 countries, including Greece, each day. Mc Donald’s in Greece opened its first restaurant in 1991 at the Centre of Sintagma Square in Athens. The franchises were started in 1954, by Raymond Albert Kroc, a salesman. At the first years of the company,Ray Kroc made very little investments in order to increase the capital of the company for the new future investments. He was more concentrated in making a lot of profits and less investment but today this bussiness has enlarged very much. Today Mc Donald’s is one of the world’s most well known and valuable brands and holds a leading share in the globally branded quick eating- out. Some of favorite foods that Mc Donald’s serves are such as Big Mac, Egg Mc Muffin, Chicken Mc Nuggets, Happy Meal, Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers. Also here in Greece are served some special food for the Greek customers such as Mediterranean Salad, Greek Chicken etc. In order to adapt the Greek culture. Map of Mc Donald’s restaurants PLANNING Planning is crucial for a company since it helps the company to identify or select the goals of the company and the course of action that are needed. Administrative in Greece has set different short and long-term goals and objectives. The goal is not “growth for growth’s sake” but systematic and balanced expansion of McDonald’s based upon the actual requirements of the Greek consumer. So some of the short- term objectives are: *; To reasonably price the excellent food and to serve fresh and hot, quickly and precisely in a clean friendly environment. *; A new eating experience for consumers and their families *; A rise of the total quantity of food served (it increase their income) *; Carefully selected locations upgraded and renovated on a continual basis providing convenience and safety in all restaurants. Some of the long-terms objectives are: *; To increase the number of local suppliers based however upon the their comparative advantages. *; To reduce the amount 2008-01-26T14:12:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mc-Donald’s-History-PEST-analysis-33505.aspx Kleemann Hellas was founded in 1983 based on the know-how and license of the German Kleemann Hubtechnik GMBH. The head office of the company is in the industrial area of Kilkis. There are also offices and show rooms in Athens and Thessaloniki as well. Kleemann’s activities concern both the manufacturing and trading of Complete Lift Systems. It is enlisted among the largest companies of this field in the European and international market (more than 4000 systems or 4% of the world lift market) In Greece, the company holds a leading position in the constantly developing lift market with a 72,5% market share in the installed units and 40,3% in value. Sales outside Greece are equal to 20% in 2001 and 37% in 2002 of the total turnover of the company. They are carried out to over than 25 countries, with England, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Cyprus to be its main markets. The Kleemann group includes three subsidiaries • KLEFER, a manufacturing company of automatic lift doors, with head offices at the industrial are of Kilkis • KLEEMANN ASANSOR, a trading lift company actively involved in Turkey’s market • LEISTRITZ HYDRAULIK GMBH, a German lift manufacturing company The project will focus in one of the Kleemann’s product. “Complete lift system” or more specifically “complete passenger lift”, which it will include everything that our lift functions properly. THE PRODUCT Apollo Traction MRL This is one of the most innovative and special product that Kleemann has recently introduced for the European market. The Apollo Traction MRL is a machine room-less lift with a special patented drive mechanism in ant seismic elevator, actually being the first solution of this kind in competitive European market. This perfect solution has already been patented by the Dutch group lift institute, one of the biggest certification agencies in Europe for special and innovative lift. Besides that Apollo is space saving and flexible for the smallest shafts. Apollo is the serious alternative which suits all. Apollo Traction MRL was developed in cooperation with Alpha Getriebe of Geramny, on of the leading European companies in its field. Apollo uses the Alpha planetary gear technology, but what is important to mention here is the fact that what makes this product special it was the Kleemann its own idea. Covering 360 kg and very soon 1000 kg rated load, Apollo is a state of-the-art solution for machine room-less lifts in Europe. The Apollo Concept Drive mechanism: • State-of-the art drive mechanism (only 130 kg weight). Easy to mount 2008-01-26T00:35:15-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Kleemann-Hellas-Promotion-and-Price-PEST-Analysis-33504.aspx Introduction In our society corporate advertising or more accurately labelled, corporate propaganda is delivered through advertising and public relations. Advertising companies are constantly targeting specific audiences and taking advantage of uninformed consumers. Advertising agencies definitely have an idea of the audience who buys their product when they make up their ads. Sometimes these targeted audiences are misled into buying products based upon strategies advertising agencies use to lure customers in Advertising, which is defined as any openly sponsored offering of goods, services or ideas through any medium of communication, has gone through dramatic changes over time. Advertising used to be informational and essentially told you that a product existed, where it could be found, and what it was used for. Today, advertising talks about the product’s status and attributes that have little to do with whether the product functions for its intended purpose. Advertisers now see advertising as a way to generate interest in products, and with the ever-growing Internet, it has grown to a global industry Research about Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Strategy The study of consumers helps firms and organizations improve their marketing strategies by understanding issues such as how • The psychology of how consumers think, feel, reason, and select between different alternatives (e.g., brands, products); • The psychology of how the consumer is influenced by his or her environment (e.g., culture, family, signs, media); • The behaviour of consumers while shopping or making other marketing decisions; • Limitations in consumer knowledge or information processing abilities influence decisions and marketing outcome; • How consumer motivation and decision strategies differ between products that differ in their level of importance or interest that they entail for the consumer; and • How marketers can adapt and improve their marketing campaigns and marketing strategies to more effectively reach the consumer. Understanding these issues helps us adapt our strategies by taking the consumer into consideration. For example, by understanding that a number of different messages compete for our potential customers’ attention, we learn that to be effective, advertisements must usually be repeated extensively. We also learn that consumers will sometimes be persuaded more by logical arguments, but at other times will be persuaded more by emotional or symbolic appeals. By understanding the consumer, we will be able to make a more informed decision as to which strategy to employ. This is what we will embrace as a technique in order to certify that the product we have selected would be influential to 2008-01-26T00:32:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Victorinox-a-Marketing-plan-33503.aspx Introduction Adidas is a company that manufactures shoes and sport apparel. The founder is Adolf Dassler who is German. The name created by combination of the name and surname Adi Dassler, who started producing shoes in 1920s with the help of his brother Rudolf Dassler. That make costumer, to recognize Adidas is three parallel stripes of the same color. Slogan: “IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING” 1. History 1949-2005 Due to the death of Adolf’s son (Horst Dassler), the Company was bought in 1990 by Bernard Tapie. Back then Tapie was specialist of rescuing bankrupt companies. Next step was to change the place of production to Asia and make a promotion campaign by using a famous person as Madonna (famous singer). In 1992 economical problems lead Tapi to sell Adidas to Lyonnais bank. Lyonnais sold Adidas to Robert Louis-Dreyfus who was also the president of the Olympique de Marseille football team. In 1997, Adidas AG acquired the Salomon Group, and its corporate name was changed to Adidas-Salomon AG. Seven years later, top English fashion designer Stella McCartney launched a joint-venture line with Adidas. This line was a sports performance collection for women called "Adidas by Stella McCartney". After 2 years, Adidas introduced the Adidas 1, the first ever production shoe to utilize a microprocessor. In August 2005, Adidas bought rival Reebok. At the same time sales had been closer to those of Nike in North America. The acquisition of Reebok would also allow Adidas to compete with Nike worldwide as the number two athletic shoemaker in the world. Three months later Adidas released a new version of the Adidas 1, make it better, stronger and faster. On April 11 2006, Adidas announced an 11-year deal to become the official NBA apparel provider. 2. Products Adidas manufactures anything related to sport, like shoes, clothes, watches, balls, Sunglasses, Protective Equipment, etc. You can purchase Adidas almost anywhere. Except original stores that placed in every city in every country; you can find them also in super market as perfume shower gel etc, or in jewel store as watches. The pricing for per of shoe fluctuate 60 to 250 Euros, High price for most people; justifiably for High quality materials that company use. • PLANING Mission Statement “Our mission is to become the best sports brand in the world. To that end, we will never equate quantity with quality. Our founder Adi Dassler was passionate about sports. For Adi, the 2008-01-26T00:30:00-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Addidas-PEST-and-SWOT-Analysis-33502.aspx 1. In order to consider how the conversion process in the company would work, let recall the main activity of the company. The company is dealing with providing cars for long and short-term lease. 2007-11-08T08:40:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Space-Wheel-33399.aspx Objective There are many ways River City Brass Band can acquire funds in order to become more self-sufficient. They can implement numerous marketing strategies, such as, an internship program, changing their name, creating partnerships, etc. Through grants, fundraising, donations, and corporate sponsorships that can increase their revenue by leaps and bounds. There are over 1,000 grant programs offered by all Federal grant making agencies. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is managing partner for Grants.gov, an initiative that is having a huge impact on the grant community. Grants.gov allows organizations to electronically find and apply for more than $400 billion in Federal grants. While fundraising often involves the donation of money as an out-right gift, money may also be generated by selling a product of some kind, also known as product fundraising. When goods are donated to an organization rather than cash, this is called an in-kind gift. Girl Scouts are well-known for selling cookies in order to generate funds. It is also common to see on-line impulse sales links to be accompanied by statements that a proportion of proceeds will be directed to a particular charitable foundation. A number of charities and non-profit organizations are increasing using the internet as a means to raise funds; this practice is referred to as online fundraising. Some of the most substantial fundraising efforts in the United States are conducted by colleges and universities. Commonly the fundraising, or 'development,' program makes a distinction between annual fund appeals and major campaigns. Gifts of appreciated property are important components of such efforts because of the tax advantage they confer on the donor encourages larger gifts. Some organized charities have been criticized for the proportion of financial donations which are used for administrative or operational purposes. Donating directly to a charity (rather than through solicitation), or donating to smaller charities, often tends to reduce expenditures. In some places information on charities' expenses is available from government departments or directly from the charity. By implementing these tactics to raise money, RCBB will be able to accomplish more of the ideas in our marketing plan sooner, because they will have more funds in order to ensure these plans come to fruition. Grants Federal Grants What is a federal grant? A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a Federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law 2007-10-16T13:05:48-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Grants,-Fundraising,-Donations,-amp-Corporate-Sponsorships-33352.aspx English 101 Magazine Ads Analysis September 2007 Magazine advertisements contain various symbolic messages in an attempt to reach their target audience. In this analysis, I will analyze two different full page ads in US News and World Report. I will be using Jib Fowles’ Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals to analyze symbolic construction and basic emotional appeals. Fowles states the goal of advertisers is to tug at our psychological shirtsleeves. Advertisers bombard us with pleasing images to draw us in and get us to pay attention to their ads. Let’s take a deeper look at these two ads and what they are conveying to consumers. The first advertisement is an ad for Philips Brand Computed Tomography scanner, or CT scanner for short. The ad depicts a young boy standing on the beach smiling and holding an umbrella to shade him from the sun. This adorable young boy has been specially selected to stimulate our desires. US News and World Report is a general interest magazine appealing to a broad spectrum of audiences. The ads primary symbol is the young boy. This image calls upon our need to nurture. The umbrella shading the boy from the sun furthers this need. When we look further and read the text we find out that Philips has improved their CT scanner and lowered the dose of radiation when this machine is used. Appealing again to our need to nurture and protect. In the back ground we have the ocean. Though the least effective symbol it appeals to our need to escape. The need to nurture is often aimed at women. More nurturing by nature it is an effective technique when used properly. Had this ad been seen in a magazine such as Contemporary Diagnostic Radiology, I’d wager the ad would have been geared more towards medical professionals, siting the technical aspects and benefits of the product. Changing the appeal to the need to achieve. Using only the X-ray symbol and text, the ad would still convey its’ meaning to the audience. This ad would still be effective to the target audience. Without knowing what a CT scanner is or why we would need to use one, Philips tells us they care for us and are working to better their products for us the consumers. In turn, this may cause people to look at all Philips products in a positive light and possibly purchase them. The second advertisement 2007-09-25T20:38:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Magazine-Ad-analysis-33334.aspx Violent Affects of Television on Children and Teenagers What has our society come to these days? Violence is present everywhere around us; in the streets, school, and even at home. Violence can now be seen in many people’s living rooms while they are sitting down watching television. Even if one appears to be a pacifist, violence will find its way into our homes through the television. Violence on television proves to be a root of violence in the whole culturally developed countries, but also in Macedonia. There are many examples and proven research that shows how violence viewed on television uproots all over our country. Children and teenagers seem to be the most effected by violence on television. Some children that see violence on television are pulled into its harmful rules of problem solving. Many things should be done to change children’s view on television and how much violence should be on the television. Scientists have tried to explain why children are so entertained by a big glowing box and the action that takes place within it. Research shows that television is a big source of violence for children. This research shows us that violence appeals to every audience, including children. The effects have been seen in a number of cases. Children today act and dress older than they are. The fact remains that they still are children. The children that watch Barney and sing along and have a great time learn to love one another. The children who watch Power Rangers begin to kick each other and fight because that is what they are seeing on television. We should sit down and explain to our kids that the Power Rangers are trained actors and actresses. They are actually not hitting and kicking each other. Watching violence makes children act violently. As long as children see it being done, they are going to do it also. Children imitate everything they see. Some teenagers go to violent movies and listen to heavy metal and rap music. Some teens argue that they have not killed anyone. These teens are missing the point. Television teaches teens to handle their problems in the wrong way. Some ways include arguing, hitting, and initiating other violent behavior-sometimes, even sometimes killing. What we should be concerened about is also the disconnection from the parents and the lack of respect for authority. Parents need to take charge and know 2007-07-08T10:45:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Violent-Affects-of-Television-on-Children-and-Teenagers-33272.aspx Export Business Marketing Plans Tradeshows are becoming of more importance in many organizational communications mix. Behind advertising, tradeshows account for one fifth of total marketing communications budget in the US and approximately one-fourth of the budget for European firms (Gopalakrishna, Lilien, Williams & Sequeira, 1995 & Jacobson, 1990). This report will analyze why tradeshows are becoming a more utilized marketing tool and how it contributes to achieving organizational objectives. The analysis will be broken up into two major sections, the first will analyze the strategic significance of trade shows for sustainable competitive advantage and the latter half will explore the guidelines to exhibiting a good trade show. There are two main types of trade shows that organizations can participate in, and these are horizontal and vertical. A horizontal trade show exhibits a wide variety of products. An example of this is the Hamburg Fair, which exhibits everything in consumer and industrial goods. The other is vertical trade show, which is product specific; it may be limited; for example, to medical, computer or electronics. Electronica is an example of a vertical trade show held each year in Munich to display the latest electronics (Kane, 1989). According to the Trade Show Bureau (TSB) (1994), the number of tradeshows exhibited in USA and Canada between 1989 and 1994 grew from 3289 – 4316, the number of attendees rose from 60 – 85 million and the number of companies from 1.0 –1.3 million. The TSB projects a 35% growth in trade show activities for the late nineties to the early 2000’s for the US and Canada and 15% for Asia (Chowdhury, 1998). In 1994, the TSB estimated that over USD 53 billions were spent directly on trade shows and this excluded planning costs and overhead allocations. Kerin & Cron (1987) predicts that most corporate firms will allocate up to 25% or more of their average annual advertising and sales promotion budgets to this promotional activity. With these large expenditures, the question that beckons is “ are trade shows budgets accountable?” Bonoma (1983) viewed tradeshow and promotional budgets as a reactive marketing tool representing an inertia habit, that is, using last year’s activities budgets and updating that budget to reflect this year’s activities. The idea being “Our competitor will be there and our image reputation will be damaged if we 2007-04-25T20:46:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Export-Business-Marketing-Plans-33151.aspx Marketing and Popular Media The article, “Analyzing popular media texts in the classroom,” can be best categorized as a qualitative study because of the fact that it consists of human theory and it is objective in nature. It also can be identified as a textual analysis because it describes and interprets the characteristics of a message. Like the title suggests this report was done in many classrooms within the years of kindergarten through twelfth grade and it was conducted by teachers who practice media literacy. The main point they are trying to convey is that by relating daily assignments in the classroom with the use of popular films, magazines, television programs, and music lyrics, teachers are able to spawn deep conversations and remarkable writing from their students. This report is Renee Hobb’s study of using media text in their classroom. She used the television show “The Simpsons” and compared it with some of the works of Mark Twain. She realized that many of her students had a great interest and extensive background knowledge about “The Simpsons,” and that most of them were able to describe the characters, plot lines and other controversies within the show. Taking advantage of this, she used specific areas to relate the two sources. An example of one area she used was social criticism. In many episodes of “The Simpsons” the same targets of humor are used, which she helped her students to understand and analyze them in each instance. Some of these were corporate greed and power, human stupidity and laziness, and hypocritical behavior of government officials. Next, they looked at Mark Twain’s work and how he used targets also to relay his message. Some of his were women’s rights, the jury system, and lobbying and bribery in Washington. Moreover, the students learned that just as “The Simpsons” might be a questionable text in the classrooms of today; some of Mark Twain’s works were regarded as unsuitable material in the schools of his day. By further comparisons of the two materials, the students were able to relate them and gain an understanding of the literature of Mark Twain, which was the teacher’s goal. Overall, Hobb’s was very successful in building the connection between a popular culture source and an important piece of American literature. From reading this article I have 2007-04-25T19:26:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-and-Popular-Media-33124.aspx Music Televison, MTV, and American Society In today’s society young people have many different role models, some of which are said to be controversial. MTV is one of the leading networks for music television, and some believe that it often portrays negative influences towards today’s youth. MTV videos do not necessarily portray negative social influences towards our young population, the effects of which would be argued to lead to more negative anti social behavior. Critics call Eminem a controversial rapper because of his “crude” lyrics, which portray hateful lyrics [words] towards gays, women, and pretty much anyone and everyone who [he has deemed bad?] has angered him. Music is a form of art and it is a way to express yourself [oneself], and [the rest of this sentence isn’t needed] in the United States we have the freedom of speech. Eminem’s lyrics seem to portray how he feels about certain topics and idea’s [ideas], but I highly doubt that he feels he would carry them [those ideas] out. The song titled “Kim” is about killing his wife, and obviously [however] his wife is still alive. The word “faggot” is tossed around in many songs [such as…], but he hasn’t been arrested for killing anyone because they are gay. Music is a way to express yourself [oneself], and I am sure [get rid of I am sure, say something like, it is certain that…] everyone has thought at one time or another of hurting someone that has pissed them off [upset them]. But each one of us [person] makes a choice to carry out that action or not. Eminem himself states in his song “Criminal” that [“that” not needed] “people think that a lot of the things I say on record, I do in real life, and that I believe in it, if I say that I am going to kill someone, that I will actually do it. Well if you believe that, then I am going to kill you too.” (Mathers) This implies that if believe [who believes?] that he kills people left and right, or thinks it is ok to kill people, then you are pretty ignorant [why ignorant?]. Today’s youth is faced with choices that were unheard of twenty years ago, but that doesn’t change the fact that they still know right from 2007-04-19T21:14:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Music-Televison,-MTV,-and-American-Society-33050.aspx Promotional Activities of a Mountain Resort The breakdown and media mix would have to change. A new partnership could be formed with a local radio station that appeals to the targeted 21 to 40 year old listener. The Local radio station KCHZ commonly referred to as “The Bear” offers the music mix aimed to the 21 to 40 year old market. Their progressive promotional activity would be an excellent vehicle for Camp Fortune to promote its new look and message. The radio station is continually looking for a venue to host it’s various promotional activities such as “freebies”, rock concerts, album introductions and other various functions. Camp Fortune is looking to draw people to the hill not only for skiing and winter activities, but also summer events as well. I would propose that “The Bear” and Camp Fortune form a business partnership. Camp Fortune will spend 60% of the radio budget allowed on KCHZ if “The Bear” uses Camp Fortune for it’s venue. The free advertising given by this partnership will allow more penetration for both “The Bear” and Camp Fortune and would prove to be beneficial to both. Newspaper activities would again be marketed tot his target market group with the majority of the print media being spent on the “tabloid” papers such as the “Sun”. Statistics have shown the target demographic views this paper style as more popular. The use of an Internet site to promote the ski hill and to actually sell the lift tickets / passes would be another option. Offering a discount for “online” booking would ease the line ups at the hill and gives more time for actual customer service at the ski booth. A fast pass system with confirmation number would allow a ’pre-booked” client to ease his way onto the hill. This type of ticketing system has worked well for West Jet and I see no hindrances to this application. Selling advertising space on the Website would also pay for the site and perhaps also pay for the Fast Pass system on the hill as well. The global implications would work well also as various International clients could access this system and have their passes pre-booked and be ready to ski. Plus the number of hits could be charted and measured. The 2007-03-19T13:52:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Promotional-Activities-of-a-Mountain-Resort-32823.aspx Marketing Strategy And Mix Of Cargo International Target Market As cargo offers homogeneous product, shipping service, the primary target customers thus would be very much approached by the mass marketing approach. Mass marketing is when the needs of an entire market are relatively homogeneous. The marketing mix therefore consists of single product, single price, single promotional program and single distribution system. Cargo will follow this approach with some flexibility in adjusting the theory to its strategy. Cargo’s primary target market are car dealers in West Africa countries (Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon), car dealers in the Netherlands, with extended range of customers including exporters from the Netherlands. The mass marketing then is demographically divided into Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and The Netherlands. The strategy however should have certain factors that ultimately will benefit Cargo over its competitors. Mass marketing indeed provides only one strategy mix to all target markets, yet it does not necessarily mean the strategy should not be differentiated against competitors and may be against each target market, with Cargo would extensively put efforts to the African markets. Cargo is not the market leader and it should not stay that way. Cargo should conquer the market share by being “different” from its competitors. Cargo could initially start to develop one if its strengths, which in this case is the customer relations. This strength should be developed further more because it differentiates Cargo from its competitors. Main competitors of Cargo are larger enterprises with less interest in taking care of customers customized needs. This is an opportunity for Cargo to jump in. However, as this strength and the whole business (i.e. service) is intangible, Cargo should therefore emphasize and focus on the company’s image that is related with its sustainable competitive advantages (SCAs - e.g. customer relations). The overall marketing strategy then is mass marketing with strong element of customer relationship. Two additional comments to the strategy are; first, whenever Cargo is about to launching the strategy, it should never forget the timeliness and the feasibility (skills, experience, resources, and strengths). Last, the strategy should be financially affordable as having financial resources to make it happen is very crucial. Marketing Mix Product As previously mentioned, Cargo’s product is actually service. The company offers service to ship goods from the Netherlands to West African countries. The real value of a product provides is derived from its ability to deliver benefits that enhance buyer’s situation. Taken from this statement, 2007-02-02T17:55:49-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-Strategy-And-Mix-Of-Cargo-International-32542.aspx Examining the Ideal of Beauty in Print Advertising “Yes! Wow! I can be better starting right from this minute! Look at her! Look at her! But right afterward, I feel like throwing out all of my clothes and everything in my refrigerator and telling my boyfriend never to call me again and blowtorching my whole life” (Wolf 62). Sound familiar? This was just one young woman’s reaction after experiencing a beauty magazine. So, what prompts young women to buy these magazines if the net worth ends up falling on the not so promising side? Well where else is a woman going to find the latest new product or technique for improving her image then from the very source that created her feelings of inadequacy! When examining the factors that contribute to a culturally ideological view of female beauty, it is not difficult to place blame on advertising companies. To obtain a better understanding of this, one must not only look at the model or celebrity endorsing or representing a particular product, but also take into consideration all of the different components that complete this socially unrealistic standard. These components all play a role in designing the notions to which our culture presides. By creating a manufactured image to represent a cultural idea, print advertisements featured in beauty magazines greatly contribute to a fabricated myth of beauty—producing an extremely negative impact on American women. Take a closer look…hence, “beauty” magazine (as if it were only so simple to buy a magazine that would ensure beauty). Unfortunately, women fail to recognize and accept the unrealistic ideals that they are convinced of over and over again. Not very often do women see a magazine on a rack and consider the process taken to create such eye-candy. These are manufactured images! Who wouldn’t look good in a photograph after being captured at the right angle in the right light with the perfect background, only then to be retouched and shaped up with a little airbrushing here and there? Dalma Heyn, editor of two women’s magazines, confirms: “that airbrushing age from a woman’s face is routine” (Wolf 82). An author agrees stating that, “Computer imaging—the controversial new technology that tampers with photographic reality—has been used for years in women’s magazines” (83). How funny it 2007-01-12T04:05:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Examining-the-Ideal-of-Beauty-in-Print-Advertising-32406.aspx Understanding the External Marketing Environment INTRODUCTION “All businesses operate within an environment, which directly or indirectly affects the way in which they function, just as we as consumers live within a cultural and social environment which to a greater or lesser degree determines the way in which we behave as individuals.” said Elaine O’Brien, University of Strathclyde. Unlike the controllable marketing mix variables, the environmental forces are not controllable by marketers. However, marketers can control how they deal with those uncontrollable forces by identifying and monitoring those forces that are relevant to their firms. They also must forecast changes in these forces if they are to develop effective marketing plans and strategies. All organizations operate within environments. That is, all profit-making and not-for-profit organizations are surrounded by, and must contend with, external forces. Managers cannot govern the nature of these environmental forces. These uncontrollable influences affect consumers’ behaviour and organizations’ development of effective marketing mixes. Conceptually, the forces that comprise the marketing environment are viewed as existing at two levels. They are categorized as micro and macro influences. The microenvironment consists of those forces that directly affect the marketing programs of a particular firm. The activities of marketing intermediaries, company, customers, suppliers, and competitors are all examples of external forces that influence the marketing actions of a specific organization. The macro environment encompasses the broad environmental system within which all organizations must conduct business. In one sense, it defines or creates the structure of the marketplace for all organizations. The particular elements that make up the macro-environment are demographic trends, economic, natural, socio and cultural influences, political and legal issues, and technological advances. In this study, we are going to evaluate the extent to which the macro-environment affects marketing decisions. “Companies and their suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customers, competitors, and publics al operate in a macro environment of forces and trends that shape opportunities and pose threats. These forces represent ‘noncontrollables’, which the company must monitor and respond to”. (Kotler, Millennium Edition) Although these forces are described separately below, marketers must pay attention to their causal interaction, since these sets the stage for new opportunities as well as threats. For example, population growth (demographic) leads to more resource depletion and pollution (natural environment), which leads consumers to call for more laws (political/legal) to reduce environmental damage. The imposed restrictions stimulate new technological solutions and products (technology), which if they are affordable 2007-01-11T05:26:24-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Understanding-the-External-Marketing-Environment-32358.aspx A Future of Marketing without Television Commericials The growth of technology has dramatically changed the way in which marketers deliver their message to our homes. The development of the internet and interactive television has meant that TV commercials and print media are no longer the only main methods of advertising. This has led to the development and consideration of a number of new advertising techniques which perhaps are more suited to modern society. Keeping up to date is important to advertising agencies as it is their job to find the best way to expose the public to brands. This essay will look at whether the new marketing channels available will lead to the demise of TV commercials. Bob Jeffrey, president of J.Walter Thompson has declared that conventional TV advertising is obsolete. He is followed by many others in the opinion that the future of advertising lies in the convergence of TV and computer. This will form a multifaced, interactive medium wherein old fashioned sales pitches simply wont work. Therefore the future of television will become increasingly in the hands of the viewer, allowing them to chose programme schedules and cut out adverts. Nike have taken the first steps towards this merged television and internet approach. They created an advert in which a man is being chased, half way through the chase the advert stops and prompts the viewer to look at the web site for a choice of endings. Television networks feared that the advert would be so successful that viewers would actually leave the programme they are watching to visit the site. This caused many networks to refuse to screen it which in fact hints at the potential for success in this style. Nike are not the only company to use the internet as a way of advertising. Increasingly more television adverts are followed by the companies web address. The theory behind this is that a television advert is the window to look into, whereas a web site allows you through the door. What this says is that the audience can not interact with the TV adverts but the web allows people access to a variety of menus, email the company, and receive specific information. In agreement to this Bob Herbold of Microsoft has stated that in the future “you will see more brands do good things for 2007-01-11T04:54:39-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Future-of-Marketing-without-Television-Commericials-32352.aspx Advertising and its Appeal to Society Today we live in a society that is being dominated and confounded by commercials and ads. A new age, which could be referred to as the advertising age where commercials and ads tell us what is a necessity and what isn’t. Howard Luck Gossage in his book Is There Any Hope for Advertising? Stated that there are ads and commercials everywhere around us in which there is no escape. “I like to imagine a better world where there will be less, and more stimulating advertising. I suppose all of us would like to see this come to pass, it would certainly clear away some of the confusion from advertising’s murky picture and make it easier to comprehend” (7). Ads and commercials have flourished everywhere like a virus, once it strikes there is no way we can remove the marks it left behind. It creates this blurry, confusing picture, a “murky picture” as Gossage stated, which most people won’t find the genuine truth behind what the product really mean and if its really useful or not. Advertising forces consumers into buying products by manipulation which make the customers buy products they think are good for them when in fact it isn’t and they do this by appealing in their innermost desires. Advertisers are aware of the cultural need of acceptance and people’s insecurities and takes advantage of these desires to persuade people into buying their products. There are three significant aspects for advertising: 1) A persuading selling message, 2) prospects for the products or service, and finally 3) at the lowest possible cost (Jefkins 5). The first aspect deals with how to persuade people in believing that the product that is being advertised is absolutely salutary. The second however identifies which target group the commercial or the ad will be advertised to. Finally the last phase deals with the economical issues like how low the products price has to be in order to grasp the customer’s attention. Presumably the most popular aspect for advertising is the first aspect since advertising is all about using the right statements and pictures that would grasp the customer’s attention. It essentially aims to cause the customer at least look at the article to see a picture or a name of the product, which is being advertised. One way to 2007-01-06T21:20:06-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Advertising-and-its-Appeal-to-Society-32260.aspx Key Differences in British and American Advertising Although Britain and the United States may seem very similar in culture and belief because they share a language, there are many factors that differentiate the two. Both are highly developed technological nations. Also, both countries are leaders in the world’s economy. Because of this, both nations have very diverse markets appealing to many different types of consumers. From an advertising standpoint, companies and strategies may seem similar, but after researching, it is clear to see that there are many differences. American culture is made up of many different cultures. In the U.S., there are numerous nationalities, races, religions, and social classes. The same is true of England. For this reason, advertising must appeal to a large variety of interests. Certain ads for specific products are targeted for specialized consumers. Others are aimed to the general public. An example of a target ad would be for a particular store, while one aimed at the general public would be for a healthcare service. When advertising is done on an international level, it is extremely important to be sensitive of different cultures. This is because something that may be a common phrase in one culture may be offensive in another. This often occurs when advertisements are translated from one language to another. A slogan or word that may be positive, promoting a product in American culture, may mean something obscene when it is translated for the same product in another country. Although English is the language spoken in both the United States and in Britain, words and phrases in ads have different meanings. It is clear to understand the meaning of the advertisements themselves, but certain words may be uncommon to our everyday vocabulary. Product brands are different as well. After researching a number of British fashion magazines, I have selected five print advertisements that have comparable differences to American advertisements. The first ad that I have chosen to interpret is for Virgin Atlantic, a British airline. I found this ad very interesting because the copy is written in a diary form. It begins on Friday August 3, 2001 and ends on the opposite page on Saturday August 4, 2001. The first entry describes the passenger’s thoughts on how the flight will affect her personally. Such things are that she’s not 2007-01-03T15:53:54-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Key-Differences-in-British-and-American-Advertising-32185.aspx Media and Advertising for Clothing Companies “The more controversial our catalog and pictures are the more free press we get, and that leads to more people coming in to our stores buying our clothes." -Stylist @Abercrombie & Fitch At 15 years old I was flown out to Lake Placid, New York along with 50 other models form all around the world to shoot for the winter catalog for Abercrombie & Fitch. In the five days that I was there I learned and observed more about the modeling and advertising industry than during all my experiences up until that point. It was clear to me the second that I stepped off that private jet and into the limo service that I was in the real thing. We met with the other 40 models at a private ranch back in the Adirondack Mountains to be sized for our cloths, and as I found out later, to be sized up by the staff working the job. I feel my view of the job was completely different than that of other models there. I was there for fun, to make some money. I did not really care about the exposure or the thought of hitting it big. To me $1500 a day for 3 days was more than anyone could ask for. It felt like I was in a sort of utopia, 49 of the most gorgeous men, women, girls and boys I have ever seen all in one place. Everyone of the models hoping that they have that one thing that will catch the photographer’s eye and send them to the cover of the next catalog, and possibly to the “top”. We stayed in a huge hotel with a private gym and swimming pool that was only for the models of A&F. This is where their psychology began. They set us up all in private, elegant hotel, and had every meal fully catered to us. They made us feel like we were getting the best deal possible, when I thought all they were asking in return was for us to model and smile for the camera. Little did I know that the work went a little deeper than that. The photographer was taking people aside often to do nude shoots and other things that I only heard bit and pieces about. They asked me to ride on a horse with a naked 2006-12-20T03:01:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Media-and-Advertising-for-Clothing-Companies-32117.aspx Mass Media Marketing Research Companionship In The Classifieds: The Adoption of Personal Advertisements by Daily Newspapers. A study by Debra L. Merskin an assistant professor in the school of Journalism and Communication and Mara Huberlie a graduate student at the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University, published in J&MC Quarterly, Vol. 73, No.1, Spring 1996, Pages 219-229. The article deals with the issue of finding a romantic partner, in the modern urbanized society, via personal advertisements in mass mediums. This study investigates the presence of media dependency in every day life, and the adoption of newspapers of the personal advertisements. The research was conducted as follows: A telephone, or fax survey was conducted, in a population of 268 daily newspapers with a circulation of 50,000 or more copies per day. A randomly selected sample of 67 newspapers has been chosen using a systematic skip interval system. The randomly selected sample represents 25% of the population. Newspaper managers have been interviewed during normal circumstances and a 100% response rate was achieved. These managers have been interviewed according to a ten-item questionnaire, and an answer sheet was one to verify the replies. The questionnaire offered a diversity in term of questions, from which, whether the newspaper was running voice personals, year of adoption, the criteria of rejecting ads, the mechanics of the ads, the days of publication for those ads, the method of response to those ads, and the cost of each. The researchers used the content of analysis method for studying and analyzing the issue in a systematic, objective and quantitative way. They have formulated two research questions: 1- To what extent have newspapers actually begun to provide personal advertisements? 2- What pattern did the adoptions follow over time? Then they have defined the population, which is equal to 268 newspaper. The selected sample has been drawn to 67. The categories of content to be analyzed have been chosen and were integrated in the addressed questions. A quantitative system of interpretation of results has been established and reflected the answers to the questions. Table and graphs portrayed the findings. An analyses of the results have been done and conclusions has been drawn as follows: 1- As society continues to become more complex and individuals become more isolated, men and women will turn to the media to find partners. 2- The daily press will respond in 2006-12-19T03:05:59-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mass-Media-Marketing-Research-32052.aspx Advertising Techniques Case Studies Through out the history of the world, the societies have constantly tried to influence the people through any means. In our current America, there is no exception. I have taken several advertisements from a few of our nation’s magazines, to analyze. Written in this paper are my results. The first: CLAIROL Herbal Essence ad featuring Britney Spears This ad was featured in the August 2000 edition of Teen People. In it, there is a widely known tactic used to get the readers attention: Visual effects. In this ad particularly, the star, Britney Spears, seems to be in a freeze frame stance. Her hair appears as it would if she were jumping. There is also another visual effect, for, you see, she is not perpendicular, but slightly tilted, giving her a sort of spunk. These are the effects that are used to grab the reader’s attention, but what is used to keep it? Well, here there are several: A) Sex appeal, B) Money Appeal, C) Snob appeal, D) Comedy, E) Star appeal, and finally F) Plays on emotion. The Sex appeal is presented in her seemingly flawless look. She seems to have toned arms, shinny hair, excellent make-up, a very petite body, and perfectly proportioned. The money factor comes in with the fact that she is a well-known star, so “she must have a lot of money”. The snob appeal also comes into play with the fact, plain and simple, that she is a star. This also ties in to the microphone that she is pictured with. The comedy seems to present its self in the visual effects used, and the face she seems to be making. It seems peculiar, and to some extent, humorous, that she is so well proportioned and so seemingly perfect, but she seems to be in a frozen state. Also, she seems to be hanging off of the page. The star appeal is also, the plain and simple fact, that she IS a star. Which also seems to tie into the play on emotion, for "“everybody wants to be a star”. The Second: A Neutrogena make-up advertisement featuring Jennifer Love-Hewitt This ad was taken from the November 2000 issue of Teen People. In it, the eye-catching effect that was probably the most prodomentent again, the visual effects. All of the features, the pictures, the writing, 2006-10-29T22:17:56-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Advertising-Techniques-Case-Studies-31618.aspx Marketing Analysis of Oldsmobile INTRODUCTION/PRODUCT BACKGROUND The automobile’s humble beginnings stemmed from a need for a more practical, safer, and economical device than the horse and carriage. The horse and carriage of yesterday was as common as any family car would be today. The horse and carriage was beginning to lose its usefulness. Another device was required and a “revolution” which affects each one of us ensued. The inventors of the day created many devices including steam and gasoline powered “horseless carriages.” The oldest American car company was created by one of these visionaries. Ransom Eli Olds created one of the most well known American car companies, Oldsmobile, over a hundred years ago. Ransom Eli Olds was born in Ohio on June 3, 1864. Olds is often considered the “Father of the American auto industry” (Rothenberg, 2001). He built and sold his first steam-propelled horseless carriage in 1893 and had constructed his first gas-propelled vehicle in 1896; Ransom Olds sold his first Oldsmobile in 1897. The Olds Motor Works was built in Lansing Michigan and incorporated in 1899. The facility was home to the first assembly line, producing the Curved Dash and allowing Oldsmobile to become the first mass producer of gasoline cars (http://oldsmobile.com, 2001). “In 1900 Olds built 4 units; by 1905 it had made more than 10, 000 cars (McGuire, 2000).” The Curved Dash model was a landmark design in automotive history. The auto weighed only 700 pounds and was more dependable than any of its high priced competition. During the early years, Oldsmobile’s only major competitor was the horse and carriage. “Early ads boasted that the $600 Curved Dash ran 40 miles on 1 gallon of gasoline (http://oldsmobile.com, 2001).” Olds sought to convince people that the Curved Dash was thriftier, safer, faster, more comfortable and more modern than a horse. The Olds Motor Company was a prosperous business; however, Ransom E. Olds resigned from the company in 1904 due to disagreements with his investors. Ransom formed another company named REO (Ransom Eli Olds) which has continued to thrive in modern times as Diamond-REO, building extreme-duty trucks. In 1908 General Motors purchased the Olds Motor Company. Oldsmobile had been a successful subsidiary of General Motors since its purchase. Oldsmobile’s long success stemmed from their ability to create new enhancements for the automobile. For 2006-08-31T17:43:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-Analysis-of-Oldsmobile-31398.aspx Advertising Safer Sex with Condoms An advertisement for Trojan condoms shows a young woman wearing a small lace bra with a Trojan condom sticking out of the bra. The focus of the picture is directly on her breasts. This advertisement is using the female body and the idea of sex to get the image of their product into the reader’s memory. This advertisement implies one main idea: sex. The picture, focusing on the women’s chest area, gives a strong idea of what this advertisement is trying to portray. Breasts are objects of sexual fantasies. The condom is placed in the bra for a specific reason. The advertisers know the first place the eyes will go when they see the ad, is the breasts. That is the reason the product they are trying to sell is placed there. The advertisers are hoping the image of the breast and the Trojan condom package will be transferred to the person’s memory. The text of the advertisement also has strong sexual innuendoes. Shared sensation indicates a situation involving more than one person, as it is shared, and sensation indicates feeling as in a sexual relationship. The next phrase, Why wear anything else? gives the vision of a nude body, again the advertiser has used a sexual image to sell their product. In fact, the advertisement is trying to portray the image of a sexual encounter with the only type of clothing being a Trojan condom. The advertisement appeals to a broad range of people. The advertisement implies sex. The advertisement is selling Trojan condoms and condoms are used for sex. The ad targets people in their teens to mid twenties. It targets men, with the pretty female model, but women are also interested as it implies safe sex, which targets both sexes. When a man sees the advertisement he can get a visual image. He sees a beautiful woman, her breasts covered only by her bra and a condom. She is telling him sex is on her mind and a Trojan condom will make it happen. As sex is an important activity for many men, the advertisers are hoping they will run to the nearest store and purchase Trojan condoms. Another idea the advertiser is trying to 2006-07-31T12:51:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Advertising-Safer-Sex-with-Condoms-30888.aspx Comparing Brocures: The Club 18-30 and The Leisurely Days Primarily, I will be analyzing the Club Eighteen to Thirties holiday brochure. I will be critical and analytical to the pictures and pages I choose and look in depth at how the brochure appeals to the younger public with different methods from the Leisurely Days brochure, which will be analyzed later on in the essay. The cover of the Club Eighteen to Thirties holiday brochure is bright orange. This use of bright colors is especially eye catching and uses the orange to make their brochure stand out. The bright orange is also used because it is a lively, in your face color and creates a perception that the brochure is critically for young people, which is the audience the brochure is aimed at, which makes it effective. The actual brochure is thin and not as broad as the other brochures that I have seen. This makes it different to the others and gives it a unique quality and young people do generally want to be different and unique so this appeals to them. On the front cover the slogan ‘could you?’ with an arrow pointed to the inside is used. This is a rhetorical question and makes the reader ask… what the question means. Creating interest and is generally used to make the reader look inside. The last aspects on the front cover of the brochure are the pictures. The pictures show young, attractive people enjoying themselves. The pictures have a lot of sexual appeal and show single people flirting and having fun, also the pictures have both male and female people on them with the purpose of making both genders of readers want to view the brochure. I have chose two photos from inside the Eighteen to Thirty brochures, which I think epitomize the general purpose of the brochure. Firstly, I chose a picture of a young group of eight people on a banana boat. The picture shows them all being splashed by water, laughing, screaming and it is an exciting, fast image. The picture creates a stimulating upfront opening for the resort and shows how much fun the resort can be and is used to show the holidays appeal and the fun aspects that there are. I also think that this picture has secret meaning because each woman is sitting 2006-07-30T21:26:03-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparing-Brocures-The-Club-18-30-and-The-Leisurely-Days-30847.aspx Effectiveness of Nautica's Advertising Campaigns I found this print ad on the September issue of Maxim magazine. The reason why it was published in this magazine is because Maxim is a popular Men’s magazine that has a lot of regular subscribers. Maxim is written for young, professional men who are confident, intelligent, everyday people. It serves as both a fun and informative publication, delivering a healthy balance of accessible service with a humorous tone. Editorial features include articles on women, food, work, sports, fashion, and sex. Even women read this magazine so it is unfair to say that only men read it. While browsing through its pages I saw a lot of marketing gimmicks by companies enticing consumers to buy their products. Some border on the outrageous side, while others attempt to attract by evoking images of simple yet powerful images. This is what caught my eye when I saw the ad for Nautica. What do a famous model-actress and a regular looking guy have in common? According to the latest Nautica ad, they prefer the same brand of clothing. In a visually stunning yet simple ad, Nautica combines a beautiful celebrity and an average looking guy in Nautica clothing, creating a very effective, persuasive ad. Not only does the ad imply sensational living through clothing, it appeals to a reader's desire for sex, achievement, autonomy, and prominence, through the picture it uses. From the very first glance at Nautica Jean's ad, the viewer is immediately overcome with a singularity of image placing a celebrity and an average person on the same page as common, everyday citizens. Different styles, colors, and status of people and clothing exist, but the ad encourages people to make no distinction between them because they are side by side. As a result, the consumer is coerced into visualizing themselves in those clothes, wearing the most casual t-shirt and jeans of Shannon Elizabeth. The idea that a celebrity shares the same taste in clothing with you is certainly very attractive and truly, it is implied, Nautica clothes are for anyone, even the rich and famous. Celebrities are used in the ad to create a feeling of prominence, affluence, and achievement. Almost everyone wishes they could look, or at least dress, like someone famous. Nautica advertisers allow readers to think they can. Throwing on a Nautica jeans worn by Shannon Elizabeth makes you feel much more powerful. 2006-07-17T13:08:35-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Effectiveness-of-Nautica-s-Advertising-Campaigns-30295.aspx Advertising: Puffery Vs. Deceptive As I was searching through Bon A petit, a magazine that specializes in cooking, an invigorating ad caught my attention. It was a picture of a young blonde woman, with a look of absolute joy on her face as she is swinging in the park. Next to this picture the ad read, “Feel the freedom at FreeSamples.com. Log on and choose from a bunch of goodies-everything from cappuccino to cosmetics. It’s all free, and it’s yours for the taking. So add a little fun to your day at www.FreeSamples.com.” Next to those words were small pictures of Physique Shampoo, Cascade detergent, Tide, and Mrs. Dash. I logged onto the website and immediately had to register an email address and a password before I could even check out the samples. The ad in the magazine did not state that you needed an email address or even submit one; this would qualify as an omission therefore leading to deceptive advertising. After I hesitatingly gave my email address I had to answer about fifteen questions such as, “What was the combined income for all members of your household in 2000 before tax? What is your marital status?” Had I known that I was going to fill out a survey, submit personal information in order to get the free samples I would have not logged on to the website. After I submitted all of my personal information, I then was taken to another page that had only two products to sample, not a bunch that the ad proclaimed. I thought maybe I was not looking hard enough for the samples so I clicked on an icon that said cosmetics, hoping to find some shampoo samples or make-up, and it said, “ currently there are no products for sample.” So I tried all of the categories: groceries, food and beverage, pets, house ware, and again no products for sample. I felt cheated, after submitting a market research survey of personal information for the website, I anticipated “a bunch” of products like the ad said only to find two offerings. The samples that the ad showed in print were also not any where to be found. The next advertisement was for Aroma Fit, a healthy body treatment fragrance by Lancome. A young female 2006-07-13T19:20:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Advertising-Puffery-Vs_-Deceptive-30243.aspx EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NAME OF THE BUSINESS Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited (QANTAS) LOCATION AND DETAILS PRIME FUNCTION OF THE BUSINESS The company's prime function is the transportation of passengers and airfreight. In addition to the core airline, Qantas subsidiaries operate in specialist markets including regional airlines under QantasLink, as well as inflight catering, holiday and travel operations and information technology. BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE BUSINESS Qantas was founded in the Queensland outback in 1920 registered originally as the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited (QANTAS). Qantas today is the world's eleventh largest airline in terms of revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) and is Australia's leading domestic airline operating an average of 565 flights a day to 60 destinations in all states and mainland territories. Qantas also operates around 590 international flights every week from Australia, offering services to 130 destinations in 33 other countries. The Qantas Group carried more than 20 million passengers in 1999-2000 and serviced 125 destinations in Australia, Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific. Qantas has built a reputation for excellence in safety, operational reliability, engineering and maintenance, and customer service. Today, Qantas is widely regarded as the world's leading long distance airline and one of the strongest brands in Australia. Qantas also operates subsidiary businesses including other airlines, and businesses in specialist markets such as Qantas Holidays and Qantas Flight Catering. LEGAL STRUCTURE OF THE BUSINESS Qantas is an incorporated business enterprise which has gone through the legal process, at the end of which the business is a legal entity separate from its owners. It’s a public company with the company being listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). Public companies are recognized by the letters ‘Ltd’ after their name. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARKETING PLAN The purpose of this marketing plan is to provide an outline for what is needed Qantas have ordered 12 A380 aircraft with options for 10 more, with the first aircraft being delivered in April 2007. The purchase of the A380 continues Qantas’s multi-billion dollar program to provide the most up to date and efficient fleet. The aircraft will be operated in a three class, 501 seat configuration on international services between Australia and the United States and on the Kangaroo Route to the United Kingdom. The interior design for the A380 aircraft will provide new levels of comfort for passengers and will feature, among other things new seat designs, special lounge areas, video on demand, internet 2006-06-22T07:08:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Executive-Summary-QANTAS-29796.aspx Disney's Attempt at Foreign Corporate Expansion INTRODUCTION Many companies throughout the United States and beyond are resorting to developing their business abroad. This is due to numerous factors such as the ability to cut costs through cheaper building material or labor, which leads to increg their revenues, functioning with more advantageous tax and labor laws, and expanding their market, just to name a few. The Walt Disney Company was one of those many American organizations to expand on foreign soil. Its first foreign venture proved to be so successful that the decision was made to further expand abroad. This next foreign expansion experience, named Euro Disneyland did not prove to be the successful venture that had been anticipated by its creators. Euro Disneyland a theme park comprised of an updated, state of the art Disney's Magic Kingdom, is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company located outside Paris, France, and has experienced numerous complications from its inception. Because the Walt Disney Company executives were determined to adhere to American philosophies, they did not thoroughly investigate all aspects of the European environment. This failure to do adequate research caused the Walt Disney Company executives and visionaries to construct their American dream theme park on foreign soil with little if any regard for the practical reality of the physical, financial, and/or cultural environment of their chosen site. More specifically, the Walt Disney Company's "...biggest mistakes were its overambitious plans to develop the site, plus Euro Disneyland's financial structure itself, which depended on a highly optimistic financial scenario with little room for glitches" (Gumbel & Turner, 1994, p. A 12). These massive oversights were contributing factors to the problems faced at Euro Disneyland. As a company planning on expanding abroad, it is helpful to study the history of companies which previously have developed in other countries. For example, studying the Walt Disney Company's venture into France will allow other companies to learn from the Walt Disney Company's experiences. Recognizing, understanding and avoiding their mistakes will allow a company entering a new country increased opportunity to succeed. Reviewing the Euro Disneyland venture from the site research investigation to the present day operation will be beneficial to a company considering expansion abroad. THE HUMAN RESOURCE CONNECTION The human resource professional often is involved in determining the optimum site for a business and is responsible for many other aspects of an international expansion, such as cultural evaluation of 2006-06-13T18:04:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Disney-s-Attempt-at-Foreign-Corporate-Expansion-29427.aspx A New Era of Graphic Design Paul Rand was one of the most influential designers of this or anytime. His approach to design is considered by most as one of the most modern approaches to design ever. Rand has worked out of his studio in Weston, Connecticut for more than the past thirty years. During those years he was a faculty member of Yale University from 1956 thru 1962, he decided to resign from this position because the University had demanded that contemporary design techniques had to be used. This was completely against Rand’s way of designing. Educated in New York at Pratt Institute from 1929 – 1932, Parson’s School of Design from 1932 – 1933 and the Art Student’s League from 1933 – 1934, Rand was a major influence in editorial design. In 1935 threw 1941, at the age of 23, Rand became the art director of Esquire magazine and then Apparel Arts (also know as GQ magazine), this is where Rand’s career really took off. From that point Rand designed advertisements for El Producto cigars, Ancient Age, Duboneet and Disney hat makers. These early advertisements opened the doors of opportunity for the designs that Rand is most well know for doing. Rand pioneered “corporate design” and “corporate advertising” in the 40’s thru the 60’s. Rand was the first to have the viewer be a part of figuring out what was meant by the advertisement. The viewer was almost forced into using their own intelligence to come to their own conclusion to what exactly the ad or logo’s meaning was. Rand believed that the simplicity of an advertisement or logo lead to freedom and flexibility in design. Rand was also was one of the first designers to try to apply the style of European modernists such as Leger, Picasso and Van Doesburg with the use of collage and color. This let Rand develop a unique and distinct American style of design, which in turn attracted some of the biggest corporations in the United States. Rand worked as a design consultant developing identities for major corporations such as Westinghouse, ABC and IBM threw simple logos. Rand was a trendsetter as well as a groundbreaker for decades. He brought a new prospective to something that seemed as if it could only be done one way, the old way. Rand did not let big corporations push him around, most of the time he 2006-06-12T21:08:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-New-Era-of-Graphic-Design-29382.aspx Globe International Ltd. 22nd March, 2004 Table of Contents Globes Business and its operations…………………………………..3 Nature of the “Action Sports” Market……………………………….4 Description of Globe Internationals Target Market……………5 Factors that will influence the purchasing decisions………….8 Marketing Strategies used by Globe International………........9 Laws that influence Globe Internationals Marketing………..12 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………13 Globes Business and its Operations Globe International is a multi-brand footwear, apparel and boardsports 'Youth Culture' company. Initiated in 1984, the Company today is consists of its Australasian, International and North American divisions. Globe International designs and develops a product range of proprietary, licensed and distributed brands. Each of these brands is strategically targeted at specific sectors of youth culture in the surf, skate, snowboarding and urban/street fashion markets for both males and females. Globe International aims to offer quality products that integrate style, performance, durability, and comfort. Globe International main operation functions involve the design, development and distribution of youth fashion, footwear and skate equipment. The company does not undertake any manufacturing of its products; rather production is outsourced to third party suppliers. Nature of the “Action Sports” Market Age Group: The problems associated with this market include keeping up with always changing youth fashion trends businesses in this market (Globe International Included) must stay in touch with the “alternative” market and cannot become “mainstream”, in essence they must realise that consumers between the age of 10-24, “generation y”, prefer individualism and independence. Market Forces: Many of these products are sold through independent retailers. They markets globe operates in can be said to be wealthy (market possesses high wealth). Therefore Changes in the economic environment (eg. Interest rates, inflation, consumer sentiment and the unemployment rate) along with government policy (fiscal, monetary and regulatory) may negatively alter the level of disposable income of customers and thus impacting on their enthusiasm to purchase products. Size: The size of the Actions sports market is generally hard to measure as it is relatively new. However it can be said there is a growth trend because: 1. Between, 1994-1999 there was a 43% increase in skateboarding and a 57% increase in snowboarding participation rates (US). 2. 89% of skateboards, 85% of skate shoes and 70% of snowboards are sold to Generation Y (US). 3. Generation Y is the largest teenage population segment in America, and it predicted to overtake the “baby boomers” by 2010. 4. ABS published that over 30% of young Australians are involved in skateboarding related activities Location: All these factors suggest a growing today and an even stronger one in the Future. Many 2006-06-12T11:31:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Globe-International-Ltd_-Marketing-Plan-and-Rresearch-29329.aspx Executive summary Giant soft drink company Coca Cola has come under intense scrutiny by investors due to its inability to effectively carry out its marketing program. Consequently it is seeking the help of Polianitis Marketing Company Pty Ltd to develop a professional marketing plan which will help the business achieve it’s objectives more effectively and efficiently, and inevitably regain there iron fist reign on the soft drink industry. When establishing a re-birthed marketing plan every aspect of the marketing plan must be critically examined and thoroughly researched. This consists of examining market research, auditing business and current situation (situation analysis) and carefully scrutinising the soft drink industry and possibilities for Coca Cola in the market. Once Coca Cola have carefully analysed the internal and external business environment and critically examined the industry in general the most suitable marketing strategies will be selected and these strategies will be administered by effectively and continually monitoring external threats and opportunities and revising internal efficiency procedures. Situation Analysis Market Analysis: The market analysis investigates both the internal and external business environment. It is vital that Coca cola carefully monitor both the internal and external aspects regarding it’s business as both the internal and external environment and their respective influences will be decisive traits in relation to Coke’s success and survival in the soft drink industry. Internal Business Environment The internal business environment and its influence is that which is to some extent within the business’s control. The main attributes in the internal environment include efficiency in the production process, through management skills and effective communication channels. To effectively control and monitor the internal business environment, Coke must conduct continual appraisals of the business’s operations and readily act upon any factors, which cause inefficiencies in any phase of the production and consumer process. External Business Environment The External business environment and its influences are usually powerful forces that can affect a whole industry and, in fact, a whole economy. Changes in the external environment will create opportunities or threats in the market place Coca cola must be aware off. Fluctuations in the economy, changing customer attitudes and values, and demographic patterns heavily influence the success of Coka Cola’s products on the market and the reception they receive from the consumers. SWOT Analysis: SWOT stands for Strengths Weakness Opportunities Threats. SWOT analysis is a technique much used in many general management as well as marketing scenarios. SWOT consists of examining the 2006-06-12T11:29:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-plan-Coco-Cola-29328.aspx Assessment task Marketing Plan Apple Ipod Contents Executive Summary____________________________________________3 Situation Analysis -Market Analysis_______________________________________________3 -Product Analysis_______________________________________________4 -SWOT Analysis_______________________________________________ 4 -Competitor Analysis ___________________________________________ 6 Marketing Objectives__________________________________________ 7 Identifying Target Market -Selecting Target Market_________________________________________7 -Target Market_________________________________________________7 Developing Marketing Strategies Marketing Mix: -Product________________________________________________________8 -Price__________________________________________________________8 -Promotion______________________________________________________9 -Place__________________________________________________________9 Implementing the Marketing Plan__________________________________10 Monitoring and Controlling -Developing a Financial Forecast____________________________________10 -Comparing actual and planned results________________________________11 -Revising the marketing strategies____________________________________11 Appendix ______________________________________________________12 Appendix A_____________________________________________________13 Appendix B_____________________________________________________14 Appendix C_____________________________________________________15 Executive Summary The focus of this report is on new Apple Ipod product that has created increasing demands in various outlets. This product allows consumers to download not only their favourite music but also books and other literature which can be read and listened to. Additionally this Ipod can be used in your car and in other mobile settings. This report is for Apple to give a brief description of this product. Within this marketing report there is an insight of the situation analysis of this product, marketing objectives, the target market, marketing strategies that have been used and the forecasted strategies, monitoring and controlling. Situation Analysis Market Analysis Internal Influences • Management: Effective management is required for the training and development of employees for the continue innovation of Apple Ipod and for retraining sufficient funds during competitor introducing new product. • Capital Availability: Competition may cause mishap in the cash flow. Sufficient funds must be available when competitors unpredictably put forward their product in the market. • Technological Adoption: Technology must be adopted to improve overall efficiency. It must be integrated directly into operations (to increase productivity), as well stay on date with the amounts of Ipod’s ordered, made and delivered. External Influences: • Competitors: Competitors will regulate what, when, how and why strategies will be adopted. The introduction of new products will greatly influence Apple Ipod. • Overseas Influences: The breaking down of barriers between countries can increase the sales of the new Apple Ipod, as more people are made aware of the product. • Demographic Patterns: Males and females from the age of 12years and over will be in favour of this product because of its new innovation to be able to not only play music but also books and other literature which would in fact appeal to them. Product Analysis Product Lifecycle X- The stage that Apple Ipod is currently in. Apple 2006-06-12T11:27:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Apple-Ipod-Marketing-Plan-29326.aspx Executive Summary AJ’s Breaky2Brunch Heritage Home is located in the growing suburb of Shell Cove, which gives our customers the perfect view of the ocean and is ideal for watching the sunrise while enjoying a lovely breakfast. We open from 4am every morning and close at 11:30am. This is to ensure our customers have sufficient time on weekdays to enjoy their breakfast before work and on the weekends enjoy a leisurely brunch before their day begins. AJ’s Breaky2Brunch Heritage Home caters for the Upper class, men and women in the Illawarra. We have a full range of coffee’s to suit all tastes, these include; Short Black, Long Black, Latte, Double Espresso, Cappuccino, Macchiato, Flat white and Mocha. Our breakfast and brunch menu’s are specially formulated to cater for our target market and include some favourites like bagels, croissants and fresh fruit just to name a few. Every morning we will get numerous daily papers delivered so our customers can enjoy the pleasures they normally would at home all in the one venue. We also keep a number of both women’s and men’s magazines regularly, to ensure customer satisfaction is achieved. AJ’s Breaky2Brunch Heritage Home is currently looking to cater for corporate meetings, where the emphasis will be on privacy, relaxation, value and personal attentive service. We will have a full boardroom table to seat all participants, which will include a white board, flip charts, video, overhead projector and screen, which will be available for use by our customers. Our aim is on personalised customer service to make each person feel welcome and valued as a customer. All our products are fresh everyday and the fast reliable service that our staff provides, is of the many things that people will grow to love about AJ’s Breaky2Bruch Heritage Home. Situational Analysis SWOT A SWOT analysis evaluates the businesses current position. It allows the business to be sorted into categories in order for the future of the business to improve. The SWOT analysis is comprised of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The Strengths in the business should be matched with opportunities found outside the business. Strategies should be set in place in order to eliminate threats and weaknesses. Strengths: Location- Situated in the developing suburb of Shell Cove with amazing ocean views. (See appendix 3) Opening hours- 4am till 11:30am. Select menu- Our menu is directed at an elite class of white collar 2006-06-12T11:26:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/AJ’s-Breaky2Brunch-Heritage-Home-Market-research-29325.aspx Sprite's Use of Advertising in Securing Consumers Advertisements of today are frivolous at best, downright ridiculous at worst. Buy this cream and never age. Wear these jeans and attract beautiful men. Get perfect abs with no effort at all. Today’s market-savvy consumer will not buy into the fraudulent television commercials of yesterday. Ads that center on a product’s powers to transform a person into someone more hip, sexy, and fashionable, have become easily recognizable as ludicrous and false, and have thus lost their effectiveness. In the last few years, however, a new breed of commercial advertising has sprung up: the anti-ad. The Sprite soft drink corporation’s “Image is nothing” ads are a good example of how these ads, though nothing more than television commercials themselves, mock the entire institution of advertising in a ploy to attract ad-weary consumers. Anti-advertising shines a new light on marketing, playing on consumer skepticism while putting a new spin on an old selling technique. The idea is to spoof propaganda, telling the audience that they, the producers of this ad and makers of this product, would never try to con consumers by using dishonest marketing tactics. In all honesty, however, the success of the ad depends entirely on just such a ploy. The Sprite Corporation has repeatedly made connections with anything hip and trendy, using basketball and hip-hop as central themes and Grant Hill as a spokesperson, obviously in hopes of having these adjectives associated with their product in the eye of their public. Sprite has often tried to set itself up as the product that discourages this kind of scheme. Their “Image is nothing” campaign works on the principle that physical attributes like beauty, youth, and sex appeal cannot be transferred or exchanged to people by means of a product. The Sprite ads tell viewers that soda will not improve their looks or give them basketball skills. One such ad shows tough looking, urban athletes using power and force to promote Sprite. The humor comes when the director yells, “Cut,” and the “rough-neck kids from the streets” turn out to be whining thespians, complaining about motivation and trailer space. Another ad shows a young kid drinking Sprite and attempting to dunk a basketball, only to be brutally rejected by the front of the rim. These and other similar ads commend the audience for recognizing that products, particularly soft drinks, do not make them cool or more 2006-06-11T18:54:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sprite-s-Use-of-Advertising-in-Securing-Consumers-29198.aspx Bailey's Irish Cream and International Market Demand of Alcohol The global liquor market has changed immensely in the last 20 years. Since the early eighties, people have discovered that it is better for their health if they drink in moderation, as opposed to heavy drinking. Due to this change in consumers drinking habits, people generally drink less liquor than they used to. According to our text, the per capita consumption of liqueurs (liters per person over 18) dropped from 1 liter in 1986 to 0.90 liters in 1990. In addition to consumers drinking less, liquor makers, like Baileys, were faced with increasing tariffs and taxes. At the time of this case study, the tax margins between retailer and distributor were fairly close in the US: 15-20% for retailers and 10% for distributors. The United States also imposed a $22 per case import duty, and state excise taxes were as high as 20%. If you were a foreign liquor producer at the time and you sold a case of liquor at a price of $150 to a retailer in the US, you would see $128 after the import duty, which forces liquor makers to greatly increase their prices up to $177. For example, the retailer has $177 case of liquor that he has to pay a 20% Paddington tax, which makes the case cost him $212.40. Now the retailer gets to add his or her profit margin to the case of alcohol, lets pretend that the retail price of the case is $250. In this case, when the consumer finally gets to buy this product he or she has to pay for the $62.40 in taxes thus far plus an additional 20% in taxes on the final retail price. Basicly a case of liquor that originally costs retailers $150, now costs consumers about $305. American companies also have all of the taxes, just not the import duties, which can cause enough of a price increase to urge consumers to buy American. For Baileys Irish Cream, the problem was not just the US but every country in Europe had similar taxes and tariffs; in the international market it is just something that must be dealt with. Another issue in the global liquor industry is dealing with copycat competition. Due to all of the expenses involved with developing a foreign market, it is easy for other companies to make a similar product within a 2006-06-01T01:45:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Bailey-s-Irish-Cream-and-International-Demand-for-Alcohol-28959.aspx Entering Foreign Markets; Research, Marketing and Strategy "Ben And Jerry's" Given Ben & Jerry’s track record in entering foreign markets, does it make good strategic sense for Ben & Jerry to commit to entering the super premium ice cream market in Japan? Why or why not? What prior “mistakes” will it need to avoid? Ben & Jerry’s had been traditionally slow to enter into the foreign market they have lost market share to both Haagen-Dazs and other ice cream suppliers. Ben & Jerry’s had begun to inquire about the Japanese market in the mid 1990s. Japan represents the second largest ice cream market in the world, with annual sales of about $4.5 Billion, but there are high barriers to entry. Ben & Jerry’s would be a late entrant, more than 10 years behind Haagen-Dazs initial entry, and there are at least 6 Japanese ice cream manufactures selling super premium products. Ben Cohen, one of the founders of Ben & Jerry’s, was opposed to growth, so the company had limited adventures overseas therefore had limited opportunities. Haagen-Dazs had no hesitation and by 1997 it was in 28 countries with 850 dipping shops around the world. Haagen-Dazs non-U.S. sales were about $700 million, compared to Ben & Jerry’s sales of $6 million. Haagen-Dazs had completely taken over the international market by entering when the barriers to entry were low and now they are high. It makes sense for Ben & Jerry’s to enter the market in order to gain whatever market share that is possible, but since barriers to entry are so high they have to find a way to enter the market and get recognized whether it is through Seven-Eleven or by using Mr. Yamada. Entering is also a great idea if they proceed with the Seven-Eleven marketing plan. This plan allows Ben & Jerry’s to enter into 7,000 Seven-Eleven store shelve, but still competing with other brands. Also Ben & Jerry’s would not have to promote its super premium ice cream is since it is already part of the ice cream market(for example Haagen-Dazs) and Japanese people are aware of it. A plus for this is that convenience stores appeared to account for about 40% of super premium ice cream sales in Japan, and Seven-Eleven was Japan’s largest chain. What resource strengths/ competitive assets does Ben & Jerry’s have to support entry into Japan? What resources weaknesses/ competitive liabilities does Ben 2006-05-31T17:48:34-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Entering-Foreign-Markets-Research,-Marketing-and-Strategy-28915.aspx 0.1 Background and Framework for Analysis In early 2002 the Institute for Retail Studies at the University of Stirling was commissioned to carry out a 'Competitive Analysis of the Retail Sector in the UK' (tender CGS/1239) based on secondary sources and restricted to the UK rather than international comparisons. The project had three objectives: to define and map the sector in terms of size and composition of the businesses which operate within it; to analyse the competitiveness of the sector now through SWOT, PEST and Porter's 5 forces and any other appropriate means and summarise the key issues facing the sector as a whole, and also sub-sector specific issues; to provide recommendations for industry and government. The report is divided into four parts. In Part I we provide a background to the sector and explain the framework for analysis used in the study. Part II provides the competitive analysis of the whole (generic) retail sector based upon the three components of the framework: drivers for change; sector structure; and internal characteristics and competencies. Part III summarises the report and provides recommendations based upon our interpretation of the analysis. Part IV, presented as an appendix, provides a series of sub-sector analyses for the nine retail sub-sectors identified by the DTI. Retailing is one of the major economic sectors of the country, with retail sales of £221 billion, employing around 3 million people and operating over 300,000 shops. Within the sector there is a scale polarisation at both the business and the store level. The leading retailers are huge, multinational businesses which dominate the sector. They operate a range of stores from major hypermarkets and supercentres through to small convenience stores. Retailing is also significant it its social dimension as well. Whilst economically retailing bridges production and consumption, in social terms it effects most of the population every day. It is the rare person who does not go shopping, or indeed has not worked in retailing or been involved in it in some way. For some, retailers offer their major social intercourse of the day or week and act as a social network, setting or centre. The quality of UK retailing and its locations thus has both an economic and a social bearing on the perceptions of the country. What we term retailing is however changing, both in horizontal and vertical terms. Traditional product boundaries have altered and strict lines of business have dissolved. Retailers have also extended their tasks 2006-04-09T06:56:20-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Competitive-Analysis-of-the-Retail-Sector-in-the-UK-28672.aspx The Marketing Plan Part A: Product Concept and Packaging Decisions: The product that we have created is a body wash that comes together in two separate bottles for “him” and “her”. Each package comes with a “poof” for the female and a wash cloth with the same properties of the poof for the male. The target market for our product is females and males aged 17-25. Obviously it is for males and females as the product has the body wash for each gender. But also the target age is that because 17 could be as young as people are that would maybe be living with a member of the opposite sex, and we felt that much older than 25, people may not feel connected to that sort of product. There are many unique selling points linked to our product. The matching his and her wash where the bottles come connected together, or can also be sold separately. The male bottle comes with a free wash cloth and the female with a free poof, the colour of the soap is blue for His and pink for Hers, we made it that way because pink and blue are the well-known colours for males and females. Unlike most other bodywashes, this one foams either pink or blue and stays that colour until washed off. The generic name for the product is body wash. The brand name of this body wash is called “Excess”. We chose this because we felt it was a quick attention grabber name that would attract people to the product. Our company name is MK2. The bottles fit together to create a triangular shape. This way they can be sold together in a matching set, or as singles. They are in a clear, easily squeezable container so that you can see the colours of the liquid through the bottle. The male body wash is called HIS, and the female is called HERS. We did it like this because it is catchy and straight to the point. The brand symbol/logo is the male and female “signs”. The shape of the bottle is unique and easily catches your attention. Sold separately, the shape is a tilted triangle, but put together it forms a big equilateral triangle. The size of the bottle is small big enough to hold a fair amount if the body wash, but isn’t too big so that it is bulky 2006-02-16T03:30:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Marketing-Plan-Product-Concept-and-Packaging-Decisions-28498.aspx Definition of Market Research Market Research is a systematic, objective collection and analysis of data about a particular target market, competition, and/or environment. It always incorporates some form of data collection whether it be secondary research (often referred to as desk research) or primary research which is collected direct from a respondent. The purpose of any market research project is to achieve an increased understanding of the subject matter. With markets throughout the world becoming increasingly more competitive, market research is now on the agenda of many organisations, whether they be large or small. The Market Research Process To conduct market research, organisations may decide to undertake the project themselves (some through a marketing research department) or they might choose to commission it via a market research agency or consultancy. Whichever, before undertaking any research project, it is crucial to define the research objectives i.e. what are you trying to achieve from the research? and what do you need to know? After considering the objectives, Market Researchers can utilise many types of research techniques and methodologies to capture the data that they require. All of the available methodologies either collect quantitative or qualitative information. The use of each very much depends on the research objectives but many believe that results are most useful when the two methods are combined. Quantitative Research Quantitative research is numerically oriented, requires significant attention to the measurement of market phenomena and often involves statistical analysis. For example, a bank might ask its customers to rate its overall service as either excellent, good, poor or very poor. This will provide quantitative information that can be analysed statistically. The main rule with quantitative research is that every respondent is asked the same series of questions. The approach is very structured and normally involves large numbers of interviews/questionnaires. Perhaps the most common quantitative technique is the ‘market research survey’. These are basically projects that involve the collection of data from multiple cases – such as consumers or a set of products. Quantitative surveys can be conducted by using post (self-completion), face-to-face (in-street or in-home), telephone, email or web techniques. The questionnaire is one of the more common tools for collecting data from a survey, but it is only one of a wide ranging set of data collection aids. For further detailed information about quantitative research please click here: quantitative market research. Qualitative Research Qualitative research provides an understanding of how or why things are as they are. For 2005-12-12T23:45:36-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-research--28178.aspx Marketing Essay: How To Do a SWOT Analysis SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It's a four-part approach to analyzing a company's overall strategy or the strategy of its business units. All four aspects must be considered to implement a long-range plan of action. In order to swat the competition you need to understand SWOT. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It's a way to analyze a company's or a department's position in the market in relation to its competitors. The goal is to identify all the major factors affecting competitiveness before crafting a business strategy. SWOT Breakdown SWOT identifies the internal and external factors that affect an organization. Here’s the breakdown of SWOT by internal and external variables: Internal factors (Strengths and weaknesses) • A corporate structure, culture and resources • Shareholders • Customers • Competitors External factors (Opportunities threats) • Politics • Technology • Society • Economics SWOT comes from an old term from the strategic planning field. Marketing gurus have taken familiar terms from old "situation analysis" principles -- like core competencies (your company's main business), liabilities (weak points that need improvement), customers and competitors -- and simply given them a catchy new acronym. "The purpose of strategy is to be really clear before you take the direction. The point of a SWOT analysis is to have the best shot at a grounded plan," says Rashi Glazer, co-director of the Center for Marketing and Technology at the University of California at Berkeley. For example, an information technology department needs to determine the strengths and weaknesses of its people and its technology. It also needs to make sure the IT strategy complements the company's business goals. The department head needs to ask: What is each staff member good at? What are they not good at? Project leaders also must consider opportunities and threats -- or customers and competitors. How attractive is the market or direction they're considering? What's their market share and cost structure? Delta Air Lines Inc., for example, chose to invest in a multibillion-dollar customer service system that addresses the flight delay problems experienced by 20% of its passengers. Although some companies might think the move was excessive considering 80% of customers have no problems, Delta believed customer service was an important area for increasing market share and that competitors could pose a threat if Delta didn't address 2005-12-04T02:07:08-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/How-To-Do-a-SWOT-Analysis-Marketing-Essay-28164.aspx Definition: The purchase by a listed company of its own shares either in the open market or by tender offers. Sometimes a company has surplus funds that it does not need for its operations. It can use those funds to expand its operations (e.g. buy new businesses) or it can distribute them to stockholders. One-way of distributing funds to shareholders is to have a share buy back, wherein the company buys back some of its shares from existing stockholders. COMPANIES DO IT FOR FIVE REASONS: • To increase the share price • To rationalise the capital structure - the company believes it can sustain a higher debt-equity ratio • To substitute the dividend payouts with share repurchases (because capital gains may be taxed at lower rate than dividend income) • To prevent the dilution of earnings caused, for example, by the issue of new shares to meet the exercise of stock option grants • To deploy excess cash flow and return it to shareholders • A company normally buys back shares when it feels the stock is undervalued, or when it has enough cash to reward investors by purchasing the shares at a price higher than the market value. EXAMPLE OF A SHARE BUY-BACK Company A has 100 shares issued and makes a profit of $50. This means a shareholder is getting a return of 50 cents a share ($50/100). This is the Earnings per Share or EPS. If the share sells on the stock exchange for 15 times its EPS, a share has a value of $7.50. Suppose that the company buy back 25 shares. A shareholder who retains their shares now earns 67 cents ($50/75) on each share held. If the share sells on the stock exchange for 15 times its EPS, a share has a value of $10. WHEN A COMPANY SHOULD BUY BACK SHARES So a company can add value to its shares by buying some of them back: a. Where it has surplus funds; b. Where it can buy them back at a price below intrinsic value. DON'T BUY BUYBACKS BLINDLY: FOR INVESTORS • Often there is at least a short-term up tick in the stock price after a buyback announcement, and certainly there is often a bounce up after the buyback itself is actually accomplished. So, some companies might like to divert attention away from a revenue problem by being able to show an increase in the stock price. Why would there be such an increase? Because a company usually 2005-09-20T05:59:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Share-Buy-Backs-28006.aspx Statistics: It is said that black money in India accounts for 20 % of GDP. If this is true, then black money generated every year must be around Rs 400,000 crore or $ 80 billion. This is a huge amount, more than the entire budget of the government at the Centre. We have a government that spends about Rs 350,000 crore a year, most of it on itself, and asks for accounts of every paisa. On the other side, we have black money worth Rs 400,000 crore every year, which is just guesswork, and there are no accounts. This money goes into property, which is why real estate prices are so high, and of course five-star hotels. If the government could have all this money, or even a small fraction, there would be no need for revenue or fiscal deficits, and no need for huge borrowings to make two ends meet. How big is $ 100 billion? It is bigger than you think. It is worth Rs 500,000 crore, which makes it bigger than the central budget. It is more than twice our annual exports. It is equivalent to 30 times what Enron is supposed to have invested on its Dabhol project. It is more than what the US government is expected to pay those who have suffered from the September 11th smash. And, if you must know, it is a fifth of our annual GDP, which is itself a big figure. Introduction: The CBDT is hopeful of collecting more than Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 70 billion) as income tax area, the target indicated by Finance Minister P Chidambaram for the current financial year. The board has already collected Rs 3,400 crore (Rs 34 billion) during the first six months of the current fiscal year, compared to Rs 2,700 crore (Rs 27 billion) in the same period a year earlier. Finance Minister P Chidambaram's Budget speech for 2004-05 shows there were only 27 million taxpayers in the country on the date of the presentation of the Budget. This indicates the tax evasion rampant in the country. The economy keeps growing and so does the deficit, while the revenues do not increase in the same proportion as the economy grows. There could be a number of reasons for the shortfall, which may vary from year to year like recession in the industrial sector or shortfall in agricultural production. But one factor that has been constant 2005-09-20T05:52:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Black-Market-and-The-Indian-Economy-28005.aspx WHAT IS OUTSOURCING? The idea of outsourcing has its roots in the 'competitive advantage' theory propagated by Adam Smith in his book 'The Wealth of Nations' which was published in 1776. Over the years, the meaning of the term 'outsourcing' has undergone a sea change. What started off as the shifting of manufacturing to countries providing cheap labour during the Industrial Revolution, has taken on a new connotation in today's scenario. In a world where IT has become the backbone of businesses worldwide, 'outsourcing' is the process through which one company hands over part of its work to another company, making it responsible for the design and implementation of the business process under strict guidelines regarding requirements and specifications from the outsourcing company. The key to this definition is the aspect of transfer of control. This definition differentiates outsourcing from business relationships in which the buyer retains control of the process or, in other words, tells the supplier how to do the work. It is the transfer of ownership that defines outsourcing and often makes it such a challenging, painful process. In outsourcing, the buyer does not instruct the supplier how to perform its task but, instead, focuses on communicating what results it wants to buy; it leaves the process of accomplishing those results to the supplier. There are two principal types of outsourcing:  Traditional outsourcing: - In "traditional" outsourcing, employees of an enterprise cease to perform the same jobs to the enterprise. Rather, tasks are identified that need to be performed, and the employees are normally hired by the service provider. For example, an information technology outsourcing may include a transfer of responsibility for management of data centers and networks (LAN, WAN, and telecommunications). In the field of facilities management, individuals acting as property managers might become employees of a facilities management company.  Greenfield outsourcing: - In "greenfield" outsourcing, the enterprise changes its business processes without any hiring of personnel by the service provider. For example, the enterprise might hire a startup company to provide a new service, such as wireless remote computing, that was not previously managed internally. This brings us to the areas of outsourcing. Outsourcing takes place in the following three main fields:  Business Process Outsourcing: - It aims at providing optimal performance in critical enterprise processes. It provides industry-specific as well as cross-industry solutions, enabling clients to focus on core competencies and move to a higher level 2005-09-20T05:49:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Outsourcing-28004.aspx Introduction: History of Coca-Cola (Coke): Coca-Cola was formulated by John S.Pemberton, originally as a cocawine called Pemberton’s French Wine Coca, and originally sold as a patent medicine for five cents a glass at soda fountains, which were popular in America due to a contemporary view that soda water was good for your health. Coca-Cola is the trademarked name, registered in 1893, for a popular soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines around the world. History of Pepsi: Caleb Bradham, a New Bern, North Carolina pharmacist, renamed "Brad's Drink," a carbonated soft drink he had created to serve his drugstore's fountain customers. The new name, Pepsi-Cola, was first used on August 28, 13 years after Coca-Cola. In 1902 Bradham applied for a trademark to the U.S. Patent Office, issued stock and began selling Pepsi syrup. By 1923, Pepsi-Cola Company was declared bankrupt and its assets were sold to a North Carolina concern, Craven Holding Corporation, for $30,000. Roy C. Megargel, a Wall Street broker, bought the Pepsi trademark, business and goodwill from Craven Holding Corporation for $35,000, forming the Pepsi-Cola Corporation and in 1932 the trademark was registered in Argentina. The beginning of the Cola war: 1975 heralded the ‘Pepsi Challenge’, a landmark marketing strategy, which convinced millions of consumers that the taste of Pepsi was superior to Coke. Simultaneously, Pepsi Light, with a distinctive lemon taste, was introduced as an alternative to traditional diet colas. In 1983 Coke launched aspartame/saccharin blend Diet Coke. In response in 1989 Pepsi-Cola introduced an exciting new flavor, Wild Cherry Pepsi. Thus Diet Pepsi's 'The Other Challenge' campaign was based around a 54-46% lead over Diet Coke in independently researched taste tests in Australia. It was only in 1996 that Pepsi unveiled a revolutionary 'blue' look worldwide 'to transform the image and attitude' of one of the world's best-known brands. 'Pepsi Blue represents a quantum leap into the future and redefines how the Cola Wars will be fought and won in the 21st Century.' Purpose of the case study: Control of market share is the key issue in this case study. The situation is both Coke and Pepsi are trying to gain market share in this beverage market, which is valued at over $30 billion a year. Just how is this done in such a competitive market is the underlying issue. The facts are that each company is coming up with new products and ideas in order to increase their 2005-09-20T05:45:27-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pepsi-Vs-Coke-Saga-28003.aspx Introduction: This case talks about the latest trend of mergers and acquisitions and the ensuing fallout. The concern here is about the $14 billion merger of PepsiCo and Quaker Oats. After a long delay with regards to granting permission for this merger, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finally gave the go ahead after it realized that there was a split in the opinion of its members. 50 percent of the members voted in favour and the rest against the decision for the merger. This committee was set up to investigate the fairness of the deal with respect to the marketing principles commonly followed. Due to the split in decision, the entire investigation was called off, allowing the deal to proceed. FTC staff had objected to this merger since they believed that this kind of merger would kill competition in the sports drink market segment. This would lead to an almost monopolistic scenario and give PepsiCo the overriding authority in cutting deals with convenience stores. This deal, under the able leadership of Steve Reinemund, will create a formidable position of PepsiCo in the drinks and fast food segment. This would push the limit of the revenues to over $25 billions. This merger would mean that Gatorade, one of the leading sports drink, would come under the PepsiCo banner and thus give PepsiCo the leading edge especially over Coco-Cola, in the non carbonated drink segment. This is because Coco-Cola’s PowerAde, a non-carbonated drink aimed at the sports segment has only 15% of the market share while Gatorade has over 80% of the share. The deal would also consolidate PepsiCo’s position in the ready-to-eat food segment. Quaker’s grain-based snacks and cereals like ‘Life’ and ‘Cap’n Crunch’ will now come under the Frito-Lay banner thus introducing more variety. Analysis: The case is definitely one of acquisitions and mergers. This case highlights the business strategies and tactics employed by big corporate houses to kill competition. This case also depicts the importance antitrust laws and focuses on their role in protecting consumer rights. The main reason as to the emergence of these laws is the existence of monopolies and their harmful effects on the society as a whole. Before we proceed with the analysis of the case we need to know what monopoly is all about. Monopoly: It can be defined as any condition which gives individual sellers, or groups of sellers acting as a unit; some measure of direct control over 2005-09-20T05:40:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Pepsico-Quaker-Merger-28002.aspx INDEX 1- INTRODUCTION 1 Task 1 2- WHY AUCTION ON LINE 2 3- TRADITIONAL AUCTION VS ON-LINE AUCTION 3 3.1 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES 4 3.1.1 TRUST SECURITY QUALITY 3.1.2 SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS 3.1.3 ADVANTGES 4. INTERNET SEGMENTATION (EBAY) 5 4.1 FROM SEGMENTATION TO COMUNITIES 5 Task 2 5-BUILDING BRANDS IN THE INTERNET 6 5.1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN REAL AND VIRTUAL BRANDING 6 5.2 C.R.M. 9 5.3 LINKS 9 Task 3 6- RESULTS ES TEST 10 6.1 EBAY STRATEGY 10 6.1.1 HOW SUCCESFULL IT HAS BEEN 6.2 TEN STEPS IN THE NEW MARKETING 11 6.3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS 11 6.3.1 DIFFERENTS BRANDS NAMES FOR LUXURY 6.3.2 LINKS WITH AUCTION HOUSES 6.3.3 NETWORK FOCUSED ORIENTATION 6.3.4 MARKET DEVELOPMENT INTO AFRICAN PRODUCTS 6.4 FUTURE OF THE COMPANY 14 7-APPENDIX 12 8- REFERENCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY 23 1-INTRODUCTION The company that I’ve chosen is Ebay .com, this company is the biggest auction company on line in the world, recently its trying to expand to Europe; with the take over of Ibazar (the bigest auction business in Europe), and to south America with the co-operation with Mercadolibre.com Despite of its only six years of live, Ebay is the biggest auction business in the world. But why? Which are the factors that have helped this enterprise to be the number one? What is its strategy? What are their expectations for the future? These are some of the question that I expect to answer in the next pages. TASK 1 2- WHY AUCTION ON-LINE There are many different profits brought by being on the line, this is well known for the company and each year more and more companies, start their business in the net. The nature of the business is very different, in the net we can find insurance companies, banks, travel agencies, book shops etc… But what is the reason for being on line? First of all the Internet allows the penetration in the market, that means that with the same product the enterprises can increase their customers in their current market. By the publicity customers services, marketing communications etc. Secondly we can see how the Internet allows the enterprise to go abroad, thanks to the Internet, the enterprises can commerce everywhere in the world. Thirdly we find the product development, Internet is helping the creation of new products and services, most of them concentrated in the information industry, as Tom Knight states in Virtual Business magazine “enterprises have to move from selling products to selling know how”. And the Internet is one of the best media to sell knowledge. Fourthly, the Internet allows the diversification; the enterprises can move to new markets and new products. These are the reasons that explain why most 2005-08-23T08:10:00-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Why-Ebay-is-Successful-27767.aspx The S.E.C. - Protector of Honest Marketing The Securities and Exchange Commission’s, or commonly know as the S.E.C., primary objective is to try and protect all investors in the market of securities that may or not be as secure as say the type of investments that may be made through a bank; i.e. bonds, stocks, and other various securities investments. They develop, process, amend and enforce laws that keep companies, and the people that manage them, in line so that they are able to give clear and honest information to investors 2005-08-15T00:22:19-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-S_E_C_-Protector-of-Honest-Marketing-27635.aspx Analysis of marketing strategy of Suzuki Motor Company, Ltd. (Suzuki) Company Background: Michio Suzuki founded Suzuki Loom Works, a privately owned loom manufacturing company, in 1909 in Hamamatsu, Japan. In 1952, the company began manufacturing and marketing a 2-cycle, 36 cubic centimeter (cc) motorcycle, which became so popular that in 1954 the company introduced a second motorcycle and changed its name to Suzuki Motor Company, Ltd. (Suzuki).In 1985, American Suzuki opened its automotive division and was the first manufacturer in the United States compact utility Vehicle. SUZUKI'S MARKETING STRATEGY IN THE U.S. MARKET ENTRY STATEGY: Suzuki changes its policy many times according to the market requirements. At first they entered in the US market as exporter of a single product (only motor cycle) with pure vertical integration. In 1964 Suzuki began exporting motorcycles to the United States. It established a wholly owned subsidiary, U.S Suzuki Motor Company, Ltd., to serve as the exclusive importer and distributor of Suzuki motorcycles. Then it began to export multi products and out sources its one brand: In 1983, General Motors (GM) purchase 5% of Suzuki hand helped the company a subcompact car for the US market. The car name was Chevrolet Sprint, it was the first entry into the continental US automobile market. And it was introduced regional basis only in the West Coast. At last they decide to go for manufacturing in foreign land: GM's success with Sprint showed Suzuki that a market existed for its cars in the continental of United States. So the company planned to introduce several unique vehicles into the U.S market over time. Suzuki had no guarantee, how ever, the GM would be willing to market the vehicles. Therefore, Suzuki decided to establish its own presence in the US automobile industry. Japan's voluntary restrain agreement (VRA) quotas made it impossible for Suzuki to export any cars other than the Sprint to USA in future. So in 1985, Suzuki and GM began negotiations with the Canadian government to build a plant in Ontario that could produce approximately 200,000 subcompact cars per year. Suzuki management expected the plant to be on line by early 1989, and the company could then begin selling cars in the USA under its own name. But the US market was growing market and was very lubricated for both Japanese and other foreign competitors, and Suzuki managers believed that clutter might limit their success if they waited until 1989, they were convince that 2005-08-14T00:31:51-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Suzuki-Motor-Company-Market-Strategy-Analysis-27613.aspx Short explanation of why brands have become a critical issue in product marketing Brand is defined as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers. Therefore it makes sense to understand that branding is not about getting your target market to choose you over the competition, but it is about getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problem. Branding is important because it builds relationships with consumers and is a guarantee that what they like about a product will be there every time Brands have become a critical issue in the marketing of products because it is everything you do to get your business known and to enhance its reputation. It's advertising. It putting your business name on your vehicle. It's sending out your invoice on an attractive letterhead or invoice form. It's an attractive logo. It's telling the guy in line at the supermarket what business your in. It's passing out your business card. If you do you branding right you will get referrals. People will look for you on the Internet. People will recognize your site when they find it. They will look in the phone book for you.They will trust you. They will buy from you. When you are marketing your site, business, product, service, you must be seen, heard and remembered by your audience. Consumers are bombarded with messages all day every where they travel. You must stand out and the most cost effective way to do this is logical domain branding. Today, we live in a society of overwhelming choice, which basically translates to relationships of convenience with the brands we choose. Today's "wired" become tomorrows "tired" often in the course of a week, no matter what the emotional connection was when it was "in". Brand loyalty is an illusion for marketers for the most part, and those that focus on innovation of their brand offerings with emerging trends are poised to fare better than those who still believe their customers will remain loyal to them. If brands create emotional relevance with customers over time, then they can potentially win them over for life. There are Coke drinkers who've never tried Pepsi, Nike owners who've never tried on a pair of Adidas, Starbucks customers who won't ever get their latte from 2005-08-14T00:05:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Branding-in-Product-Marketing-27608.aspx [b]Business Studies Marketing Report[/b] URBAN HYPE URABN HYPE INC. Phone 123 456 789012345 Main Street Fax 123 098 7654Southridge, WA 12345 Proposal on Marketing research URBAN HYPE ideal proposal on market research. Chapter 1 PROPOSAL ON MARKET RESEARCH Proposal Marketing, the all-embracing function that links the company with customer tastes to get the right product to the right place at the right time. Marketing decisions are made through the marketing model , based on findings of market research, and carried out through the marketing mix. At all stages in the marketing process, the firm needs to work closely with the production department and research and development, to ensure that what is promised is delivered. Market research is the main process of gathering primary and secondary data on the buying habits, lifestyle, usage and attitudes of actual and potential customers. The intension is to gather evidence that can enable marketing and production decisions to be made in a more scientific way than would otherwise be possible. Most large consumer goods firms agree on one phrase used by Sherlock Holmes “It’s a capital mistake to theorise before one has data”. Market research can be subdivided as follows: Desk research Quantitative Qualitative 2005-08-12T04:00:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Business-Studies-Marketing-Report-27594.aspx What is Marketing? Marketing consists of individual and organizational activities that facilitate and expedite satisfying exchange relationships in a dynamic environment through the creation, distribution, promotion, and pricing of goods, services, and ideas. An understanding of marketing is important for success in all business fields and occupations. Rapid technological innovations continue to change human needs and provide goods and services to consumers at an affordable price. Marketers are instrumental in achieving such tasks. Career opportunities in marketing are virtually unlimited. Marketing is critical for the survival of any business because it is the major revenue-generating function in the firm. All organizations — from regular businesses to nonprofit organizations such as churches or charities — must engage in marketing activities and need highly qualified marketing professionals. That need is reflected in the high starting salaries and opportunities for rapid career advancement available to marketing graduates. Advertising is one of the career areas open to you as a marketing professional Many organizations employ advertising specialists. Advertising agencies are the largest employers; however, manufacturers, retailers, banks, radio and television stations, hospitals, and insurance agencies all have advertising departments. Creativity, artistic talent, and good communication skills (written and verbal) are a few of the attributes needed for a successful career in advertising. Because the industry is so competitive, it is very difficult to enter. Compensation for entry-level positions in advertising is generally lower than other entry-level positions, but increases substantially as one moves into management. In addition to experience, account manager positions will generally require a MBA degree. Interactive marketing is another career area open to you as a marketing professional. As a result of technological capabilities and lifestyle market opportunities, interactive marketing has enjoyed substantial expansion. Although precise figures are difficult to pinpoint, interactive marketing has grown at a rate of at least 10% annually in recent years. The marketing positions in interactive marketing generally involve three facets: planning marketing activities, marketing research, and market analysis. Underlying most interactive marketing programs is the use of a computerized database containing data related to customer/prospect information, transaction records, and media tracking information. Graduating students with skills and interest in both marketing and data processing are likely to find excellent career opportunities in interactive marketing. Another area open is sales. There are more opportunities in sales than in any other area of marketing. Sales positions vary greatly among companies. Some selling positions focus more on providing 2005-08-10T04:42:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/What-is-Marketing--27587.aspx 3G Mobile Telecoms Marketing Study What is 3G? 3G - or 3rd generation - technology supports the broadband, packet-based transmission of text, multimedia data - such as audio, video and digitized voice - at a high data rate. It will greatly enhance the next generation of mobile communication services, providing always-on connectivity to phones and other wireless communications, regardless of time and place. 3G has been endorsed by major standards bodies and manufacturers. WCDMA is the leading 3G standard. It has been endorsed by all major OEMS and operators. What does 3G mean for developers? 3G is another network pipe, so in most cases developers do not need to explicitly program for it any more than they program for a GSM or GPRS network. However, the enhanced bandwidth and the always-on nature of 3G removes some practical limitations on the types of services that developers can deliver. What services will 3G enable? No single 3G application will dominate the market. High-speed content like video-on-demand, multimedia and always-on Internet access are just a few possibilities. Nokia believes Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) will be one of the first successful services on the market. Is 3G too far out to make application development profitable? The 3G network roll-out is in process, but the applications that will work best over 3G already work on today's networks. MMS, OTA download of Java applications, and browsing applications are already in use today. As 3G bandwidth becomes more widely available, developers can enhance existing applications with richer graphics and other data-intensive services. When will WCDMA 3G networks be available? Nokia is already rolling out its 3G network solutions. The first Nokia WCDMA and EDGE networks will be launched commercially during the second half of 2002. Current Market Situation The current market share held by the 4 major producers of mobile communications in the 3rd quarter of 2002 was as follows: 1. Nokia ¡V 35.9% 2. Motorola- 14.4% 3. Samsung- 10.6% 4. Sony-Ericsson- 4.8% For the past 3 years, the mobile communications industry has taken a significant downturn. The value of the market has decreased in the region of billions of euro. The downturn of the industry can be attributed to three main causes: 1. Investors have somewhat lost confidence in the hi-tech industries and hence now the trailing mobile communications industry 2. Market Saturation experienced by the mobile industry 3. The product life cycle of the 2G mobile phone has progressed to the decline 2005-08-07T03:40:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/3G-Mobile-Telcoms-Marketing-Study,-Industry-Overview-27570.aspx Walmart Marketing Case Study Question # 1 In Customer Intimacy and Other Value Disciplines, Treacy and Wiersema highlight three distinct "paths" or strategies to market leadership. They include operational excellence, customer intimacy, and product leadership. This paper will highlight how Wal-Mart has successfully implemented the operational excellence strategy, as well as consider future initiatives within this strategy that Wal-Mart can still incorporate. The discussion will than focus on the customer intimacy strategy and explain how Wal-mart has also incorporated this strategy in a variety of its operations. The product leadership strategy will also be briefly discussed, however, due to its limited scope in this particular environment, it will not be emphasized. Wal-Mart has effectively implemented an operational excellence strategy in its quest to continually lower costs and deliver products and services with minimal difficulty or inconvenience. Whether it be through reducing costs, through its various relationships and practices with suppliers or controlling energy consumption by monitoring and controlling lights, heat, A/C, etc from their head office or even managing inventory efficiently, Wal-Mart has effectively minimized both variable and fixed costs while also ensuring stock outs are minimized. Wal-Mart has also effectively eliminated (non-value) added production steps as it successfully re-defined the integrated retailers relationships with its manufacturers. Wal-Mart has also been successful in implementing a variety of IT systems that have also facilitated this strategy. Whether it's through their own private satellite networks, or their EDI systems with suppliers or even the implementation of UPC scanners at the registers, Wal-Mart has been an industry leader in using technology to facilitate this strategy. Wal-Mart has also successfully incorporated convenience in their strategy, as some stores are open 24-7, and if one was to look at the multiple services offered, whether it be the automotive garage, pharmacy, restaurant, photo lab, they are effectively becoming a one stop shop. (A friend has even joked, that in the future, they will have a day surgery department.) Has Wal-Mart reached the limits of lowering costs? Absolutely not. As indicated, they have a variety of initiatives that are being examined. The first initiative involves using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) with their top 100 suppliers. This will further improve their distribution efficiency, as it will reduce the need for unloading to check products, as well as, serve as an internal control function in dealing with shrinkage. It's been estimated that such technology could unlock supply chain cost savings of 2005-08-05T03:22:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Walmart-Marketing-History-and-Marketing-Case-Study-27556.aspx Sharper Image Corp SWOT Analysis and Stock Evaluation SHARPER IMAGE CORPORATION Introduction Sharper Image Corporation is a San Francisco-based specialty retailing company. They are known for their original, innovative, high-quality gizmos and gadgets that no one really needs, but would like to have. They produce products in the categories of electronics, recreation, fitness, personal care, house ware, travel, and toys. Sharper Image sells products from three sources: Sharper Image Design propriety products, private label products, and branded products. The propriety products are researched and designed by Sharper Image. Private label products are produced by other manufactures, but features and functions are changed so they will be unique to Sharper Image. Branded products are distinctive products sold only in Sharper Image stores. Sharper Image was founded in 1977 and went public in 1987. It started as a mail-order company, but later opened its first store in 1984. Sharper Image also expanded to the Internet market by opening its site in 1999. It now has a total of 1,400 employees and about 100 stores throughout the United States (Sharper Image 2001). Strengths Diversity One of Sharper Images' strongest strength is its diverse methods of selling their products. Sharper Image owns and operates 97 stores thought the United States. Usually located in malls, Sharper Image stores generates a lot of traffic, resulting in a lot of business. Their stores are their largest source of income, accounting for roughly 60% of their total sales. The famous Sharper Image Catalog is their next highest source of revenue, bringing in 20% of sales. The catalog is sent monthly to over 7.9 million people. Their most recent sales channel is their Internet web site, which opened in July of 1999. Their Internet revenues are increasing rapidly, they make up 14% of total sales (SHRP Reports Increase 2001). Sharper Image Propriety Products The primary driver of Sharper Image's sales is their Sharper Image Design products such as the Ionic Breeze Air Purifier, their hands-free Car Cell Phone System, and their CD Shower Companion (Materna 2000). These products are among their top sellers. A big advantage of these products is that they are not sold in any other stores. So if customers want these items, they must order from Sharper Image. Sharper Image hopes that this will bring in more customers who will buy other merchandise as well. Fiscally Strong Financially, Sharper Image Corp. is doing very well. Sales from every channel are increasing. 2005-08-05T03:21:07-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sharper-Image-Corp-SWOT-Analysis-and-Stock-Evaluation-27555.aspx Advanced Marketing Management Marketing plan for United Parcel Service [i:8e65ab47a8]Mission Statement: “End-to-end global supply chain provider.”[/i:8e65ab47a8] Executive Summary: The company analysis shows that UPS is actually positioned as a domestic (U.S.) ground shipping company, instead of being the primary coordinator of the flow of goods, information and funds throughout the entire supply chain on an international basis, as UPS perceives themselves. UPS is the follower in the overnight (express) deliveries segment. Therefore the marketing plan recommends gaining market share in that segment by withdrawing market share from FedEx, which is the market leader in that segment. Therefore, UPS should target companies (such as hospitals, finance companies etc.) and households who are currently using FedEx for urgent freight. In addition, UPS should also position themselves in the international shipping market. Therefore, they should target global manufacturing companies where UPS can handle storage, tracking and shipping on a worldwide base. The major strength of UPS is its ubiquitous US ground network, which was built more than 90 years ago and is six times bigger than that of FedEx’s. UPS can reach virtually every address in the U.S. In addition, UPS figured out how to under-take quick mid-distance deliveries - as far as 500 miles in one night - by truck, which is much less expensive than by air. One should also consider that UPS has much better operating margins in air deliveries than FedEx. Therefore, is it absolute feasible to gain market share in the overnight (express) segment. To push this idea UPS should establish an alliance with Wal-Mart in order to set up Drop Boxes in their stores, offer night and Saturday delivery, corporate rates, coupon for frequent household users, and implement appropriate media advertisement according to the target customer group. UPS has a weak international position, since none of the US freight transpor-tation companies has a dominant global position there is a huge potential that UPS could be the leader. In addition, UPS has just received the rights for six direct flights to China. This is just one of further steps UPS should undertake in order to conquer the Asian market. UPS should build up an Asian network by setting up an Asian hub, buying air routes, and establishing relationships to Asian governments. In addition, UPS should increase key-account (sales force) to address global manufacturing companies in order to undertake their global shipping and by showing presence at international trade events. As shown, UPS 2005-08-02T06:25:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/UPS-Marketing-Plan--27525.aspx Coke Vs Pepsi: Selling Spur-of-the-moment Thrills Ever wondered why Pepsi and Coke have been at each other’s throat for years? Most of the writing about the fighting misses the real reason. The battle is not in continuance of old rivalry, it is really about the category in which the two brands exist: impulse-purchased products. Companies working in this category need to understand it thoroughly, and use this knowledge intelligently. In many countries, agencies are organised by categories. Account planners, creative and servicing people specialise in categories and tend to move from agency to agency along category-lines. In fact, recruitment of advertisements specify the kind of category experience required for the job. Brand managers too move along similar lines. This leads to in-depth understanding of category consumer behaviour and competitive forces, which in turn sparks better marketing strategies and impactful communication. In comparison, Indian advertisements is full of generalists. It is common to have one account team handling products as diverse as tractors, ice-cream, suitings and computers simultaneously. Impulse purchases are products or services bought on the spur of the moment. Typically, these products are low-priced, frequently bought and quickly consumed. Ready availability is very important in this category which includes goods like soft drinks, sweets and candies, ice-cream, minor items of clothing like ties, ribbons and head bands, magazines, greeting cards, and gifts. Often, we buy them simply because we feel like a treat or they take our fancy. Hence, the criticality of distribution in this category. If these products are not seen, they are not bought. To understand the category further, let’s look at it from an economist perspective. In almost all such cases, the markets are oligopolistic, with a maximum of two to four players dominating the market. In most cases, the oligopolies are the result of takeovers and consolidation. In the Indian context, the soft drink market is essentially a duopoly - Coke and Pepsi. And, it will essentially remain that way. No matter how hard Cadbury Schweppes tries, it will remain a niche brand. This also implies that the primary battle is for market share and hence intensity of competition is high. Each and every move by a player attracts retaliation. So, what is needed to be successful marketer in this category? Three things, really: High awareness Easy availability High emotions HIGH AWARENESS: This has two components- one is media awareness the other relates to point of consumption. The first one means large advertising spends, 2005-07-29T06:55:12-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Coke-Vs-Pepsi-Selling-Spur-of-the-moment-Thrills-27441.aspx Marketing Mix of Nokia 7210: Why it Reaches the Young Demographic The product, which I have chosen for this assignment, is the mobile phone Nokia 7210. The Nokia 7210 phone has a new keypad layout and a versatile four-way scroll that makes it easy to navigate the high-resolution colour display. (Http1) Polyphonic sounds played through a speaker give improved sound quality for ringing tones and message alerts. The Nokia 7210 tri-band phone operates in three networks - EGSM 900 and GSM 1800/1900 - providing coverage on five continents. The Nokia 7210 phone is one of the first to have a Pop-Port interface connector. It supports advanced functionalities, such as digital enhancement identification, stereo audio, and fast data connectivity. Target Market: Teenagers/Young Adults (15 – 27yrs) Students Product: Anatomy: Core – Mobile Phone Actual – Nokia 7210 Augment – FM Radio, WAP, Games Classification: Speciality/Shopping Range: Nokia 7250 (enhancement/updated version of 7210) Networks (i.e. Orange, O2, T-mobile, Vodaphone) Brand: Nokia, Connecting People Nokia 7210, "A sign of Attitude" Product Life Cycle: early Growth/ late introduction Price: £299.95 - £219.99 (Argos, Carphone warehouse, Index) A Description Of the Criteria Used by the Company to Target the Selected Market The company Nokia have promoted the Nokia 7210 in a certain way to target the selected market. I will be looking at this in a bit more detail: - Age The age that Nokia has targeted for the selected target market is teenagers and young adults. The way the phone has been designed confirms this. The design of the Nokia 7210 and the way this targets the selected market is explained below. The Design The new Nokia 7210 has been designed so that it appeals to younger people mainly teenagers and young adults as it can be seen from the picture. It is small, colourful and trendy looking. Which what a lot of young people want in a mobile. It has a light blue front cover and a blue LCD screen. The phone has a new keypad layout and a versatile four-way scroll that makes it easy to navigate the high-resolution colour display. It has been given a urban image says Http1. This type of image is very popular among the younger generation as many clothes shops such as Top Shop/Top Man, New Look, Envy and River Island all have also adopted this image in the new range of clothes that they are providing as it can be seen in their 2005-06-26T21:11:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-Mix-of-Nokia-Why-it-Reaches-the-Young-Demographic-27174.aspx The Importance and Future of Internet Marketing "Internet marketing is nothing more than another aspect of channel promotion management within the marketing mix." In the early 90's, Tim Berners-Lees developed an Internet based global information initiative and released it to the Internet Community. It didn't take long and the World Wide Web (WWW) began to bloom. Companies were being told incessantly that they needed to be on the web. So companies soon began to create a web presence by using some clipart graphics, a couple of construction signs, and some contact information and then said, "Hey look, we're on the World Wide Web." Since this introduction, technology has rapidly expanded and more and more people have adopted technology in their everyday lives. Thanks to the development of browsers such as Netscape and Explorer, and to their multimedia characteristics, the WWW has become extremely popular for commercial and personal publishing and has expanded the potential of the WWW and the Internet as a medium for marketing. Increasingly businesses are using the Web and e-commerce to gain a competitive advantage over real world businesses. Statistics show that in Australia 25% of households have Internet access and that 44% of adults accessed the Internet in 2000 . In today's fiercely competitive business environment, there is a strong need for an organisation to become globally competitive. E-Marketing provides us with a means of doing this. It is clear that there are fundamental differences between the operation of business on the Internet and in the real world. Indeed it would be surprising if this were not the case. Still there is widespread expectation that business will operate on the Internet in much the same way it operates in the real world. Unlike the real world the Internet is not based on scarcity but on abundance, there is an abundance of information and anyone can trade in it. Traditionally marketing has been defined as 'the process of planning and executing the conception, distribution, promotion and pricing of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organisational objectives.' using mass communication, a one to many process, using mediums such as billboards, television and newspapers. The introduction of the Internet offers many new and unique opportunities and challenges to marketers. Internet marketing has not completely revolutionised the concept of Marketing, but has incorporated it and expanded the opportunities available to marketers. Internet Marketing still uses the traditional concepts 2005-06-26T21:09:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Kristina--27173.aspx Love, Hate, and Target Audiences: Cosmopolitan Magazine vs Playboy Cosmopolitan is a magazine directed toward a twenty-something, female crowd who care about their appearance, health, and recreation. On the other end of the spectrum is Playboy, a magazine targeted at a primarily male audience. I am a subscriber to Cosmopolitan magazine, and would recommend it to other young female readers. However, because Playboy is not targeted toward my specifics, I am not and most likely never will be a subscriber. The covers of these two magazines are actually quite similar. They both depict an appealing female. They are portrayed, however, in an entirely different manner. The Cosmopolitan graces Cameron Diaz, an icon that women see as a sexy, independent, and successful woman. Women look to buy Cosmopolitan in stores because Cameron Diaz is someone who they admire; someone they subconsciously want to be like. Playboy has also presented its audience with a sexy female, but the sexuality behind the cover picture is a bit more explicit. This appeals to men readers because the cover serves as somewhat of a tease to what they might find inside the magazine after purchasing. The reasons that I am so much more prone to buy Cosmopolitan rather than Playboy is because Cosmopolitan does a much better job of depicting what I think a sexy female should look and act like. Playboy creates false images of women to appease the typical male fantasy. When reviewing the content of both magazines, it is obvious whom the magazine has attempted to target. Cosmopolitan has a considerable amount more copy than Playboy. Playboy contains mainly pictorials accompanied by captions or maybe a small article (if she’s the centerfold). The point is, Playboy writes just enough to get the point across. There are several cartoons throughout the magazine, mostly containing one- sentence punch lines. This magazine also contains fashion advice, quotes from how women feel on certain issues, and other manly issues. The advertising in this magazine is also focused on the male population with spots on thinks like: different alcohols, cigarettes, electronic devices, and sexual products. In Cosmopolitan, there is a lot more explanation on things. For example, the article in Cosmopolitan that is called “His Secret After-Sex List.” After reading the issue of Playboy I know that men probably do have after-sex lists. However, they don’t want to talk about it. There is no such thing in man-world as “making 2005-06-26T21:07:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Target-Audiences-Cosmopolitan-Magazine-vs-Playboy-27171.aspx How Harley-Davidson's Marketing strategy has Overcome Fierce Competition from Foreign Companies As many enthusiasts may describe it, the pride of owning a Harley-Davidson is the pride of owning an 'American Icon'. Harley-Davidson's (HD) positioning strategy can best be defined by its mission statement: "We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling- by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles, and branded products and services in selected market segments." Now in its 100th year, however, the ideal of owning an 'American Icon' has slowly dwindled out of the public's mind, due mostly to the competition from Japanese manufacturers like Honda and Yamaha. HD's strength's of its powerful brand image, maintaining good customer relationships, strong financial position, and superiority of technology and design are hindered by its weaknesses related to product capacity and unfulfilled demand for their products2. Strategic Direction and Marketing Objectives HD has chosen the strategic direction of targeting a younger market that is technologically conscious in order to increase its share in the performance cruiser market space. With the introduction of the new V-Rod motorcycle, HD is in a position of attaining a sizeable share in the performance cruiser marketplace. To target the younger market with the new product line, the company has adopted the following marketing objectives: to expand its current market (market expansion), diversify its product line (product diversification), and modify its marketing mix to target a younger demographic. During the 1970's, HD was facing a decline in market share due to increased competition with Japanese companies. By phasing out weak models, becoming more selective, and limiting sales and promotions, HD was able to carve out a niche in the marketplace which it enjoys today3. Now again faced with a period of decline, HD is relying on its newly adopted marketing objectives. First, HD needs to expand its potential customer base to include enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts males in the 35-44 age group. (INSERT MEDIAMARK DATA HERE) This is accomplished through the introduction of the V-Rod and positioning it in the market to a younger demographic. Secondly, HD needs to position the V-Rod to also appeal to first time buyers of motorcycles. HD's strong brand identity can help pull in new clients. Third, HD has to set an appropriate marketing mix that will help attract a younger consumer base. By using the low-end approach, which involves attracting a young audience to a brand name product with 2005-06-26T21:05:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Harley-Davidson-s-Marketing-Strategy-Overcame-Competition-27170.aspx "The Trendy Green Drink,” Marketing Techniques of Arizona Green Tea and Audience Appeal Having seen the packaging, the consumer picks up the drink out of curiosity, while other iced tea drinks have flashy fonts or colors for packaging, 'Arizona' Green Tea maintains its oriental look, providing a contrast that attracts the eye of the consumer and sells itself. The tea comes in a bottle with a light green opaque film around it. The film is illustrated and the top to the bottle is secured with a paper seal colored with an intricate and geometric design. The two other main ingredients follow the Green Tea wording on the label. The wording Green Tea itself is written in both English and Chinese. The target consumers are people still in or just out of college, therefore in their late teens to their late twenties. With a pale green background the bottle's illustrations are of a tree growing small pink flowers, as well as a golden sculpture and a blue river flowing in the back. The seal is around two inches in height and reaches the neck of the bottle. The 'Arizona' label itself is white and placed at a right angle, the rest of the wording is a dark green or black and a relatively smaller font. The illustrations on the film are simple and not intrusive, they provide the bottle with a calm look that high to mid-class college or recently graduated student might enjoy. By having not cluttered the bottle with very colorful or flashy images and given it, a simple, delicate design, the bottle seems calm. In a college or graduate student's life many things are changing and the students often try experiencing new non-traditional things, and the "packages record changing hairstyles and changing lifestyles" (Hine p.71). These new experiences may include less western ideas or products. 'Arizona' Green Tea does not thrust itself upon you but provokes a curious person to try it because it appears different. The tree illustrated on the bottle has tranquility provided by the simple curves with which it was draw and the limitation to two colors, brown for the branches and pink for the flowers. The paper seal is intricate; contradicting with the rest of the bottle, keeping it from being too simple and therefore bland. In a way it is similar to many other products that have a tendency to "sell their bottle rather than the drink." 2005-06-26T21:03:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/-quot-The-Trendy-Green-Drink,”-Marketing-Techniques-of-Arizo-27169.aspx Business Transactions Log, Satisfied vs. Dissatisfied Customers 1 (Satisfying, Paintball Junkies) My friend Rey De Vera, a new paintball supply retailer and proprietor of 511 Paintball in Montclair, didn't have enough capital to make huge investment in buying large amounts of product to stuff his shelves to sell. In particular he was looking for a paintball equipment manufacturer who can make paintball products easily available and at the lowest cost. He made contracts with Paintball Junkie's to be the manufacturer's retailer. In his contract with Paintball Junkie's the condition of selling their brand of products was that he sell a quota or minimum number of their product a week to maintain their business relationship as supplier and retailer. This saved him money and also gave him the flexibility of having not to be financially tied down to any one manufacturer's product made him as a new retailer focus on the business of selling. Paintball Junkies, a manufacturer of high quality paintball storage pods that held the paintballs like a cartridge does bullets and also of the 12x12 storage pod holders that professional tournament players around the world used for their ability to hold significantly more pods than their competitors. This is an example of trying to affect the marketing mix by effecting the distribution by obtaining shelf space for new products; gaining the cooperation of retailers and also effecting seeking distribution outlets in new markets; finding distribution partners. 2(Dissatisfying, National Paintball Supply) Rey De Vera also looked to National Paintball Supply to be his paintball supply wholesaler. National Paintball Supply's Marketing strategy was to target the new and up and coming paintball supply retailers who had little cash to spend on high priced equipment to stuff their shelves. This is evidenced by the fact that in most paintball publications like Splat, Paintball2Xtreme, and Action Sports Games that their advertisements readily show a supply of their products they sell with a number encouraging entrepreneurs to call them. Their advertisements are meant to entice entrepreneurs into thinking how easy it could be to own a large amount of equipment. But it lacks the clarity with regard to the name brands they do sell. In the printed ads in the magazines they should the logos blurred, out of focus, or so panoramic that it's only intended effect was to show the large amounts of equipment to be had a small price. Only after my friends initial order 2005-06-26T21:02:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Transactions-Log,-Satisfied-vs_-Dissatisfied-Customers-27168.aspx “News is not simply reported by the media, it is created by the media.” Discuss. "The 'content' of the newspapers is not fact about the world, but in a very general sense 'ideas'." Fowler (Roger Folwer - Language in the News - Routledge - 1991 - Pg.1) In today's society it would be naïve to assume that the news we receive is unbiased. It is safe to say the facts are reported if someone is murdered, the story maybe covered in the news, but the placement of the piece, emotive language used, duration or any other factors involved would immediately inform the audience to the merit of the story. In effect dictating to the viewer the version of reality 'they.,' the media/government want us, the audience to see. The factors that govern what is reported are news valves and as it is recognised that this code of conduct exists we can, I personally feel, say that the media can, and does, reflect the political agenda or climate. The question of the news being created has been a topic of discussion since the dawn of media studies. There are several different political theories or traditions of thought. The three I have chosen to concentrate on are the liberal, Marxist and pluralist theories. All to some extent see society as maintainable, they agree that the structure of society can be altered not by personal level events but by major structures, such as legalisation and reform. To understand each theory better we must first look at how each theory or idea is applied to our society and in this case the construction of the news, starting first with liberalism. This body of thought was established by the end of the eighteenth-century. It's economic theories favour the development of capitalism, seeing society as a group of 'rational individuals in pursuit of their self-interest.' Direction from the state is not needed, it's job is merely to provide 'external defence and internal order'. James Curran wrote: "A view of society as a system of class exploitation gave way to a new definition of reality in which different sections of the community were portrayed as being independent, with shared interest in common. The portrayal of labour as the source of wealth was replaced by the portrayal; of 'profit' as the mainspring of the economy." ( Ed. James Curran - Mass Communication as a social force, in the media: Context of Study - Open 2005-06-26T20:56:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Is-News-Created-or-Reported-by-the-Media-27167.aspx Marketing Concept and Marketing Segmentation in Practice: Haagen-Daaz INTRODUCTION Haagen-Dazs were the pioneers in the market for creating distinctive and indulgent taste experiences by marketing to an untapped segment - the adult ice cream lovers. The Haagen-Dazs brand quickly developed a loyal following. Its early success was created by word of mouth and praise. Without the benefit of advertising the story of an incredibly rich and creamy confection spread rapidly. At first, it was only available at gourmet shops but soon distribution expanded In 1983 Haagen-Dazs was sold to The Pillsbury Company , which remained committed to the tradition of superior quality and innovation on which Haagen-Dazs was founded. Since then, it has become a global phenomenon. Ice Cream lovers the world over now recognize the unique Haagen-Dazs logo as synonymous with the ultimate super-premium ice cream. However, for the company to reach where it is today, a sincere marketing effort was undertaken from its early days to understand customers and their needs. Since the beginning, Haagen-Dazs has kept a keen focus on developing an internal & external marketing orientation. They obtained their current competitive strengths to establish premium pricing from: *Developing the brand with an attached history of perfection and luxury *Using the finest ingredients to deliver product excellence *Invested in consumer research to understand tastes and preferences of customers *Used selective distribution and did not mass market until the minimum critical mass of opinion leaders were established *Did not change their objectives in between *Used creativity and innovativeness to support brand identity This report will discuss in detail the evidence that Haagen-Dazs does, indeed, practise the marketing concept of keeping customers needs as a priority for the rest of the business to follow. COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Year by year, new products and their competing items have entered into the field and have successfully created a slot for themselves. This phenomenon is greatly supported by the open down policy of the local government to the people coming from other lands for settlement and tourism. Ice creams are a product that has not seen their prime in the U.A.E. Its potential is tapped in a meagre form. Not that the commodity is in short supply. There is ample ice-cream available even at the moment. But, there is great scope of habitualizing the inhabitants of this place to consume more of the product, by exploiting the U.A.E. climate to its best potential. The United Arab 2005-06-26T20:54:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-Concept-and-Marketing-Segmentation-Haagen-Daaz-27166.aspx Benefits of Integrated Marketing Communications to Organizations Integration of PR and Marketing The main benefits to using integrated marketing communications or IMC is that it is essential and cost effective to an organization. In addition, IMC addresses the issue of the four different messages that an organization needs to be aware of so it can control or at least influence. Also, there are six steps that if followed will effectively integrate public relations and marketing in order to meet an organizations goals. Public relations practitioners are often asked to do many other duties in coordination with marketing and advertising in order to achieve the organizations goals. If public relations is integrated with the total communication program, it will save time and money, but also improve the organization's ability to protect the integrity of the product or service (Miller & Rose, 1994). Everyday, public relations practitioners are asked to develop programs that support marketing and advertising strategies precisely and cost effectively. Public relations can play a strategic role in achieving marketing objectives, most importantly raising awareness (Miller & Rose, 1994). Also, public relations is expected to inform and/or influence behavior, build trust and create a climate for customer acceptance. These activities can best be done by working with marketing and advertising functions in the organization (Miller & Rose, 1994). In order for public relations, advertising and marketing to work more efficiently the three functions need to be more closely aligned. One approach to IMC was developed by program director, Tom Duncan and his faculty at the University of Colorado. Duncan's IMC Message Typology explains the four messages that an organization needs to be aware of so it can "control, or if not control, then perhaps influence." The four types of messages are; planned, inferred, maintenance and unplanned. The first message is a planned message, which is a deliberate communication activity such as: advertising, public relations and sales promotion. A planned message is the primary tool used in an organizations communication program. The second message is an inferred message, which are the "ones sent through the impressions the company or brand makes on the people." For example if a car is a Mercedes or a Ford, each brand has a different impression in the minds of consumers. These messages are controlled, but are often overlooked as being a part of the communication plan. The third type of message is a maintenance message. These are "communicated primarily through service- how 2005-06-26T20:53:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Benefits-of-Integrated-Marketing-Communications-27165.aspx E-business Marketing Plan of Oxygen and iVillage.com E-business Marketing Plan of Oxygen and iVillage.com Introduction The Internet has become increasingly popular. The number of Internet users is estimated to reach approximately 300 million by the end of 2002. (http:// www.sohu.com) With widespread acceptance and low-cost entrance, it is changing the world's economy. Developing business opportunities in the Internet has grown considerably. "The impact of the Internet on business is akin to previous innovations that transformed not only one business sector but every business sector."(Jaworski and Rayport, 2001) These significant changes in the environment require new approaches to think about business strategies. The Internet greatly impacts on the media industry in recent years. In the wake of Internet environment, traditional media are going through a shakedown. The Internet can combine all the functions of traditional media such as newspaper, magazine, radio and television, as well as offer new functions of e-commerce, distribution and interactivity. "There are strong grounds for believing that contemporary media are undergoing particularly dramatic technologically driven change, ...... This will be an era characterized by media interactivity, accessibility and diversity, with new freedoms for the customer."(Briggs and Cobley, 1998) The rules of competition have changed in the new economy. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the business strategies of media companies on the Internet. In this essay, iVillage.com and Oxygen.com are chosen to analyze their e-strategies from a customer's point of view. Backgrounds of iVillage and Oxygen iVillage Inc., established in 1995, is recognized as a leading women media company and the number one source for women's information online. iVillage.com is organized into branded communities across multiple topics of high importance to women and offers interactive services, peer support, content and online access to experts and tailored shopping opportunities. Content areas include Astrology, Babies, Beauty, Diet & Fitness, Entertainment, Food, Health, Home & Garden, Lamaze, Money, Parenting, Pets, Pregnancy, Relationships, Shopping, and Work. (http:// www.ivillage.com) Oxygen Media is an integrated media brand that combines the best qualities of cable television and the Internet to serve women. Founded in 1998 by Geraldine Laybourne, Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner, Caryn Mandabach and Oprah Winfrey, Oxygen consists of web sites including oxygen.com and Oprah.com, and a 24-hour cable network, available in 42 million homes, featuring music, talk, comedy, movies and sports. (http:// www.oxygen.com) Target market: Women Both iVillage.com and Oxygen.com focus on a specific niche market - women aged 25 to 49. According to the Women's 2005-06-26T20:49:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/E-business-Marketing-Plan-of-Oxygen-and-iVillage_com-27163.aspx Marketing Analysis – KFC Introduction KFC operates in 74 countries and territories throughout the world. It was founded in Corbin, Kentucky by Colonel Harland D. Sanders. y 1964, the Colonel decided to sell the business to two Louisville businessmen. In 1966 they took KFC public and the company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1971, Heublein, Inc. acquired KFC, soon after, conflicts erupted between the Colonel (which was working as a public relations and goodwill ambassador) and Heublein management over quality control issues and restaurant cleanliness. In 1977 a "back-to-the-basics" strategy was successfully implemented. By the time KFC was acquired by PepsiCo in 1986, it had grown to approximately 6,600 units in 55 countries and territories. Due to strategic reasons, in 1997 PepsiCo spun off its restaurant businesses (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC) into a new company called Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. Reasons for going overseas Companies moves beyond domestic markets into international markets for the following reasons: *Potential demand in foreign market *Saturation of domestic markets *Follow domestic customers that go abroad *Bandwagon effect *Comparative advantage - some countries possess unique natural or human resources that give them an edge when it comes to producing particular products. This factor, for example, explains South Africa's dominance in diamonds, and the ability of developing countries in Asia with low wage rates to compete successfully in products assembled by hand. *Technological advantage - In one country a particular industry, often encouraged by government and spurred by the efforts of a few firms, develops a technological advantage over the rest of the world. For example, the United Sates dominated the computer industry for many years because of technology developed by companies such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Intel Organization structures for International Markets (Modes of Entry) *The mode of entry affects a company's entire marketing mix Exporting *Export merchant (Indirect) *Export agent (Direct) *Company sales branches Contracting *Licensing *Franchising *Contract manufacturing Direct Investment *Joint venture *Strategic alliance *Wholly owned subsidiaries Criteria for selecting a mode of entry 1.Company's marketing objectives: - production volume - time scale (long/short term) - coverage of market segaments 2.Company's size 3.Government encouragement or restrictions 4.Product quality requirements 5.Human resources requirements 6.Market information feedback 7.Learning curve requirements 8.Risks: political or economic 9.Control needs Mode(s) of entry for KFC *Franchising/Licensing *wholly owned subsidiary *Joint venture Firstly, KFC's traditional franchising strategy, which is emphasizing standardization and reducing financial risk, on the 2005-06-26T20:47:43-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-Analysis-–-KFC-27162.aspx Marketing Plan for Amazon.com Executive Summary Amazon.com has a leading edge in the e-commerce world. It has a strong competitive advantage. However, as with many online retailers, there are certain aspects of conducting business over the web that creates difficulties and the need of marketing planning. This marketing plan consists of environmental scan, customer behavioural patterns, current segment market, marketing strategies and recommendations in strategies. 2) Introduction Amazon.com is the largest online retailer. The company opened its virtual doors in July 1995 by Jeff Bezos in Seattle. Since then it has enjoyed rapid expansion in all aspects of its operations, including business turnover, and a spectacular rise in share value since public floatation in 1997. Amazon.com sells only on-line and is essentially an information broker. Amazon.com has constantly growing database of over 12 million customers in more than 160 countries. Amazon.com is the place to find and discover anything customers want to buy online. They have earth's biggest selection of products, including millions of books, free electronic greeting cards, online auctions, videos, CDs, DVDs, toys, games, electronics, kitchenware, computers, and more. 2.1) Competitive position - Amazon.com is the biggest on-line international retail store in the world - Strong in-house internet technology with excellent offline customer services - A huge database of loyal customers - base of over 12 million shoppers - The company has grown to a massive online superstore with recent sales of $1.64 billion in 1999, an increase of 270% from the previous year's sales - Amazon.com has a very powerful position in the media industry. - Amazon.com is use the Internet to transform book buying into the fastest, easiest, and most enjoyable shopping experience possible. Market share of online book business 2.2) Amazon's mission - To become the largest selection of select retail categories Amazon.com seeks to be the world's most customer-centric company, - To provide the best shopping experience and become the place where people come to find and discover. - To convince all online customers to use Amazon as their search platform. - Provides excellent customers personalize services and discount profitable prices. - Let customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online at Amazon.com 2.3) Corporation objectives 2005-06-26T20:41:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-Plan-for-Amazon_com-27159.aspx Critical Examination of Market Research for a Proposed Project 1.Introduction This document is a commentary that critically examines the research proposal for investigating the impact of marketing activity in the recruitment of students from the Republic of Ireland to the University of . This commentary looks at the rationale for carrying out the research and how the research methodology was derived. Before embarking on any research project Zikmund (2000) suggests that a cost-benefit analysis be undertaken. Questions that should be asked include: a) Will the pay off or rate of return be worth the investment? b) Will the information gained by research improve the quality of the decision to an extent sufficient to warrant the expenditure? c) Is the proposed research expenditure the best use of available funds? The cost in this scenario for research is £2,000 plus researcher's time. If the research identifies ways of attracting more students to the University then this should generate more than sufficient funds to justify this expenditure as well as ensuring that the substantial sums invested in normal activity does produce some benefit. 2.Defining the problem As Smith and Fletcher (2001) point out " a problem defined is a problem half solved". The nature of the problem at is multifarious. A lack of evaluation and assessment has not been developed to adequately judge the value of activity and by default does not allow for planning and allocation of resources to increase the impact of marketing activity or decide that resources can be better allocated elsewhere. If the management at the University of can have information on: <sum> How many students come from Ireland? <sum> How were they attracted initially to the University? <sum> What activity conducted does attract students? <sum> What percentage of the market share do we have and is there room for expansion? Market research should clarify whether current perceptions are correct and give them evidence on which to base future decisions. But in order to do this the research objectives will have to be defined. This is important because as Hague and Jackson (1999) state " every research project should have a defined and explicit objective which succinctly states why the research is being carried out" and "all other aspects of planning and carrying out the research flow from this perspective". To define the research objectives and thus get a better understanding of the research problem exploratory research will be used. This will 2005-06-26T20:38:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Examination-of-Market-Research-for-a-Proposed-Proje-27158.aspx The 10 Greatest Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them It’s a certain fact that business these days is more competitive than its ever been. To stay alive these days, you just can’t just offer a quality product at a fair price. These days, you have to know how to market effectively. Unfortunately, most businesses have no idea of how to get the most out of every marketing dollar that they spend. You should demand that ou get the best results from every dime you drop into marketing! Most companies spend more time planning their company Christmas party than they do creating powerful, persuasive, marketing communications. Now this can stop. Herein are the 10 greatest marketing mistakes and how you can avoid them. Before I get into it, let me tell you why I put this together. As I consult with current clients, bring on new clients, and market for more, I am learning more and more. It’s come to my attention time and time again, when I bring on a new client I find that they are making almost the exact same mistakes as another of my clients was, in a totally unrelated field! These marketing mistakes aren’t confined to a singular industry. These mistakes I’ve found across the board. I have worked with computer software companies, food companies, cable sales companies, real estate brokers, financial consultants, and many more. All of these companies had most, if not all of these 10 greatest marketing mistakes present in their operations. If one or two of these mistakes dont apply to you, then you should congratulate yourself! You must already be on the road to marketing success! Here they are in no particular order: Mistake # 1: Your business focuses on itself, and not on your prospects and customers needs. Does this seem too obvious? Look through your yellow pages. Pick them up right now and glance through. Answer this question: Are most of the ads telling you what benefits you get if you if you become a customer? Or are the ads telling you about the vendors, where they are, how wonderful they are, what they do, how great their quality is, how great their service is, and all about them? 95% of the ads are totally focused on the business and not on what the business can do for YOU, the prospect! Take a look at the ads in the 2005-06-26T20:36:32-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-10-Greatest-Marketing-Mistakes-and-How-to-Avoid-Them-27157.aspx Advertisement essay "The wolves appear on your windshield. Not through it." The DeVille DTS. The worlds first car available with Night Vision. Exclusive technology that allows you to see up to five times as far away as your low-beam headlamps. So you can truly see in the dark. The Cadillac magazine is published for an upper class people, mostly that make about $70.000 a year and more. The magazine is not published for every body you have to order it. Because the magazine is not published for every body you have to have it specially ordered. The ads in the magazine are all targeted toured rich folks and the precise range from about $2.000 and up. The reason the ad is placed in this magazine is because its not a cheap item the car is about 60 to 65 thousands dollars, there for it's published in the magazine that is targeted to people that make that much. The ad is aimed toured people that are over 30 because it is a big car not every young person wants a big car, there for the ad is placed toured the older people. The image and the message they both speak for each other, the image is the wolves, and the message is "the wolves appear on your windshield not through it." First, the image takes up the hole page. The image shoes that its dark outside, the trees are dark and in the corner of the page there is the moon, around it is the dark blue with some light blue coolers of the sky. Its so dark that you cant see the trees but on the top where the dark blue and the light blue colors are you can see the tips of the trees. On the bottom of the page you can see the road dividing line the yellow one. On the center of the page where its pitch dark, there is a rectangular box where it shows the dividing line continues, on the side of the box there is a mounting to the right of the page. It also shoes that there is five wolves on the road. The image is black and white and it really makes it stand out, kind of jumps at your eyes when you look at the hole page. Next, the message is simple it says that "the wolves appear on your windshield not through 2005-06-21T09:25:52-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-of-the-Cadillac-Deville,-Advertising-Efficacy-27082.aspx Mercedes Benz : Competitive Forces and Competitive Strategy Mercedez Benz Ayodele Samaiye Hawaii Pacific University Abstract The intensity of competition in an industry is neither a matter of coincidence nor bad luck. Rather, competition in an industry is ill rooted in its underlying economic structure and goes well beyond the behavior of current competitors. The state of competition in an industry depends on five basic competitive forces i.e. entry, threat of substitution, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, and rivalry among current competitors. (Porter, 1980) Daimler Chrysler's strategy rests on four pillars: global presence, strong brands, broad product range, and technology leadership. The objective of this analysis is to investigate how the organization needs to form its strategy in order to develop opportunities and protect itself against competition and other threats. Company Introduction Mercedes Benz is firmly established as an independent brand within one of the world's leading car companies- DaimlerChrysler AG. DaimlerChrysler is a product of Daimler and Chrysler companies. Daimler motor company however came into existence as a result of the creation of a recognized internal combustion vehicle by Gottlieb Daimler. Daimler Chrysler's strategy rests on four pillars: global presence, strong brands, broad product range, and technology leadership-Daimler being the first man to create a recognized internal combustion vehicle and the first to incorporate a practical transmission system. The company has a super network that ensures the flow and exchange of information from various departments within and between the company and it's strategic partners. Competitive Forces The strength of the competitive forces in an industry determines the degree to which this inflow of investment occurs and drives the return to the free market level, and thus the ability of firms to sustain above-average returnsThe five competitive forces-entry, threat of substitution, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, and rivalry among current competitors-reflect the fact that competition in an industry goes well beyond the established players. All five competitive forces jointly determine the intensity of industry competition and profitability, and the strongest force or forces are governing and become crucial from the point of view of strategy formulation. The bargaining power rivalry is what keeps Mercedes-Benz on the run, as such that it can keep ahead of BMW and others, who are always there and always threatening their market share. Power of Customers Buyers compete with the industry by forcing down prices, bargaining for higher quality or more services, and 2005-06-19T08:44:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Mercedes-Benz-Competitive-Forces,-Competitive-Strategy-26979.aspx Analysis of Marketing Plan of Nike and Michael Jordan Former University of Oregon track coach and co-founder of Nike Bill Bowerman once said: "If you have a body, you are an athlete!" (NikeBiz) This way of thinking is how Nike conducts every aspect of their business. Every person is a potential athlete or "consumer". This is a common term when used in the realm of athletics but when Bill Bowerman said this it was in direct reference to the shoe industry. From their marketing strategies to their selling philosophies, Nike has developed one of the most recognizable and demanded name and logo tandems ever. Nike, which is the Greek Goddess of Victory, was born in 1972 when BRS, Blue Ribbon Sports, launched its first branded shoe at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. A former University of Oregon track team member Phil Knight created Blue Ribbon Sports. At Oregon, Knight was coached by the legendary Bill Bowerman and then went on to become and alumni of the Stanford School of Business. BRS was crafted in 1962 when Knight made a deal with Onitsuka Tiger Company, a Japanese shoe company, to import their shoe to the United States. Knight had the idea to sell a low cost shoe with a very high quality. Knight had high aspirations of taking Adidas out the top spot in the athletic shoe market. In 1964, Bill Bowerman decided to join Knight as a partner at BRS to create a joint quest to be number one. Bowerman redesigned the Tiger shoes while Knight acted as the accountant/personal seller and went on the road to sell their newly crafted sneakers at track meets and local shoe stores. By 1966, Blue Ribbon Sports opened their first store in Portland, Oregon. Knight and Bowerman managed the store with the only other employee being a former Stanford runner Jeff Johnson. (story/chrono, 1) Signing First Endorsers During 1971, BRS caught a break when a trading company called Nissho Iwai introduced BRS to important letters of credit. This credit allowed BRS to subcontract its own shoe line and by 1972 it was selling Nike Brand shoes. Over the next decade Nike expanded almost double its size each year from the previous year. Nike is officially called Nike in 1978 and has signed on tennis great John McEnroe, New York City marathon champion Alberto Salazar, women's marathon gold medallist Joan Beniot, and Olympic track 2005-06-19T08:40:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Marketing-Plan-of-Nike-and-Michael-Jordan-26977.aspx Fast Food in America: The cheap but dangerous cost of advertising and the American appetite Americans in general have become one of the biggest groups of consumers on the planet; wanting everything bigger and better than anyone else - apparently including waistlines, with over half of all Americans being overweight. Americans are also working more and on the move more than ever, making our reliance on a quick and cheap meal bigger and bigger - and in turn it has created a huge business for fast food companies. Why are so many people willing to eat this food that they know is bad for them? It could possibly be the marketing; companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars blasting us with advertisements and marketing gimmicks to eat their food. Or do we eat the food simply because we want instant gratification and don't care at what cost it may come? America has become synonymous with fast food, turn on any TV or radio or walk down the street, virtually everywhere advertisements can be seen marketing fast and processed food. One reason Fast Food is wreaking havoc is because food items without any nutritional value are so widely and easily available; there are vending machines in workplaces and schools that dish out high-sugar and high-fat foods; you can even pick up a burger, fried chicken or a piece of pizza along with some sugary soda at a Gas station! This food is also usually considerably cheaper than healthier food, making it that much more attractive. Fast Food companies are even forming contracts with schools so that the school will only carry one brand of food, the school sees an advantage in receiving the much needed funds but apparently don't see the problem of exposing kids to a barrage of junk food and advertising all day long. And for the working class, instead of making breakfast at home, maybe some fruit, milk and cereal or something healthy - people will simply stop at their local McDonalds and order an egg, bacon and cheese 'McMuffin' - more or less a truckload of fat for a breakfast. This is happening because Americans are working far more than they have in the past - longer than 'average' 40 hour work week and also taking their work home with them. Employers want more productivity out of their workers and are even going as far as having kitchens and 2005-06-19T08:39:44-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Fast-Food-in-America-Adveritsing-Costs,-Marketing-Strategy-26976.aspx The Four Ps Of Marketing While the forms of marketing are almost as varied as the products themselves,there is evidence that there are some universal rules that are applicable to successful marketing in the retail and 2005-04-14T20:38:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Four-Ps-Of-Marketing-26504.aspx COMMUNICATING WITH THE CUSTOMER 1.0 What is Integrated Marketing Communication? "Integrated marketing communication simply recognises the need to plan and build-up all relevant marketing communications so that they work together in harmony to greatest effect with greatest efficiency" Pickton and Broderick (2001) In its simplest form, it is the "process of integrating all elements of marketing communications mix across all customer contact points to achieve greater brand coherence" Pickton and Broderick (2001) 1.1 The importance of IMC Major corporations and their partners have adopted IMC, and according to the Advertising Age, a recent survey called it the single most important influence on strategic decision-making today. 1.2 The benefits of IMC "The principal benefit derived from the integration of marketing communication is the synergy. Synergy has been described as the 2+2=5 phenomenon. By bringing together the various facets of marketing communications in a mutually supportive and enhancing way then the resulting 'whole' is more then the simple sum of its parts." (Pickton and Broderick 2001). This can be seen when looking at a television advertisement and the images and messages carried through it. "Each element enhances and supports the other." "Linton and Morley (1995) list ten potential benefits of integrated marketing communications." The benefits are not always easy to achieve because of "difficulties in implementation" · Creative Integrity · Consistent Messages · Unbiased Marketing Recommendations · Better Use of Media · Greater Marketing Precision · Operational Efficiency · Cost Savings · High-calibre consistent service · Easier working relations · Greater agency accountability Pickton and Broderick (2001) 1.3 IMC's role in the Market place IMC has an increasingly central role to play in today's market place, because if offers companies a way to strategically coordinate messages and establish a meaningful dialogue with customers. In short, IMC provides organisations with a strategic method for both establishing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders. And this is essential for marketing success in the twenty-first century. 1.4 The Drivers of IMC The marketplace is changing. What was once a single audience has fragmented and companies have to establish and maintain brand relationships with a variety of groups of people-customers, as well as other stakeholders, such as employees, investors, suppliers and distributors, local communities, and the media. Organisations now have to communicate with these groups using a wide variety of media. Consequently there are more kinds of messages than ever before and inconsistency can become a company-wide problem. That is why IMC is also needed to coordinate communication consistency Because the mass media now have considerably less importance than they have had 2005-03-27T10:45:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/What-is-Integrated-Marketing-Communication-26418.aspx Using Global Commodity Chains to Study Industrial Upgrading The increasing integration of domestic economies with the world economy is a central feature of "globalization." What makes globalization different from earlier stages in the international division of labor is, in large part, the ability of producers to slice up the value chain, i.e., to break up of the production process of a commodity into many geographically separated steps (Porter, 1990; Krugman, 1995). This global dispersion of commodity chains increases opportunities for developing countries to participate and gain from trade because it provides greater room for them to specialize in the labor-intensive stages of the manufacturing process of a commodity. Industrial upgrading, from this perspective, involves moving up global commodity chains from labor-intensive activities to more capital- and skill-intensive economic activities that involve organizational learning to improve the position of firms or nations in international trade and production networks (Gereffi, 1999). The concept of industrial upgrading encompasses several related levels of analysis: product characteristics, types of economic activity, intrasectoral shifts, and intersectoral shifts (Gereffi and Tam, 1998). At a product level, one can talk about the movement from simple to more complex goods of the same type (e.g., cotton shirts to men's suits). At the level of economic activities, there are various roles that involve increasingly sophisticated production, marketing, and design tasks. One typology includes: assembly, original equipment manufacturing (OEM), original brandname manufacturing (OBM), and original design manufacturing (ODM). A third type of industrial upgrading involves an intrasectoral progression, typically from the manufacture of finished items to the production of higher value goods and services involving forward and backward linkages along the supply chain. Finally, industrial upgrading may also be viewed as the intersectoral shift from low-value, labor-intensive industries to capital- and technology intensive ones (e.g., clothes to cars to computers). While firms generally implement industrial upgrading, the spatial context in which this activity occurs and is observed includes local, national, and regional economies. In the specific historical context of the global apparel industry, one of the clearest qualitative indicators of industrial upgrading are the role shifts involved in moving from assembly (using imported inputs) to more integrated forms of manufacturing and marketing associated with the OEM and OBM export roles (Gereffi, 1995). Participation in assembly networks (often associated with export-processing zones) is considered the first step in the upgrading process because 2005-02-20T06:32:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Using-Global-Commodity-Chains-to-Study-Industrial-Upgrading-26284.aspx Lead Firms in the Apparel Commodity Chain Because of the intensive use of low-skilled labor in apparel production, transnational companies have limited potential for deriving firm-specific advantages from direct foreign investment in overseas locations. Instead, they have turned to other forms of transnational activity, such as the importing of finished garments, brand name and trademark licensing, and the international subcontracting of assembly operations. These various activities have led to multiple lead firms in buyer-driven commodity chains. There are three types of lead firms in the apparel commodity chain: retailers, marketers, and branded manufacturers (Gereffi, 1997). As apparel production has become globally dispersed and the competition between these types of firms intensified, each has developed extensive global sourcing capabilities. While "de-verticalizing" out of production, they are fortifying their activities in the high value-added design and marketing segments of the apparel chain, leading to a blurring of the boundaries between these firms and a realignment of interests within the chain. Here's a quick look at where each lead firm stands in apparel sourcing: Retailers. In the past, retailers were the apparel manufacturers' main customers, but now they are increasingly becoming their competitors. As consumers demand better value, retailers have increasingly turned to imports. In 1975, only 12% of the apparel sold by U.S. retailers was imported; by 1984, retail stores had doubled their use of imported garments (AAMA, 1984). In 1993, retailers accounted for 48% of the total value of imports of the top 100 U.S. apparel importers (who collectively represented about one-quarter of all apparel imports). U.S. apparel marketers, which perform the design and marketing functions but contract out the actual production of apparel to foreign or domestic sources, represented 22% of the value of these imports in 1993, and domestic producers made up an additional 20% of the total (Jones, 1995: 25-26). The picture in Europe is strikingly similar. European retailers account for fully one-half of all apparel imports, and marketers or designers add roughly another 20% (Scheffer, 1994: 11-12). Private label lines (or store brands), which refer to merchandise made for specific retailers and sold exclusively in their stores, constituted about 25% of the total U.S. apparel market in 1993 (Dickerson, 1995: 460). Marketers. These manufacturers without factories include companies like Liz Claiborne, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, and Nike, that literally were born global because most 2005-02-20T06:31:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lead-Firms-in-the-Apparel-Commodity-Chain-26283.aspx Lead Firms in the Automotive Commodity Chain The United States is the world's largest consumer market for passenger cars and light trucks. The "Big Three" U.S. automakers - General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler Corp. (now part of DaimlerChrysler following its merger with Daimler-Benz AG) - accounted for 68% of the passenger cars produced in the United States in 1997. The remaining 32% of U.S.-made cars came from Asian and European "transplant" firms. Along with these giant assemblers, the automotive commodity chain also includes parts manufacturers. The auto parts industry is fragmented, consisting of thousands of suppliers ranging in size from small shops to large multinationals. The auto parts segment of the chain is divided between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the replacement market. OEMs are companies that produce parts and components that automakers use in the assembly of new vehicles. Participants in the replacement market (also known as the aftermarket) make parts and components to substitute or supplement items that were included in the original assembly of the vehicles. Both OEMs and replacement parts suppliers and distributors may be independent firms or subsidiaries of larger companies. The basic method of making automobiles changed very little between 1913, when Henry Ford first invented the moving assembly line, and the 1970s, when a radical new system of "lean production" began to emerge in Japan. Pioneered by the U.S. Big Three, the automobile industry was the mass-production industry par excellence. The Fordist method of production made a limited range of standardized cars for mass-market customers. Auto manufacturing was carried out in massive assembly plants using rigid methods in which each assembly worker performed a highly specialized and narrow task very quickly and with endless repetition. The big U.S. and European automakers developed a particular kind of relationship with their suppliers, based on short-term, cost-minimizing contracts. As the major producers scoured the world for low-cost components, the increased geographical distance between the assemblers and their suppliers made it necessary for assemblers to hold huge inventories of components at their assembly plants. In this "just-in-case" system, the possibility of the assembly line being disrupted by a temporary shortage of components (or by faulty batches) was reduced. Since the early 1980s, the auto industry has been marked by intensifying competition and increased globalization, which has resulted in lower costs and also improved product 2005-02-20T06:30:02-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Lead-Firms-in-the-Automotive-Commodity-Chain-26282.aspx Cigarette Advertising Cigarette advertising restrictions do not have and intended effect, and despite that in many societies there is an increase in cigarette consumption. Only who is affected with those restrictions are the cigarette companies which are in danger of becoming a form of commercial censorship. However, I do not want to claim against consumer protection laws against false or misleading advertising claims. The end result of cigarette advertising restrictions and any other legal products leads to a limited choice, block of free flow of information, emasculate competition and canceling its benefits. Besides this it also penalizes the advertising media by starving them of revenue, and restrains commercial investments and employment. Not only that it endangered current investments, but it also places powers of censorship in the hands of self-centered pressure groups or legislative committees, who have no commercial experience or responsibility to be able to exercise them. The intended effects of cigarette advertising restrictions also have harmful side effects. For example in Croatia for last couple of months on the television you could find commercials with detailed development of tumor on lounges and ruining of aortas. Theses commercials did nothing but discussed large number of population, and even non smokers couldn’t look at the full add, while the smokers felt discriminated and exploited to society as disease and treat. There are also adds which offer 24-7 telephone lines for people who wish to quit smoking, and in these situations they were offering some pride winning rewards, which was a short term stimulant for people to quit smoking. How really can we think that people are that narrow minded that they will do what ever the media tells them to, and that they were not aware of their health risk before. People die of cancer caused by smoking, the tumor is painful and incurable; while on the other side many old people smoked almost all of their life and didn’t face this huge health problem. Maybe the times changed, the cigarettes changed, but the immunity of ones organism depends from one person to another and how it will affect somebody will vary among the society. It is a pleasure and risk just as getting on roller coaster, running too fast by the dangerous street, stealing vegetables from the neighbor since u might get a gun shot if they catch you, and many other human activities 2005-02-02T08:36:33-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cigarette-Advertisements-Do-Not-Have-Intended-Effect-26236.aspx Who would have imagined it? After years on top, Nike suddenly looks like a world-class marathoner who, in midrace, questions whether he's got what it takes to keep on running. Nike's symptoms of distress: a global glut of shoes, flat sales in key markets, and declining profits. Moreover, the global brand champ that captured its own winning corporate mindset with the "Just do it" ad slogan has a new pitch, "I can"--to which investors seem to be retorting, "No, you can't." Losing faith, they have knocked Nike stock from its all-time high of $76 about a year ago to a recent $46. What happened? While Nike has tripped on fickle fashion trends and heightened competition before, its main obstacle today appears to be its own success. Here's why: BIG-BRAND BACKLASH. When he founded Nike in 1972, CEO Phil Knight contended that if "five cool guys"--the best and most popular athletes--wore his shoes, other people would want to as well. The strategy worked wonderfully, of course, and now Nike controls an astounding 47% of the U.S. athletic-shoe market. But the brand has become too common to be cool. "I call it the Izod syndrome," says John Horan, publisher of Sporting Goods Intelligence, referring to the once-hip golf shirt. "Nike is everywhere." Brand expert Watts Wacker, chairman of the consulting firm FirstMatter, believes that the ubiquity of the Nike logo--the over-Swooshing of America--turns off important core consumers, the 12- to 24-year-olds. "When I was growing up, we used to say that rooting for the Yankees is like rooting for U.S. Steel," Wacker says. "Today, rooting for Nike is like rooting for Microsoft." THE MARLBORO MISTAKE. Indeed, many cool-conscious youngsters have gravitated to other brands such as Adidas (which sells sneakers at lower prices) and Timberland (a leader in the outdoorsy "brown shoe" trend). Instead of responding with hotter products or lower prices, Nike did what many overconfident giants do (think Marlboro, pre-Marlboro Friday): It raised its prices ahead of inflation. "Retailers loaded up, but the products weren't necessarily reaching consumers' closets," says Josie Esquivel, who follows Nike for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Now, Nike is paying with price cuts--in the 50% range--on last year's models (except the irrepressible Air Jordan line). THE (ASIAN) ECONOMY, STUPID. Nike's inventory glut is messiest in Asia, largely because the company operates few outlet stores there. (In the U.S., Nike sells almost half of its leftover shoes 2005-01-03T03:56:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Nike-Marketing-Strategies-and-Current-Company-Status-26111.aspx Advertising Product placement a. How does the issue you're interested in come up in the movie? (Give a very brief summary of the plot to illustrate.) Advertising is subtly placed within the show “The O.C.” The way the actors use certain products or the way they show off their new cars makes it apparent that they are not just using products to make them look like normal people, the producers are being paid to endorse certain products on the show. The show features young teenage people who live in Orange County. They live very posh and spoiled lives that are filled with drama and teenage romance. b. In your view (based on what we have discussed in class) do you feel that the issue is dealt with in a realistic fashion? Explain why or why not. The way products are featured in the show is designed to not be shoved into the viewers face. Products such as fancy cars and clothes or musical bands are displayed or featured in a way that normal teenagers would view as “cool.” The issues are dealt with in a realistic way. c. Do you feel that the movie has the potential for positive or negative effects with regard to your issue/topic? Describe what kind of effects you think the movie might have. The endorsement of course has potential for positive effects for advertisers. The show is very popular within their target demographic and it has become part of a teenage culture phenomenon. The endorsement or use on TV of BMW cars will present the likely possibility of increased desire of BMWs in future drivers. d. Give your opinion of the movie based on your answers to the first three questions. If you had been the director, what might you have added or changed? Or if you think that the movie is a good one, explain why. e. If I was the director I would continue to place product endorsements on my version of the show. Featuring products brings financial gain to the show and really offers no harm. I believe it is done tastefully in the show in question. I have seen endorsements that go over the top. The movie “National Treasure” with Nicholas Cage features a scene where Visa is prominently displayed. I believe that particular scene was too obvious and as a viewer I felt sold out. As long as The OC continues to 2004-12-20T04:21:21-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Advertising-Product-placement-in-The-OC-25866.aspx The Coca-Cola company started out as an insignificant one man business and over the last one hundred and ten years it has grown into one of the largest companies in the world. The first operator of the company was Dr. John Pemberton and the current operator is Roberto Goizueta. Without societies help, Coca-Cola could not have become over a 50 billion dollar business. Coca-Cola was invented by Dr. John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist. He concocted the formula in a three legged brass kettle in his backyard on May 8, 1886. He mixed a combination of lime, cinnamon, coca leaves, and the seeds of a Brazilian shrub to make the fabulous beverage. Coca-Cola debuted in Atlanta's largest pharmacy, Jacob's Pharmacy, as a five cent non-carbonated beverage. Later on, the carbonated water was added to the syrup to make the beverage that we know today as Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola was originally used as a nerve and brain tonic and a medical elixir. Coca-Cola was named by Frank Robinson, one of Pemberton's close friends, he also penned the famous Coca-Cola logo in unique script. Dr. John Pemberton sold a portion of the Coca-Cola company to Asa Candler, after Pemberton's death the remainder was sold to Candler. Pemberton was forced to sell because he was in a state of poor health and was in debt. He had paid $76.96 for advertising, but he only made $50.00 in profits. Candler acquired the whole company for $2,300. Candler achieved a lot during his time as owner of the company. On January 31, 1893, the famous Coca-Cola formula was patented. He also opened the first syrup manufacturing plant in 1884. His great achievement was large scale bottling of Coca-Cola in 1899. In 1915, The Root Glass Company made the contour bottle for the Coca-Cola company. Candler aggressively advertised Coca-Cola in newspapers and on billboards. In the newspapers, he would give away coupons for a free Coke at any fountain. Coca-Cola was sold after the Prohibition Era to Ernest Woodruff for 25 million dollars. He gave Coca-Cola to his son, Robert Woodruff, who would be president for six decades. Robert Woodruff was an influential man in Atlanta because of his contributions to area colleges, universities, businesses and organizations. When he made a contribution, he would never leave his name, this is how he became to be known as "Mr. Anonymous." Woodruff introduced the six bottle carton in 1923. He 2004-09-25T05:54:24-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Coca-Cola-and-its-Evolution-25567.aspx Online Marketing Marketing businesses, products and services has become much more complex with the introduction of the internet. In this paper I will attempt to describe the effect of e-business on marketing strategies today, as well as describe the e-business marketing strategies utilized by Kmart, Inc. The internet is an enormous environment that is advancing and developing at a very erratic pace, and only companies able to adapt will survive. The World Wide Web provides a medium that breaks through geographical boundaries, allows the customer much more control, and has no time restrictions as it is always “open”. According to an article by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Niche Marketing on the Web, there are three important steps to marketing on the internet; (1) profile your customers, (2) decide where they congregate, and (3) communicate the message where they congregate in a net-acceptable manner (Wilson, 1996). Bluelight.com, Kmart’s e-commerce site launched in 1999, is a shining example of this philosophy, having accumulated over 3.5 million customers in less than one year. Although Kmart had an obvious advantage with a n existing strong customer base, these shoppers were not internet customers. In an effort to establish a web based customer segment, they targeted these existing customers by placing Bluelight.com CD ROM’s which provided information, special offers, and Blue Light specials on-line, throughout all of their stores. According to Mark Goldstein, CEO of Bluelight.com, “When people were checking out they’d get a CD ROM thrown into their bags...our access strategy was important because we already knew what people were accustomed to and preferred to buy at Kmart (America Goes On-Line). According to Goldstein, Bluelight’s core initiative was to “insure that Kmart shoppers (were)...on-line, once we’re convenient to them, or we know where they are, we start thinking about commerce” (America Goes On-Line). Through Bluelight.com customers are able purchase the items normally purchased in one of their nationwide locations in the convenience of their own home. The site is treated as a vehicle to deliver an advantage to their customers, not publicity or branding content, and looks to “enable both e-commerce and real world buying behavior” (America Goes On-Line). Goldstein stated, “We want to integrate the store and the web very tightly...so the web is simply an extension of the store” (America Goes On-Line). In the past three years Kmart has accumulated a vast amount of information about it’s customers through surveys and other various methods, in 2004-07-04T02:28:01-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Online-Marketing-Kmart-Analysis-25207.aspx Sex Tourism In Southeast Asia Tourism is a big part of revenue for many countries in the world today. But just what is it that brings tourist to a specific place? There are many different reasons including buildings, art, beaches, and even prostitution! There is one specific kind of tourism that is causing such an issue in Southeast Asia and other countries. This is called sex tourism which is a major form of prostitution that even involves children. The average girl that is involved in sex tourism is of the ages of 12-40 years old. With the rising popularity of this degrading act, should someone step in and do something? Many people travel to these Southeast Asian countries just to have many different sexual partners without any attachments what so ever. It is highly advertised in these countries and is not looked down upon, but moreover looked at as a means of making money for young girls. One woman is said to be involved with 5,000 tourist that visit the country in one year. That is why the STD and pregnancy rate in these countries are so high. These countries can not outlaw this form of labor because sex tourism brings in a lot of new people who bring a lot of money and also the prostitutes only job on occasions. The fact that these are very poor countries does play a major role in the act of prostitution. In many occasions the wife and daughter of a family will have to sell their body just for the family to be able to eat. With the high unemployment rate in these countries the women have no other job qualifications to enter into a regular field of work. This is caused by the low education rates in these countries also. Without the education to actually perform a regular job what must a women do to make some money? They must go into the survival of the fittest and do whatever they have to just to live without misery and starvation. Another reason it is hard to put on a leash is because the task force would be highly overworked as they already are on crimes that really do not hurt anyone. It is evident that no country is going to shut down 7% 2004-06-10T05:18:02-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Sex-Tourism-In-Southeast-Asia-25116.aspx Marketing and Ethics (United Colors of Benetton) Marketing issues, as they relate to business ethics, extend across a wide range of business activities that characterize a company's relationship with its customers (product manufacturing and integrity; disclosure, labeling and packaging; marketing and advertising; selling practices; pricing; and distribution). In recent years the scope of marketing issues has expanded, including new problems like an environmental responsibility, a firm's relationship to its competitors etc. Companies now are expected to bear a greater responsibility for the integrity, use and consequences of their products and services. Companies' concerns with satisfying society needs have a very rational explanation: if a company will not care about welfare of society, it may ultimately cease to exist, because it operates by community consent to oblige its requirements. For that reason, firms put a lot of effort in dealing with the issue of corporate social responsibility, recognizing the importance (and potential benefits) of doing so. There are plenty of external standards for marketing practices: codes of ethical behavior (e.g. ones established by the American Marketing Association), industry specific guidelines developed by different trade associations and legal standards set forth by national and local governments. These laws and codes provide assistance to companies in establishing their marketing policies. Some of the examples of such policies are as follows (http://www.bsr.org/): *Sears, Roebuck- the company's Code of Conduct states, "...you (employee) are expected to deal fairly, honestly and responsibly with all customers, fellow associates and anyone else you come in contact with while representing Sears. With regard to customers, this duty requires you to conduct sales in a truthful and accurate manner, always maintaining the highest of ethical standards. .... " · USAA: the company's Core Values Statement reads: "We will consistently behave in ways that are ethical, earning the respect of members and customers by being steadfast in our commitment to act in both their best interests and the interests of the Association, regardless of any business, social, economic or personal pressures to the contrary." In what follows, we will focus on the topic of ethical ramifications of certain advertising practices, which are rarely covered by the companies' policies; namely on utilizing emotion-arousing ads. The American Marketing Association (AMA), for example, in its code states that one of the basic marketer's responsibilities is not to harm customers (Sirgy, 1999). It also recommends avoiding false and misleading advertising, but there is no annotation regulating advertising by appealing to customer's 2004-06-10T05:16:23-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marketing-and-Ethics,-United-Colors-of-Benetton-25115.aspx