Racism: White American and Hispanics Essay

Stereotypes of African Americans 1. African Americans love fried chicken, hot sauce, and grape soda. 2. Large populations of African Americans are lazy and uneducated. 3. They are obsessed with their television shows. 4. African Americans sag their pants and wear clothes that are too big. 5. African Americans drop more money on their hair (Weave, perm, braids, etc. ) than their own house bill. 6. African Americans only listen to hard core rap music. 7. African Americans still to this day pull the racism card because of slavery. 8. A lot of African Americans are in the welfare system. 9. African Americans travel in â€Å"heards†. 10. African Americans live in the â€Å"ghetto† or the more trashy part of town. 11. African Americans are great athletes. 12. African Americans can run fast and jump out of the gym. 13. African Americans always get themselves into fights but both men and women can back themselves up. 14. African Americans are involved in gang violence. Stereotypes of Native Americans: 1. Native Americans are all drunks. 2. Native Americans get checks from the government for being a Native American. 3. Native Americans own casinos. 4. Native Americans are not educated. 5. Native Americans can talk to the animals. 6. Native Americans have herbs that can heal anything. 7. Native Americans live on reservations. 8. Native Americans have really long hair. 9. Native Americans smoke the peace pipe. 10. Native Americans speak a broken language. Stereotypes of Hispanic Americans: 1. Hispanics can cook well. 2. Hispanics are all landscapers, construction workers, maids or bus boys. 3. Hispanics have a lot of kids. 4. Hispanics speak terrible English, if any. 5. Most Hispanics are illegal citizens. 6. Hispanics are involved in gang and drug violence. 7. Hispanics take away American jobs. 8. Hispanics are ill mannered. 9. Hispanics are hard working. 10. Hispanics are great dancers. 11. Hispanics are very religious. 12. Hispanics love bright, vibrant colors. 13. Hispanics wear sombreros. 14. Hispanics drive â€Å"tricked out† cars. Stereotypes of Asian Americans: 1. Asians eat anything that moves. 2. Everything is made in Asia. 3. All Asians look alike. 4. Asians eat with chopsticks. 5. Asians know Kung fu or some other form of martial arts. 6. Asian languages are the most difficult to understand. 7. Asians are good at math. 8. Asians can’t drive well. 9. Asians are all skinny. 10. Asians love rice, soy sauce, and sushi. Stereotypes of White Americans: 1. Whites are materialistic. 2. Whites are the most racist of all races. 3. White people can’t dance. 4. All whites are rich. 5. Whites think they are better than everyone else. 6. Whites are stuck up. 7. Whites think that all other races owe us something for living in our country. 8. Whites are terrible athletes. 9. White people are oblivious to other people’s pain and struggle in America. 10. Whites are all obese.

Observation and Coaching Essay

Much about conversation depends on the rapport between the two parties. As Clutterback explains in his title; â€Å"Creating a Coaching Culture,† the quality of a relationship is determined by the rapport between the two parties in it. A good rapport implies a healthy relationship and therefore a learning conversation. Observations of people in conversation can reveal a great deal about the rapport between them and therefore an insight into the relationship they share. The tell-tell signs will be the body language of the parties in conversation as well as the brief moments of silence they share as part of their conversation. After all 55% of communication is done via our body language and facial expression (Albert Mehrabian – Best Practice in Performance Coaching). Though this task required the observation of the conversation of just a group, I must admit that I had to observer a number of groups in a number of settings before focusing on one. As I carried out these observations, the variations coupled with the literature on the subject brought out very many insights into the power of conversation and the enormity of the focus necessary, as a coach, to execute successfully, a learning dialogue. Staying in control is the ultimate goal and even when going down a slippery slope it is you who would have to determine how far down the slide goes. The Setting In my observations, I discovered that social environment in which the conversation takes place can have a great deal to do with the nature of the conversation. Cafes make for very fast light hearted conversations without much pause or reflection from either parties whilst parks and restaurants allowed for a slower pace of conversation with lots of moments of silence presumably accompanied by deep thought and reflection. The setting also shows disposition to certain types of body language expressed by the parties in conversation. Perhaps it is to do with the pace of the conversation or perhaps the social attributes of the environment. People I observe in parks and restaurants tend to demonstrate more closeness and rapport through their body language than those in cafes would. There were longer moments of eye contact, heavier body contact and more varied facial expressions. This is by no means a scientific conclusion on the impact of the conversational setting on the conversation we have as people but however a cue to pay greater attention to the setting of a coaching session with a coachee. I would imagine, the first step in taking control of the conversation is allowing the setting to be conducive to the objective of the coaching session. As I have noticed in the brief observations I have had, the right setting will allow for the right expressions from both parties and therefore facilitate the depth of the conversation. The danger however is to ignore the casual attributions which may then arise from the cultural dispositions of me as a coach and from the coachee as an individual towards their actions in relation to the environment. Casual Attributions in Conversation The reason why I would like to discuss this at this point is because it plays a lot in our reading, perception and judgement of conversation and particularly body language. The casual attribution theory discusses the reason for the judgement we make on why a person behaves or behaved the way they did. Psychological research on attribution has primarily studied the cause of another person’s behaviour. Attributions are ubiquitous in everyday life and as such are easily overlooked in our everyday conversations. As a coach, I believe it is very important to be acutely aware of the attributions we may place on a coachee’s behaviour or reactions and endeavour to keep an open and non-judgemental mind. This will allow our conversations to be much more forthcoming. Heider (1958) purports that perceivers (a role we would occupy as coaches) seek to attribute fleeting behaviour to stable dispositions. They tend to trace action to dispositions of the actor. In other words, a coach might be caught up in making judgements on the actions of the coachee based on the knowledge the coach has gained on the coachee as a person. This tendency was designated by Ross and Nisbett (1991) the fundamental attribution error. When I reflected on my preference to attribution, I noticed that I have a tendency to gravitate towards individualistic attribution tendencies. As a result to be a better coach it necessitates me to actively seek to balance this. Conversation is a two way process and therefore, awareness of the attributions that the coachee might be predisposed to will be vital. Sometimes the coachee’s action might be a reaction to your action(s) as a coach. It will be important to understand the coachee’s attribution tendencies thereby enabling you not only to manage your expressions (body language) but also to fully understand any actions by your coachee. Miller’s research in 1984 provided evidence that understanding of cultures is imperative in understanding the underlying reactions in conversation. Cultural psychology separates the cultures into individualistic and collectivist with both groups showing different tendencies of attribution. I therefore feel understanding your coachee’s background will be an important step towards achieving a learning conversation. Body Language and Rapport Alebert Merhabian’s theory suggests that when people have a rapport between them, they tend to have mirrored body language (Best Practice in Perfomance Coaching; Carol Wilson p129). This was explicit in my observations. I could tell when both parties exhibit mirrored body language such as leaning towards each other and laughing in tandem. This was a clear sign of the rapport between the parties, a significant indication of the intensity of the conversation. It is my belief that a good rapport between two parties in a conversation will make for easy listening enabling the listener to move up the levels of listening (Carol Wilson p21). The rapport between the two will aid in â€Å"cocooning† the conversation and allow for very minimal distraction. As a coach the objective will be to aim for intuitive listening thus developing a good rapport with the coachee is a step in the right direction. As Carol Wilson explains in her book – Best Practice in Performance Coaching – coaching only truly happens when we listen at higher levels i. e. intuitive listening. On the other hand, contrasting body language in a conversation can be indicative of a negative rapport between the parties in conversation. This might lead to a strained and unproductive conversation. Sometimes, it is necessary to stop and look at the underlying factors for the lack of rapport as opposed to â€Å"forcing† the situation by actively trying to mirror your coachee’s body language. This can at times go right down to the setting or environment or possibly the casual attributions tendencies of both individuals. Summary & Conclusion Much has been written about communication and conversation. It remains a powerful tool in coaching and therefore the greater the understanding we have as coaches, the better we will be able to use the conversation tool in executing our duties. In this report, I have looked at the impact on communication and conversation of three different aspects and seen how I can better prepare myself as a coach. My observations were a great cue towards helping me understanding communication. To attain my ultimate goal of always remaining in control, there are a good number of things to take into consideration. A lot in this report has focussed on the non-verbal aspects of the communication process. During the observation, I remained a good distance from the target group and therefore could not match the verbal communication to the non-verbal patterns that I observed. I am intrigued to know what the relation between the two will be. Are words a reflection of feelings? Are we more likely to control our physical expressions to avoid â€Å"causing a scene† in a public place? Are we mostly acutely aware of our surroundings? These are questions to which we might have no answers but can be used as important guides in analysing and controlling conversation. I have learned a great deal from these observations to make me a better coach. It is very important to understand and interpret non verbal cues in conversation paying particular attention to our own personal attributions as coaches that we might bring into the relationship.

New York MTA

Traditional market structure suggests that all market decisions should be based on utilitarian theory. We often witness market decisions which neglect other important aspects of the market activity. As a result, we appear under the impact of one-side unbalanced decisions which ultimately neglect the principles of morality and moral theology of the marketplace.Rising fares and tolls by MTA  Ã¢â‚¬Å"After an unusually vigorous and spirited debate, the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to raise fares on subways, buses and commuter railroads and tolls on bridges and tunnels† (Chan, 2007a). Why is it so surprising that not all members of the MTA board wanted to turn into the proponents of fares and tolls’ increase? Does this mean that more and more political and business players realize the importance of morality in taking market decisions?Evidently, the situation is much worse than one may imagine. One may initially think that increasing the fares wil l lead to less traffic congestion, and will urge more people to use public transport; yet, the public transport fares are being raised, too. From the viewpoint of those who vote for raising fares and tolls in New York, this decision is the first step towards â€Å"fiscal responsibility. The authority had for long applied windfalls and real estate taxes hoping that someone would bail us out and turning a blind eye to our responsibility to put this MTA on a firm future monetary structure† (Chan, 2007a).Simultaneously, from the viewpoint of morality and theology of the marketplace, commercial activity is not limited by rational market decisions, but also â€Å"confronts us with the moral predicaments† (Gregg, 2004). The major concern within this situation is that the decision to raise fares has completely neglected the position of those whom we traditionally consider to be vulnerable populations. The representative of Working Families Party is confident that raising fares will seriously hit working people (Benjamin, 2007). â€Å"Today, once again middle class New Yorkers and those struggling to make it, are bearing the cost†, Rep. Anthony Weiner said (Benjamin, 2007).â€Å"A fare hike now is the wrong choice for New York. It would hit many people who are struggling hard to make ends meet and hurt the region's economy. [†¦] This fare hike will hit 86 percent of the riding public who use fare discounts. These include pay-per-ride bonus MetroCards and 7- and 30-day unlimited-ride passes. It's also a double whammy for most L.I.R.R. and Metro-North commuters whose railroad fares would go up!† (Chan, 2007b)The discussed fare hike will also cause the bonuses' decrease for riders (from 20 to 15 percent), and the discounted fare will cost $1.74 instead of $1.67 (Chan, 2007b). The problem is that New Yorkers pay more than they have to for the transport they use. â€Å"In 2005, riders paid 55 percent of the costs of running the subways and buses† (Chan, 2007b). Objectively, this is much higher that the riders in other cities pay: those in Boston do not compensate more than 29 percent of the discussed costs, and those in Philadelphia pay no more than 37 percent (Chan, 2007b).As the M.T.A reports $140 million reductions, does this mean that they will make the riders pay this amount through higher fares and tolls? Doubtlessly, the suggested fares and tolls increase will help compensate the under-financing of the MTA by the state Government, but if the decision framework remains unchanged, this compensation will actually take place for the account of the already mentioned vulnerable populations. â€Å"To rely upon utilitarianism as the moral – philosophical foundation of the case for the market creates tremendous difficulties for Catholics† (Gregg, 2004).The utilitarian desire to find the greatest good and to satisfy the masses does not meet the ethical and moral criteria of religion. Those who were ta king the decision to raise the fares and tolls in New York have neglected one essential aspect in their decision making: when one looks for the means to produce the greatest pleasure for the greatest number of people, one has to perform numerous calculations and to produce the decision which satisfies everyone. From the viewpoint of moral theology, such calculations in market decision-making are simply impossible. â€Å"No person can make such an assessment without admitting a tremendous degree of ignorance about all the possible effects that might proceed from a freely chosen act† (Gregg, 2004).The MTA governors have evidently gone beyond their reasonable abilities, trying to persuade us that that the future with raised fares and tolls for everyone was better than other possible alternatives. The MTA board members view the increased tolls and fares as the means to close the gaps in MTA’s budget and to provide safe and reliable system of transportation for the New York ’s citizens. However, it is not the ultimate goal for those who use public transport and belong to vulnerable layers of the city population.ConclusionThe moral theology of marketplace rejects any uniform measures in defining the goals of decision making. This is why the governors should have considered the financial opportunities of those who cannot afford paying more for using public transport. The diversified structure of prices would resolve all moral and ethical issues, and would not create serious obstacles on the way towards better functioning of the city’s transportation systems.ReferencesBenjamin, E. (2007). MTA fare hike reactions (updated). Daily News. Retrieved February 17,2008 from http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2007/12/mta-fare-hike-reactions.htmlChan, S. (2007a). Board approves subway and bus fare increase. The New York Times.Retrieved February 17, 2008 from http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/mta-board-approves-fare-and-toll-incr eases/index.html?hpChan, S. (2007b). Hundreds stranded online by botched M.T.A. â€Å"Webinar†. The New YorkTimes. Retrieved February 17, 2008 from http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/mixed-reaction-to-new-mta-fare-plan/?hpGregg, S. (2004). Ethics and the market economy: Insights from Catholic moral theology.IEA Economic Affairs, June, pp. 4-10.

Lowering the Drinking Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lowering the Drinking Age - Essay Example "The argument goes like this: Our current drinking age forces young people to drink in private, so binge drinking of serious alcohol is on the rise and can be deadly. Lower the drinking age and kids will choose to drink low-alcohol beer openly--and safely. Teenagers want to drink because it's a 'forbidden fruit.'" (Drinking While Young, 11) According to the proponents of lowering the drinking age, it would not be such a big issue if drinking alcohol were legal at eighteen. On the contrary, to them, it would even help in the reduction of the number of teenage drinkers as those under twenty one would be less likely to drink. Following the debates on the minimum-age laws and policy change in the United States between 1970 and 1973, half of the states in the US lowered the legal age to eighteen. "The legislation was viewed as enlightened and forward-looking. It was believed that if consuming alcohol would lose the symbolic significance of being grown-up, young people might learn to drink moderately and more wisely than their elders. Furthermore, most teenagers had been drinking anyway, despite their inability to purchase alcoholic beverages." (Cohen, 33) Therefore, the arguments in favor of lowering the drinking age are influential and these are further supported by several research evidences. However, it is also important to comprehend that the opponents of such an argument also have crucial research evidences to prove their point. They point out that there has been reported rise in binge drinking as teenagers increasingly turn to hard liquor and prove that minors cannot be allowed to drink. Therefore, this exploratory essay aims at posing the two sides of the argument on the topic 'lowering the drinking age' and attempts to make a logical conclusion on the issue. One of the most thoroughly researched areas of social issues in the modern American society has been the controversial issue of lowering the drinking age and there have been vital researches on the Minimum Legal Drinking Age. "The Minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is the most well-studied alcohol control policy in the United States. The intention of this policy is to lower alcohol use and its associated problems among youth As a result of research evidence indicating that traffic crashes among youth increased following lowering of the legal age, a citizens' effort began urging states to raise the MLDA back to age 21." (Wagenaar and Toomey, 206) It was during the early 1970s that a trend toward lowering the MLDA to age 18, 19 or 20 was most prominent in the United States. However, following a number of research evidences proving the pitfalls of lowering drinking age, all the states established an age-21 MLDA by the year 1988. This act of increasing the drinking age across several stat es provided researchers with different natural experiments to evaluate the effects of these policy changes on alcohol consumption and related problems among youth. However, the debate over the MLDA has become one of the most important discussions of the day and a significant issue in this debate has been if increasing the drinking age can in reality reduce alcohol-related problems in society. In order to determine the overall

3D Virtual World Environments for L2 Learning and Teaching Assignment

3D Virtual World Environments for L2 Learning and Teaching - Assignment Example From the discussion it is clear that the virtual reality environment is at the foremost an immersive experience. In order for it to appeal to the user it needs to be as close to our real 3D world as possible. This is why there is a need to develop the 3D environment further for the user to get really comfortable in that world.This study highlights that visual and audio components are given great priority when designing a 3D virtual world. At present, scientists are trying to find ways to incorporate the sensory component into the virtual environment. A user would feel more immersed within a particular virtual environment if he is able to make use of his sense of touch, just the way he uses his visual and auditory senses. Currently, there is also a need to refine visual graphics in order to make the virtual world appear more lifelike. Also, special attention has to be paid to the fact that enabling a real-time environment within such a virtual system is the key to its success with the user.  The user is made familiar with the concept of real-time with regard to a 3D virtual environment. This idea of using 3D reality has already been applied to gaming with games such as Metal Gear Solid and System Shock. A relatively new usage of the 3D virtual environment is in the field of education. Educationalists have considered the use of incorporating the 3D virtual environment in class rooms and educational institutes with varying degrees of success.

Port Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Port Report - Essay Example This resulted in the reduction of retail gas price from USD 3.31 to USD 2.27 during the year 2014. While this has the positive effect on the consumer purchase pattern, the impact of such fall on the investment pattern, particularly the GCC stocks needs detailed investigation. As it is just the first quarter of 2015, the analysis of current oil prices fall cannot be done correctly since its effect on stock investment needs longer period of observation. Hence, this paper has taken an in-depth look at the relationship between oil pricing and stock investment, as well as general economic conditions, within GCC and across the world, during the recent past. Accordingly, 2008 financial crisis, coupled with cyclic fall in oil prices finds greater attention in the following paragraphs. As supply and demand equation determines the price of any commodity, political forces prevailing in the oil producing countries determine the supply position for oil, largely. Technological innovation also plays a major role here. Many political decisions by countries across the globe influence the oil pricing. For example, the cause of recent Russian currency debacle has relation to the falling oil prices. Although under normal conditions, falling prices would result in reducing the production, OPEC countries are not doing it, as they want to retain their control over oil production. This is also seen as an attempt to make oil production unsustainable by American producers, who are utilizing advanced technology to increase shale oil production in a major way.(Stefanova, 2014) Consumers in Western countries take falling oil prices as an instrument to result in lesser tax burden. This way the falling oil prices prove to be positive for the global economy, as these countries can look for heavy reduction in lower inflation rates. While many advanced economies may go for deflation measures, the falling oil crisis has hit the currencies of Norway and Canada in a major way.(Buttonwood,

Self-awareness and career management (1) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Self-awareness and career management (1) - Essay Example The willingness of workers to move from one place to another in order to get hold on better work is generally called job mobility (Griffeth & Hom, 2004). The factors that trigger this notion by indulging employees are collectively known as job embeddedness (OECD, 2001). The concept of job embeddedness is hired to ensure the job stability by forecasting a banker’s potential to quit (Allen, 2006). The concept of job embeddedness was presented by Mitchell and his colleagues in 2001 in order to explicate why some employees want to leave their job whilst others do not. For them there are certain factors such as association with the community, cost of quitting the job, etc. that do not let them leave the job. Empirical studies show that embeddedness is all about encouraging higher performance ergo retaining employees by embedding their co-workers (Liao, 2010). Mitchell and his colleagues identified three factors: links, fit, and sacrifice. Links means the connection between people a nd activities whilst fits refer to how well the job and its communities fit with other aspects of peoples’ lives. And the last element is sacrifice which refers to whatever the person loses once he quits his job. (Shultz et al, 2007) One has to recognize the role of job satisfaction in the decision making process for a person. For them if a person is satisfied with the job, he will not think of quitting but the likelihood of quitting becomes higher in the case of dissatisfaction (Shultz, 2007). Job Mobility Many researchers imply the study of job mobility for the analysis of the labourers’ behaviours against different job offers (Rooney & Hepworth, 2009). No worker is said to be able to get a job best suited to his demands and capabilities in the first phase of his job career (EUROPA, 2008). This leads the workers to be always in search of such firms which value their skills more than their present employers (Liao, Martocchio & Joshi, 2010). Thus, there can be three ma in types of job mobility: employment mobility, job-to-job mobility, and occupational mobility; and some of the factors that affect it are: job tenure, rate of bonuses and chances of growth (Winget, 2007). The rate of job mobility varies from one country to another depending upon the respective economic conditions as well as the demands of the workers. The data published by Eurobarometer (2005) on the job mobility rate is displayed underneath. The researchers believe that the tendency of job mobility is greater in the lower-wage jobs than highly paid ones (Delfgaauw, 2006, p.78; OECD, 1999). Farber (1999) has studied the job-changes by employing the data from the Current Population Survey and found out that the job tenure is one of the key determinants to job changes. The greater the job tenure is the lesser will be the chances of job mobility. This study also reveals that the wages offered by the firms also vary with the job experience in the respective firm (Madrian, 1993). The sam e rule applies to the banking sector where big bankers move to the job with high salary or bonuses offerings. The fact is testified by a bulletin of the ‘Evening Standard’ 2004, (a UK newspaper), according to which a group of senior bankers had quit the ‘Fox-Pitt, Kelton’ (an investment bank of UK) in order to join the rival company of Citigroup. In addition to this, fourteen analysts and traders had quit the â€Å"

Inter Personal Communication between people from different cultures Essay

Inter Personal Communication between people from different cultures - Essay Example It also increases the levels up to which people tend to during communication in various cultures and ethnic relationships. Communications keeps happening. As the saying goes, 'you cannot not communicate'. On analysis of the interview the people from the Asian cultures provided to me and the answers that could be obtained from them with regard to the effective communication methods among the community was found to have the following: 1. Interpersonal communication in most of the Asian countries follow a formal structuring. The teacher in the community is addressed as 'sir' or with a respect over tone and not by his her name. This is valid for all seniors in the household, neighbors and other senior people whom the person comes across. Whereas, in contrast, the American way of addressing such people is by their name with a Mr or Ms or Mrs as the case may be and this considered as lack of respect in case of the Asian communities. The same becomes valid when you are a senior person, an American may not mind it rather would like you to address him as Mr Senior Person, but in the case of the Asian Community if a person is addressed so or with the first name, it was always found that the people tend to take offence. 2. In America when one meets the person he wants to discuss business with, it is done immediately on meeting the person. The welfare of the person or the family or other such things which are extraneous to the topic of the meeting is hardly discussed. It is normally to the point. In case of the Asian communities, the tendency is to first create a personal rapport before commencing the business talk. Pleasantries will be exchanged to a greater degree trying to know the welfare of the person, his family; may be his parent was sick and the person will be asked about all these. This is considered as a part of the involvement in the deal. After getting so much closer, the logic is one does not try to cheat the other. Getting directly to the point might appear snobbish to people from these cultures. 3. Interpersonal communication tends to be more personal and develops a rapport in most of the Asian cultures, whereas in the case of American cultures the relationship is more business like. There is no 'face' lost in the business or linked to the business in case of American businesses. In the case of Asian businesses, it is more often the face that matters and the kind of relationships that one develops over a period of time. This possibly is the reason why develop or getting into Asian markets is stiffer for new comers whereas it is not so for the American markets. 4. When meeting a stranger, the touch is not as much a part of the Asian culture as it is in the case of the American or European cultures. Some of the Asian cultures do practice a culture of embracing when a stranger is met for the first time, while certain others do only a folding of the arms or bending the body to the front in solemnity. Most of the Asians do not touch a stranger when they meet for the first time. Though of course, when they meet the second time, the embracing or the holding of the hand does take place. Touch of the hand is more of a solidarity indication as

EMMA LARKINS FINDING GEORGE ORWELL IN BURMA Essay

EMMA LARKINS FINDING GEORGE ORWELL IN BURMA - Essay Example The army heightened a state of lawlessness that denied and extorted the people’s little resources to fulfil their political responsibility and unsustainable democracy in their society. The military government of Burma has showed similarities with the British colonial government in many ways for example it led to split of allegiances among different ethnic groups and also between the indigenous people of Burma (Larkin, 2011).  Also ethnic minorities were not allowed to acceses land, it also resulted to religious conflicts between the muslims, budhist, hindus and Christians in Burma. Their was aslo displacement of citizen both inside and outside Burma. Besides forced labour by the military has also been expirieced which has led to the human rights violation as well as explotaiton of the minority goups. Some of the tools used by post colonial government of Burma was one the tgroup identity where the minority were given the priority to manage local properties and istitutions. secondly rebellion rebellion was employed where the minority were rqruited into the police army surpressing the majority Burman. Thirdly the nationalist tool was used where the Burmese language and ethnicity was emphasized because of the cultural and religious diversity of Burman. The fear to loose power as suggested by Aug snag suu kyi led to all injustices of human right violation, ethnicity,forced labour and so on in Burman. Leaving Burma alone fear has been employed in many countries for example employees who advocate for their rights are threatened to be arrested hence they fear and step down.

The Role And Importance Of Segmentation Essay Example for Free

The Role And Importance Of Segmentation Essay Success in business depends on whether one is able to sustain him or herself as competition increase. It requires a faint difference to keep a selected business type on the marketing edge. Business research is therefore essential when one wants to analyze the market wants and needs of different segments before determining their position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In our discussion we will try to analyze how segmentation by life stages in the Baby boom occurred how and how markers needed to tailor make messages meant for a specific age group. We will also be able to evaluate how the baby boomers affected the market niche. By understanding key term â€Å"market segmentation’ and ‘Baby boomer generation’ would be a key step in underlining their role and importance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By definition, market segmentation is a process of dividing markets into distinct groups of buyers that require different products (Lake, 2008). The groups have to be divided entirely in a homogenous manner. This is the first step required when addressing the need of different customers. The word Baby boomer is an America-English term which describes persons born following the World War II (Brenet, 2006).This is because countries experienced a drastic increase in their population. The birth rates led to the concept term Baby boom. In USA though, different views of the years were documented but many accepted that it was from 1946 to 1964. In Britain he period after the post war 1947 had the highest number of births. This period ended in the 1960. The Irish Republic before its formation, initially had recorded an exodus of people to Britain. Between 1957-80 eras the Irish people choose to have the largest number of children. (Michael, p321). This period of increasing human population recorded increased unemployment economic sluggishness and increased competition to those in the business sector. It was postulated that by 2010 boomers will represent more than two thirds of the 50-plus population. Role and importance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketers had to design a method for addressing the different emerging set groups. For this to succeed marketing segmentation was necessary. The segment must watch the firms marketing capabilities sufficient enough for good profit potential, able to promote effectively to and serve the segment and it should be measurable in purchasing power and size. The target markets in this section involve consumer good and Business produce. The later involves goods or services purchased for use in the production of other goods and services for sales either directly or indirectly. The former are goods or services purchased by a consumer for personal use. The basis of market segmentation according (Brenet, 2006) to involves Demographic segmentation-sex, age, income, occupation, education household size and family set groups Geographical segmentation- markets into similar groups depending on the location. Psychographic segmentation- psychological characteristics, values and life styles. Product based segmentation homogenous groups based on usage rate benefits sought and brand loyalty In that period the market analysis of the baby boomers had become more sophisticated (Baby Boomer in denial over aging, 2004). It has been noted that looking at the baby boomers as a single group fails to recognize their diversity which makes the understanding of differences among the various sector of baby boomers difficult(Onta,2002) The most common way to segment the market is the divide it in two based on birth years. This method yielded two boomer subgroups; this leading-edge boomers, born from 1946 to 19545 and currently 47 to 55 years old and the trailing-edge boomers born between 1955-1964 and currently 36 to 44 years old (Onta, 2002).   The   important of segmentation in business is that new opportunities increase when targeting specific groups of clients and customers. Those with varying needs are recognized in economic change fortunes were more profound than was realized at this moment of history. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing strategies need to be formulated to address the needs of Baby Boomer. The idea to put into consideration is the fact that every year that passes, boomers are aging. As more Boomers enter the 50 plus population, markets trends will have to change and thus marketers need to change their marketing. One of the best things the marketers need to do is to look concisely at the various stages in the life of the boomer and direct their message to that particular phase. This is where understanding of the various segments and different age groups that exist within the larger subset will be helpful. By sounding a message tailored for the entire population would produce disappointing results. By developing products and services tailored specifically to this groups will ensure that marketers sustain themselves in the economy. References ^â€Å"Article Multidimensional Marketing† Available from http://www.milab.dk/dokumentation/public/Artikler%20og%20rapporter/Meredith,%20Geoffrey%20%20Schewe,%20Charles%20-%20Kohorte%20teori.doc(February 8, 2008) ^â€Å"Baby Boomer in denial over aging† CBS NEWS Article from the Associated Press (March 5, 2004) Available from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/05/national/main604287.shtml(February 8, 2008) Coakley. J Gallaghar, M 1999, Politics in the Republic of Ireland. Routledge Tylor Fransis group,(Pg 321) Green, B 2006, Marketing to leading-edge Baby Boomers; Perceptions, principles predictions, paramount market Books, ISBN 0976697351 Lake, L 2008, Market segmentation for the small business. Your Guide to marketing Available from http://marketing.about.com/cs/sbmarketing/a/smbizmrktseg.htm â€Å"Marketers must view Boomers through a New Lens, www.ncoa.org (February 8, 2008)   Ã¢â‚¬ËœOnta National Association’ Baby Boomer Market (January 2002), Available from http://www.ntaonlnio.com/staticfiles/car-boomer:pdf (February 8, 2008) Population: Babies Mean Business, Newsweek, Aug 9, 1948 retrieved 2007-01-26 Wellner, AS, â€Å"The Forgotten Baby Boom,† American Demographics,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   February 2001, http://www.americandemographics.com (February 8, 2008)

Social Media Texting And Bad Grammar English Language Essay

Social Media Texting And Bad Grammar English Language Essay LOL and OMG have been the acronyms of the decade becoming a trend in the way people communicate. Social media has expanded so much that people are becoming dependent on the Internet and are creating their own language. Social media is making the generation develop bad grammar. This issue is a problem because it is making society incapable of structuring coherent sentences making the generation dumb. The more hours that are squandered on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets, people are spending less time focusing on their education and grammar and the more time is being put into chatting. Social Media and texting is promoting bad grammar because people are adapted to writing slang online and while they text and when they try to write proper, they cannot because they are accustomed to writing colloquially.   Bad grammar has gotten so severe that the news channels have made several appearances talking about Social Media and Bad Grammar. A video that was posted on Channel 19 KYTX that is a local news station in Tyler, Texas that talks about bad  grammar  and how students are trying to use bad grammar not only on Facebook, Twitter and while texting but are trying to use it the classroom in their essays. Living in a Social Media trying to communicate as fast as possible we much keep conversations short, I dont even put periods, question marks or anything. I just type it and go, said Kaylee McPherson. With the generation being based on technology it was bear the happen where people are ending up not just texting in acronyms but also taking them. McPherson states that, Now, they actually start talking it. I hear people talking and Im like you kind of sound dumb. Not only are teenagers using shorthand on scoial media but also in the classroom. Melanie McNeils a High School English teach er says that when she grades papers she sees the lingo in their essays, Ok, this is one I see a lot. B4=before, OMG=oh my, u=you, y=why, said Melanie McNeil. Instead of McNeil giving her students no credit for that type of language used in their essays she also talks to her student about to difference between casual language and academic language and when is it proper to use the two. This Web lingo has increased so much that even the oxford English dictionary has even added the words: Lol, Omg,Tweet, Retweet and even Sext. That there is justification that the world is changing due to Social Media. Ontario Waterloo University in Canada require students to pass and English testing their  English  language skills in order to be accepted into the University and 1/3 are failing and now they are  blaming  social media. Ontario Waterloo is a great example someone trying to do something about the bad grammar problem and thank god it is educational. People should be happy that Univer sities are doing this then maybe at least maybe people will try harder to fix grammar and less on Social Media cites. Bad Grammar and Social Media go hand in hand people are so excited to sent a instant message that they make a shorthand of words and do not use full sentences. This is a server problem that needs to be  addressed  and we need to communicate effectively to change the bad grammar that our generation has developed. Being depend on social media affects one and people stop communicating and it will eventually affect us in the long run when we apply for jobs. Switching from academic to colloquial language is difficult for most getting accustomed to changing the language and it is declining grammar skill. In the article, No LOL matter: Tween texting may lead to poor grammar skills by Pen State Official University News Source this article discuss how  tweens  who are in the age range between nine and fourteen are texting in  acronyms  and according to researches are decline language and   grammar skills(par. 1). Text messaging may be an easy and fast way for one to communicate but according to Drew Cingel who is a Distinguished   Professor of Communications and co-director of the Pen States Media Effects Research Laboratory states that, The use of these shortcuts may hinder a tweens ability to switch between techspeack and normal rules of grammar(par. 5). Teachspeak is when someone uses shortcuts while texting, on a social media site or chatting, such as U for You. Cingel gave middle school children in  Pennsylvania a grammar assessment   test at a 9th grade level to see if everyone up to par she eventually stated after receiving the scores, Overall, there is evidence of a decline in grammar scores based on the number of adaptions in sent text messages(par. 8). The most people text the more they will adapt to that type of style and will not be about to distinguish whether they are writing proper or not. In High School I always experienced teachspeak, when I was in my English class the teacher would tell us to peer review each others essay. I would always notice that in every paper I would peer review I would at least see one or more tachspeak errors where someone would u instead of you .That is why researches have stated that it is affecting childrens  grammar. Some may say that social media has been a way to connect with our lost love ones and some researchers have stated that social media is the downfall of the generation. The Internet is growing rapidly and it and has created many alternative ways from one to get information such as Dictionary.com, where one can look up a definition instead of grabbing a dictionary and instead of reading a book there are books online that you can use on your Ipad or kindle. Social media and texting has have a downfall on our grammar and it is getting harder to multitask. In the article, Yes, People Still Read, But Now Its Social by Steven Johnson it explains how people are reading books on a Kindle but Mr.Carrs who is the author of, The Shallows states, These distraction comes with heavy cost scientific studies show how multitasking harms our concentration(427). Due to social media such as Twitter, Facebook,and YouTube etc. being used all at once people are less likely to be able to focus.  People  w ho multitask more are going to be faced with certain  challenges  in school when they are not able to concentrate in their studies. According to a study they found out that, Heavy multitasking  performed  about about 10 to 20 percent worse on most test than light  multitasking (427). So it is true that Social media is making us dumber, people may read books on Kindle and might be happy that they are reading books but Mr.Carrs concern is that people are not thinking with a high-level mind set and people are reading pages on a screen. I feel like if society is going to depend on the internet eventually people people will stop talking in complete and full sentences and will start using acronyms and that will affect peoples  grammar  when they are trying to write in an educational matter. The statistics for text messages have increased over the years. According to the Chicago Tribute that stated that Pew Research claims, 72% of adults and 87% of teens send and receive text messages(par.2). It is not only the teenagers that are constantly texting but also adults who are texting away. An executive editor of the American Heritage Dictionary named Steve Kleindetr says that when you text you may want to pay close attention to your attention. Kleinder gives us an example, If youre texting a friend who has difficulty with loose grammatical standards, be sure to spell out u (par. 2). This is a great point that Kleinder stated one must always think about the audience if it is either sending a text message or an email. No one will send an email to their boss saying Sup, cant make 2 wrk L8ts and especially if you had a friend who struggles with grammar you would write out everything clearly. Grammar is a huge part of our society and, People will always judge you, so write with that in mind, Kleinedler says. I personally have never wrote in short hand reason being that I struggle in English and I am not a very good speller, and if I were to write colloquialisms I would not help myself. That is why I made a pact with myself to always write in complete sentences if I am either texting on Facebook or Twitter no matter what. This has actually been beneficial to me because I have never written colloquiums in my essays I might still be a bad speller but at least I do not do it on purpose. Our generation will never be the same the Internet will always have some sort of power over us and with the development of technology increasing there is nothing we can do but educate ourselves. Just because everyone is texting and on Facebook sounding illiterate does not mean we have to do it too. We must take a stand and show society that the generation might be powered with technology but we are using it for our education and other beneficial things. Grammar will always be a problem and it can be fixed but with so many Social media outlets using Weblingo there is no way everyone will stop trying to be cool and rebel against it. Some people will not want to do it but they are dumb-ing themselves down. People need to learn how to talk proper and how to communicate instead of through Facebook and over a text. If this issue is not fixed our generation will be destroyed and there will be no way to fix it. Web Cited Austin, Anthony. Special Report: Social Media Bad Grammar. cbs19.tv. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. Hameker, Christian. A Moratorium on Social-Media Grammar?  Rural Telecommunications  31.3 (2012): 8-.  ABI/INFORM Complete.  Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Johnson, Steven. Yes, People Still Read, But Now Its Social. Beyond Words: Cultural Texts for Reading and Writing. Eds. John Ruszkiewicz, Daniel Anderson, and Christry Friend. San Francisco: Pearson. 2010. 427-429. Print. Sunder, S Shyam. No LOL matter: Tween texting may lead to poor grammar skill. Pen State News. 25 July 2012. Pen State. Web. 20 Feb 2013.

The Strengths Of The Mattels Core Brands

The Strengths Of The Mattels Core Brands Answer: Yes, every manufacturer of the childrens products have special responsibilities. Because being a part of a business organization has the responsibilities to the consumers and the society. Every organization tries very hard to survive in market, by the effective use of factors of production and other facilities of the society. With the help of this process the organization get into an interdependent relation with the community at large, the environment and the target customers. Such interdependence gives rise to a series of broader responsibilities to society and the targeted customers. According to the business environment theory of Palmer and Hartley, the business organization should act in social responsible manner in two different ways, one philosophic and one pragmatic. The philosophical way includes the model of the organizational requirement and other includes the social values of the society which is very important for an organization to resist in the social market. Every organization has a responsibility towards the consumers and the society and that particular responsibility is being termed as Corporate Social responsibility, which can be defined as economic, legal, ethical and different expectations that a society has from an organization. The concept of corporate social responsibility means that organizations have moral, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities. Previously many organizations opposed consumerism but now most companies have grown to accept the responsibilities towards customers and the society. The philosophy of enlightened marketing says that even the marketing practices should also be socially responsible which consist consumer oriented marketing and societal marketing which aims at serving and satisfying the needs and wants of the customers and to produce such products which are not only pleasing but also beneficial. As a manufacturer of the products which are specially designed for the children the, the manufacturer has some special responsibilities to consumers and society, because children often lack the literacy to completely understand how things may work, the toys must be safe in all use including non-intended use in order to protect the children. The manufacturers should not only create the safe toys but they must also be sensitive to the societal concerns on childrens rights and privacy. Manufacturers of the childrens product specially have obligations to the consumers. This is in assurance that children continue to have highest levels of protection when it comes to toys. An obligation that manufacturer do is that manufacturers must carry out assessments as it relates to safety and health hazards and add to it technical information on specific such as chemicals, in order to support findings and present accurate information. The warning should be put on certain toys to indicate what the intended age is for use of the toy. Moreover after all testing is done on the toys, if any toy or part is significantly under the standard, then it must be destroyed in order to prevent the public from gaining access to it in any way, shape, or form. When we talk about Mattel that how Mattel has met the responsibilities then the things are quite clear the Mattel did it by creating such a product that consumers and parents trust and building a successful and positive brand image. They also integrate this responsibility with their Corporate responsibility report in which they state their goals are to ensure product safety, volunteer in communities, and treat colleagues with respect in order to work hard to be a leader in making our communities and the lives of the children better. The core brands of Mattel are Barbie, Hot wheels, Fisher price, and American Girl. Each brand clearly has its own demography, each brand catering to infants and preschoolers, Girls, Boys and those adults that are still young at heart. One of the strengths of the brand Mattel is the rich history of the company. The company began in 1945 out of a small and simple idea that started in a garage workshop. Each brand also has good staying power at the forefront of their market. The evidences that show the strengths of Mattel in the area of fulfillment of the responsibilities to the customers and the society specially as the manufacturer of childrens products are. Mattel recognizes international environment, different legal systems and cultural expectations, and the use of technology especially with regard to consumer privacy and has taken steps to strengthen its commitment to business ethics and social responsibility. Mattel recently published its first Corporate Social Responsibility report, including a strong statement about its commitment to economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities which includes commitment to product safety, volunteering in a community, developing a best practice or even treating colleagues with respect and dignity. Makers of American Girl collection provided $449,500 in grants to support childrens projects as environmental education for elementary school children, various cultural programs and a performing arts series for children. The Barbie brand debuted a worldwide cause related-program called Barbie Cares: Supporting children in the Arts dedicated to supporting Arts education for children funded by a $2 million donation to the Entertainment Industry Foundation. The weaknesses of Mattel in the same area are. The Childrens privacy- Mattels attempts to follow their market into the technological realm have included the development of a number of children-friendly websites to accompany their toys. Targeting children with internet sites, however, brings about extra concerns. Mattel must be very careful to protect their legal and moral reputations by respecting the privacy of the children and their families, which is put in jeopardy every time the website asks a minor to provide information. Lack of total control over business partners-Though Mattel has embarked on the Global manufacturing Principles (GMP) and regular social audits, Mattel cannot intensively monitor the business processes and activities of its partners. There is no guarantee that its business partners will completely comply with Mattels corporate social responsibility (CSR), ethical business conducts and product safety requirements. Mattel somehow could be facing legal actions and criticisms from various stakeholders around the world. Q.2- Comment on the strengths and weaknesses of Mattels core brands. In looking at Barbie specifically, has Mattels success with the American Girl collection cannibalized sales from Barbie? Explain. Ans. Mattels core brands have multiple strengths. Mattels image overall is one of which parents and consumers trust. The Barbie brand is highly accessorized allowing for multiple products to be marketed and purchased. Other brands such as Hot Wheels and American Girl also have the flexibility to accessorize and customize consumer needs and desires. Some weaknesses that Mattels core brands may have are the lifespan of their products. As children grow older, they are no longer interested in playing with dolls and cars such as Barbie and Hot wheels and the life span of the product shortens for continual use. The strengths of the Mattels core brands are- Brand Recognition- 1. Barbie is Mattels flagship brand and its number one seller-routinely accounting for more than 50 percent of Mattels sales revenue. 2. Barbie was the only Mattel brand that made the list of the 2002 The 100 Best Global Brand. 3. American Girl is targeted for girls in from 7 12 years old. This is due to different taste in different target market. 4. American girl is a well-known line of a historical dolls, books and accessories. Intense demand of the product- Barbie- Captured the attention of girls under 7 years old that resulted in high demand. The intense demand seen at the retail stores was insufficiently met for several years. Barbie- The best-selling fashion dolls in most global market with $2 billion in worldwide sales annually and more than 1 billion dolls sold in four decades. Customer Orientation- Mattel redesigned Barbie to more naturally reflect a normal athletic woman in an attempt to meet the demands for a more realistic doll. Opening of American Girl Place shops New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The New York store features three floors of dolls, accessories, and books in the heart of the 5th Avenue shopping district. The store offers a cafe where girls can dine with their dolls and a stage production where young actresses bring American Girl stories to life. Product variety and differentiation of the product- Barbie has taken on an extension of different characters, family and friends, and profession. For Barbie, there are Barbie clothing for children, computers and digital cameras with Barbie theme. This is done to recapture more customers and expand their market to attract girls after the age of 7. For American girl, they have books, accessories and even a Store that offers a cafà © for girls. This has resulted in an increase the product variety for both brands that generates more revenues. Product Development- Mattel introduced the new line of My Scene dolls aimed at tweens with as trendier, young looking and are considered to be more hip for girls of age group above 7. Other efforts targeted at tweens include the Mystery Squad, a crime-solving crew, and the Barbie Doll as Elle Woods, which is a tribute to the blond character in the MGM Pictures film Legally Blond 2. The weaknesses of Mattels core brands include- Foreign Market Customization being ineffective-Traditional Barbie has triggered the possibility of banned in Malaysia by the Malaysian Consumers Association of Penang, due to her non-Asian appearance and the lack of creativity but it was not success. Some other cases like in Iran, the non-Islamic characteristics of Barbie and western influences resulted in the confiscation of Barbie doll from toy stores. In Russia, it is interpreted as harmful to young minds that awaken sexual impulses and consumerism among infants. This creates a negative brand images that can bring loss to Mattel. Not only children are leaving tangible toys at earlier ages, but the impact of the global market is affecting the success of Mattel. Mattels Barbie is well recognized throughout the global market, but is not considered appropriate in all cultures which are one of the weaknesses of the core brand of Mattel in the international market. The problem of limited distribution networks of American girl in the international market is also found to be one of the weakness of Mattels core brand, it is been seen that American girl is sold exclusively through catalogues and different stores in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago but there is no evidence or details of the product sold in international market. Even though there has been lots of product innovation of the Barbie but its slipping popularity failed it to be the top five selling dolls due to competition in the market. If we talk about the Cannibalization of American girls sales from Barbie several points came into light which tells that American girl has out-performed the sales of Barbie as- 1. Barbie successfully catered only to the young girls of 7 years old and below. 2. American Girl has a better image. American Girl dolls have a wholesome and educational image- the antithesis to Barbie. The retro versions of Barbie dolls, feature Hooker Barbie, Trailer Trash Barbie and Drag Queen Barbie are seen less decent than the image of American girl. These points explains the Cannibalization sales of American girl from Barbie. Q-3. What are the opportunities and threats that Mattel faces as it looks ahead? Ans. Mattel has lots of opportunities as it moves ahead with its product in the market. The opportunities of Mattels product in international market includes its venture into more interactive, educational and technology product line as today children are preferring to spend time with music, movies or on the Internet. The American toy market is becoming increasingly saturated and competitive, along with a downward shift in age of when children abandon tangible toys such Hot Wheels and Barbie for more interactive and technological products. If Mattel continues with the same product it provides better opportunities to grow ahead in the domestic market. All of Mattels core brands are instantly recognizable around the world. Therefore, Mattel has the ability to highly leverage one or all of these brands. Mattel can expand more to international distribution networks apart its reliance on Wall Mart and target hypermarkets like Giant (Malaysia), Carrefour, Cold Storage and local toy distribution network could make Mattels products highly visible in the international market which would led Mattel to have a better future prospects ahead. Mattel can also have An alliance with an Asian company, Bandai, which can prove very beneficial as numerous eastern countries open their markets to western goods. This market has been left largely untapped, and offers a huge increase in customer base. Finally, Mattel must address is that of selling its products in foreign markets. An important aspect of going global is being able to adapt to different cultures and to break down cultural barriers. Mattel has done a little bit of this with the changing of the product packaging, and some of their Barbie lines. However, there are still some countries that are boycotting Mattel because they are offended by some of their products that are being sold. While Mattel is expanding their product lines, they need to take into consideration the message each of their products is conveying. By conducting market research, Mattel can find out what values are important in foreign markets. If Mattel neglects to customize to all of their markets, their new products can fail overseas, and therefore the company as a whole will not be able to expand. The threat that Mattel faces as it looks ahead is that the market is shifting away from tangible toys, which account for a majority of Mattels core products. Children are adopting more interactive and electronic toys earlier in age today, eroding Mattels primary market of children under the age of 10. This has already forced Mattel to enter, and may force Mattel to further their involvement in the technological realm, a product category in which the firm has performed very poorly. Young customers have less time spending on traditional toys today and the same is expected in the future. Intense competition from other toy-makers like Bratz has slowed down the sale of the Mattels product Barbie worldwide and the realization of Mattel for its product distribution mainly on Wal-Mart and Target diminishes its pricing power. Mattel has also experienced problems breaking into foreign markets due to cultural barriers. The Chinese found it offensive that the Barbie doll did not represent people of their cultures, the Russians believe that the doll promotes adolescents to think in a promiscuous fashion at a young age, and the Islamic countries find that the doll goes against their religion with regards to the role and image of women. The foreign market will be very prosperous for Mattel if they can structure their entry into the market appropriately. Q-4. If you could make only one recommendation to Mattel, what would be it? Introduction According to the case, we find that Mattel in the United States, Europe and Latin America market growth is more and more slow, even appear saturation sign, although they try to into Iran and Russia market, but due to without considering the cultural differences lead to sales were almost forced to withdraw from there. So our proposal is in full consideration of cultural and religious differences influence, produce to accord with other local culture habit of products, continue to develop and enter into the emerging market, such as Asias China and Africa, which support the companys globalization strategy, and realize the great-leap-forward development. Recommendation Through the Mattel in Iran market failure we recognize that if a company would like to sell their products to abroad, it must pay attention to the product whether will conflict with local customs and culture, once things happen, be sure to adjust. As is known to all, the Barbie doll is Mattels most famous product, which is fashion and filled with the western world liberal breath. But in Iran, such as makeup and revealing clothes, are not wanted in a society where women must wear head scarves in public and men and women are not allowed to go to the poll or beach together (page 484 of case study). So if Mattel want to re-enter Iran market in the future, must adjust their products style, below is Irans own doll can be used as Mattels reference. C:UsershpDesktopuntitled.bmp On the other hand, in order to expand the market, increase sales, Mattel should seize the opportunity into some of the good prospects for emerging markets, especially Chinese market, which is a toy production country, it is estimated that China toy enterprise has more than 6000, about 75% of the toys made in China over the world. The toy market size of mainland has the rapid development. In childrens toys market as an example, toy sales from 2.13 billion RMB in 2001 to 4.44 billion RMB in 2006, which raised by 108%, with an average annual growth rate of 15.8%. The mainland toy market rise space is enormous. From toy joint network industry report, Chinas per capita consumption in toy only 20 30 RMB (2.4-3.6 dollars), far lower than per capita consumption in Asian children toys $13 and children all over the world in per capita consumption level of $34 toys. If they reach the Asian average level, childrens toys market scale is expected to will exceed 30 billion RMB. (Long long, M.2006) In the business strategies, because Chinas toy productions are mostly applied in the low-standard level, breed is monotonous, mainly plush and wooden material. However, the mainland local toys and international brand compared with large price gap, so the low-standard market has a strong competitive power, the general basic monopoly wholesale market and vendors, and other sales pipeline. So Mattel should positioning in high-end, give full play to their own advantages, for example, in a Barbie doll legend marketing history story, telling the story is always the conventional methods. They sell toys as well sell a way of life. According to Mattels design, Barbie have their own lives, thoughts, need a friend, like to dress up, have belong to him fairy tale world. Make good use of this advantage, the company entered into the China market is no longer a dream. (Li, L.2011) Conclusion Like many foreign brands to enter the Chinese market, Mattel need pay enough time and patience. After all, in Chinas such a big Oriental country, want to get common identity is not a simple matter. But one thing is sure, respect local culture and customs is very important and necessary. Q-5. How can Mattel reverse the decline in Barbies sales? Should Mattel give up on Barbie and accept that fact that the brand will never regain its former sales status? Explain. Ans. Mattel, Inc. (Mattel) designs, manufactures, and markets a broad variety of toy products worldwide which are sold to its customers and directly to consumers. Mattels vision is creating the future of play. Mattels objectives are to grow its share in the marketplace, sustain gross margins of about 50%, leverage its scale to deliver cost savings and lower its selling and administrative costs, and create long-term stockholder value. Barbie doll happiness concept is based on human sensibility, through happiness brand image and happy shopping experience to satisfyconsumer demand happy emotion, so that consumers will be product or brand with the happy feeling together, then will be happy with the product or brand linked, to stimulate consumption desire and to promote the marketing concept of consumers purchasing behavior. Body part: The concept of Barbie has not only toys, and became an immortal symbol of American culture. Until now, the business of Barbie bigger and bigger, not only toys, books, clothing, cosmetics, movies and electronic games. Even today, see any one of the two in standard, sexy blonde doll, almost all of people were not consciously known as Barbie ¼Ã…’whether this doll is not Mattel produced. This is also proved Barbie industry is how success. As a result of population, technology and social change, Mattel is undergoing modernization, Mattel, in my opinion, cannot reverse the decline of Barbie sales. Although there are still to be improved, Mattel weakness seems to be far less than they were just a few years ago. Specifically, the Mattel Inc. has some very famous brand. The largest is Barbie doll, and now accounts for more than half of the companys revenue. However, the most interesting news for Mattel declining popularity rate of its core products Barbie doll. As of 2002, Barbie dollfell out of the top five best-selling. Mattel Inc. subsequently has been undertaken to reclaim market share items, such as computer software and the girls clothing line of Barbie doll. Barbie has tried to fight back. Internet becomes another weapon to reverse the sales decline in 2007; Mattel launched a brand new Barbie Girls. com site where kids can create their own virtual Barbie, and placed in a virtual commercial buildings can also directly involved in product design. The girls also can have around Barbies virtual community space, this was considered a breakthrough attempt, also let Mattel in sales for 7 consecutive years after the decline appeared to pick up. Mattel is also faced with many cultural barriers, these need to overcome the market penetration strategy will be successful. Lack of understanding of cultural replacement, the brand awareness of self-protection is too strong, the Barbie doll isolated in new era outside, so that the target consumers become more and more narrow. Unresponsive market, the Mattel have not been able to guide the trend, the competitors took the opportunity to split its market share.Andin the occasion of Mattel Barbie doll become fashionable rage, the former Mattel CEO Jill Barad made a series of mistakes and expensive acquisitions, to make the worlds largest toy manufacturer long-term stock price in a slump. In addition, Mattel in new product launch, behave not just as one wishes, the new design style also no expectation. These are all Mattels malpractice. Conclusion: Sweet chocolate, eat more will be tired. Barbies decline has a deep-rooted cultural factors and the impact of social thought, to give people a profound inspiration. We can see that the United States of America culture is moving toward a diversified ethnic culture, to encourage the pursuit of self-direction stride, and popular culture trend change quickly. Mattel ignore this value orientation, or excessive protection is of brand ego blinded their vision, do not have a proper understanding o of the mind of the public, lost the lead market opportunities.After opponents successfully host, Mattel still did not take timely measures, wait for the opponent create a certain threat after to respond but too weak. Finally, caused the market share to be cut, the lesson is painful. Careful observation of the leader in the market, we will find their commonness rapid response, countermeasure in time, they will not be trend guide, but to guide the trend. It is simple and easy to know. Pacifying the interior before resisting foreign aggression. The first thing Mattel need to do is solve the inner problem, straighten a relation, in order to solve the problem of providing external guarantee. For the external development of Mattel, the problems which should be paid attention to, not in order to cope with the market competition and to launch new products with the opponent, but in the consolidation of existing customers on the Barbie dolls loyalty. They are supporting the Barbie dolls core strength, so that through interaction and understanding of their needs, provide their satisfaction with the program to maintain this part of customers. In order to consolidate the customer base, and prevent competitors directly off the market share. With the development of computer and networks, such as Face book and Twitter applications, Barbie doll will be able to control its sales decline. This is a very expensive to change their production and advertising means. The only advantage of this strategy, both short-term and long-term within, they will not bear any additional costs. In this way, Mattelcan use their own resources,make full use of social networking technology environmental advantage in price, and try to participate in the market competition. Having the correct marketing strategy and innovative products Barbie doll product line, will become more interactive and educational products, Mattel can still create the market to meet their needs.Also around the world set up Barbie doll flagship store, experiential marketing, will drive the Mattel sales market, strive for the biggest market share.

Humour and Conflict in the scene in which Rita and Barbara Clash from Billy Liar :: Billy Liar Keith Waterhouse Plays Essays

Humour and Conflict in the scene in which Rita and Barbara Clash from Billy Liar Task: ‘Explain how both humour and conflict are created in the scene in which Rita and Barbara clash’ Billy liar is set in 1959, at the time of the teenage rebellion and the start of the swinging sixties. This is reflected in the play because there are still some ‘old Fashioned’ People around i.e. Barbara, which tells me that the ‘new age’ hasn’t affected some people yet. And there are also people like Liz who are really taking to the new style of living. Where the play is set and where the family live tells me that they are quite a ordinary, boring family, if they lived in the middle of the country I would perceive them as being quite adventurous, Billy wants to move out of this normal place because he is not normal, with his strange imagination and random unneeded lies. The furniture in the house is of dreadful taste and the rooms are very over done which tells me that Billy’s parents are not very imaginative which is a contrast of Billy. Billy likes to tell stories that sometimes he wishes were true like when he tells his dad Geoffrey that he had been offered a job in London, I think that this story is bringing up the part of his personality that makes him unable to face reality. He also makes up stories just for the sake of it. For example when he tells Barbara that he had a sister but she died but then covered it up by saying that his parents never talk about it. I think that Billy is a desperate teenager who just engaged to Barbara and Rita so that he could have sex with them and when he found out that Barbara wouldn’t have sex till they were married he tried to make her split up with him by telling her that he had been lying to her. He starts this conversation when he says â€Å"Barbara, I’m glad you asked me that question. About my sister.† I think that when Billy is with Liz he acts more truthfully and doesn’t seem to make stories when he’s with her or when he does she can make him come out with the truth. I know this because Liz says â€Å"(changing the subject) How’s everything with you? How’s the script-writing? How’s the book coming along?† then Billy replies â€Å"(enthusiastically.) Oh, I’ve finished it. It’s going to be published next Christmas. (She gives him a long, steady look.) I haven’t published it yet. The build up to the scene where Rita and Barbara clash starts ever

Music Censorship :: essays research papers fc

Should Music be Censored? Once people hear about the United States they automatically relate the country to the word â€Å"freedom.† Little do they know that this country has many similarities to countries where censorship plays a major role in their daily lives, due to their government. One of the major issues that involve censorship within the United States is the question whether or not music should be censored; and how will parents or the government decide at what age it is appropriate to allow children to listen to music pertaining profanity? There are two sides to this issue; there are people who are for and there are those who are against censorship in music. At what point does action transcend from a matter of consumer choice to the matter of censorship? I think that the government and parents should not refrain their children from listening to different kinds of music, because once they do that, they deprive their children from knowing what’s happening in our society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People that are for the issue of censorship are usually from the older generation. These people consist of government officials that have children of their own. They believe that music pertaining profanity is one of the main factors for the problems that occur in our society. Such problems consist of an increase in violence and drug use amongst adolescents. An example was the incident that occurred at Columbine High School, where the media and others looked towards music as one of the causes for the incident. They feel that the music promotes sex, drugs, and violence. Critics believe that the children are not quite mature to listen to music with profanity in it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other side of the issue many people think , neither parent nor the government should censor the type of music their children listen to. â€Å"By withholding art it goes against the first amendment that deals with freedom of speech, stated as; Congress shall make no law representing an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and petition the Government for a redress of grievances (Graham).† Another reason why we should not have music censorship is because is that it makes people aware of what is going on in the world. It opens ideas, and brings a whole new meaning to â€Å"art†.

Marketing strategy Essay

Nike Inc. founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight is global leader in sportswear and footwear industry. With Nike occupying around 45% of global market share in footwear and apparels and moving further ahead, much of the organisational success can be credited to its marketing strategy that have helped the organisation achieve revenue worth billions every fiscal year ($18 billion being in 2008). Nike Inc. UK has a major market in the UK for fitness trainers and shoes provided for health and fitness purpose benefits to the consumers. Nike understands the importance of market analysis and marketing strategy based upon those analytical processes. Considerable amount of research and analysis have been carried on in understanding consumer needs, UK’s environment and potential opportunities. This report consists of situational analysis SWOT of Nike in UK and also presents situational analysis suggestion of ways in which competitive edge can be gained against its rivals with segmentation, targeting and positioning of the products. The importance of marketing objectives has also been highlighted in the report and thus provides Nike with a glimpse of marketing environment in UK and the expectations with role of marketing mix (4P’s). Introduction Nike has predominantly been successful in shoe manufacturing and distribution among the shoe manufacturers with its superior quality, high tech, ultramodern shoes that meet on going demand of the market and its trends. From professional athletics to most common need for fitness trainers, Nike has got fitness shoes and trainers in all shape, sizes and colours. Some of the most famous Nike trainers and fitness shoes are Nike + (spelled as plus), Air Jordan, Nike Shox, Nike Lunar glide, Nike Air Zoom, Nike 360 and many more. Nike is the sole distributor of Nike trade mark represented on each of these and many of its fitness trainers sold globally. High quality material, design and cut and technological enhancement of the shoes as per requirement of various activities thus make Nike the best choice for fitness trainers and shoes. Marketing Analysis and strategic evaluation of a company is an important component of any organisational success. Without well-structured marketing strategies and road maps to planning and achieving them, no organisation can be at the point where they want to be. Nike in UK covers a fair amount of market share and revenue for the organisation. The huge market diversity, brand awareness in market and consumer base loyal to high quality products therefore help to its cause. On the other hand, UK market is generally health conscious and trendy. Trainers and fitness shoes are therefore in much demand over last few years within the country itself. Marketing Audit (Nike Inc. UK) Nike Inc. UK follows management strategies that combine with six of the most important external factors that can have an impact on the organisation. PESTLE is a situational analysis tool that can be used by firms to determine their position against possible external influences such as politics, economy, society, technology, environment and law. Nike and its positional stand against background of UK market can therefore be analysed in the following way: Political Factors Nike Inc. has a considerably stable political environment and an economy welfare provided by the state. Considerable amount of legal requirements were accomplished by Nike during its entry in the UK as an organisation completing all political alignments. Considerable amount of fitness shoes and trainers are imported in UK which is sold all over. However, Nike might have to face challenges if government drafts policy or quotas on Nike shoes that can be imported from its production sites such as Asia-Pacific. Economic Factors UK economy has been unstable in recent years. The double dip recession few years back, inflation rate fluctuating abnormally, growing living costs, income tax rate increments and other economic factors directly or indirectly affected Nike’s performance in the UK with comparatively weak sales figure. Economic balance, employment rate and PDI all must be stable and firm enough in the economy to help a business sustain. Nike therefore needs strategic move that can guarantee its sustainability in such circumstances. Social Factors UK market comprises of people from multiple culture, religion and ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, Nike needs to understand the social system and practice of all these people whenever approaching them. Sales and marketing of the fitness shoes should be therefore based upon social acceptance of methods, people’s lifestyle and their way of thinking. For instance, consumers in UK who purchase fitness trainers are pretty health conscious and the numbers are growing as well. Hence, Nike needs to provide more health benefitting shoes and apparel. Similarly, social responsibility image of Nike has to be significantly boosted with accusations of running sweatshops in Nike factories in Asia which it has tried to improve with facilities, factory improvements and commitment towards further improvement. Technological Factors Technological factors are an important aspect that needs to be considered by Nike Inc. UK . Technological advancements in fitness shoes need to be updated and research and development of such apparels have to be advanced. With fitness shoes that are designed such for injury prevention, sole strengthening, speed sports, less sweating and many other features the advancement has been unimaginable. UK customers are updated and spend good time researching on features and quality of the product they want. Nike therefore has to be technologically capable of providing customer satisfaction. Environmental Factors Nike needs total understanding of UK market as consumers are concerned about how products they purchase can make an impact upon environment. Production materials, process and sites can be harmful to environment in many ways. This can be a grave concern for environmental activists and hence persuade consumer thoughts. Nike has to be able to inform the consumers in UK with their continuous efforts in making Nike shoe production environment friendly and use of raw materials and the production process least harmful to nature. Legal factors Nike has to oblige with all the legal regulations and in relevance with companies operating in the UK. They must consider their business privileges as well as legal responsibility in concern with marketing, promotion and sales in the Kingdom. Some of the legal acts that they need to consider are regarding press, trade acts, acts on sales and supply of goods, adverts and campaigning, television adverts, environmental acts and so on. Without its compliance of local laws and acts Nike would suffer a huge blow in gaining consumer trust as they cannot operate with efficiency. SWOT ANALYSIS FOR NIKE FITNESS SHOES Strength: Nike is a global leader in shoe manufacturing and has been in market for very long time. There is a considerable amount of customer trust and loyalty based upon the very fact that Nike has been able to provide highest quality fitness shoes with modern techniques and design over years. The research and development investment in Nike is huge. The very reason has pioneered Nike in producing ultra-modern technology in fitness shoes. Shoes with air compressed soles for low pressure on soles, ankle protecting designs, speed boosting trainers etc. have all been Nike’s brilliant ideas in meeting with modern demands of consumers. Beside innovations, Nike also provides consumers with choice of designing their own shoes in the UK. Nike has a global presence and their revenues are worth billions . Distribution channels for Nike are well established and it has diverse range of products to cater the consumers with. Weakness: Nike Inc. UK has had to compete fiercely against several of its competitors in recent years with economic downfall regarding price of the product. Several of Nike’s fitness trainers are comparatively expensive than other brands. With buyers focusing their mind on cost efficient purchase, Nike prices are a thought for many. On the other hand, Nike’s sweatshop factories in Asia which are not owned by Nike themselves but subcontracted had tarnished Nike image among many people. Nike has considerably put much effort in improving the working condition and lives of its workers thereby. Opportunity: UK market has lots of potential opportunities for the Nike. With numerous amounts of health conscious people and growing sport enthusiastic generation of youngsters, Nike has the opportunity to grab market by launching shoes and trainers as per the consumer needs. Use of internet is wide and common in the UK and e-commerce has been developing in a tremendous pace. Nike can use this opportunity to promote, inform and cater its consumers with its fitness trainers. Threats: Nike has been competing fiercely with rival companies such as Adidas, Puma, Asics, Umbro and others for fitness shoe production and distribution in UK market. Besides, challenges from competitors, forged Nike footwear relatively cheap and of low quality are circulated by counterfeiters in market which has hampered Nikes reputation and brand. On the other hand growing economic uncertainty, government cuts and rising inflation have been challenging Nike sales. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Competitive advantage can be defined as strategic advantage a company holds against the competitors in the industry. It can be marked as the positional state of company when it is able to create a benchmark in terms of profit in the industry. Nike has the competitive advantage over its rivals through wider market coverage, higher gross revenue and customer loyalty as well. Nike fitness trainers with their high quality design and attributes have been able to outperform other shoe makers. Nike therefore wants to hold this competitive advantage over its rival sustainably. Competitive advantage can be achieved either by, Cost advantage techniques when production is made in massive quantity and products sold in relatively cheaper price or differentiation techniques of producing unique featured products against competitors and providing relative value to the good priced. In 2003, Svend Hollenson provided seven key factors that provide organisations with competitive advantage. Nike with all these consideration and seven key factors can boost its performance therefore in market. The seven factors are: Economy of scale: Economies of scale refers to the term when production cost of a company is relatively lower than its sales revenue and earnings made are from massive sales. These companies produce goods on regular basis and avoid shortage in the market. Economy of scope: Economies of scope relates to the idea that cost of production can be further reduced by other organisational means such as joint administrative firms for different products, similar storage for different goods and cost effective methodologies used in production to distribution. Strategic thinking: The core competence of any business to succeed in modern business world is strategic thinking. With enormous amount of competition and impediments that can affect the business, Nike should be able to analyse its internal and external environment, assess operational lapses so as they can provide effective strategy to eradicate arrears and achieve their objectives. Use of local market: Global companies such as Nike have ample opportunity to provide their range of products to local market in the UK. With well informed and health conscious consumers growing on daily basis, Nike can exploit the opportunity to provide its trainers in all parts of the country. Nike’s product range and standards are well accepted and with more quality products coming in it can boost with learning of local market and advantages it can take from. Ability to provide global services: Nike has been able to provide its product and service throughout the globe. With communication, transportation and various technological developments that have made international trade reliable, company such as Nike have been able to market and cater their business worldwide. Use if information technology in global service is an essential tool which has been used by Nike to deliver its goods and services. Competitive advantage (Company specific): Every organisation should have a distinct and unique feature which provides a competitive edge over its rival companies. Nike has been providing high quality footwear from their founding days. Superior technology, design and features of Nike footwear are second to none. This very reason has made Nike achieve higher market share globally than its competitors by building excellent customer relationship. Human resource (competitive advantage): Nike and its success can be credited on high level to the employees of Nike who with their commitment, skills and attitude have made tremendous development and market coverage for them. Human workforce is an essential element of any business where firm should be able to provide the employees with business specific skills. This helps organisation achieve most out of the available workforce. SEGMENTATION, TARGETING AND POSITIONING (STP) The marketing strategy of a company starts from mission and vision statement to selection of market and then positioning of the plans and objectives of the product in the market. Philip Kotler (1994) provided segmentation, targeting and positioning as the essence of strategic management for any organisation. Here, in terms of Nike Inc. UK, we can suggest following steps to be followed for strategic move: Segmentation: Research on existing market, types of customers and distribution of similar market should be carried out. Targeting: A target market (generally mass and more productive) which has to be served has to be analysed. Positioning: The plans are carried out to be performed in the target market and all the activities positioned. Nike Inc. UK should be able to research and develop the segments within UK market where consumers with similar characteristics can be served. The three approaches of market segmentation such as differentiated, undifferentiated and concentrated can be used to determine segments and plan accordingly by Nike. Nike can distinguish its market with several features and variables which determine the general concept about products that Nike offer, fitness shoes in this case. Socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, occupation, income and family etc. can be considered. It may also be based on geographic information such as area, area density, household and neighbourhood, market size and more. Behavioural data can be assessed to determine customer loyalty, buying trends, user choice and others. Psychographic studies would help Nike understand consumer lifestyle, fashion choices and many more. Nike and its segment targeting approach in the UK Socio demography: Nike Inc. UK provides fitness shoe and trainers in wide range and designs to offer different kind of customers. Trainers and shoes come in all shape, size, specification and quality. Trainers in multiple ranges for men, women and kids are available in the UK market. Sizes are marked effectively for fit in purpose and available readily in all the sales stores. Fitness trainers for men range from ? 38 least for Nike Zoom to ? 120 highest for Nike Trainer 1. Women have wide range of choice as well from Nike Air Cardio designs costing mere ? 28 to ? 140 for Nike Air Max+ 2011 id. Kid products range from ? 18 to ? 100. Geography: Nike has made its presence felt in all the major towns and cities in the UK. The points those are most likely to be consumer targeted have been covered as market by Nike. However, reaching the country sides would be a challenge and point of thought if Nike wants to expand its business all over the nation. Nike provides point of sale services in London, Birmingham city, Glasgow, Manchester city, Edinburgh and many other cities. However, internet usage is the only medium for other geographic parts to purchase Nike trainers. Customer Behaviour: It can be important for Nike to realise the importance of customer behaviour in UK. To learn more about consumer preferences and expectation, it is important to communicate with them and share their experiences. Customer loyalty can be earned by providing customers with benefits and services such as after sales, exchange facilities, warranty and making them feel cared for. Nike has to develop such credentials to learn more about customer status and capacity. Consumer psychograph: Nike has so far been successful in providing trainers and fitness shoes to varying demands of consumers that are available in the UK. Prices of the trainers range from ? 28 to ? 140 which shows that Nike has its focus on all sets of customer status. Some exclusive products are also sold in the market that focuses on trendy, fashionable and youthful nature of trainers and fitness shoes for the consumers. POSITIONING OF MARKET Nike Inc. has been very successful in positioning itself as a global leader in athletic footwear market. Even in UK, Nike has been really successful in covering huge market, enormous amount of consumer trust and therefore considerable amount of revenue for the company itself. Technological advancement, high quality materials, innovation and design in Nike footwear are what even the competitors try to imitate. Even though several European brands provide Nike with stiff competition in the UK, Nike has been efficacious in fending off challenges and come up with even better trainers and footwear as per the demand of demanding health conscious population. With a very competitive pricing strategy that is in concern with market expectations, Nike provides footwear of different sizes, design and price for different market segments. Nike has invested considerable amount of time and money on research of UK market since years which has made it one of the most trusted and loved brand in the UK. Such strong position and market share therefore is a positive sign for Nike in days to come. NIKE AND ITS MARKETING OBJECTIVES AND GOALS IN THE UK Nike has been established as a reputed business enterprise in the UK for years now. Their capability and product effectiveness are reflected in choice of people in using Nike fitness trainers before any available option. SMART based goals and objectives which relate to features of objective setting such as specification, measurement, attainment, realisation and time are necessary for Nike to implement in their strategies. Here, we analyse how Nike’s objectives can be related to the SMART approach. SPECIFIC: Nike is the leading women fitness provider in UK with revenue grossing worth 200 million dollars in 2010. Nike Inc. wants to double the gross amount by the fiscal year of 2014. MEASURABLE: Nike targets revenue of $27 billion by the end of 2015 as well as cumulative cash flow increment to $12 billion. ACHIEVABLE: Nike wants to provide UK consumers with 100% cotton used fitness trainers based upon consumer survey in coming years. Nike Inc. has plans to endorse its own athletics footwear during the 2012 summer Olympics in London by sponsoring all the American athletes participating in the games. REALISTIC: Nike Inc. UK wants to increase its market coverage in the UK which is 18% now to 25% within 2013 as Nike footwear have had tremendously appreciated response and promotional endorsements are to be boosted during Olympic games. TIME BOUND: All afore mentioned plans and objectives of Nike Inc. UK are to be completed in certain time allocated for each objective completion. MARKETING STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS OF NIKE INC. UK Nike Inc. UK would have to define its objectives and the process of determining the achievement of those goals. Out of various strategic plans available, Nike Inc. UK can use growth strategies using both product and market. Figure source: http://highn. me/ansoffs-matrix-planning-for-growth/ Nike Inc. UK can develop its strategies by using various methods of strategic moves such as Market Penetration: by providing competitive prices against others, promotional campaigns, enhancing customer support and care etc. Market Development: by getting into newer geographic area, building newer distribution channels, creating new product dimension, creating new market segment etc. Product Development: by producing exclusive products, creating a new trend, using technological advancements in product, diversifying product ranges etc. Diversification: by producing new merchandises than usual for instance sweat free socks for Nike trainers, or other products to match Nike footwear and apparels such as caps, jogging scarfs etc. THE MARKETING MIX (4P’S) FOR NIKE INC. UK Nike Inc. UK and their marketing strategies may be subject to changes from external forces of environment such as politics, economy, society, technology, environment and law. The company however has no control on these factors and have to make adjustments on several occasions. The 4 p’s are variables that the organisation can control within its own marketing strategy and is generally known as 4 p’s of marketing mix. Here, we analyse Nike Inc. and its marketing mix. Product: Nike should be able to provide product variety to the consumers in UK. With people interested in different sports, Nike can make an impact on market here. The quality and features of the new trainers have to be of highest quality, design and durability. Latest trends and technology used in performance enhancement, accident prevention and safety of athletes should be made available in Nike trainers. Sizes and shapes have to come out in all different ways and the products need to be attractively packaged as well. Price: Nike needs to focus on all kinds of customer and research on the customer behaviour or purchasing pattern in the UK. Though Nike already provides trainers from as cheap as ? 28 to ? 140 and more, the prices need to be justified. List of the prices and their features marked with products can be helpful. Price discounts on times can be helpful for boosting business. Place: Nike should focus on locations where footwear can be retailed, distributed or sold more efficiently. Study of market is necessary to determine where Nike can make best out of its sales. Placement in this case may be stores around sport clubs, distribution to other sellers and others. Information technology has covered almost the whole part of UK which can be utilised by Nike to exploit the market and attract the customers. Promotion: Nike Inc. has used several of global athletes as brand ambassadors for the company. Their very link with the company and attachment has provided lime light to the Nike trainers as well. The company can advertise its trainers through media; create sales promotion from time to time and even sponsor future sport events to promote their products as well. Conclusion/Recommendation: Marketing Strategy is an important aspect in achieving the organisational goals and objectives. Only with considerable investment in analysing Nike Inc. ’s strength, weakness, opportunity and threats can the organisation implement marketing strategies. Nike enjoys good market presence and customer loyalty in the kingdom and thus can improve further. From the report, we can recommend some of the following aspects for Nike; The emerging youth culture and trend is an opportunity for Nike to market its products. More technological use in trainers, design can be improved so as to promote fitness trainers. Health benefits associated with fitness Nike trainers should be made aware to the consumers. Use of information technology can be great way to market coverage for Nike trainers and their distribution.