China and India: the Challenge and Opportunity

Sources: Capell, Kerry. â€Å"IKEA: How The Swedish Retailer Became A Global Cult Brand†. BusinessWeek. 14 Nov. 2005: 96-106. Ikea. com CASE 2 CHINA AND INDIA: THE CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY OVERVIEW China and India are the two nations that will transform the global economy as we now know it. China has state-of-the-art manufacturing and India is boosting its competitive edge through innovation hubs. While the United States is deciding if â€Å"Chindia† is a threat or an opportunity the massive low wage, highly educated, and forward thinking work force is transforming these two poor nations into global powerhouses.Yet, all is not perfect. While governments and business pour mass amounts of investments into the countries there are huge obstacles to continued growth. There are social, political, and environmental challenges. Important is keeping growth at a steady pace that will eliminate the unemployment lines. Pollution and environmental challenges, political backlash, de bt and currency crises, inadequate medical care, threats of epidemics, and war are continuing challenges. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.Discuss the innovation implications for the leading developed nations concerning China’s and India’s rapidly escalating capabilities. 2. Examine the collaboration potential and hurdles of greater collaboration between China and India regarding innovation and other commercial ventures. 3. What are the potential market opportunities for developed nations in China and India? 4. Evaluate the evolving balance of economic power shift from the west to the east. 5. Discuss the future competitive threats of China and India for industries in developed countries.

Down East Spud Busters

As a manager, one of the many aspects of your role is to â€Å"control†, which as you know, means periodically (or continually) checking on the status of production, operations, staffing, budget, quality, etc. Now, employees often react negatively to this, communicating actively or passively resentment about the manager's actually or figuratively â€Å"looking over their shoulders† or trying to catch them doing something wrong or always â€Å"making corrections† about the way things are being done. What re some strategies you can use to do a good Job controlling, but avoid the employee backlash In attitude?This really would depend on what type of Industry and the structure of the company. From my past working experiences I used deferent methods were needed to control quality and production. As a project manager In the telecoms Industry an on-hands style was needed In order to get each station physically approved from the vendor. The relationship between managemen t and supervisors,'leads could be anywhere In the range of tense to cordial depending on he quality of the job the supervisor's crew produced.There were other elements that also had to be taken into consideration. Such as, weather, equipment availability, and deadlines. A looking over the shoulder strategy is needed, and is part of some job specification. Another strategy I have had to use was daily receiving, production and shipping reports. While using these methods a minimum interaction is needed with the employees. These types of reports can tell you if production is down from absentee, bad products from vendors or equipment failures.

Business Essays – Puma Company Brand

Business Essays Puma Company Brand Puma Company Brand 1. Executive Summary Puma AG is a multinational company that is based in German and manufactures high athletic and sportswear shoes both for women and men, It was founded by Rudolf Dassler after a dispute with his brother Adi Dassler with whom they had founded the Dassler Schuhfabrik in 1924. Puma had a very poor brand image that show a decline in its market share and prompted puma to change it strategic decisions to improve on its image, this process of change was led by Jochen Zeitz Puma CEO based on phases one to four of strategic plan to change puma’s image so that it can compete favorable in the marketplace and within a couple of years Jochen Zeitz had change puma’s brand image into one of the most desirable and sought after brand of sportswear and footwear worn both buy celebrities and fashion followers all over the word. 1.1 Introduction Puma was founded in Dassler Schuhfabrik, Herzogenaurach, Germany by Rudolf Dassler after a dispute with hi s brother Adi Dassler with whom they had founded the Dassler Schuhfabrik in 1924. Until early 2003 puma had a very poor brand image that show a decline in its market share and prompted puma to change it strategic decisions to improve on its image, this process of change was led by Jochen Zeitz Puma CEO based on phases one to four of strategic plan to change puma’s image so that it can compete favorable in the marketplace and within a couple of years Jochen Zeitz had change puma’s brand image into one of the most desirable and sought after brand of sportswear and footwear worn both buy celebrities and fashion followers all over the word. This report is divided in three parts, Part one presents the factors that influenced puma to change it brand image and it further goes to describe these factors under Macro-environmental analysis basing on market trends, rivalry between customers and strategic group mapping. The second part presents the puma’s resources and capab ilities in terms of strengths and weakness as well as virtuallity as seen as strengthens and the third part of the report presents puma’s winning strategies basing on pumas situation that fits the company, sustainable completive advantages and as a better performing company. According to case study of Puma AG (in Thompson, A.A., Strickland, A.J. and Gamble, J. (2005) Crafting and Executing Strategy (Fourteenth Edition), McGraw-Hill, New York, pages C411- C432), The environmental and competitive factors that influenced Puma’s strategic decision to improve its Brand image is identified under Macro- environmental factors, rivalry between competitors and strategic group mapping as below. 1.1.2 Macro –environmental factors Lack of social acceptance of Puma brand from the upper class customers who were not willing to wear the brand because they considered to of poor quality and were sold â€Å" dirt-cheap † Puma’s brand was compromised and this a affecte d it’s value for example Rudi’s son wanted puma products to reach all the customers of all social back ground and this move was seen by the upper class people as some thing below them and they can not be seen wearing the same brand as people on welfare recipients. In order for pumas brand to be accepted as a high quality brand of value, force puma to change and improve its brand so that it can be socially accepted by customers.

Law and Some Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Law and Some Questions - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that it is possible to distinguish between the principles of common and civil law. Civil law here in referees to the laws through which civil bodies constitute themselves, a good example is the socialist law and the catholic canonical laws. However, when it comes to common law, things are different, in it, there is a judge based precedence hence abiding the law. Historically, a lot of religious laws played a very major role I the solving and settling of a lot of social conflicts. Let it be acknowledged that in modern religious communities and most particularly the Jewish community and the Islamic community in relation to the Sharia law are the common religious laws in use.This study stresses that adjudication of laws is usually mainly divided into two sections these are criminal law and civil law. Criminal law in this particular case deals with activities that are considered harmful or disrupt the existing social order, hence, those found guilty might be imprisoned or receive other forms of punishment. There is no need of confusing the elements of a civil law, with that of a criminal law. However, it is under the principles of civil law that a special kind of law exists. Law has its own legal theories, many of which exist due to philosophical works. The philosophical work of law is referred to as jurisprudence. In the field of law, a contract is generally consider as an agreement which is lawful and participants enter in it voluntarily. Â  

Managing Organizational Change Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Organizational Change - Case Study Example The residents of Honk Kong strongly believe that the way to drink water is to use the bottled variety, as they believe the health benefits and convenience is preferred compared to boiling existing tap water. The debate surrounds the problems associated with these views, however. Hence the purpose we must now address is to radically change the way people in Honk Kong regard their water supply. The current thinking is problematic on a number of fronts. However, it can be seen from history that there was a time when everyone in Hong Kong drank water from the tap. So what has changed Bottled water is now the preferred choice, despite the fact that tap water is for all intents and purposes, free. Hong Kong residents try to justify this by assuming the following: There is a counter-argument to this, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. In the end convenience seems to be a major factor, as with all consumer products. Here are some of the counter arguments: (South China Morning Post, 2007) In addition to the above plus point and minus points, other factors need to be considered by the consumer. For instance buyers need to be aware that tax is being charged on the cost of a bottle of water. The long term solution of course is to improve the general water supply quality. Re-education needs to take place as too many people feel that bottled water is the only option. In the end a restriction policy may have to be put in place to make the production cost higher. Eventually this will make it more difficult for the end consumer to purchaser. The only problem with this approach is that it is not guaranteed to have the desired effect. Chapter 2 The Change Process So, how do we change the habits of approximately "6.92 million" (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2008), Hong Kong residents Well, if we follow Kurt Lewin's model there are a few things we can do. We will take this one aspect at a time, and see where we can fit in an appropriate solution or scenario fitted for the stage in question. Unfreeze. The objective here is to establish a good relationship with the people involved, and enable others to realize that the present behaviours are not effective. As with all change of a radical or not-so-radical nature, we would need to minimize the resistance to change. Easier said than done perhaps In some films and books you often read about masses of people who have had their perception of a situation changed just because of a single appealing speech. Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King,

See bellow Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

See bellow - Essay Example Scientists have come up with ways to explain that modern man is still evolving, some of the ideas that have been brought on board are like that modern women tend to start their own families between the ages of 22 to 26. Another aspect is the Tibetans evolutionary change, which explains that people would adapt to low oxygen levels in high altitudes environments. Finally, the variation in reproduction, which means that selected traits favor particular kind of people, it has been noted that fertility is being categorized with natural selection, which means that women with narrow birth canal endanger the lives of both the babies and themselves. It also explains that babies with a large brain size get struck in the birth canal. Evolution can be defined as, â€Å"a process of change in a particular direction† (Vosse, 2010, p.9).Evolution tends to define the genesis of something. Evolutionists argue that, â€Å"simple organisms can evolve into complex organisms through natural means and denies any divine influence† (Vosse, 2010, p. 9). I agree with the phrase that man hasn’t stopped evolving, with the emergence of â€Å"modern man†. 600,000 years ago, a more sophisticated tool of technology advanced and these tools were efficient and included the cutting tools (Vosse, 2010). But still the technology didn’t advance. After many years, the fossil of modern man appeared and the technology changed. Modern man didn’t stop hunting, but he advanced domestic tools, art, clothing’s and jewellery. Modern man has challenged the evolution of man; this factor has been argued by the evolutionists who consider modern man to have evolved, since he was previously a hunter and gatherer living a similar life as the Homo erectus (Vosse, 2010). The modern man’s needs made him become a more efficient and equipped hunter, toolmaker, fire maker, and a social gatherer. The evolution biologists have noted is that the

Who was to blame for the banking crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Who was to blame for the banking crisis - Essay Example After the Great Depression of 1930 the world economy faced a dangerous financial crisis. It all began when sky rocket property prices in the United States started decreasing and this impact soon spread all over the financial sector. The Global Financial Crisis initiated in July 2007 with the credit crunch when US investors lost confidence in the investment of mortgage property. This all compelled US investors to inject a large portion of capital into the financial market. By September 2008 the crisis got worse and hit all stock markets globally and made the market volatile. The consumers started losing confidence in properties and the stock market and were in a position of fear what could be lying ahead of them (Broman, 2012). The banking industry has seen many fiscal crises in the past, the notable one of them being the one that started in the 1930. Since then many countries have seen ups and downs when it comes to their banking industry. The most recent one of them being that in 2007; which changed the perspective of many investors and regulators. It all took one Lehman Brothers to go bankrupt for the Wall Street crisis panic to spread worldwide and affect other countries, developing or developed. The causes were smaller in person and unimportant but together, they caused huge economies to collapse and endure great loss. The reasons were as followed: On a general note, the global financial crisis began developed its roots in 2007, July, when the US investors started to lose confidence in the values of subprime mortgages, resulting in a liquidity crisis. This lead to the US federal bank adding a notable sum of capital into the financial market but nevertheless, the issue persisted such that by 2008, the stock markets around the world became seriously volatile and subsequently crashed. The Global market braced them for they feared the impending doom that approached them. Questions pertaining to the liquidity of banks, a fall in the availability of

The Use of Semiotics in Understanding and Interpreting Images Essay

The Use of Semiotics in Understanding and Interpreting Images - Essay Example This paper illustrates that in the society today, an audiovisual culture has developed and is slowly superseding the reading and writing culture. Images are seen in cinemas, magazines, posters, books, newspapers, TVs, clothes and on computer screens. This develops a need for understanding and interpreting the meanings of images. Ideologies, myths, and connotations are mostly embedded in images making it difficult to understand. To achieve this, semiotics is used in analyzing the innate understanding and meanings behind images seen in the society today. This is because semiotics puts an emphasis on the communication of visuals and the kind of system that dominates the images being presented. Semiotics is an apparatus that is associated directly with the existing culture or trends in a society. Fashion today and the images presented by what people put on from clothes, shoes, hairstyle, and jewelry may be difficult to understand. This is because of the many features that it has. However , the images created by what people put on convey a lot of information about the characters, attitude, and moods of individuals. Advertisements also use images which carry a lot of message about the product being advertised. In the society today, advertisements are mostly used to introduce fashion to the society which keeps on changing over time. The semiotics theory explains that advertisements involve images that trigger emotions, feelings, moods, and attributes. This is achieved by the use of objects which create images in the minds of people. Adverts use images which connect objects with the real life to clearly pass the message needed. Advertisements are mostly used to signify, represent people and use objects that are most desired by people.

Reasons behind Organisations Seeking Control on Its Various Essay - 1

Reasons behind Organisations Seeking Control on Its Various Operational Dimensions - Essay Example According to the research findings, the organizations have attempted to render greater interests in order to control their internal business activities and obtain advantageous competitive benefits identified in the external environment of the business. Moreover, it can be observed that the modern business organizations are highly focused on evaluating a range of useful mechanistic processes in order to enhance their power of controlling and obtaining greater competitive advantages in the global market.In order to obtain a critical understanding of the current day scenario, the various aspects associated with the accomplishment of the organizational goal, i.e. to seek control in different situations, will be evaluated. Additionally, to provide the discussion with firm evidence, the illustration of Marks & Spencer plc (M&S) strategies will be taken into account. According to Jensen, human communication is recognized as a transmission method, through which the conversation conveys one l ocation to another and is possible only when the messages are transferred from a mechanistic perspective. It is in this context that analysts who adopt mechanistic perspective believe that the concepts of communications are causally associated. Specifically, the mechanistic perspective in the communication process involves a linear relationship between the communicator and the channels through which the message is delivered. Moreover, Sorokin has also mentioned that a mechanistic perspective model possesses the capacity of understanding any complex system through the investigation of its particular characteristics as well as the interrelation persisting between the variables. The model is usually integrated with physical aspects where the system elements are identified as real and visible. With reference to the notion of mechanistic models, it can be observed as based on elements which are incorporated in a discrete manner that cannot be physically observed.

Intro to Finance Essay Example for Free

Intro to Finance Essay An efficient financial system promotes intermediaries that successfully link â€Å"savers† from â€Å"borrowers† (Mankiw). There are two widely-known financial intermediaries namely the banks and mutual funds. Banks are highly accessible to the general public are generally more cost advantageous that direct lending. Generally, the banks main purpose in the economy is to take in deposits from savers and â€Å"use these deposits to make loans to people who want to borrow† (Mankiw, N. Gregory, 2001, Principles of Economics, p. 557). Banks incur costs by paying interest on these deposits and earn from these by charging higher interest rates on loan borrowers. Second to this, banks play an important role in the economy as they â€Å"facilitate the purchases of goods and services by allowing people to write checks against their deposits† (Mankiw, N. Gregory, 2001, Principles of Economics, p. 557). In this manner, the economy benefits from banks by this accessible medium of exchange. Unlike stocks or bonds which are not as immediate, checks make it easier for the public to exercise their monetary transactions. Mutual funds, on the other hand, are institutions that use the proceeds of selling shares in buying portfolios of stocks and bonds where they derive their profits. The financial markets become more accessible and efficient because mutual funds allow people with small savings to become owners and creditors of numerous companies. Also, mutual funds allow its shareholders the benefit of risk diversification wherein a single fund can carry a roster of diverse portfolios in stocks and bonds. A broker can either be an individual or a corporate entity that earns a fee-based profit by performing buy and sell orders from investors and/ or clients. A good example of this is a brokerage firm that specializes in trading company stocks and securities. A broker’s main functions in the financial market would include basic execution of buying and selling shares, and financial advisory to clients regarding the management of their shares/ stocks. With the emergence of automation and popular online brokerage firms, traditional brokers have redefined their place in the industry. Most popular online brokerage firms such as Ameritrade and E*Trade offer lower fees to investors as opposed to traditional brokers. Financial and Investment Advisory are also automated online via innovative investment software tools. With information becoming more accessible because of the internet, traditional brokers are now transitioning into online brokers wherein online orders are still routed to and monitored by them; and with reduced client-interface for advisories.

Innocent Smoothies Customer Relationship

Innocent Smoothies Customer Relationship Although the smoothies market in the UK enjoyed a period of exceptionally strong growth of more than 150% between 2005 and 2007, this has now been stalled by the impact of the recent economic recession and consumers switching their loyalty to alternative, cheaper pure fruit drinks. As well as suffering from unfavourable economic conditions, smoothie manufactures have failed to convince UK consumers that the drinks are not full of calories and are not bad for their teeth, despite strong contradictory evidence from the British Nutrition Foundation (2008). The result of all of this is that the smoothies market declined by some 36% between 2007 and 2009 (Mintel Report Sales Brochure, 2010). The smoothie market is now showing signs of a fragile recovery and Mintel forecasts that improved economic conditions, together with the increased penetration of the childrens market, will see the smoothies sector returning to growth soon (Mintel Report Sales Brochure, 2010). 1.2 Background to Innocent From its founding vision of Europes favourite little juice company, Innocent has now moved on its goal to being the earths favourite little food company by 2030. This new vision encompasses food and not just drink and demonstrates how Innocent is moving in parallel with its customers desire for a whole range of fresh and natural foodstuffs (Innocent Drinks Annual Report, 2007). The brand leader in the smoothie market, Innocent, has largely been responsible for fuelling the growth in the market and despite the general market downturn, it still commands an 80% market share. However, Innocents market share has been boosted, not just by its own performance, but also by the decision taken by PepsiCo to remove its PJs smoothie brand in early 2009 (Mintel, 2010). 2.0 The Principles and Practice of Customer Relationship Management This CRM approach to business focuses on the retention of customers and the building of relationships with those customers. The concept of customer retention, as a lower cost option than a constant cycle of customer acquisition and loss, is a discipline that organisations have understood for many years (Rosenberg and Czepiel, 1984). However, some researchers have suggested there is a lack of evidence to support the quantifiable, financial benefits of customer retention (Dowling and Uncles, 1997). The notion of both retaining customers and enhancing customer relationships, in order to make them more durable and thus more profitable, has also been advocated by academics for some years (Berry, 1983). However, the idea of customer satisfaction as a function of relationship enhancement did not gain favour amongst theorists until the early 1990s (Crosby et al., 1990; Perrien and Ricard, 1995). The term customer relationship management (CRM) to describe an all embracing customer management system was not used until the mid-1990s in the information technology industry and was later described by Ryals and Payne (p.3, 2001) as information-enabled relationship marketing. The interchangeable nature of the terms customer relationship management and relationship marketing is now generally accepted (Zablah et al, p. 116, 2003). The successful implementation of CRM practises in the grocery retail sector has been well evidenced in the case of Tesco, which is the UKs leading supermarket chain. Its clubcard customer loyalty programme was first launched in 1995 and now has over seven million members (Tesco website, 2010). The scheme delivers a range of benefits to customers who shop both at Tescos stores and at its online supermarket and it also provides valuable market intelligence on shoppers purchasing habits, which feeds back into Tescos marketing planning process (Tesco website, 2010). This enables Tesco to deliver highly targeted and personalised communications via direct marketing which serves to further enhance the relationship with its customer base. A criticism frequently levelled at customer loyalty schemes is that they are not proven to foster loyalty nor do they deliver incremental sales and profits for an organisation (Dowling and Uncles, 1997). Tesco, however, has produced ample evidence that its loyalty scheme does indeed deliver on all of these counts (Humby et al, 2007). 3.0 Innocent drinks Customer Relationship Management Strategy Innocent has largely adopted a traditional approach to its marketing relying heavily on above-the-line promotion to build equity in its brand, which has been successful, as evidenced by its huge market share. Innocent has, however, dabbled in relationship marketing techniques in the past in order to attempt to increase the loyalty of its customers and encourage them to engage with the brand more. For an example, in August 2003, Innocent created Fruitstock, which was positioned as a free festival for nice people, the nice people in this case being Innocents customers. The event included live music and food stalls (Sahlman, 2004, p.8). Innocent spent nearly one third of its annual marketing budget on the first Fruitstock and repeated the event a year later when it attracted over 80,000 people (Sahlman, 2004, p.8) Commenting on the first Fruitstock, Richard Reed, Innocent co-founder, said, This event cost about  £200,000 to put on. At this point, I cant prove that it was a good investment. From a hard numbers perspective, maybe wed have been better off hiring new salespeople. But we are doing things that are hard to quantify. From a hard numbers perspective, why waste time on labels? There are important secondary benefits to things like Fruitstock: We had customers in the VIP area having a great day with their families. Employees could come with their family and friends. Its not just about advertising-it helps with recruiting, PR, and other areas. (Sahlman, 2004, p.8) Fruitstock has since been abandoned with Innocents CRM strategy now focussed on its website and associated newsletter which is sent to over 120,000 customers. However, Marketing Director at Innocent, Charlotte Rawlins, admits Were perhaps not as sophisticated in database management as wed like to be but  we do realise the value of direct contact and are going to make our newsletters more personalised (Turner, 2008). Innocents only structured current CRM strategy is based on its family, which is basically an informal club for customers. The benefits of membership seem to be limited to the entitlement to receive a monthly electronic newsletter and the promise of invitations to special events (Innocent website, 2010). 4.0 The Marketing Audit A marketing audit is a formal and structured review of an organisations existing marketing activities and market environment. The diagram below shows the role of the marketing audit in the overall marketing process. Objectives Marketing Audit Analysis Feedback Planning Implementation Control Feedback Evaluation 4.2 PESTEL Analysis A PESTEL analysis is deployed to enable an organisation to examine the external macro-environment that it operates in, as follows (Gillespie, 2007). (P)olitical This refers to government policy in terms of the degree of intervention there is, if any, in the marketplace. In 2004 the Food Standards Agency in the UK positioned itself to tackle the obesity problem by stating that there was going to be a focus on convincing consumers to seek out healthier food options. It also demanded that the food and drinks industry supported it in this stance (Food Standards Agency, 2004). The Agency did, however, concede that the industry had already made some progress in offering consumers healthier options but urged retailers in the sector to see this as part of their corporate social responsibility and not just as a marketing strategy to gain more business. Government efforts to promote healthier eating through an increased intake of fruit and vegetables with its 5-a-day campaign has created an awareness level of 74% amongst consumers with 58% claiming that they have taken action as a direct result (Food Standards Agency, 2008). (E)conomic This includes such factors as interest rates, taxation changes, economic status and growth prospects, inflation and exchange rates. Interest rates continue to be at an all time low with correspondingly lower mortgage payments for most homeowners. However, unemployment, and the threat of unemployment, in both the private and public sectors, has reduced consumer confidence resulting in a curtailment of spending on higher priced, so called luxury items. (S)ocial This covers changes in social trends that can impact on consumer demand. The age profile of the UK population is getting older. Currently 37.9% of the UK population is aged 45 or more. By 2031 this is forecast to grow to 45.7% (Office for National Statistics, 2010). There is a definite cultural shift towards healthier eating in the UK. It is unlikely that we will ever put health before taste, but brands that manage to combine great taste with practicality as well as a positive health proposition, are in an ideal position to win full marks from the consumer'(Quick, p. 3, 2008) (T)echnological This examines how new technologies create new products and new processes. The ubiquitous internet and the rapid onward march of mobile electronic communications devices will increasingly influence the way consumers interact with, and buy, branded products. (E)nvironmental Environmental factors include the weather and climate change and how these may impact on the marketplace. Global warming and climate change are impacting on the UK. With a generally warmer climate in prospect for the future the soft drinks market (including smoothies) may stand to benefit from environmental conditions. (L)egal This covers the legal environment and framework within which the organisation and its competitors operate. There are no current legal issues that may impact on the market. 4.4 Porters Five Forces Porters Five Forces model allows an organisation to examine how its micro market operates (Porter, p.49, 1980) The Threat of New Entrants includes such issues as capital requirements; brand identity and reputation; access to distribution; expected response from existing market players. Innocent enjoys an 80% share of the UK Smoothies market so it is vulnerable to threats from new entrants. However, the newest entrant into the market and number two in terms of share, Tropicana, has made little headway despite the equity in its brand gained through its fruit juice products and despite a heavyweight promotional spend (Mintel, 2010). The Bargaining Power of Suppliers suppliers of everything from raw materials to expertise can exert pressure on a business in different ways. For example they could charge premium prices for a unique, high quality or difficult to obtain ingredient or service. Innocent sources its raw materials from thousands of farms all over the world so is not particularly vulnerable to the bargaining power of its suppliers. In fact the bargaining power tends to lie with Innocent itself. The Bargaining Power of Buyers this refers to the ability of customers to put pressure on a business to reduce its current prices and to not increase prices. This pressure can manifest itself in different ways such as consumers switching allegiance to other brands based on price sensitivity. Smoothies are sold at a premium price in the fruit juices market. The market for smoothies is very price sensitive particularly during difficult economic times when consumers are liable to seek out lower priced alternatives such as pure fruit drinks. The Threat of Substitute Products this threat relates to the propensity of consumers to switch, not necessarily just to direct competitors but also to substitute products. Substitute products, in the form of supermarket own labels, pose a significant threat to established brands in the smoothie marketplace. The leading brands, such as Innocent, are suffering from consumers switching to own label smoothie and fruit juice products, in the shorter term, due mainly to price considerations. The extent of this switch is evidenced by the fact that the large supermarkets now dominate the fruit juice drinks market with their own brands (Keynote, 2010). The growth of supermarket own label brands is having a big impact on the sale of manufacturer branded, fast-moving, consumer goods (Veloutsou et al., 2004). Supermarket own label brands are no longer just the lower quality and lower priced alternatives to manufacturer brands that they once were as, since the late 1990s, they have been offering a genuine quality option for consumers (Burt, 2000). Rivalry among Existing Businesses in the Marketplace this covers such factors as overall growth in the market sector; product differences; brand identity and reputation; the nature and diversity of competing businesses. Although the smoothies market in the UK enjoyed a period of exceptionally strong growth between 2005 and 2007, this has now been stalled by the impact of the recent economic recession and consumers switching their loyalty to alternative, cheaper pure fruit drinks (Mintel, 2010). Also, smoothies manufactures have failed to convince UK consumers that the drinks are not full of calories and are not bad for their teeth despite strong contradictory evidence from the British Nutrition Foundation (2008). 4.5 Changes in Consumer Behaviour The emergence of global brands, such as Coca-Cola and Apple, and the continuing globalisation of world markets, together with the introduction of new technologies, such as the internet, have all enabled consumers worldwide to interact more easily with the organisations from which they buy their products and services (Doole and Lowe, 2008). This, in turn, has fragmented many consumer markets and made them far more competitive than previously. Organisations have to increasingly recognise that the consumer is king in modern business and if they fail to satisfy those customers, organisations are unlikely to generate improved sales revenues and profits (Blackwell et al, p.10, 2001) Consumer behaviour patterns in the grocery retailing markets have evolved over the last twenty years and are continuing to change. For example, in the last few years government campaigns promoting healthy eating, such as the 5-a-day campaign, mean that consumers are more educated about the benefits of healthy options in their diet and are, consequently, increasingly demanding healthy food from their retailers. A quote taken from a report by Business Insights re-enforces this viewpoint: 80.6% of respondents agreed that over the next 5 years consumers will increase their uptake of functional health products, but will also continue to indulge. (Kemsley, 2006) 5.0 Proposals for Improving CRM 5.1 Intelligence gathering It has been seen that an integral part of effective CRM is customer satisfaction, which can ultimately lead to customer loyalty. However, for an organisation to truly be able to identify and satisfy the specific needs of its customers, it has to adopt one of the basic principles of market orientation namely, customer intelligence gathering (Kohli and Jaworski, 1990; Ruekert, 1992). The type of intelligence gathered should focus on customer feedback that gives the organisation insight into its market position vis-à  -vis its competitors (Ruekert, 1992). The dissemination of the intelligence throughout the organisation is as important as the gathering process (Kohli and Jaworski, 1990). Apart from its family club here is little evidence to suggest that Innocent is operating an effective customer intelligence gathering system so it needs to consider this as part of its overall CRM programme. Innocent should conduct regular focus groups and surveys of its customers and potential customers to constantly monitor customer expectations, in terms of product quality and performance. 5.2 Helping Customers to Adopt a Healthier Lifestyle The PESTEL analysis has shown that the political and social environments are very much pro healthy eating and drinking habits and, consequently, are conducive to the growth of the smoothie market. Also, the Porters Five Forces analysis has demonstrated that consumers are not convinced about the health benefits of smoothies. In addition changing consumer behaviour patterns mean that consumers are now more educated about the benefits of consuming healthy products than ever before. At present, 100% pure fruit juices and smoothies count as only one portion in terms of the criteria laid down for 5-a-day, regardless of how much of either product is consumed (Ruxton, 2008). This is in spite of the fact that research has shown that that pure fruit and vegetable juices, such as those contained in smoothies, offer comparable health benefits to those of whole fruits and vegetables, (Ruxton et al., 2006). The Porters Five Forces analysis has also shown that consumers are generally not convinced of the health benefits of smoothies. So there is an opportunity for Innocent to help its customers better understand the health benefits of smoothies and, at the same time, lobby for their support in recognising the true value of smoothies in a 5-a-day regime. If customers could be persuaded to pledge their support through, for example, signing an online petition in favour of the proper recognition of the value of each portion of smoothies then this would not only galvanise support for the case for smoothies but also raise customers awareness levels of the health benefits of smoothies. Additionally it would serve to increase customer engagement with the innocent brand. This, together with the inclusion of general healthy lifestyle advice within the Innocent family newsletter, would all work in favour of customer satisfaction with the brand and could all positively influence loyalty. 5.3 Promoting Loyalty through Customer Segmentation Changing consumer behaviour has been shown to have fragmented markets and intensified competition and the smoothies market is not immune to this trend. This is further evidenced by the Porters Five Forces analysis, which indicates that the smoothies market is facing intense competition from substitute products, in the shape of lower priced, pure fruit juices and supermarket own brand smoothies. In times of intense competition, customer loyalty programmes are often introduced in order to improve customer retention rates through the provision of rewards for customers or certain segments of customers (Bolton and Ockenfels, 2000). Although loyalty programmes have their critics research has shown that they can increase brand loyalty and profit (Caminal and Matutes 1990; Kim et al., 2001). The PESTEL analysis has also revealed that the UK population profile is forecast to shift increasingly to the over 45s. Innocent currently has little resonance with this market (Mintel, 2010) and consequently needs to engage with existing and potential customers in this age group. By targeting this market, Innocent will be able to grow its market share outside of its traditional core audience, which is the market segment in which there is the most intense competition. Innocent should, therefore, consider developing a smoothie drink especially for the over 45s, which would have a formula made up of ingredients that have specific health benefits for this particular audience. Research has shown that the over 45s are increasingly conscious of their health needs and are seeking out the so called magic foods which include berries, almonds, and ginger (Starling, 2010). Innocent could easily manufacture a smoothie for this market containing such ingredients, which are natural and would not compromise its commitment to using 100% natural ingredients. Innocent could then also segment its CRM programme by specifically addressing these customers in its direct marketing activity and it could create a special family of over 45s within its existing overall customer family. By producing a separate newsletter for this audience, with unique and relevant content and incentives, Innocent could, for the first time, start to build relationships with the over 45 age group. 6.0 Summary and Conclusions The smoothies market experienced dramatic growth up until 2007 when the impact of the worldwide economic recession brought the market to a halt. Innocent has retained its market share and continues to be the dominant player albeit in a market that has suffered from declining sales for the last three years. Innocent has achieved its dominance primarily through heavyweight promotional support for its brand. However, this strategy alone is no longer enough to sustain the business in a changed world of fragmented and globalised markets where consumers demand more from their brands. The marketplace is well set to work in Innocents favour, however, with the UK government being committed to improving the health of the nation and consumers themselves having become more educated about the benefits of a healthier lifestyle. Nonetheless, consumer scepticism about just how healthy smoothies really are is currently restricting growth of the market. Also, the ongoing tough economic situation is ca using some consumers to switch from the premium priced, manufacturer- branded drinks to more affordable supermarket own brands and to other products, such as pure fruit juice drinks, which consumers perceive as having similar health benefits. So there is a big task ahead for the Innocent brand inasmuch as it needs to persuade its customers of the true health benefits of its products. There is a precedent for the implementation of an effective CRM programme in the grocery retail sector in the shape of Tescos Clubcard. For Innocent, it is proposed that a much expanded CRM programme could help alleviate the negative effects of the current market conditions that are working against its growth objectives. These health giving benefits are probably the most important attribute that smoothies possess and Innocent, as market leader, needs to demonstrate its leadership qualities by engaging in more meaningful relationships with its customers and persuading them of the healthy nature of its products and campaigning with them for a greater recognition of this factor in the political environment. It is also important for Innocent to broaden its product appeal and establish meaningful and durable relationships with a market sector it h as failed to penetrate to date, namely the over 45s age group. Underpinning any successful CRM initiative is the gathering of customer intelligence. Innocent needs to invest in this area by conducting more research with its customers using tools such as paper based and online surveys and focus groups, in order to truly understand trends in the marketplace, the nature of its customers buying behaviour and, most importantly, how its customers relate to the Innocent brand. Only by doing this can Innocent construct and implement a CRM programme that will have resonance with its customers, and potential customers, and will, consequently, deliver an opportunity for deeper, more meaningful and mutually beneficial customer relationships.

Presidents Kennedy and Johnson :: essays research papers

Although President Kennedy wasn’t in office for very long, his actions in and out of the whitehouse are legendary. When President Kennedy took the oath of office in 1960 he wasted no time in cleaning up America. Several bills were enacted in President Kennedy’s tenor. A lot of the major ones had to do with crime control. A lot of President Kennedy’s bills were targeted at organized crime. Bill S1653 was singed into action on September 13 1961. This was an interstate travel bill. The bill made it a crime to travel or use any facilities in interstate commerce with intent to conduct violent crimes to further illegal gambling, liquor, narcotics, or prostitution business. This bill had a major effect shutting down a lot of â€Å"speakeasy’s† which took care of gambling, and betting. Customs got a lot tighter which had a great impact on the running of liquor to foreign countries such as Canada and Mexico. A lot of drug pushers were arrested and many Bord ellos’ were also shut down. The senate passed Bill S1653 on July 28 and House on Aug 21. This was one of many anti-crime Bills that President Kennedy would enact throughout his term. A lot of his primary goals were oriented towards organized crime. Another one of President Kennedy’s crime Bills to be passed in 1961 having to do with crime was Bill S1656. This Bill made it a crime for 2. anyone in the betting business to knowingly use a wire communication facility to transmit in interstate commerce any bets or wager information. Also it made it a crime to be caught with any betting paraphernalia such as parley sheets or wager stubs. This authorized a lot of wire-tapping and surveillance. Bill S1656 was passed by the Senate on July 28 and by the house on August 21 and was signed September 13. One other bill passed in 1961 by President Kennedy was the Fugitive felon act. This act made it a federal crime to cross boarders to avoid being prosecuted or remanded into custody after committing a violent crime or avoid giving testimony on a crime. This act was strongly enforced by local law enforcement agencies. The Federal firearms act of 1961 was a major bill passed for President Kennedy in 1961. This act prohibited the shipment of firearms in interstate and foreign lands to people under inditment for certain crimes. Not all of President Kennedy’s bills were directed towards the Mob and other such crime syndicates.

Physics of Paintball :: physics sport paint paintball gun

There are three main areas of paintball that I will be analyzing. First the way in which a paintball leaves the barrel of a paintball marker. Second the way in which a paintball fly's through the air and lastly how to determine optimum ranges for paintballs. Firing a paintball As you fire the trigger, the paintball is being pushed down the barrel of the marker by the difference in pressure between the CO2 from a tank attached to the marker which builds up behind the ball and the air in front of the ball. There are several other forces which act on the paintball besides the air resistance and the CO2. One is the friction of the ball against the barrel. This frictional force is in no way constant because the shape and the smoothness of the inside of the barrel is not always constant. Likewise, the surface of the paintball is not always smooth. A second force is A spinning force that the C02 imparts on the ball causing a rotational acceleration and also a rolling motion. Once the ball has cleared the barrel there is a significant change in the forces that are acting on the paintball. The imbalance of the pressure behind the ball is gone. So that there is no longer any force pushing the ball in the direction that the muzzle is pointing in. It should be noted that there are many different ways that are employed to get a marker to shoot a paintball out of the marker. Nearly every brand of marker has a different firing system. All have several things in common. They all have some sort of tank with compressed air or C02 or Nitrogen. Then they usually have sort of bolt and hammer system which is cocked back and held in place by a sear which compresses a spring. When the trigger is pulled it releases the sear. The restoring force of the spring pushes the bolt and the hammer forward starting the paintball moving then the C02 is released propelling the ball outward. The flight of a Paintball Once a paintball gets into the air its flight is much like that of a golf ball. There are a verity of forces that act upon the ball once its in the air. The ball always has the force of gravity acting on it. This causes the paintball to travel in an arc and return to the earth.

The Characters of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essays

The Characters of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the main characters Tom and Gatsby are both similar and different in their attitudes and their status. Both Tom and Gatsby have attained great wealth and live in very lavish conditions. They differ greatly, on the other hand, in the way that they acquired this wealth, and the way in which they treat other people. Even though both characters have great amounts of wealth, they are almost complete opposites due the way in which they acquired their wealth. Tom and Gatsby are very similar in their wealth and lavishness. Gatsby spends his money on any whim, regardless of what it may cost. His parties, for example, cost him huge amounts and are held almost every weekend. Trucks must bring in the food, and the servants work all day to prepare and organize the grounds. The beverages are also brought in by the truckload, and all of the attendees drink heavily. Gatsby then hires a complete string orchestra, a jazz band, an opera singer, and various other entertainers. Most importantly, Gatsby does all of this just to get Daisy's attention, and he has enough wealth to keep doing it every day for as long as it takes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gatsby's costly personal possessions also show his ease of spending money. He buys a hydroplane just to take it out several times, not on a long journey, but for a short flight across the sound. Gatsby's car, "was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hatboxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns."(68), clearly a very lavish and expensive automobile. La... ...ored and throws him away. In essence Gatsby's death is inevitable, just as Tom and Daisy dispose of a city when they do not like the rumors or some of the people, so do they get rid of Gatsby when they realize that he is really not one of them, and that he cannot become one of them because he is too full of hope and life and love.    Works Cited Bewley, Marius. "Scott Fitzgerald's Criticism of America." Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Great Gatsby. Ed. Ernest Lockridge. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. 37-53. Fitzgerald, F. Scott.   The Great Gatsby. New York:   Simon & Schuster Inc, 1995. Possnock, Ross. " 'A New World, Material Without Being Real': Fitzgerald's Critique of Capitalism in The Great Gatsby." Critical Essays on Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Ed. Scott Donaldson. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co., 1984. 201-213.

BBQ Fun Case Study

Title Page It is all about analysis figures of market trends and developments in order to determine their influence on the business. The statistical analysis will take you to valuable analysis of comparative market information. It will show us the overview of sampling methods, quantitve research methods etc. Besides this it will tell you that how to understand the market trends and how to find them. Executive Summary BBQ fun is leading to that products which are we use in outdoor lifestyle . It is catering to growing need for furnishing new and renovated dwelling in the Brisbane area.It produces the different verities of BBQs, outdoor furniture and BBQ accessories will position BBQ fun as best in class for outdoor lifestyle retailing. In other section we learnt that use statistical analysis of market trends and developments to determine their potential impact on the business. Apart from that we looked that how to perform qualitative analysis of comparative market information to revie w organisation performance, opportunities or threats . we discussed market research techniques and sampling. Introduction BBQ fun is well known company in Australia.It is also one of the best companies which are producing outdoor living products. This company started since 1950 in Brisbane. First of all BBQ fun’s owner started his business from a little shop and he started his business with the making of charcoal ovens. That became very lovable in the people of Brisbane. However time has passed. BBQ fun started producing more outdoor living products and they became famous in all over Australia. In upcoming time the management of BBQ fun thing to take this company in all over the world. We hope that with our hard work and good quality of products we will be on number 1 in the world.Strengths. Excellent staff that are highly skilled and knowledgeable about outdoor lifestyles.. Retail space that is bright, functional for a commercial urban district.. High customer loyalty among customers. | Weaknesses. A limited marketing budget to develop brand awareness due to the lack of critical mass and store cover.. The struggle to continually fund the growing long-term repayment plans taken out by our customers| Opportunities. A growing market in a high growth area with significant percentage of the target market still not aware of BBQ fun’s offer..Increasing sales opportunities outside of our target area-greater Brisbane. | Threats. Competition from local independents that can reduce price as owner operators lower than our staff-run stores.. competition from national chains moving into the Brisbane market. A slump in the economy reducing customer’s disposable income spent on outdoor lifstyles. | Finding and discussion In the initial phases of the markrting plan development,several focus groups were held to get insight into a different types of patrons of outdoor lifestyle stores.These type of groups provided useful insight into the decisions and decis ion-making processes,of custmors . An additional source of market research that is dynamic is a feedback mechanism based on a suggestion card system in store. Last thing of market research is reasonable appreciation. For two reasons the management of BBQ will come on the stores. The first one is competitve analysis. The second one is that local business owners are often part of an informal fraternal organisation where the support each other’s business.Brisbane city (BC) vs Sunshine city (SC) Customer number| BC:HouseholdIncome $| BC:OutdoorHome warespend $| CustomerNumber| SC:HouseholdIncome $| SC:Outdoor home ware spend $| 1| 141917. 4| 17030. 09| 1| 99724. 51| 5983. 47| 2| 132476. 7| 15897. 21| 2| 73762. 43| 4425. 74| 3| 120251. 5| 14430. 18| 3| 67561. 46| 4053. 68| 4| 119381. 9| 14325. 83| 4| 109280. 6| 6556. 83| 5| 126690. 5| 15529. 86| 5| 60555. 51| 3633. 33| 6| 129411. 7| 15529. 40| 6| 80996. 57| 4859. 79| Recommendations If we want to build up our company in other coun tries then we should know bout the people of that country like about their customs, religion, habits and soon. Apart this quality of stuff is very important to build up any business. If we provide the good quality product to the consumer in reasonable price then he will come back again and he will recommend to others as well to buy the things from our shop. The very important thing is area. Before start the business we should chose a good area that what kind of people are living there. How good their income is. Will they able to buy our product. These are the main tips which we keep in eye to start the business.

Lineage of Sin and Death Essay

The Genesis account of Adam and Eve speaks about the commission of original sin as man first tried to disobey God’s command. It was when they first gave in to evil temptations that they sinned against their creator. From the very beginning, God said to Adam that He allows them to eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden but never from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (New American Bible). The Church preaches that the original sin corresponded to the loss of faith of man in their creator as well as an abuse of the freedom afforded to him or her by God. Having sinned against God opened their eyes to the existence of evil in the world. The original sin produced devastating results. It brought forth death and destroyed the loving relationship shared by God and the rest of His creation (Domning & Hellwig, 2006). Likewise, the will of man is permanently damaged as a consequence of the commission of original sin. Such sin may be characterized as the loss of original inviolability and justice affected the descendants of Adam and Eve due to the will’s weakness. Man does not uphold original justice and righteousness anymore but rather is tempted by sinful and self-seeking desires. The constant evil temptations as well as the loss of the benefits of original inviolability and justice tainted Adam’s soul, and being his progeny, the rest of humanity were similarly condemned. The mark of original sin is handed down to all of Adam’s descendants from the time of birth and with it are the effects of death, ignorance, and misery. In the end, the mercy of God still prevails (Humphreys, 2001). The salvation of humanity over sin and death was made possibly through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ on the cross. In obedience to His Father’s plan for salvation, the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ redeemed the world from the pains of hell. It was a blessing from a merciful Father for the expiation of original sin committed by His children against Him. References Domning, D. P. , & Hellwig, M. (2006). Original Selfishness: Original Sin and Evil in the Light of Evolution. Burlington, Vermont: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Humphreys, W. L. (2001). The Character of God in the Book of Genesis: A Narrative Appraisal. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press. The New American Bible. (1987). Nashville: Catholic Bible Press.

Biological Explanations of Addiction Essay

The biological model of addiction’s basic premise is that addiction: is an illness; that it is irreversible; that you are either addicted or not (there are no slightly addicted individuals) and that treatment must be medical.  There are many models of biological addiction mainly because current psychological research suggests that different areas of the brain are involved in different addictions (quashing the idea of an addictive personality per say). In this essay two biochemical theories will be discussed, plus the genetic model. The latter theory should not be seen as distinct from the biochemical theories as biologists would propose that any biochemical abnormalities that may predispose an individual to addiction are probably inherited. Thus studies looking at concordance rates of addictions in families, twins and adopted children would support all three of the models being discussed. One of the most popular theories of addiction is to do with the neurotransmitter Dopamine. Dopamine is involved with our pleasure/reward system. Anything we do of our volition that is pleasurable increases Dopamine. It is the release of dopamine that makes us feel Euphoria/pleasure. Drugs such as Cocaine, Alcohol and Heroin make Dopamine receptors release enormous amounts of Dopamine, so the user may feel intense pleasure. This however, does not explain addiction as many people drink or recreationally use cocaine and don’t become addicts. The main idea of the theory is that individuals biologically susceptible to addiction have more sensitive Mesolimbic/ reward pathways in their brain, e.g. drugs may have a more profound (wow factor) on their Dopamine receptors. Another theory that may work alone or in conjunction with the Reward theory is that individuals with addictions may naturally produce low levels of Serotonin. Serotonin is thought to be a major factor in controlling our behaviour. So most of us can get drunk overeat etc but not repeat the behaviour compulsively. This is because our Serotonin levels are stable. It is thought that individuals with low levels may not be able to exercise control. There is support for this idea, e.g. low levels of serotonin are correlated with compulsive suicide, homicide, Bulimia and ADHD. Another suggestion has been that there is a genetic basis for developing an addiction. Although a specific gene has not been found, there is plenty of research that shows high levels of concordance between families who are addicted to: alcohol (Sarafino), Nicotine (Agrawal and Lynskey, Heroin (Devaux and Krebs) and Fowler (see Erika Cox book). However like all correlational studies this kind of research cannot imply cause. The concordance could be caused by environmental factors or social learning.  Additional support for the biochemical theories comes from MRI and PET scans, animal studies using agonists and antagonists and invasive brain techniques on animals, such as neuro toxins where Dopamine receptors are removed.

Marketing Plan Phase Essay

Marketing increases awareness of an organization’s products and services. In the current technology driven market, organizations must constantly develop and promote new products and services to meet customer needs. The following plan outlines a proposed Kids’ Area for Best Buy. Company Overview Best Buy is a growth company focused on better solving the unmet needs of our customers, and we rely on our employees to solve those puzzles† (Best Buy, 2009-2015). In 1966 Robert Schulze and his business partner James Wheeler opened Sound of Music Inc. in an effort to produce a share of the home and car stereo retail market. In 1970 Schulze decided to buy out his partner and continued to develop his retail chain. Schulze began to realize that he needed to alter the direction that his company was going in, so he attended a seminar that brought him to turn the possibilities into a reality. The first change was to expand the offerings of the organization that would include VCR’s, and appliances, which would ultimately bring in more revenue for the company, about 9.3 million for the year to be exact. In 1983 Sound of Music changed their name to Best Buy, and aimed toward a broader more comfortable customer base. As of today Best Buy has more than a dozen brand names, operates on four continents, in over 3000 stores (Best Buy, 2009-2012). Best Buy’s mission is to continue to profit and grow as a team by providing their customers with exceptional value and a great shopping experience (Best Buy, 2009-2012). Service Proposal Kids Corner will give parents a valuable service who have the desire to get in and out of Best Buy without acquiring the hassle of going from place to place to find items for their children. Kids Corner comes as a benefit to parents and their children who want to buy the hottest games and other little gadgets for their children. This particular area is a place where parents and children can find the electronics and accessories that kids want in one location instead of running all over the store to find what they need. Another added perk of Kids Corner is the online features and service that will give children the opportunity to play online games, parents can evaluate different products and modify their online profiles. Kids Corner will be separated according to age groups ranging from: 3-17 year olds. Grouping according to age is how Best Buy will decide what products go where. The three to five year old sections will consist of mostly educational and some electronic games, kid’s movies and dvd’s. This area will add an extra touch with decorated pictures of Disney, marvel, and educational characters. For the six to ten10 year old area it will feature educational games, software, video games, music and dvd’s. The 11-14 year olds (pre-teens) will have music, dvd’s, gaming accessories, educational games and software, cell phones, and cameras. The 15-17 year olds (teens) area will consist of music, music accessories, video games and accessories, dvd’s computers, cell phones, and other gadgets. Marketing Approach Approaching marketing research for the idea of a Kids Corner for Best Buy would need to include different fundamentals, such as consumer analysis for demographics, psychographics, behavioral patterns, including buying habits, and geographical scenarios. The goal of marketing a Kids Corner for Best Buy is to make Best Buy widely known and recognized for promoting a kid friendly environment. Another important aspect for research is the competition of competing with other electronics stores that offer the same service. Researchers perform psychographic research by engaging the consumers to say yes or no to activities, personal interests, and personal opinions about the marketing research conducted. When research has been completed the results are shared in regard to geographic and demographics, according to characteristics of the target area (Business Dictionary, 2013). Psychographics will generate an in-depth profile of the consumers who participate in the research. The research will p resent an opportunity to collect data on activities, interest, and opinions that will be advantageous to both the consumers and Best Buy’s sales power. The success of Kids Corner will depend on a solid marketing plan that must be focused on the consumers more rather than the power of the service offered. The plan will cover advertising, promotions, public relations, and sales. Strategically, although quality service is also crucial, the buying public still has their personal preferences Clancy, 2008). If Kids Corner targets more of the consumers needs, they will come back again and bring along potential customers. The research plan will include research on other competing electronics stores to allow Best Buy to identify if the needs for a Kids Corner would be beneficial to the organization’s needs. If the data collected shows the service is already offered by the competitors than Best Buy can shift is marketing strategies to accommodate consumers, by marketing a scenario that the other electronics stores does not offer. The marketing strategies will also need to focus on the contributions of consumers who in turn will contribute to the success of Best Buy Kids Corner and their needs. Pricing is another important aspect of the marketing strategy, and it will need to be affordable. The results of the surveys conducted as well as the needs of services will help determine Best Buy Kids Corner geographical areas depending on Best Buy stores locations. Understanding the markets needs, consumer contributions, developing, and building upon the strategy proposed, and implementation of the plan, to include monitoring the plan are the marketing steps used to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the marketing approach (Clancy, 2008). SWOTT Analysis A SWOTT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends) analysis on the new Kids Corner service offered at all Best Buy store locations: Strengths: Best Buy’s internal strengths include their available resources and capabilities that can be used in the development of a competitive advantage. * The innovative development of a new service called Kids Corner * Best Buy is a $50 billion Fortune 100 company (Best Buy, 2009 – 2015). * Best Buy has an average of 1.6 billion visitors per year via in-store, on-line, and mobile device (Best Buy, 2009 – 2015). * Best Buy continues to experience growth via acquisitions and mergers, i.e. Magnolia Hi-Fi, Inc. and Geek Squad (Best Buy, 2009 – 2015). * Best Buy leads the way in Consumer Electronics compared to other discount stores such as Walmart and Target. Best Buys largest competitor is RadioShack Corporation. * Reorganization of the existing space in the already large Best Buy stores to make room for Kids Corner. * Use existing â€Å"sample/interactive† products, i.e. hand held video games, toys, etc. as tax write-offs. * Knowledgeable customer service and highly trained/tech savvy staff to serve the customers. * Competitive edge over other electronic department stores with the existing branded image and children’s focused department. * Best Buys Trade-in program compensates consumers in a variety of ways for used electronics products. Weaknesses: Best Buy’s internal weaknesses are items not as transparent to consumers and may be viewed as weaknesses. * Lack of knowledge specific to children’s electronics/toys. * Undifferentiated products or services in relation to Best Buy competitors. * Interactive displays may expire quickly with overuse in the Kids Corner. * If RadioShack Corporation were to offer a similar service this could lead to confusion of consumers and possibly damage the brands. * Training staff specifically to children’s electronics and toys ma y lead to additional funds for re-training the Kids Corner if the strategy is reconsidered. * Success of the Kids Corner is dependent upon consumers seeking child specific products. Opportunities: Best Buy has many external opportunities with the addition of the childcare center. * Best Buy could expand Kids Corner to online and mobile service with children’s electronics/toys customer service readily available via online chat or by telephone. * Increased sales by customers simply spending more time on their personal shopping by having the ability to have a highly visual Kids Corner in-store where knowledgeable staff is available to assist with products specific to the Kids Corner. * The implementation of the Kids Corner opens doors to other growth opportunities, such as mergers or acquisitions pertaining to children’s products. Threats: Best Buy’s potential threats from the external environment * Competitors could develop a similar service and cause consumer confusion of the brand and possibly damage the brand. * Increase in labor costs specific to hiring and training for children’s electronics/toys offered in Kids Corner * Online competitor’s ability to sell consumer electronics at lower prices. * Online gaming sites are reducing the consumers need to purchase games. Many websites offer free games for children, i.e. Disney.com and Nickelodeon.com. Trends: Best Buy’s management team has various avenues of marketing research available to determine the success of the Kids Corner service. * Demographically, Best Buy stores are generally located in city suburbs that encompass large amounts of families. The large amount of families in a close radius to Best Buy locations encourages the implementation of the new Kids Corner service. Changes in demographics could lead to Best Buy restructuring or reconsidering the Kids Corner service. * Economic environments of city suburbs include both large corporations and small business with low amounts of unemployment. Best Buy’s m anagement can review the markets economic status by assessing various publicly available reports both finance and employment rates. Management can make decisions to develop new strategies to encompass the changing economic environment. * Best Buy practices sustainability in their Trade-In program available to customers who want to trade used electronics to receive in-store credit or check on site to refurbish or recycle used electronics. *Children’s electronic products are included in the Trade-In program. * Best Buy’s primary focus is on technology and offering the most advanced consumer electronics to consumers. Best Buy learns about consumers needs and wants by performing extensive research by in-store customer interaction and consumer purchases, online research of publicly available survey results, reviewing the success of their primary competitor’s products, and by conducting online surveys available on the Best Buy website. This data allows Best Buy to determine what products and services to offer next such as the Kids Corner. Marketing Strategy â€Å"8- to 12-year-olds spend $30 billion of their own money each year and influence another $150 billion of their parents’ spending† (Lagorio, 2009). Best Buy is making their kids products easier to find and to purchase. With the marketing strategy, Best Buy notices a high conversion rate of children’s products, but doesn’t want to dilute their other client segments by turning the culture of Best Buy into a kid’s store. Best Buy has found a way to grow their child customer base, while making it easy and convenient for the parents, children and other customer segments. Location of the Kids Corner will be a major part of executing this strategy. By consolidating the children’s products into a specific part of the stores globally, called the Kids Corner, it offers a better overall culture to the client segments Best Buy has identified. The parents who are looking for their children can get all their children’s needs at one, convenient place, while Best Buy continues to cross sell and up sell. Pricing causes challenges and in many cases, Best Buy and other stores have hard times cutting prices in the latest and greatest electronics and toys. Offering a specifically targeted shopping convenience is proven to increase revenue with new and loyal customers. Promoting with both in store and online ads will drive awareness. Online marketing will make it easier to market toward those you know have kids. Emails and banner ads showcasing the Kids Corner will be sure to keep parents coming for more. Conclusion The Kid’s Area seeks to enhance the shopping experience for Best Buy’s customers. By conveniently gathering products for children, Best Buy targets products more accurately. This accuracy increases the likelihood of success for Best Buy’s overall market strategy. Reference About Best Buy. (2009 – 2015). Retrieved from http://pr.bby.com/about-best-buy/ http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500823_162-2798401.html Lagorio, C. (2009). Resources: Marketing To Kids. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500823_162-2798401.html

Constitutional and Administrative Law (Parliament Sovereignty in UK) Essay

Constitutional and Administrative Law (Parliament Sovereignty in UK) - Essay Example Britain is known to have an unwritten constitution; nevertheless, still, they do exist in a solitary text, just like other countries, for instance, the USA and Germany. For that reason, Britain constitution is too often described as partially written and completely unchanged (Goldsworthy, 1999). According to Goldsworthy (2010) the principle of parliamentary supremacy is about the connection between the Legislature and the courts. Is parliament sovereign or the courts? As aforementioned, the United Kingdom is known to have parliament sovereignty, but to what to degree? Dicey asserts that parliament is supreme, meaning that the Legislature has, under the English constitution, the right to make or unmake any decree whatsoever. Further, no individual or entity is acknowledged by the law of England as having a right to overrule or refute the legislation of Parliament. The dogma of legislature sovereignty in the United Kingdom has been considered as the most significant feature of the British constitution. It can be abridged in three parts. The Legislature has the authority to make any law they want, and no legislature can create a decree/law that future parliament cannot amend and only parliament can adjust or unmake a law passed by parliament. It offers categorical authority to Westminster Parliament Dicey illustrates it as the overriding trait of our political organs. Another feature to put into account is the effects of the European Union, the Human Rights Act 1998. It is also essential to consider the Devolution of sovereignty to Scottish Legislature and Welsh Assembly and the establishment of the United Kingdom Supreme Court. These features do not essentially undercut the doctrine of parliament sovereignty, at least theoretically, as the legislature could repeal any of the law carrying out these transformations. The Scottish Legislature and Northern Ireland Congress are both capable to pass key legislation within the places that have been devolved to them. As the network remains devolved and not centralized, the authority of these parliaments stems from the United Kingdom and can be balanced, as has occurred with the Northern Irish case. Nevertheless, this appear improbably to take place in Scotland or Wales, as such a judgment would presently be exce edingly out of favor with the electorate in both areas. The bodies of the European Union, in specific the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that suggests the supremacy to carried out judicial assessment over the United Kingdom law. In this scenario, an unfavorable establishment by the ECJ that a United Kingdom decree is conflicting with the EC Treaties mechanically rescinds the law, because the European Communities Act 1972 offers that European Community decree is sovereign in Britain. An example of this in connection to a law, the Merchant Shipping Act 1988, was the Factortame case. The European Community Act has been considered as a constitutional law. In the case of Thoburn V Sunderland City Council, the Weights puts on leash the impact of parliamentary supremacy, as the ECA must be explicitly repealed for it to be annulled by later unsuited legislation. The European Convention on Human Rights and the integration by the Human Rights Act 1988 of the European Convention an establishm ent of a contravention of Convention rights by the ECHR does not mechanically resc

Managing Organisational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Organisational Change - Essay Example The benefits that the company was tagged to get from its customer value creation program were the fact that customers would have the opportunity to see the company deliver on their needs and so have an established morale to continue doing business with the company. The challenge with this model was found to be the need to upgrade the company’s human resource base to welcome the change at hand since the customer relationship management was going to be technology driven and all stakeholders needed to match up to this. On revenue creation, revenue management was identified as the most ideal strategy. This was found beneficial because it could help in raising immediate capital for the company especially during holiday season when tourism activities were higher. Revenue management was to involve the hiking of prices for specific services delivered to specific people within a specific timeframe. The challenge associated with this has to be the inconvenience of existing customers to adjust to this new management culture. Lastly, the company was admonished to go into merger as a long term strategy for its expansion model. By merger, a company in the tourism industry was to be identified and joined with the existing coaches company. Change is an integral part of our daily lives. In fact, it is will difficult to imagine life without change. Such need for change is professed in all human institutions and organizations. Once there is change in the systems and structures of running an organization, we say organizational change has taken place (McCarthy, 2001). But the fact that change is inevitable and necessary does not mean that change should just happen. Experts advise that organizational change â€Å"should be seen as a discrete and specialized work stream† (Wallace, 2007). This means that organizational change is not as crucial as the management of it – thus

Work based project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Work based project - Essay Example The teacher who keeps an open mind also gains a lot of learning observing how his students derive answers from their discovery process, sometimes, differently from how he did it. This dynamic is likewise possible for two teachers sharing a mentoring relationship.. A collaborative learning effort usually transpires in a mentoring relationship. A mentor and sound off some ideas and a mentee can take them up and dig deeper to unveil a phenomenon. The mentor, likewise does his research to be able to support the efforts of the student. A healthy teaching-learning environment prevails in such a productive collaboration. This report will chronicle a mentoring relationship between a veteran teacher and an on-the job novice teacher who is taking up further studies in education to equip her with more professional skills in her chosen career. It will follow the progress of the novice teacher’s growth within a span of a semester. Her mentor will ably guide her in the requirements of her studies in graduate school as well as in her teaching practice with toddlers. I have had the opportunity of interviewing both mentor, Anna and mentee, Ruth. Their mentoring relationship has been ongoing for several months now, as Ruth is Anna’s teacher assistant in her toddlers’ class. Ruth also has the privilege of having Anna help her out in her graduate school requirements as she provides the connections between theory and practice, and points out specific examples from their own class. Anna is a veteran educator, with her experience spanning over two decades. She has worked with preschool children and their families from the time she graduated from college. She has established her own preschool that has been running for eighteen years now. Due to heavy enrolment, she has also taken some classes to handle herself. On top of

See on the files Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

See on the files - Essay Example Therefore consumers have no options but to purchase the goods at the set prices which is against the law of demand.The diagram illustrates the profits that a particular company in an industry can get in a country if it is the dominant player and its goods are the ones most demanded. In the short run, the industries in the country will get profits as indicated by area PBA, however, this is affected by international trade that ensures other competitive firms can introduce their products as well.International trade has led to an increase in the amount of goods in any economy and so the demand for local goods has gone down. This leads to the lower prices of goods locally. The demand of goods is further affected by the prices of other related goods. International trade can result to the presence of substitutes and complements that affect the demand of goods in the economy (Dutta, 2006). Substitutes are a direct replacement to a particular class of goods. This means that if the price of good increases consumers will simply shift to alternative goods. Complements are goods that are used together. If the price of one of these goods increases then the demand is likely to drop, as such the demand for the complements also

Botlton Claims that Emotion Work can be Viewed as a Distinctive Form Essay

Botlton Claims that Emotion Work can be Viewed as a Distinctive Form of Skilled Work and Employees as a Multi Skilled Emotion Ma - Essay Example Emotion labour as defined by Payne is the work that involves trying to feel the appropriate feeling for a given job (2006, p.2). The emotion labour is common in the service industries. Payne states that, the workers have the obligation to carry out emotion work in the form of politeness, enthusiasm or remaining calm even when under intense pressure. This forms an integral part to achieve customer satisfaction. Payne agrees with Bolton’s argument that emotion work is a distinct highly skilled labour. Bolton’s argument is because emotion work shares some emotion features that prove its ability to be categorised as skilled labour.. Emotion labour requires that employees practice some level of discretion complexity and worker control (2004, p. 20). The complexity in emotional work comes from the explanation by Goff man that the everyday social interaction by employees in emotion work requires a person with the capability of switching through numerous feelings. Bolton states that, employees in the service field should have emotional managerial skills that will allow them to carry out their duties effectively. The workers should be able to distinguish the various emotional displays desired for a given task in their work. Bolton gives an example that the employees could utilise humour as a way of building rapport with the customer or as a means of defusing customer aggression. Emotion workers have to be able to control their interactions with customers to avoid unnecessary exchanges with their customers. In this case, the customer gets the right to display discontent and anger that are not available to the worker (2005c, p.26). Bolton further describes the emotion worker as an active and controlling force in the labour process. The emotion worker subverts the organisational feeling rules imposed to them by management. An example is the Disneyland operator who offers to be of assistance to customers by separating them into different rides despite the resi stance by customers. Bolton tries also to explain how a customer does benefit from the employees act of resistance (2004b, p. 29). An employer, despite his tight schedule, may take his time to help a customer who happens to be in dire need of help. The employee in this case violates the company’s regulation to help the customer. Emotion work, according to Bolton’s observation is indeed a skilled work in that it is through the employees’ interaction with the customer that the image of the company is portrayed and, therefore, serves as a marketing strategy. Emotion labour is a skilled labour, yet the many of emotion labour are low paying jobs with a low status. Bolton observes that the jobs need to be considered as skilled labour, and employees be provided with their rightful payment as skilled workers. The difficulty in categorising emotion labour arises because the traditional systems of certification find it hard to quantify emotional skills. Then again, the em otional skills are part of the worker this makes the skills to be easily dismissed as personal traits. Then it is argued that most of the workers involved in emotion labour are women. Philips and Taylor say that emotion work involves elements of people work and caring for others this trait is seen as an innate feminine quality (1986, p.55). They argue that women have a natural gift when it comes to handling emotional skills. Korczynski observes the scepticism that surrounds the description of emotion labour skills as real skills. Many believe

Organisational Transformation in Practice Essay

Organisational Transformation in Practice - Essay Example My role in this acquisition and change process has provided immense learning experience in terms of organisational change process and people’s psychology. A patchwork of this experience combined with learning from the module will be elaborated in this discussion. Literature findings will be confined to organisational change and its psychological implications on employees. Attempt will be made to provide a few probable and implementable suggestions for situations that did not conform to the need, as identified in literature. Background of the company: Armen Technologies (AT) is a multinational company that provides information technology enabled business services in four regions of the world including Europe, North Africa and South East Asia. Headquartered in Beijing, AT has more than 5000 employees. Its business volume and spread were enriched when AT acquired the IT Company VTL Solutions. This acquisition process resulted in overall growth of AT, but after much struggle. Cont ext: At the outset, this acquisition process was absolutely strategic and involved many negotiations during long period. From HR perspective, this acquisition seemed extremely lengthy and complex process. The acquisition process that began with various types of negotiations followed into aligning the acquired company’s businesses, clients, customers and employees with the acquiring company’s systems. One of the most significant parts of this acquisition was reinstating the confidence of both companies’ employees at all locations. This task required a strategically planned approach and to be executed by highly experienced personnel. While the general transformation process during and after the acquisition itself was complex and multidimensional event, transformation with respect to processes and systems in the human resources perspective was equally challenging. On a broader note, the HR aspect involved activities such as integration and alignment and corporate c ommunication along with assistance in implementation of change strategies. Corresponding literature findings: Mergers and acquisitions act as change agents in corporate restructuring (DePamphillis, 2011; p.4). Organisational changes that follow mergers and acquisitions are usually uneven and face numerous obstacles. According to Marks and Mirvis (2010), the fervor of success after acquisition usually infuses equally faster in the acquired company but in a retrospective manner, usually in the form of patronizing attitudes of its employees. To add further, unilateral integration of organisational systems and policies leads to greater turbulence in the acquired company. Culture-fit is a core ingredient of organisational sustenance post acquisition (DiGeorgio, 2002). Studies related to organisational change and mergers and acquisitions provide vast and diverse views that are mostly practically implementable and have been successfully implemented in many situations. For instance, various change implementation models that have been proposed include McKinsey’s 7-S framework, Kotter’s (1996) eight-step model, Lewin’s 3-phase model of change ADKAR model etc (Hiatt & Creasey, 2003; Cameron & Green, 2004). All these models provide comprehensive and systematic methods to implement change. Several other models are suggested to diagnose change, such as, Kurt Lewin’s force field analysis model (Cameron & Green, 2

Philosophers Views on Abortion Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Philosophers Views on Abortion - Case Study Example However, some people especially those who support abortion have for centuries argued that the life of a mother is superior to that of the unborn; therefore, any life that put the life of the mother at any risk should be eliminated and the mother let to live. Regardless of the counter-argument on abortion, it is not right, at any point in time, to conduct abortion since it constitutes to terminate life; however, under well-argued and justified ground it may be an option to save the mother's life. Regardless of the position, one may take the arguments on abortion have proven to be extremely defensive and dogmatic. Furthermore, they concentrate on one perspective without looking at the whole issue in line with its psychological, moral, biological, and sociological complexity. Abortion is a difficult issue; however, it can be resolved if both sides of the debate look at the abortion arguments in open minds. Additionally, all the contributors and involved stakeholders must accept to work together towards the same goal without advance prejudice of the issue. Therefore, it is not advantageous if the entire human race to follow demagogic slogans that politically influence thinking on vital issues such as abortion; thus, the human race must all time debate on these vital issues with rational, moral stands. Philosophers Views on Abortion The fundamental problem of abortion is the moral justification of the status of the fetus. The philosophical understanding has three basic positions upon which they advance their arguments including conservative, liberal, and moderate. The liberal position is the contribution of Judith Jarvis Thomson. In her contribution, Judith assumed that conservatives did not influence the ideals of their supporters. Contributing to the issue, Judith argues that the moral status of any fetus is at all times justifiable in varied cases (DeGrazia, Mappes, and Brand-Ballard 482). She created a situation where someone is kidnapped because of preserving t he life of unconscious violinist. Additionally, she argues that the living human beings are linked through sharing the same kidney. Therefore, if there is the detachment between the kidneys of these two lives, before the end of the standard nine months of pregnancy, then the violinist automatically dies. According to Thomson, it is not an obvious obligation for humanity to share the kidney with the unborn (DeGrazia, Mappes, and Brand-Ballard 582). Additionally, she argues that sharing of the kidney creates an analog situation where the fetus uses the mother's body. Therefore, according to Thomson, abortion should be accepted and justified at all costs since the fetus only depends on the mother. She adds that abortion is justified in cases of rape, when a woman’s life is in danger, and when a woman has reasonable precaution to evade pregnancy. This reasoning may be considered patently false and exaggerated. In her argument, Thomson seems to disregard the distinctive character of the case that is the growing fetus. Even in rape cases, the killing of the fetus is not justifiable; thus, it remains morally unacceptable. Nonetheless, rape is also morally condemnable. Relating Rose’s case in the â€Å"A Brain Dead Mother Gives Birth† case study, Thomson will advocate for the death of the fetus in a quite unconvincing circumstance (DeGrazia, Mappes, and Brand-Ballard720). According to Thomson, the fetus is just, but a burden to the mother and in a situation where the mother’s life is at risk, the fetus must just be aborted.

Jack Nicklaus biography and he's impact on society Essay

Jack Nicklaus biography and he's impact on society - Essay Example The Introduction of tournaments like Jack Nicklaus International invitation has motivated golf lovers with different skill levels to participate and to enhance the popularity of the game. Nicklaus himself was the most dominant personality among the golfers of his generation who has taken efforts to bring the sport of golf to the forefront. Jack Nicklaus-The golf legend Jack Nicklaus was born in Ohio on 21st of January 1962 and he started playing gold at the age of ten and even at this stage he showed immense talent and the rise of a promising player was in progress even from his childhood. The world witnessed an irresistible growth of Nicklaus over the finest golf players like Arnold palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson in the next three decades. Nicklaus had eighteen professional and two armature wins in his golf career along with nineteen second and nine third place finishes. He has been ranked among the top ten players in 73 majors which constitute almost half of the successive majors he participated. Only five golf players in the world hold the record to win all the four major titles and Nicklaus became successful in obtaining this glorious achievement (Mackintosh 163). It is better to have a look in to the achievements of Jack’s golf career in order to get a clear picture of his extra ordinary talent as a golf player. He won six masters title in 1963, 1965, 1966 1972, 1975 and 1986, five PGA Championships in1963, 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1980, three British Opens in 1966, 1970 and 1978, and four U S Opens in 1962, 1967, 1972 and 1980. These tournaments are considered to be the key ones of professional golf. Nicklaus is the only one to hold the record for three time wins of all these four major tournaments. The list of his victories is pretty long and apart from the major tournament victories he won seventy one PGA Tours and achieved fifty eight second and thirty six third places. He also won five World Series of Golf titles, six numbers of Australian Opens, six Rider Cup appearances and many more victories around the world. Jack Grout discovered the abilities of Nicklaus for the first time and he took Nicklaus to the Scioto Country Club in Columbus his performance was very well appreciated by Senead, the defending champion of that period. Bobby Johns a legendary golf player of the era had made comment on the talent of the fifteen year old Nicklaus as â€Å"he plays a game with which I am totally unfamiliar,† which shows the expectations that golfers had regarding the future of Nicklaus (Mackintosh 164). The determination and a genuine desire to strive towards perfection always prompted Jack Nicklaus to look introspectively and question whether â€Å"he was making the proper adjustments to correct his swing technique during rounds when his play was inconsistent† (Shaw 86). It was this dedication, sincerity and hard work that made him an unchallenged champion in golf. Nicklaus turned professional after his victory in the 1961 U S Armature championship. In the year 1962, Nicklaus won U S Open title which was the first achievement in his professional golf career and in 1963 he won the Masters title and became the first ever golfer to achieve a

The crisis of communism Essay Example for Free

The crisis of communism Essay Why did Deng Xiaoping survive the ‘crisis of communism’ whilst Mikhail Gorbachev did not? The dominant powers of communism, China and the Soviet Union, were about to face a major test to their systems of governance in the 1970s and 1980s. Consequently, only one of them would survive. The ‘crisis of communism’ had its roots in the disillusionment of the people, after having been ruled for so long under repressive and clearly human rights-ignorant regimes. Deng Xiaoping managed to escape the wrath of this protest movement by, although reforming the economic system of China in various ways, clamping down on political systems, ensuring that the power of democracy bestowed on the people was not enough to usurp upon Xiaoping’s rule over the country. Gorbachev suffered a dissimilar fate. His failed economic policies of glasnost and perestroika, and the simultaneous political leniencies of his era meant that the Communist Party lost its place in the Soviet Union. One by one, the satellite states of the Eastern bloc would break away from the USSR’s control. Xiaoping became ruler of China among very difficult times, both economically and socially. The aftermath of Mao Tse-tung’s underwhelming contributions to policy was taking its toll on the people of China. Xiaoping was originally meant to be purged by the Gang of Four in 1976 during their attempted coup d’etat of the Chinese Government. One of the Gang of Four’s members was Mao Tse-tung’s last wife, Jiang Qing. However, when Hua Guofeng was appointed Communist Party chairman, he managed to turn the Red Army over to his side. The Gang of Four were subjected to a show trial and all given life sentences in prison. Consequently, the Democracy Wall was set up as a medium for which to criticise them and their treasonous crimes. With this sociopolitical relaxation in place, initialised by Huang Xiang, Deng Xiaoping rose to power. Xiaoping’s first reforms were on agricultural policy. The Great Leap Forward (GLF) and the Down To The Countryside migration movement of people from urban to agrarian communities, both bids to boost the role of agriculture in China’s economy, drew huge losses, and exacerbated the state of poverty among rural communities in China’s north and west, as the Soviet Union had predicted. To make matters worse, the communities who had been submitted to the GLF policy suffered severe droughts which decimated crops and left people hungry. To attempt to remedy these issues, Xiaoping abolished the communal system of agriculture and reissued the peasants with their private plots of land. Although the prosperity of rural Chinese communities wavered under Xiaoping’s rule, he had large support from them as a whole. China also underwent huge economic reforms under Xiaoping, which he termed ‘market socialism’. He directed Hu Yaobang, the General Secretary of the CCP, to impose most of these reforms. For the first time since the rule of the Kuomintang, China opened its markets up to the rest of the globe, in pursuit of a ‘free market’ approach to its trade. In this way, China would be able to benefit from the dollar of others, as its internal production suffered. Xiaoping also set up ‘Special Economic Zones’ (SEZs), such as the town of Shenzhen, which is now a city of 3.5 million people. Xiaoping’s economic policies were initially successful, but increased inflation and internal government corruption led to protest. Also, many of the party elders (most of them Maoists) opposed free market reforms and the attempts made by Xiaoping to make China’s government more transparent and open to scrutiny. When student protests in Beijing began, Hu Yaobang was criticised for being ‘lax’ by his political opponents, and was forced to resign, being replaced by Zhao Ziyang. When Hu Yaobang died, 100 000 students called for the government to reassess his legacy, and engaged in a mass protest in Tiananmen Square, demanding greater transparency of the Chinese government. Communism was being challenged by the people. Xiaoping, however, had a hold on the army, and used them to deal with the protests. This was a complete volte-face on Xiaoping’s part. Although he opened up the idea of democracy to the people of China for the first time, Xiaoping was relentless in silencing the Tiananmen protesters, even resorting to massacre in order to hold ‘peace’. When the defiance of the infamous ‘Tank Man’ was caught on tape, being seized by army officials, the Chinese government did its best to censor its release. Their attempts failed, and suddenly the whole world knew of the extent to which the Chinese government would go to maintain its hold of power on the people. Although Xiaoping was able to withstand these challenges to communism, Gorbachev could not. Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union succeeding a tide of disillusioned leaders whose ‘inertia’ in decision making meant that the Soviet Union’s economy, social tension and standard of living were starting to go stale. The age of these past leaders, due to their old age and ridiculously poor health, was termed the ‘gerontocracy’ of the Soviet Union. To rectify the inaction of these leaders and the disillusionment of the people towards the Communist Party, Gorbachev decided immediate reforms were needed to restart the economy and to regain social trust. He introduced two key policies: glasnost, meaning openness, which was make the government more transparent and allow freedom of speech; and perestroika, a political movement of Gorbachev’s which introduced demokratizasiya (democratisation of the government) and economic reforms which allowed foreign investment. Gorbachev’s perestroika movement also had other hidden side effects; it would cause the end of the Eastern bloc and the dissolution of Eastern Europe. The perestroika movement cut Gorbachev’s Communist Party into two: liberals who wanted this reform to be accelerated and ‘old communists’ who did not like the idea of reforming the Soviet Union’s systems at all. After some setbacks, Gorbachev managed to push the reforms through. However, his intention to keep a one-party system failed, as elements of a multi-party system began to crystallise. Boris Yeltsin, formerly a supporter of Gorbachev, was now independent of the Communist Party and challenging him. Meanwhile, after the international embarrassment caused by the censorship of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion, Gorbachev began releasing Soviet dissidents who had been kept imprisoned, and allowed even greater freedom of expression, rather than tightening it, as Xiaoping did. Gorbachev also supported the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, which signified the end to the repressive ‘iron curtain’ the Soviets had been ‘protectedâ⠂¬â„¢ by for nearly forty years. However, it soon became clear that perestroika was not targeting the correct areas of the Soviet Union’s economy which needed serious attention. Although Gorbachev now allowed privatisation and engagement in foreign trade and investment, much of the macroeconomic aspects of the Soviet command economy were still intact, such as price controls, and the monopolistic control of the means of production by the State. Thus, perestroika was a largely unhelpful ‘trickle-down’ policy, contrasting the SEZ policy of Xiaoping’s, which had the inverse effect. Perestroika only moved the bottleneck of the Soviet economy downwards, which failed to alleviate the continuous poverty which afflicted the country. The conservative side of the Soviet government was appalled with Gorbachev’s actions and how the Communist Party’s power was gradually being marginalised. Gorbachev also saw this, and to quell the opposition’s protest, he attempted to avert the dissolution of the Soviet Union by installing the New Union Treaty, which proposed a new confederacy named the ‘Union of Sovereign States’ which would replace the Soviet Union. But within it, the federal system would be less centralised and there would be a greater distribution of political power, which reduced the Communist Party’s control even more. Gorbachev was meant to sign the treaty on 20 August 1991, but was stopped by a coup d’etat attempt of Yeltsin’s (assisted by several others). On the day of the proposed signing, they issued an ultimatum for Gorbachev to declare Gennady Yanaev of the Communist Party the new President of the USSR, or call a union-wide state of emergency. Gorbachev accepted to do neither. He was consequently placed under ‘house arrest’ as the citizens of Moscow began erecting barricades around the presidential estate. On 21 August, tanks intruded on the Red Square, and an attack on the White House was imminent, but the tanks were barricaded by trolleybuses. When the coup was officially over, Gorbachev dismissed all members of the State involved with the coup from their positions. After this incident, Gorbachev knew that his popularity was waning. His last major political decision was to establish the Belavezha Accords, which denounced the 1922 treaty that established the Soviet Union. The Belavezha Accords were signed on December 8 1991, On December 25, Gorbachev officially resigned as President of the Soviet Union, replaced by Boris Yeltsin, and on December 26 the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Conclusively, it is clear that while there were similarities between the reformation of the Chinese and Soviet political and economic systems as a response to the ‘crisis of communism’, the reason why Xiaoping succeeded this era and Gorbachev did not was because the Chinese government retained control over its people and did not allow opposition to the Communist Party. Gorbachev marginalised this power, which polarised the Soviet government. Gorbachev also relied on a ‘trickle-down’ economic policy to save the Soviet economy, which unfortunately did not achieve what it set out to do. Finally, Gorbachev’s attempts to ‘democratise’ the Soviet Union and prepare its federal system for reformation failed when it resulted in a complete dissolution of the entity.