What makes a Retail Fashion Brand A Brand Essay

What makes a Retail Fashion Brand A Brand - Essay Example The essay "What makes a Retail Fashion Brand A Brand" talks about the Brand of Fashion and how Brand becomes a Brand that can be trusted. The world Fashion is all about changing lifestyles and trends and people following them. The past decade has seen major changes in the world of retailing. It has seen major growth in the marketing and promotion of private labels indicating the increase in the growth and power of retail. However, a number of discounters and warehouse clubs have reintroduced pressure on the conventional retailers and ended up in making the competition even fiercer. The major portion of a retailer’s revenue model relies on selling manufacturer brands, which is a common factor between various other retailers offering the same brand. This factor makes it even more difficult for a retailer to differentiate himself among others. Hence, the problem not only poses a challenge but also an opportunity. If a retailer has the ability to build its own brand equity and cre ate a positive perception and recall in consumer minds, it is bound to reap in healthy profits. It would help the retailer in restoring and maintaining its competitive advantage resulting in increasing the revenue and overall profitability and in turn reducing the costs. Moreover, another advantage that a strong retail brand with high brand equity is that they have more bargaining power with their respective suppliers, which are the manufacturer brands giving them even more advantage over their competitors.

Dream Vacation Essay Example for Free

Dream Vacation Essay Eighty-five degrees, suns out, sand in your toes, a couple of brews, and you family and friends. That sounds like everyone dream vacation, but who would complain that sounds like a great time. You see during the summer I would love to take a couple of my friends to go see Dave Matthews Band play somewhere in the southwest. Seeing a concert probably isn’t the most exciting thing to do in a dream vacation, but as a group of friends we could do something so simple and have the best time ever. If my friends couldn’t come with I honestly think I would not want to go. My friends and I have all grown up together and have become so close that doing anything without one of them is just weird. We would get to this concert by car or plane, but I think if we took a car we could technically call it a road trip so it would make much more memorable. I wouldn’t bring my family because they would set rules, and on this vacation I just want to let everything go and have the best time of my life.What would be even better than just going to see Dave once, would be if my friends and I followed him on tour all summer! Unfortunately I don’t have that kind of cash, but I will have enough for this dream vacation, road trip when I start working in the summer and I can’t wait.

An Analysis Of Sainsburys Supermarket

An Analysis Of Sainsburys Supermarket Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury along with his wife Mary Ann in London and then gradually grew to become the largest grocery retailer by 1922. Sainsburys is the UKs oldest major food retailer with their first store opened in 1869. It strives to keep up with its trusted heritage of quality with best services. Past: In the early 1990s Sainsburys, market leader so far, lost its position to Tesco and in 2004 it came down to no. three after Tesco and Asda. The downfall involved many reasons including changing managements, lack of innovative strategies, failing to assess the impact of loyalty cards scheme, unhealthy acquisition in Egypt and a misleading marketing strategy which failed to communicate the right message to the consumers. Present: Sainsburys started to fight back and be noticed after Justin King took over the management role in early 2004 and came up with a revival strategy under the name of Making Sainsburys Great Again. The process involved a no. of mergers and acquisitions of small chains in the south east England and the Midlands. The new message of Try Something New Today went really well with the media and the consumer led by the famous celebrity chef Jamie Oliver it encouraged buyers to innovate in their kitchens and make their food interesting. Future: The supermarket industry has reached a saturation point in the UK. How long can Sainsburys go on opening up new stores at locations such that its stores do not start to cannibalize each other? Using the Ansoff Growth Matrix two future strategies are suggested for Sainsburys: Opening up of Sainsburys Travels and Tours Product Development On the basis of the success potential in the travel business, Sainsburys might venture into the Travel and Tours business by way of Product Development as per Ansoff Growth Matrix tool for future strategy selection. Sainsburys has a very high probability of success as measured with the help of SWOT analysis and assessing the keys to success and the critical factors. Sainsburys China Market Development Sainsburys might opt for the Market development strategy by offering the supermarket business to the land of opportunities China. The move will be mad after the necessary PEST analysis has been done and companys SWT has been assessed with Chinese perspective. Sainsburys Strategic Corporate Development History: 1990 to 2004 Corporations are required to add value by mans of their business. The goal is to manage and control the businesses for a long term and sustainable success. The corporate level strategy deals with the choice of the business and the growth and development related to it. Sainsburys enjoyed the position of the leader in the UK supermarket industry up to the early 1990s. It had sustained its image of a name trusted with quality and service. British like old names with some history behind them. The company started to lose its grip in the early nineties due to a number of reasons. There was a change in management after the longtime CEO John David Sainsbury retired. He was replaced by David Sainsbury who bought about a change in the management style. Although the times were changing and some of the people in the management thought strongly about launching loyalty card schemes and also favored introduction of non-food items in the stores, both the options were rejected by the fresh management. The biggest rival Tesco had gradually moved up on the market scales and the internal indecisions help it get hold of better deals from suppliers. We will analyze Sainsburys approach in view of Ansoff Growth Matrix perspective. Ansoffs matrix is a tool that helps businesses decide their product and market growth strategy. Market Penetration: The strategy had been the simple approach of Market Penetration Strategy. As per Ansoff Matrix, this can be easily explained as the company keeps on offering the same product into the existing market. From 1993 onwards Sainsburys was unconsciously moving forward on the basis of wait and see policy. Up till now Sainsburys had enjoyed the position with no real threat. It started with price cuts on almost 30 of its labels, three months after came up with Tesco Value Lime. The move affected Sainsburys profit margins. Product Development: This made the management realize to offer something new to the customers and after Tesco came up with new format stores named Tesco Metro serving the town centers in 1994, Sainsburys responded with announcement of Sainsburys Central format. This approach is interpreted as Product Development strategy where a new product is introduced into existing market. The new project offered shopping facilities to the small towns was initiated leading to Country Town stores. The stores were formatted keeping in mind the distance the buyers have to travel for their weekly grocery shoppings. The new service enabled the customers to do so without going to large, out of town stores. They were mainly planned to be opened I the south east, which has always been Sainsburys strong hold. The 1st store was opened by the end of 1998 in Ongar (Essex). These stores have now been standardized as per the regular stores and they maintain even trading terms Setbacks: The company fell behind yet again in 1995 when the management failed to realize the importance of loyalty cards schemes and refused to go ahead with launch of any such offer. They had to reconsider their decision 18 months later after Tescos club card was introduced. In 1996 the company ventured into opening up of Sainsburys Bank. In addition it acquired Texas Homecare for 290M (GBP) in 1996. These expansions had a major effect on the financials and Sainsburys announced first fall in profits in 22 years. Another reason which affected Sainsburys sales was the perception among the customers that it is more expensive than its rivals. The marketing campaigns failed to convey the message that Sainsburys offers as good quality and value for money as its rivals. The marketing failed to communicate the required message of low cost and high vale and the company endured the consequences. The year 1996 saw Sainsburys losing its position of market leader to Tesco. Acquisition and Divestment: Sainsbury attained 80.1% of share in an Egyptian distribution group SAE. The group provided retailing services in Egypt with 100 stores and almost 2000 employees at the time or acquisition. The decision was criticized by the analyst as it was made during the most testing times of Sainsburys history. The reason behind the decision might have been the success Tesco outside UK. However the meager results shown by the Egyptian business led to the divestment of the share and sale of shares in 2001. The brand re-launch In 1998 the company again went under a management change and George Bull, the new Chairman took over and decided to re-launch the Sainsburys Brand. The new management targeted to revive Sainsburys corporate identity and started with the launch of a new logo, going for a slightly informal font and new slogan of making life taste better. Staff uniforms were redesigned The company underwent a Business Transformation Program (BTP) after the appointment of Peter Davis who showed significant improvement in the companys turnover and exceeded the targets. The BTP involved a 3.00bn (GBP) upgrade of the stores, distribution and IT equipment. The distribution setup included construction of fully automated depots which cost 100m (GBP) each and was later criticized by the new management. Sainsburys moved into the current headquarters at Holborn in 2001. The Nectar loyalty card scheme was launched in 2002 which replaced the Sainsburys Reward Card. Current Strategic Situation: 2004 to date: At the end of March 2004, new CEO Justin King joined the company who came up with a recovery plan for Sainsbury under the banner of Making Sainsburys Great Again. It was a three year recovery plan which was very positively received by the media and the stock market. The strategy involved laying off redundant staff from the head offices and recruiting additional staff for shop floors to increased and improved customer service quality. Sainsburys was having major issues with its stock availability, inventory and supply chain management. The new depot monitoring systems were to be implemented and IBM was given the deal to upgrade the system. Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestments: In 2004 Sainsburys new management under the Making Sainsburys Great Again plan to concentrate on its strong UK customer base, divested the American subsidiary Shaws. It was sold to Albertsons. The no. of convenient stores was increased through an acquisition of 54 Bells Stores chain which was based in the north-east of England. Another Acquisition took place with purchasing o 114 stores of Jackson Stores based in Yorkshire and the North Midlands. The acquisition took place in November 2004. Another small chain of 6 stores was acquired from SL Shaw lt. in April 2005. New Marketing Strategy Try something new today: Sainsburys is at a critical stage at the moment. Sainsburys Supermarkets have gone through a period of dramatic regression, in which they have been surpassed by rivals Tesco and, more recently, in 2004, Wal-Mart-owned Asda. (Global Market Information Database, 2004). It is not easy for an established and old UK brand to vanish off from the market but the competitors have. While it is rare for major brands to disappear completely from the UK high street, these competitors have acquired share from Sainsburys by way of their commitment to low and attractive prices, whereas Sainsburys has been focusing on its Business Transformation Program and has indulged itself in promoting an image of quality, and value rather than being affordable The present day UK customers which have a huge percentage of non British are heavily influenced by the economical changes and are passing through tough times. The message which has been conveyed by the Tesco and Asda was received warmly as it assured them of a combination of quality and assurance along with low price. As a result, Sainsbury is still considered comparatively expensive just because it failed to convey the message through proper marketing. A massive marketing campaign of Try Something New Today was launched in September 2005, which was designed to make people go off the shopping routine encourage them to be more adventurous in food eating. Under the campaign umbrellas, the spokesperson for the campaign Jamie Oliver encouraged the customers to be. The message conveyed was it supplies quality food as well as the only one offering useful ideas to make your food interesting. The aim was to reach and convince all the customers and not only the well off. Sainsburys is attempting to respond forcefully to the challenges it faces, however competition in the UK market is becoming increasingly intense, and Sainsburys faces a difficult struggle to regain the ground it has lost to rivals that continue to expand aggressively The management has a continuous approach towards work with responsibility. They attempt to provide fresh food and innovate with respect to customers needs. It serves over 18.5 million customers every week. The large stores offer over 30000 products along with complementary Non-Food products e.g. the TU clothing range which has over 1 million transactions every week. Along with other services, an Internet based shopping service has also been made available, keeping in trend with the changing requirements o the customers, to almost 90% of UK households. The company has a chain of stores with 537 supermarkets and 335 convenience stores, hence a total of 872 stores in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, including Hypermarkets (super large stores- Sainsburys stores- main plus), Sainsburys Central and Sainsburys local (supermarket and local convenient stores format main mission). The company has been eyeing the opportunity of expanding its business outside the UK. Especially the hyper potential in Asia (especially South East Asia and China). By analyzing Tescos huge success in the market outside UK, Sainsburys venture might not be far away. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=12 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainsburys Strategic Direction for the Future: Sainsburys has a history of innovation and it continues to strengthen its relationship with its customers and has gone ahead with the growth of their convenient store operations, the online offers and the Sainsburys Bank. They have a constant approach towards developing new offers in line with the evolving customers demands resulting in operational growth and profitability. http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/ar08/businessreview/corporateobjectives.shtml Choosing a Strategy: A marketing tool for making the market strategy is the Ansoff Matrix, which gives us strategic choices for obtaining our business and market objectives. It offers four choices which deal with marketing and growth of existing or new products in existing or new markets. Ansoff On the basis of current scenarios there are two pathways for Sainsburys to opt from, for a sustainable growth and presence for a long time to come. Product Development Strategy: Sainsburys has a huge loyal customer base. The suggested new service product through Sainsburys Travel and Tours will provide these customers to utilize yet another trustworthy service by their trusted name. Market Development Strategy: Although Sainsburys has not yet ventured into the International market but the step might not be that far away keeping in mind the huge success TESCO has had in the international market. Sainsburys could venture into international expansion keeping in mind the growing and still unsaturated markets of China and Southeast Asia. Product Development Sainsburys Travels and Tours: Sainsburys can opt for launching Sainsburys Travels and Tours is by choosing the Product Development Strategy and is introducing a new product into existing market. The growing Travel and Tours market will definitely have a positive effect on the Sainsburys portfolio by increasing its profits and hence strengthening its business. Why Product Development? The Sainsburys Travels and Tours will provide the company to excel and achieve its strategic goals on the basis The supermarket industry has become fairly saturated in the UK and at present Sainsburys is eyeing to expand itself in the International market but it will be a while before it actually does. The Travel industry is a growing market and has a huge potential of growth. The new product will benefit the company earn huge profitability margins which are becoming hard to achieve I the supermarket industry. The Sainsburys has a huge loyal customer base which will be utilized for promotions and marketing purpose. The project has a high probability of success given a chance of a fresh new product offered by a supermarket chain. Market Demographics: Although year 2009 has seen the worst recession since 1930, there are definite signs that the cycle is now turning. Travel industry has suffered consequences of economic crush but the consumer confidence is indicating escalating progress. UNWTO is expecting a reasonable growth of 5% in 2010. There was an upward trend during the last quarter of 2009 which showed 2% upswing. The development is further strengthen by the Air Transport Data from IATA, which shows passenger traffic strength since September 2009 Asia is expected to show the greatest recovery being less effected by the economic crush (comparatively). Growth is also expected to resume in America and Europe. A large number of countries around the world have shown positive growth in the first two months of 2010. Overall the total of tourists arrivals during the first two months of 2010 was 119 million showing 7% improvement as compared to 2009 SWOT The SWOT analysis summarizes the vital strengths and weaknesses of the company. This SWOT analyses the new product line and reviews the opportunities and threats which Sainsburys may face Strengths Image differentiation with respect to Brand name The customer to employee ratio is low Staff is highly trained and customer focused Loyal customer base An interesting, diverse and new product offered by a trusted service provider Established network of outlets Weaknesses Difficulties related to finding employees with required skills and attitude Presenting the customers with interesting offers on continuous basis Lack of experience in the new industry Business limited to UK only Opportunities rapidly growing market all over the world Growing number of people with increasing need and desire for holidays The existing Utilizing the existing Nectar database for identifying potential customers Threats Lingering effects of the slump in economy Natural disaster such as he recent Icelandic volcanoes eruption Highly competitive industry Key to success Sainsbury has always aimed to be the consumers first choice for food, delivering quality products with great service at a competitive cost. The company is striving to achieve the objective of leading margins with diverse market and delivering strong profits every year. The new product will benefit the company earn huge profitability margins which are becoming hard to achieve in the supermarket industry. Critical Issues: What can go wrong? The Sainsburys already has an established huge no. of loyal customers who would be happy to have an option o a different kind of service offered from their trust worthy service provider. The expectation for a stable turnover is based on the fact that it is an established name offering a new product on the basis of its goodwill. How likely it is to happen? The expected growth can be effected by increasing inflation rates. The Travel Industry faced a huge blow after 9-11 incident. What are the consequences? Any unforeseen incident like this (God forbid) will have long lasting effects on the companys growth, profitability and future expansions and plans. Competitive Advantage Nectar Loyalty Card Database The database can provide an excellent competitive advantage because It will help the management to design the product, offerings, and travel and tour packages as per the preferences. The database can also be utilized to acquire knowledge about customers such as No. of family members Spending habits Income estimates Preferences with respect to food etc. Holiday routines Market Development Strategy: Sainsburys could also opt for the Market Development strategy with offering its existing product of Supermarket and offering it to a new market by venturing into a growing international market such as China. China is the promising power in todays business world and its domestic market allows huge potential for international companies with promising growth. Sainsburys is the third largest supermarket name in UK after Tesco, which already has a huge presence outside the UK and Asda which is owned by the industry giant Wal-Mart. The immediate rivals have other sources /markets to benefit from other then UK. But Sainsburys has so far only focused on the UK market and from last two decades its concentration has almost completely been occupied by gaining back the lost market shares from its competitors. For Sainsburys to venture into a new market, a PEST has to be made to know the market better and plan the strategy accordingly. PEST Analysis China: Political and Legal: Since 2001, china has entered into WTO and its market is open or multinationals to trade in. In china, supermarket industry is not considered as a prestigious as some other industries so the government rules and regularities are not so tough. The government is favoring development in the supermarket industry. Social: The demographics of china show that population growth rate 0.629% (2008) in which the youth from 0-14 years comprises of 20.1%. The Chinese customers have become more concerned about issues related to health and safety after the 2008 melamine contaminated milk issue. As per the current shopping trends in China, people prefer to buy in person (online buying is almost non-existent especially daily grocery). The families are very small units on average maximum of 4-5 per unit in sub urban areas where as mostly population in the larger cities is singly. Chinese prefer to buy on daily basis, fresh produce as per days requirement. Technology and development: China is a vast country with underdeveloped infrastructure so there will be immediate warehouse setup requirements. Chinese households have a very low trend of keeping refrigerators at home so big weekly supplies trips will take time to adjust in the culture. Environmental Factors: The plastic bags have been recently stopped in china. The govt. is still trying to establish regular and long term procedures for recycling. All these factors will be required to be kept during the planning and project development phase for Sainsburys China. Furthermore we will perform a SWOT analysis for Sainsburys with respect to its entry in the Chinese market. Strengths: Over a century of supermarket and retail experience Ambition for growth Experience from failed International acquisitions as Egypt. Weaknesses: Cultural difference Expansion will be slow initially Opportunities: A very large market size Huge potential of industry growth Govt. policies favor the Industry Expansion opportunities in the rural/western parts of China Changing consumer awareness with respect to shopping habits Threats: Immature market Rivalry to increase immensely Weak infrastructure Untrained local staff Increasing prices of raw materials Strategic Recommendations: Based on the above analysis Sainsburys should consider a slow and steady expansion strategy in China for long term results and sustained presence. Initially the stores should be opened in the urban and economically grown regions where customers will more readily adapt to change and new trend. Gradually then, on the basis of acquired knowledge, preferences, culture etc Sainsburys should venture into the suburban and rural areas. Sainsburys should use the critical factors involved in the success of the strategy such as It should strive to obtain consumers trust by offering good quality products at affordable prices. Health and safety measures should be the first priority so that no incident like the contaminated milk will occur. China is a big country and the company should fully utilize this factor for the locations o the stores. The locality factor should be given priority wile employing the Chinese as trust and ownership has a great value in Chinese culture. China is a growing country and its economic conditions will affect the pricing of the products Sainsburys should work on differentiating itself from the rivals from day one for developing long tem and healthy relationship with the consumers. Once Sainsburys makes its entry into China market, there is no looking back from the kind of growth and expansion opportunities it may provide. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainsburys ) Conclusion: During the last decade of 1990s and early 2000s saw Sainsburys going through a very testing time in its history. It lost its no. 1 position to Tesco and then no. 2 to Asda. Time saw Sainsburys make some serious lack of judgments on behalf of management decisions related to adapting to the changing times, acquisitions and divestments. The management made a serious lack of assessment while deciding for bringing out the loyalty card scheme. The profit margins were affected as the companys marketing campaign failed to register with the consumers. The mid 2000 saw Sainsburys coming out again to be a Supermarket force lead by Justin King. The new campaigns Making Sainsburys Great Again and the companys new slogan of Try Something New Today succeeded in reach the customers positively. Given the market saturation of the industry Sainsburys has been suggested two options for business expansion using Ansoff Growth Matrix tool. Product Development Sainsburys Travels and Tours Market Development Sainsburys China The necessary SWOT and PEST analysis tools have been used to assess and measure the factor involved and could affect the growth suggested. The Travels and Tours Industry promises growth based on demographics provided by the WTO and the UK travel forecasts. The loyal customers of Sainsburys would be more the happy to have another product offered by their trustworthy service provider. Sainsburys China will provide an opportunity for immense growth of supermarket industry in a vast and massive population of China. Sainsburys should take a steady approach by starting from the urban areas and slowly expanding in the remaining country while studying and adapting to the new culture and country.

The European Union Essay -- EU Europe European Union Politics Essays

Introduction In the course of fifty years, the European Union has expanded from six countries united under economic treaties to a large collective of twenty-five sovereign nations. Maintaining the union within such a large group has grown more difficult as numerous treaties have been drafted to control the governance of the European Union. To reduce the number of treaties in the union, the convention decided to draft a Constitution, which now moves through the process of ratification in each of the sovereign nations. The Constitution works to set up a basis for the expansion of the Union and the requirements that need to be met when a country seeks entry into the Union. But with the greater controls the EU seeks to place on the legal arena, many countries question whether their individual sovereignty will survive in the system. The evolving legal system will be shaped by the Constitution, but the influence of the document could reach much farther than what it allows for in the text. In this paper, I intend to explore how the Constitution will affect the culture within the European Union through the legal changes imposed on nations and the further expansion of the Union. History of the European Union In 1950, after the economic depression caused by the first and second world wars, Europe sought a way to ensure lasting peace among the nations. The French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman, following the ideas of other world leaders, proposed to integrate the European coal and steel industries in the hopes that political and economic unity would ensure peace among the involved nations. This brought forth the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, constructed between Belgium, West Germany, Luxembourg, France, Ital... ...e than the United States of America. Works Cited A Constitution for Europe. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2004. Craig, Paul and Grà  inne de Bà ¹rca. EU Law: Text, Cases, and Materials. Pg 9, 11. New York: Oxford University Press. 2003. d’Estree, Claude. Personal Interview. 9 March 2005. â€Å"E pluribus unum?†. The Economist. 25 September 2004. â€Å"EU Czech Klaus Reaction†. CTK National News Wire. Brussels. 4 March 2005. General News. â€Å"The History of the European Union†. 2005. Europa. 7 February 2005 . Wolf, Martin. â€Å"No way to create a more dynamic and flexible Europe†. The Financial Times: London England. Pg 17. 7 April 2004. Smith, Don. â€Å"RE: EU†. Email to Katie Mulligan. 9 March 2005. Smith, Don. Personal Interview. 2 March 2005.

Article Review on Mental Illness

Jennifer Tozier Compentency Assignment 1, Review #2 Dr. Besthorn 09/15/2012 I chose to write my article review on the article entitled, â€Å"How clinical Diagnosis Might Exacerbate the Stigma of Mental Illness. † It is a not new concept that people are consistently drawn to a labeling others with a stigma, and this article delves into how we as social workers can (unintentionally) either encourage that stigma or hinder it based on the presentation to the client and to the public. A key point to the article talks about three kinds of potential ways stigma hurts a client.The first was being label avoidance. Many people do not want to admit to a mental illness, let alone get it treated because of how they might be perceived. Those that can admit having a mental illness and seek services may feel a certain stigma that then draws them back, and they avoid treating the problem, after they have confirmed that they, in fact, do suffer from the illness. They are afraid of being labele d in society or among their peers. The second stigma is blocked life goals. When suffering from a mental illness, everyday life can be and often is hard for the client.Without treatment, the stress of daily life can inhibit the client from seeking opportunities such as work, school, family and friends. Without these life goals being fulfilled, the mental illness takes control of the clients’ life and they are fixed from advancing in the everyday life. The third way a stigma hurts a client is the self-stigma. This is where the client begins to believe what is being said about them and their problem. It further exacerbates the problem because they not only deal with the issue of mental illness but feel judged in every encounter; this changes their behavior and creates a greater issue.This article also discusses the diagnosis of a mental illness in regards to â€Å"groupness† and the â€Å"differentness† aspects of how the public distinguishes people with mental is sues. This looks into the stereotypes and over generalizations and how it relates with mental illness and the general public. Mental illness while it may be more prevalent in some groups, it is an equal opportunity illness and can affect anyone regardless of age, race, financial status, or occupation. The article does an excellent job of describing how once a person is diagnosed with a mental llness it draws diversity in how they might be labeled and construed in society, similar to how they might be treated if they were a minority group. Research shows that this stigma â€Å"groups† individuals once they have been diagnosed with a mental illness, regardless if the client demonstrations any abnormal characteristics. The author did a terrific job of discussing the different stigmas that mental illness produces. It talked about how society or the majority labels a person with mental illness and the way a person can label themselves, both which produce disastrous results.I can s ee that this is a relevant article in the field of social work, because social workers can shape the way the client is perceived, both by the majority and the client all in the way they identify the illness. I understand that the article is talking about how the diagnosis can exacerbate the stigma, but I did not get a strong hold on ways to diagnosis it in an improved approach. The paragraph talking about diagnosis as a continuum seems like the closest point of reference for me, as an approach, but as it suggested this dimensional approach is not familiar to most clinicians.It seems once again there is only so far workers can go, with the limited knowledge we have obtained through research to date. The theory that I associated with the article is social learning theory. I came to that conclusion for several reasons mainly, because social learning theory suggests that human behavior is learned as individuals. The article talks about how people who have been diagnosed at times will no t seek treatment solely because of how they will be stigmatized.The problem behavior will not be treated and will remain a problem because a stigma will be placed on that individual if they admit the problem and get treatment. I think that using the social learning theory as a mode of treatment can be possible if the social worker can convince the client that if they get treatment and function in a â€Å"normal† way they will have a better quality of life. The article talked about how the social worker defines the mental illness and relays the information not only to the client, but also to other mental health providers is a determining factor on how it will be perceived.It is our ethical responsibility treat the client with dignity and respect, therefor when discussing the mental illness we need to be sure to use professional terms and be 100% correct before we unintentionally put a stigma on our client, they may put undue hardship in their life. When engaging with a client with mental illness it is necessary to discuss with them what they can expect, from meeting with the mental health provider all the way through treatment. Also to find out what they expect from the process.It is vital to let them know that they will have issues to deal with such as social stigma, but a road to treatment will give them a better quality of life. Mental illness affects people every day. Simply because of the stigma attached to it, people do not want to admit they have a problem. This is an implication because if more people could be honest and upfront social workers and policy makers could be given more time, resources, and attention to create policies that would benefit those struggling. The more resources and policies available the better chance that people suffering from mental illness will not have to deal with a stigma.

Why Ming China Ended the Treasure Fleet Voyages

Why Ming China Ended the Treasure Fleet Voyages Between 1405 and 1433, Ming China sent out seven gigantic naval expeditions under the command of Zheng He the great eunuch admiral. These expeditions traveled along the Indian Ocean trade routes as far as Arabia and the coast of East Africa, but in 1433, the government suddenly called them off. What Prompted the End of the Treasure Fleet? In part, the sense of surprise and even bewilderment that the Ming governments decision elicits in western observers arises from a misunderstanding about the original purpose of Zheng Hes voyages. Less than a century later, in 1497, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama traveled to some of the same places from the west; he also called in at the ports of East Africa, and then headed to India, the reverse of the Chinese itinerary. Da Gama went in search of adventure and trade, so many westerners assume that the same motives inspired Zheng Hes trips. However, the Ming admiral and his treasure fleet were not engaged in a voyage of exploration, for one simple reason: the Chinese already knew about the ports and countries around the Indian Ocean. Indeed, both Zheng Hes father and grandfather used the honorific hajji, an indication that they had performed their ritual pilgrimage to Mecca, on the Arabian Peninsula. Zheng He was not sailing off into the unknown. Likewise, the Ming admiral was not sailing out in search of trade. For one thing, in the fifteenth century, all the world coveted Chinese silks and porcelain; China had no need to seek out customers - Chinas customers came to them. For another, in the Confucian world order, merchants were considered to be among the lowliest members of society. Confucius saw merchants and other middlemen as parasites, profiting on the work of the farmers and artisans who actually produced trade goods. An imperial fleet would not sully itself with such a lowly matter as trade. If not trade or new horizons, then, what was Zheng He seeking? The seven voyages of the Treasure Fleet were meant to display Chinese might to all the kingdoms and trade ports of the Indian Ocean world and to bring back exotic toys and novelties for the emperor. In other words, Zheng Hes enormous junks were intended to shock and awe other Asian principalities into offering tribute to the Ming. So then, why did the Ming halt these voyages in 1433, and either burn the great fleet in its moorings or allow it to rot (depending upon the source)? Ming Reasoning There were three principal reasons for this decision. First, the Yongle Emperor who sponsored Zheng Hes first six voyages died in 1424. His son, the Hongxi Emperor, was much more conservative and Confucianist in his thought, so he ordered the voyages stopped. (There was one last voyage under Yongles grandson, Xuande, in 1430-33.) In addition to political motivation, the new emperor had financial motivation. The treasure fleet voyages cost Ming China enormous amounts of money; since they were not trade excursions, the government recovered little of the cost. The Hongxi Emperor inherited a treasury that was much emptier than it might have been, if not for his fathers Indian Ocean adventures. China was self-sufficient; it didnt need anything from the Indian Ocean world, so why send out these huge fleets? Finally, during the reigns of the Hongxi and Xuande Emperors, Ming China faced a growing threat to its land borders in the west. The Mongols and other Central Asian peoples made increasingly bold raids on western China, forcing the Ming rulers to concentrate their attention and their resources on securing the countrys inland borders. For all of these reasons, Ming China stopped sending out the magnificent Treasure Fleet. However, it is still tempting to muse on the what if questions. What if the Chinese had continued to patrol the Indian Ocean? What if Vasco da Gamas four little Portuguese caravels had run into a stupendous fleet of more than 250 Chinese junks of various sizes, but all of them larger than the Portuguese flagship? How would world history have been different, if Ming China had ruled the waves in 1497-98?

Concepts and Styles of the Leadership

Concepts and Styles of the Leadership Leadership refers to the process of influencing and managing people in order to achieve intended outcomes. Leaders adopt different leadership styles depending on prevailing circumstances. Leadership styles base on different leadership concepts. However, certain concepts apply to all styles.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concepts and Styles of the Leadership specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, action is an important aspect of effective leadership. Research has revealed that leaders who focus on personal development and growth not only change themselves but also lead their organizations to great levels of success. The seven action logics include Achiever, Expert, Opportunist, Diplomat, Alchemist, and Strategist action logics (Rooke and Torbert, 2005). Microsoft founder Bill Gates, is an exceptional leader who has transformed the technology industry through his visionary leadership style and great skills. Ac cording to Rooke and Torbert (2005), only Individualist, Strategist, and Alchemist action logics enable leaders to transform organizations through sustained innovation. Bill Gates transformed the world of technology through his innovativeness. He believed that innovation is an important condiment of organizational success and transformation. When he developed the windows software, he maintained quality by incorporating innovative ideas into subsequent versions of the software. As such, he continued to develop improved versions of windows during his term at Microsoft. Innovation is a characteristic of the Strategist action logic. Gates’ strategy was to incorporate innovation into the operations of Microsoft and make it part of its organizational culture. This has enabled Microsoft to withstand the unpredictable and rapidly changing technology market. Strategists capitalize on organizational constraints and perceptions in order to achieve personal development (Rooke and Torbert , 2005). In addition, they are able to lead people in ways that help them to overcome resistance to change. Gates used his strength as an effective leader to introduce change at Microsoft despite resistance and numerous obstacles. Alchemist action logic involves creativity, open mindedness, and deviation from commonplace attitudes and values (Rooke and Torbert, 2005). Bill Gates valued change. When he was at the helm of Microsoft, he ensured that the organization changed its operations in order to adapt to changes in technology. This is evident from the stability and success that Microsoft has enjoyed for many years despite obstacles such as patent lawsuits and stiff competition. The leadership style of Gates has enabled Microsoft to be one of the market leaders in technological innovation for many years. However, after his departure, the company was overtaken by emerging technology-oriented enterprises. This was because the new leader failed to adopt a similar action logic that Gat es had adopted.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Achievers realize organizational goals through teamwork and balancing their roles as leaders and managers (Rooke and Torbert, 2005). In addition, they are action and goal oriented. Bill Gates is an action and goal oriented leader. He believes that well-defined goals are necessary for achievement of organizational success. As the CEO, he ensured that Microsoft maintained creativity and innovation by reiterating the importance of teamwork. Teamwork encouraged open sharing of ideas and knowledge, which enhanced innovation and creativity. Below-average leadership is characterized by Diplomat, Opportunist, and Expert action logics (Rooke and Torbert, 2005). For example, opportunists are egocentric and manipulative. As CEO, Gates never manipulated his employees and never allowed his ego to take a toll on his organization. M oreover, he delegated leadership roles. This is contrary to opportunists’ behavior of controlling people and treating them like objects. Unlike opportunists who reject feedback, Gates valued feedback because it was the foundation of innovation at Microsoft. Diplomats avoid conflicts and are resistant to change (Rooke and Torbert, 2005). This is in contrast to the leadership style of Gates. He believed in change and incorporated it into Microsoft’s organizational culture in order to ensure organizational success. Rooke, David, and Torbert, William. Seven Transformations of Leadership. 1 April. 2005. Web. https://hbr.org/2005/04/seven-transformations-of-leadership.

Chinese Chops - The History and Usage of Chinese Seals

Chinese Chops - The History and Usage of Chinese Seals The Chinese chop or seal is used in Taiwan and China to sign documents, artwork, and other paperwork. The Chinese chop is most commonly made from stone, but can also be made in plastic, ivory, or metal. There are three Mandarin Chinese names for the Chinese chop or seal. The seal is most commonly called Ã¥  °Ã©â€˜â€˜ (yà ¬n jin) or Ã¥  °Ã§ «   (yà ¬nzhÄ ng). It is also sometimes called Ã¥Å"â€"ç «   / å› ¾Ã§ «   (tà ºzhÄ ng). The Chinese chop is used with a red paste called æÅ" ±Ã§  â€š (zhÃ… «shÄ ). The chop is pressed lightly into the æÅ" ±Ã§  â€š (zhÃ… «shÄ ) then the image is transferred to paper by applying pressure to the chop. There may be a soft surface beneath the paper to ensure a clean transfer of the image. The paste is kept in a covered jar when not in use to prevent it from drying out. History of the Chinese Chop Chops have been a part of Chinese culture for thousands of years. The earliest known seals date from the Shang Dynasty (商æÅ"  - shÄ ng cho), which ruled from 1600 BC to 1046 BC. Chops became widely used during the Warring States period (æˆ °Ã¥Å"‹æ™‚ä » £ / 战å› ½Ã¦â€" ¶Ã¤ » £ - Zhnguà ³ Shà ­di) from 475 BC to 221 BC when they were used for signing official documents. By the time of the Han Dynasty (æ ¼ ¢Ã¦Å"  / æ ±â€°Ã¦Å"  - Hn Cho) of 206 BC to 220 AD, the chop was an essential part of Chinese culture. During the history of the Chinese chop, Chinese characters have evolved. Some of the changes made to characters over the centuries have been related to the practice of carving seals. For example, during the Qin Dynasty (ç § ¦Ã¦Å"  - Qà ­n Cho - 221 to 206 BC), Chinese characters had a round shape. The need to carve them on a square chop led to the characters themselves taking on a square and even shape. Uses For Chinese Chops Chinese seals are used by individuals as signatures for many kinds of official documents, such as legal papers and bank transactions. Most of these seals simply bear the owners name and are called Ã¥ §â€œÃ¥  Ã¥  ° (xà ¬ngmà ­ng yà ¬n). There are also seals for less formal uses, such as signing personal letters. And there are seals for artworks, created by the artist and which add a further artistic dimension to the painting or calligraphic scroll. Seals which are used for government documents usually bear the name of the office, rather than the name of the official. Current Use of Chops Chinese chops are still used for a wide variety of purposes in Taiwan and Mainland China. They are used as identification when signing for a parcel or registered mail or signing checks at the bank. Since seals are hard to forge and should only be accessible to the owner, they are accepted as proof of ID. Signatures are sometimes required along with the chop stamp, the two together being an almost failsafe method of identification. Chops are also used for conducting business. Companies must have at least one chop for signing contracts and other legal documents. Large companies may have chops for each department. For example, the finance department may have its own chop for bank transactions, and the human resources department may have a chop for signing employee contracts. Since chops have such an important legal significance, they are carefully managed. Businesses must have a system for controlling the use of chops, and will often require written information each time a chop is used. Managers must keep track of the location of chops and make a report each time a company chop is used. Acquiring a Chop If you are living in Taiwan or China, you will find it easier to conduct business if you have a Chinese name. Have a Chinese colleague help you select an appropriate name, then have a chop made. The cost ranges from about $5 to $100 depending on the size and the material of the chop. Some people prefer to carve their own chops. Artists in particular often design and carve their own seals which are used on their artworks, but anyone with an artistic bent may enjoy creating their own seal. Seals are also a popular souvenir which can be bought in many tourist areas. Often the vendor will provide a Chinese name or slogan along with the Western spelling of the name.

Compare and Contrast Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Compare and Contrast - Research Paper Example The Terracotta Army was found on 29 March 1974 to the east of Xian in Shaanxi area by agriculturists burrowing a water well more or less 1.6 kilometers (0.99 mi) east of the Qin Emperors tomb hill at Mount Li (Lishan), a district filled with underground springs and watercourses (Linduff and Sun 17). For a considerable length of time, intermittent reports specified bits of terracotta figures and parts of the Qin necropolis –roofing tiles, blocks and lumps of workmanship. This disclosure incited Chinese archeologists to examine, uncovering the biggest stoneware doll amass ever found in China. All ceramics warriors and steeds were made utilizing nearby mud, then prepared in the furnace. In the wake of finishing the project, the figures were finished with painted subtle element (Debainne-Francfort 56). The Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses were in the real life size which was requested by the first Emperor Qin, from whom China gets its name, requested the production of this armed force of terracotta statues. He made the statutes: The primary confirmation of a Neolithic culture in China was found at Yangshao, in Henan Province, in 1921 and in 1953, amid development of a manufacturing plant at Banpo, close to the city of Xian in Shaanxi Province, a Neolithic town having a place with the Yangshao Culture was unintentionally uncovered (Krahl 27). This town secured a range of more than two parts of the entire land where cautious unearthing recouped a zone of more than two sections of land. Cautious removal uncovered the presence of 45 houses, 200 capacity pits, needles, devices, pointed stones, fish snares and six ovens. There were likewise 174 grown-up graves, 76 children’s graves and 37 funerary urns. The Neolithic individuals of Banpo chased, angled, developed millet, cooked their sustenance and raised pigs as household creatures. Particularly vital was their dark or red earthenware. The red ceramics was painted with dark geometrical outlines and every

Traditional Views of Nature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Traditional Views of Nature - Essay Example Shintoism is a religious form of nature worship that originated from Japan. The fundamental belief of Shintoism holds that the nature deities created the world and that everything, animate and inanimate objects, has a spiritual essence residing in them. The spirits within are said to be part of or created by the gods of nature. This would result in the belief that respecting the environment would mean reverence to the gods, while disrespect would mean dishonor to the deities. In philosophy, there is the idea of pantheism. Pantheism is the idea that everything is a part of the divine and that all things are extensions of the divine. This notion is shared by many ancient philosophies from Western and Eastern cultures. This relates to the fact that ancient cultures view nature as the way it is because the universe is moved by divine forces. For pantheism, everything in this world is an integral and unified extension of the divine in the

Countrywide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Countrywide - Essay Example Otherwise, the ratio dropped to -11.61 in 2007 due to the general depression that affected the global economy (Kaplan, 2011). We can attribute the drop to predatory lending prices and slow housing market. The company was involved in the strategies only to lead it into problems. It is important to recognize that the company experienced a low return on assets. Ethics is a major determinant for the success of any business organization. The company’s poor performance can be partly attributed to unethical practices that it engaged while trying to maximize profit and introduce new products (Kaplan, 2011). For instance, subprime mortgage is a loan given to people with low income taking advantage of their lack of understanding of terms of the loans. The company misled the borrowers that it had a fixed rate in order to attract more clients yet they new that the people could not afford. The strategy lowered reputation of the

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 26

Philosophy - Essay Example Besides, Aristotle took into account those objects or notions which are impossible to sense, so he called them ideas. Hence, it is quite easy to explain reality of such notions as love, hate, happiness, etc. Different philosophers of different time explained nature of human knowledge differently. At the same time, however, they all agreed that human knowledge is limited. One of the philosophers, who claimed that it is impossible for a human being to know everything, was Lock. Human knowledge is defined as being aware of ideas and understanding relations between them. Limitation of our knowledge serves as an engine for a constant search of eternal truth and acquiring wisdom. Science is our understanding and explanation of the natural world. Human beings get to know the laws and phenomena of science with the help of their senses which are aided by the means of instruments and different technological innovations. Unfortunately, natural laws and patterns do not keep stable over the time, because they tend to change under the influence of different conditions. Science is limited due to changeability of the natural world. Moral responsibility of every human being is essential component of happy life. Such moral responsibility is called ethics. According to Aristotle, in order to have a good life and to live happily one has to be intrinsically good. Thus, the good created or delivered by one person will increase the total amount of the whole good existing in the world, that will make each person feel happy in the end. In order to have the good society, there is a need in everyone’s becoming good. The good society is the one, which does not have conflicts and wars; besides, it is a society, each member of which is respected and equally treated. Many kind, reasonable, generous people living in one community and cooperating comprise the good society. In philosophical perspective our free will to do anything is always

How to View Quality Theory from a Contingency Perspective Essay

How to View Quality Theory from a Contingency Perspective - Essay Example This does not mean that the work process should get routinized. Rather, enough flexibility has to be maintained, in order to meet all kinds of future changes and contingencies. In the modern dynamic business world this is far from being true. Hence there is the need is to develop a contingency approach to the quality management theories. The contingency perspective of quality management states that there can be no single management theory which can be used as a solution in all organizations under every circumstance. Hence all the elements of management, that is planning, organizing, staffing and directing needs to be suited to the requirements of the organization. The various factors upon which such decision making depends, include various environmental factors as well as several internal contingencies. (Stahl, 1999, p 78) The experts believe that the quality management is made up of two aspects namely, quality control and quality learning. Whereas control refers to the use of the quality improvement theories in an organization, learning refers to the use of the same in a contingency perspective. These two elements are also influenced by various moderators like the organizational structure and the environmental uncertainty, which in turn affects the overall performance. The managers need to have an effective balance between these two conflicting goals in the organization, so as to effectively deal with the situational uncertainties of the business. Thus it can be said that the successful working of an organization is dependent on the adaptability of its internal change processes to its external environment and to the contingencies occurring due to the nature of its business. (Giaever, 1998) A question can be asked in this regard, whether the Quality in itself is contingent or not. (Beckford, 2003, p. 151). There may be two dimensions of this question. The first one is the quality, which is determined by measuring the output of the organization.

ARGUMENT Essay on The Medical (health care) of America

ARGUMENT on The Medical (health care) of America - Essay Example One of the most urgent questions is whether all the Americans should be entitled to health care or not. The US is known to be one of few highly-developed nations which do not provide universal health care for its citizens. Together with Mexico, the US is the only member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that does not have this service (OECD, 2013). Thus, advocates of the reform insist that health care should be defined as a universal system, run by the government. In other words, this should be the government’s responsibility, but not one of the concerns of ordinary people. Nowadays, however, American  people must work really hard in order to take care of their own health. The burden of all the medical expenses lies on the shoulders of ordinary citizens. According to the US Census Bureau, government programs cover only 27.8% of the population (83  million),  including the elderly, disabled, children, veterans, and some of the poor (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). In addition, national law provides public access to the services of emergency, without regard to paying capacity of a person. However, this does not seem to be right that all the other people have to take care about their health on their own. A couple of arguments may illustrate this. Despite the significant and really impressive advances in medical sciences, millions of Americans cannot afford themselves a number of modern services just because the price is too high. It seems to be a paradox that citizens of one of the riches countries in the world cannot afford qualitative health services. That is why medical health care, one of the unalienable human rights by the way, seems to be turned into a privilege. Advocates of the right for health care insist that no one in the richest nation on earth should go without it (Right to Health Care, 2014). The US seems to be wealthy

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 26

Philosophy - Essay Example Besides, Aristotle took into account those objects or notions which are impossible to sense, so he called them ideas. Hence, it is quite easy to explain reality of such notions as love, hate, happiness, etc. Different philosophers of different time explained nature of human knowledge differently. At the same time, however, they all agreed that human knowledge is limited. One of the philosophers, who claimed that it is impossible for a human being to know everything, was Lock. Human knowledge is defined as being aware of ideas and understanding relations between them. Limitation of our knowledge serves as an engine for a constant search of eternal truth and acquiring wisdom. Science is our understanding and explanation of the natural world. Human beings get to know the laws and phenomena of science with the help of their senses which are aided by the means of instruments and different technological innovations. Unfortunately, natural laws and patterns do not keep stable over the time, because they tend to change under the influence of different conditions. Science is limited due to changeability of the natural world. Moral responsibility of every human being is essential component of happy life. Such moral responsibility is called ethics. According to Aristotle, in order to have a good life and to live happily one has to be intrinsically good. Thus, the good created or delivered by one person will increase the total amount of the whole good existing in the world, that will make each person feel happy in the end. In order to have the good society, there is a need in everyone’s becoming good. The good society is the one, which does not have conflicts and wars; besides, it is a society, each member of which is respected and equally treated. Many kind, reasonable, generous people living in one community and cooperating comprise the good society. In philosophical perspective our free will to do anything is always

ARGUMENT Essay on The Medical (health care) of America

ARGUMENT on The Medical (health care) of America - Essay Example One of the most urgent questions is whether all the Americans should be entitled to health care or not. The US is known to be one of few highly-developed nations which do not provide universal health care for its citizens. Together with Mexico, the US is the only member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that does not have this service (OECD, 2013). Thus, advocates of the reform insist that health care should be defined as a universal system, run by the government. In other words, this should be the government’s responsibility, but not one of the concerns of ordinary people. Nowadays, however, American  people must work really hard in order to take care of their own health. The burden of all the medical expenses lies on the shoulders of ordinary citizens. According to the US Census Bureau, government programs cover only 27.8% of the population (83  million),  including the elderly, disabled, children, veterans, and some of the poor (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). In addition, national law provides public access to the services of emergency, without regard to paying capacity of a person. However, this does not seem to be right that all the other people have to take care about their health on their own. A couple of arguments may illustrate this. Despite the significant and really impressive advances in medical sciences, millions of Americans cannot afford themselves a number of modern services just because the price is too high. It seems to be a paradox that citizens of one of the riches countries in the world cannot afford qualitative health services. That is why medical health care, one of the unalienable human rights by the way, seems to be turned into a privilege. Advocates of the right for health care insist that no one in the richest nation on earth should go without it (Right to Health Care, 2014). The US seems to be wealthy

The political philosophy of Hobbes and Locke Essay Example for Free

The political philosophy of Hobbes and Locke Essay In this paper, I will examine the political philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. I will investigate both mens ideas individually and offer my own views on their theories. I will conclude the paper by comparing and contrasting the notions introduced in their respective writings. Thomas Hobbes was born in Wiltshire, England in 1588. He lived in one of the most unsettled periods in English history. Following a rebellion against King Charles, there resulted a civil war, which began in 1642. As a consequence of this political instability, Hobbes was forced into exile in November of 1640. He remained abroad living on the continent for approximately eleven years. During this period he worked and conversed with many of the great philosophers of his time. It was while in Paris in 1640 that Hobbes finally matured the plan for his own philosophical work. It was to consist of three treatises, dealing respectively with matter or body, with human nature, and with society. It was his intention, he says, to have dealt with these issues in this order, but his country was in turmoil with concerns regarding the rights of dominion, and the obedience due from the sovereigns subjects. As a result of this, Hobbes began instead with his examination of society. When stable government seemed to have been re-established by the Commonwealth, he had his ideas published in London. The same year, 1651, saw the publication of his greatest work, Leviathan, and his own return to England, which now promised a safer shelter to the philosopher than France, where he feared the clergy and was no longer in favour with the remnant of the exiled English court. The last twenty-eight years of Hobbes long life were spent in England. Hobbes philosophy can be described as materialistic, and mechanicalistic. He believed everything is matter. One cannot differentiate between matter, life and mind. To describe social reality, Hobbes would argue, is like describing physics or biology. It is concerned with matter in motion. He argued that all human life and all human thought are to be understood quite simply as matter in motion. In this regard Galileo heavily influenced his thinking. Hobbes identified two distinguishable types of motion. These he defined as  vital motion and voluntary motion. I will not indulged heavily into these notions, except to say, that Hobbes believed that the ultimate goal in all human motion is toward self-preservation. Basically what he is saying is that all motion is a result of fear of death. Although reason plays a significant role according to Hobbes, it is largely a regulatory instrument to these basic motions (1). Hobbes philosophical ideas are largely portrayed in his text, Leviathan. In this piece, he discloses the fact that he feels the evils of absolute power is still better than living in a society without that ultimate overseer. Perhaps as a result of the turbulent time in which he lived, Hobbes had an almost chronic fear of living within a chaotic society. It was his belief that a society without an absolute leader would be, or eventually become a chaotic one. Hobbes gives us a psychological explanation for why he believes this to be so. In his opinion, all people are by nature selfish and egoistic. As all men are selfish, and wish only to satisfy their own needs, competition for resources inevitably occurs. Resources are not infinite in amount, but are limited in their availability. As a result, Hobbes argues that conflict between men over these resources is unavoidable. Hobbes refers to people living in this state of nature as natural man (Hobbes, Pt 1, Ch 11). In his brief introduction to the Leviathan, Hobbes describes the State as an organism analogous to a large person. He shows how each part of the state parallels the function of the parts of the human body. He notes that the first part of his project is to describe human nature, in so far as humans are the creators of the state. To this end, he advises that we look into ourselves to see the nature of humanity in general. Hobbes argues that, in the absence of social condition, every action we perform, no matter how charitable or benevolent, is done for reasons, which are ultimately self-serving. For example, when I donate to charity, I am actually taking delight in demonstrating my powers, in its most extreme form; this view of human nature has since been termed Psychological Egoism. Hobbes believes that any account of human action, including morality, must be consistent with the fact that we are all self-serving. Hobbes speculates how selfish people would behave in a state of nature, prior to the formation of any government. He begins noting that humans are essentially equal, both mentally and physically, in so far as even the weakest person has the strength to kill the strongest. Given our equal standing, Hobbes continues by noting how situations in nature make us naturally prone to quarrel. There are three natural causes of disagreement among people: competition for limited supplies of material possessions, distrust of one another, and glory in so far as people remain hostile to preserve their powerful reputation. Given the natural causes of conflict, Hobbes concludes that the natural condition of humans is a state of perpetual war of all against all, where no morality exists, and everyone lives in constant fear (Hobbes Pt 1, Ch 13). Under such conditions, there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no culture of the earth, no navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea; no commodious building, no instruments of moving and removing such things as require much force; no knowledge of the face of the earth, no account of time, no arts, no letters, no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. Hobbes continues offering proofs that the state of nature would be as brutal as he describes. We see signs of this in the mistrust we show of others in our daily lives. In countries, which have yet to be civilized, people are barbaric to each other. Finally, in the absence of international law, strong countries prey on the vulnerability of weak countries. Humans have three motivations for ending this state of war: the fear of death, the desire to have an adequate living, and the hope to attain this through ones labour. Nevertheless, until the state of war ends, each person has a right to everything, including another persons life (Ibid). In articulating the peace-securing process, Hobbes draws on the language of the natural law tradition of morality, which was then championed by Dutch philosopher Hugo Grotius (1583-1645). According to Grotius, all particular moral principles derive from immutable principles of reason. Since these  moral mandates are fixed in nature, they are thus called laws of nature. By using the terminology of the natural law theory, Hobbes is suggesting that, from human self-interest and social agreement alone, one can derive the same kinds of laws, which Grotius believes are immutably fixed in nature (2). Throughout his discussion of morality, Hobbes continually re-defines traditional moral terms, such as right, liberty, contract and justice, in ways which reflects his account of self-interest and social agreement (Hobbes Pt 1, Ch 14). For Grotius and other natural law theorists, a law of nature is an unchangeable truth, which establishes proper conduct. Hobbes defines a law of nature as follows: A Law of Nature (lex naturalis) is a precept, or general rule, found out by reason, by which a man is forbidden to do that which is destructive of his life, or takes away the means of preserving the same; and to omit that by which he thinks it may be best preserved. Hobbes continues by listing specific laws of nature all of which aim at preserving a persons life. Hobbess first three Laws of Nature are the most important since they establish the overall framework for putting an end to the state of nature. Given our desire to get out of the state of nature, and thereby preserve our lives, Hobbes concludes that we should seek peace. This becomes his first law of nature (Ibid). That every man ought to endeavour peace as far as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek and use all helps and advantages of war; the first branch of which rule contains the first fundamental Law of Nature, which is, to seek peace and follow it. The second law of nature advocates the position that man in this state is entitled to defend himself (Ibid). The mutual transferring of these rights is called a covenant and is the basis of the notion of moral obligation and duty. For example, I agree to give up my right to steal from you, if you give up your right to steal from me. We have then transferred these rights to each other and thereby become obligated to not steal from each other. From selfish reasons alone, we are both motivated to mutually transfer these and other rights, since this will end the dreaded state of war between us. Hobbes continues by discussing the  validity of certain contracts. For example, contracts made in the state of nature are not generally binding, for, if I fear that you will violate your part of the bargain, then no true agreement can be reached. No contracts can be made with animals since animals cannot understand an agreement. Most significantly, I cannot contract to give up my right to self-defence since self-defence is my sole motive for entering into any contract (Ibid). Hobbes derives his laws of nature deductively, modelled after the type of reasoning used in geometry. That is, from a set of general principles, more specific principles are logically derived. Hobbess general principles are: that people pursue only their own self-interest, the equality of people, the causes of quarrel, the natural condition of war, and the motivations for peace. From these he derives the above two laws, along with at least 13 others. Simply making contracts will not in and of itself secure peace. We also need to keep the contracts we make, and this is Hobbes third law of nature. Hobbes notes a fundamental problem underlying all covenants: as selfish people, each of us will have an incentive to violate a contract when it serves our best interests. For example, it is in the mutual best interest of Murphy and I to agree to not steal from each other. However, it is also in my best interests to break this contract and steal from Murphy if I can get away with it and what complicates matters more, Murphy is also aware of this fact. Thus, it seems that no covenant can ever get off the ground. This difficulty is overcome by giving unlimited power to a political sovereign who will punish us if we violate our covenants. Again, it is from purely selfish reasons that I agree to set up a policing power, which will potentially punish me if I deviate from the agreement (Hobbes, Pt 1, Ch 15). As noted, Hobbes first three Laws of Nature establish the overall framework for putting an end to the state of nature. The remaining laws give content to the earlier ones by describing more precisely the kinds of covenants, which will preserve peace. For example, the fourth law is to show gratitude toward those who comply with covenants. Otherwise people will regret that they complied when someone is ungrateful. Similarly, the fifth law is that we should be accommodating to the interests of society. For, if we quarrel over every minor issue, then this will interrupt the peace process. Briefly,  here are the remaining laws: cautious pardoning of those who commit past offences; the purpose of punishment is to correct the offender not an eye for an eye retribution; avoid direct or indirect signs of hatred or contempt of another; avoid pride; retain only those rights which you would acknowledge in others; be equitable; share in common that which cannot be divided, such as rivers; items which cannot be divided or enjoyed in common should be assigned by lot; mediators of peace should have safe conduct; resolve disputes through an arbitrator. Hobbes explains that there are other possible laws, which are less important such as those against drunkenness, which tends to the destruction of particular people. At the close of Chapter 15, Hobbes states that morality consists entirely of these Laws of Nature, which are arrived at through social contract. Contrary to Aristotles account of virtue ethics, Hobbes adds that moral virtues are relevant to ethical theory only in so far as they promote peace. Outside of this function, virtues have no moral significance. Hobbes continues in Chapter 17 by arguing that in order to ensure covenants and peace, power must be given to one person or one assembly. We do this by saying, implicitly, I authorise and give up my right of governing myself, to this person or to this assembly of people, on this condition, that thou give up thy right to him, and authorise all his actions in like manner. His definition of a commonwealth, then, is this: One person, of whose acts a great multitude, by mutual covenants one with another, have made themselves every one the author, to the end he may use the strength and means of them all, as he shall think expedient, for their peace and common defence This person is called a sovereign. He continues that there are two ways of establishing a commonwealth: through acquisition, or through institution. In Chapter18 Hobbes lists the rights of rights of sovereigns. They are, subjects owe him sole loyalty, subjects cannot be freed from their obligation, dissenters must consent with the majority in declaring a sovereign, sovereign cannot be unjust or injure any subject, the sovereign cannot be put to death, the sovereign has the right to censor doctrines repugnant to peace, legislative power of prescribing rules, judicial power of deciding all controversies, make war and peace with other nations, choose  counsellors, power of reward and punishment, power of all civil appointments, including the militia. In Chapter 19 he discusses the kinds of governments that can be instituted. The three main forms are monarchy, aristocracy and democracy. He argues that monarchy is best for several reasons. Monarchs interests are the same as the peoples. He will receive better counsel since he can select experts and get advice in private. His policies will be more consistent. Finally, there is less chance of a civil war since the monarch cannot disagree with himself. His overriding belief here is that the sovereign, most likely a king, will only have the best interests of his subjects at heart, as he, Hobbes argues, is only as wealthy as his country. Rather inconsistently when you consider his theory overall, Hobbes also grants certain rights, or liberties to the subjects living within his monarchist society. These liberties, as you might expect, are established to ensure the right of the subject to self-preservation. Therefore, if the sovereign unnecessarily places the life of the subject in peril, either directly or indirectly, the covenant has in effect been broken, or the subject is free to disembark from the agreement. The subject is expected to defend his country from attack, should that occur, despite the danger it may entail for his life. However, he is not obliged, for instance to testify against himself in court, as that would quite obviously be counter to his desire for self-preservation. This concept was incorporated in the United States Constitution in the form of the Fifth Amendment, and many upstanding members of society have enjoyed its benefits since, including Al Capone, Jimmy Hoffa, and most recently Junior Soprano! Another idea introduced by Hobbes which was embraced by the United States legal system, as well as our own, was his belief that the subject had the right to sue the sovereign if his needs were not met. Hobbes theory has often been criticised quite severely and I believe rightly so. His individualistic perspective suggests that our self-preservation is the dominant motivation in our lives. Society exists, if we are to believe Hobbes theory, simply as a method of ensuring our self-interest, or at least maximising it. His theory is built on the premise of mutual trust, yet  the society would collapse without the threat of sanctions imposed by the sovereign. So, in fact it is not trust that is the raft that keeps society afloat, rather it is obviously fear. The most disturbing fact in regard to his theory, I believe, is Hobbes notion that society arises largely as a result of our selfish ways. He suggests that we are egoistic, as we as being are driven by our desires. It seems that he does not seriously consider the fact that our desires could incorporate any notions of legitimately, and unselfishly wanting to help others. This in my opinion is rather bizarre. There are other aspects to Hobbes theory that I find difficult to comprehend. His assertion that a monarchy offers us the best option for government is ludicrous to say the least, and his arguments to support this position are feeble at best. I will address just one of them here, to prove my point. In the course of his dialogue, Hobbes makes the claim that the best possible way to ensure that the constantly changing desires and needs of subjects are met, is to have a King or Queen as sovereign. When you consider some of the monarchies of our day, I will draw particular attention to the British monarchy, and how out of touch they are with their subjects, I think that it is fair to say that Hobbes opinions on this issue is almost laughable. Another aspect of Hobbes political philosophy that I find particularly disconcerting is his belief that conflict must never occur between subjects and their sovereign. Often, if not always, change only occurs as a result of conflict. Without conflict, we might never develop and advance significantly as societies. Revolutionary leader Thomas Jefferson said: The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is natural manure (3). I believe that the threat of revolt is always necessary in order to keep leaders firmly in tune with the needs of their citizens. The final comment I will make on Hobbes work on this matter relates to the fact that I believe his theory is extremely defeatist in essence. Basically, Hobbes theory is built on the foundation that we desire peace so much that we should be willing to accept the evils of absolute power, or even dictatorship in order to maintain it. John Locke was born in Somerset, England in 1632. Like Hobbes, he lived in a period of great political instability. He was forced to flee England twice as a result of this situation, however, unlike Hobbes; he was not soared against mankind as a consequence. In his major political works, his Two Treatise on Civil Government, he attempts to justify the revolution of King William of Orange against the legitimate monarch, King James II. In the first of these two treatise, Lockes purpose is to attack the ideas of pro-royalist; Sir Robert Filmer, and specifically his theory put forward in his work; The Patriarch. In the Second Treatise on Civil Government, Locke puts forth his own ideas on the establishment of a democratic government. The focus of this piece shall be in the analysis of this work, as it displays Lockes own thoughts and believes. Locke developed the theoretical argument that became the basis for democracy, as we know it today within the western world. His ideas were to become the building blocks for the development of the constitution in both the United States of America and France. In fact, sections of his writings appear almost word for word in the United States Constitution and Declaration of Independence. The influence of his ideas on todays world cannot be understated. In examining Lockes ideas, I also hope to demonstrate how distinctly different his thoughts often are from Hobbes. There are a few similarities between the two mens work however. For one, Locke, like his predecessor Hobbes, begins his work by giving what he believes is the historical description of how governments came into existence. In the same way as Hobbes, Locke commences by examining the relevance of the social contract to the establishment of government. Also corresponding to Hobbes he discusses the state of nature. However, Locke believes that the fundamental mistake in Hobbes theory is in his ideas introduced on this issue. Lockes state of nature is a largely peaceful one. Men live side-by-side, own property, possessions, and are free to do with these as they please. He rejects Hobbes notion that men are as a rule selfish, but rather thinks of a situation were many times people cooperate with each other, but unfortunately sometimes they are egoistic, but not always. For Locke, the law of nature that governs behaviour within this  state, is quite simple. People should not harm others in his life, health, liberty or possessions (Locke, Ch 2). Life within the state of nature for Locke is a life of perfect freedom. Its moral order is overseen by the law of nature, which is God-given, and exists independent of any constitution or society. Essential to this moral well being, are the natural rights of the people living within this state. These entitlements include that of life, liberty, property and also the authority to reprimand those who violate the natural law. It is difficult for individuals to do this alone, and so it is as a result of this factor, according to Locke that we were forced to vacate the state of nature, and establish societies. When a person breaks the law of nature, it is essential, he believes, to have the institutions in place to be able to punish the person, or persons in a fair and just manner. It is due to this fact that man originally voluntarily agreed to create society in order to have these institutions established (Ibid). These institutions that had to be erected had a number of goals, or objectives, which it needed to fulfill. Firstly, laws had to be created that reflected the needs of the population. In addition, these laws must become relatively fixed within the framework of that society, to the extent that those who would come under their influence would know them. Locke also felt that it was imperative to have at the core of these legal institutions impartial judges, who would have both knowledge of the law and authority to adjudicate in legal disputes. Finally, Locke rightly believed that all of this would be pointless unless the society had in place the resources to enforce these laws. If it did not, then quite simply the laws would not be followed (Ibid). Locke also discusses what he calls his state of war, which is very similar to Hobbes state of nature. In this state, there are no common judges or established institutions of law. Locke describes an environment where the fittest survive. This state of war can exist both inside a society and outside the bounds of it. It occurs when somebody, or some group, attempts to acquire resources solely as a result of their power. Opposition to such  tyrants, according to Locke, is not only justified, but he would even argue that at times it is completely necessary for the maintenance of the society. If an issue such as this is not addressed, life will simply revert back to the conditions experienced within the state of nature (Locke, Ch 3). The accounts I have already given of the consensual agreement among citizens to establish legal institutions to oversee the upholding of the law are the basic rudiments of democracy. Laws within such a democracy are created only after long deliberation, and are not invented on the spur of the moment. This is often the case under the rule of monarchies, according to Locke, were laws are created and destroyed at will to simply fulfil the wishes of the sovereign. Furthermore, laws within a democracy will be created by representatives of the people and so, Locke argues, should clearly reflect the wishes of the society with whom they represent. An interesting fact built into Lockes theory, is his belief that certain aspects of human behaviour should not come under the influence of governmental control. He referred to these as rights. This particular notion of Lockes was another aspect of his theory incorporated in many national constitutions. The most notable of these, is The Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. The bill of rights grants those living in the United States certain undeniable rights, such as the right to free speech, the right to choose where one worships, and also the right to bare arms to mention a few. Also included within The Bill of Rights is the right to own private property. Again, this is another aspect of Lockes theory that he gave particular emphasis to within his work (Locke, Ch 5). Locke considered property to be much more than just material substance. He believed property to actually be part of oneself, as it is clearly the fruit of your own labour. Throughout his writings, property is used in a much broader sense than the dictionary definition of the word. It is usually referred to as meaning such things as life and liberty. Therefore, Locke argues that to attempt to take an individuals property from them, it is much more than simply theft. Instead, he maintains that it is an assault on you as a person. This particular opinion on property is very different from the  beliefs expressed by Hobbes. For him, property is a creation of society. Furthermore, he insists that no person can claim anything as his own within the state of nature. What you own is only yours for as long as you are strong enough to hold onto it. Lockes ideas were obviously in marked contrast to those put forward by Hobbes regarding property. Locke believed that we were all created equal in nature; therefore, society had no right to take from us what nature had given to us initially. This conception was advanced further and indeed incorporated into law. It is of course the NOTION that we are all equal in the eyes of the law. I deliberately highlighted the word NOTION, because I believe that is all it is, and the truth in reality is actually far from this (Ibid). The most democratic aspect of Lockes theory is incorporated in his ideas that when we departed from the state of nature, we voluntarily gave up some of our personnel rights to the government. Specifically, the right to punish those who transgress the law. This right is given to the executive who is appointed by the people and is therefore responsible to them. Lockes government is almost like a secretary for the mass population. Acting like a secretary, the government should simply do the jobs required by, or requested by the people. If the government does not fulfil the wishes of the population, Locke maintained, they should be removed from office. For Locke, power lies with the people. Revolution by the people is not to be ruled out if the government has to be removed for not fulfilling the wishes of its citizens (Locke, Ch 8). In order to prevent abuse of power by the government, or indeed any one area of it, Locke introduced the idea of dividing the government into three branches. Each branch has the capability to influence, and if necessary, restrain the other branch or branches of government. The different strands of government he established were the executive, legislature and federative. Again, these branches of government are remarkably similar to those used in the United States. The executive and legislature proposed by Locke are very similar to those used in the U.S. government. Lockes federative branch was intended to deal with foreign negotiations, and does not in fact exists in the U. S. government framework. The third element of government there is  called the judicial and deals with the legal applications of government. The overall goal of using three branches of government is nonetheless very similar in purpose; in that its aims are restrict power from becoming to great within any one branch (Locke, Ch 12). Locke was particularly concerned with the executive gaining too much power. As a result, it is the legislature who is granted the greatest power and influence within government. The legislature makes the laws and the executive is only charged with enforcing these laws. Therefore, the ability of the executive is severely restricted by the limitations of the laws sent down from the legislature. Another interesting aspect of Lockes desire to restrict the executive is his belief that they could be removed from their office by the legislature should they defy the rules of that office. Again, an idea very similar to this is found within the scheme of the United States government. Impeachment proceeding can be taking against any member of the civil government, if they are believed to have broken any rules of their office. In the history of the country, impeachment proceeding has been introduced against three presidents. These affairs, overseen by the House of Representatives determine whether there is sufficient evidence against the accused to warrant a trial before the Senate. None of the three presidents were ever convicted of the charges against them. President Andrew Jackson was taken to trial before the Senate, but failed to be convicted by one vote. President Richard Nixon resigned from his office before proceeding could really get under way, following the fallout from the Watergate Scandal. Most recently, President Bill Clinton survived a vote in the House of Representatives and so was not forced to undergo a legal trial before the Senate. I believe Lockes theory is a substantial improvement on that proposed by Hobbes. Locke correctly identifies the two major weaknesses I see in Hobbes theory. They are centred on his believes that man is innately selfish, or egoistic, and so is motivated solely by self-interest, and also his believe that man can live stably and securely under the sovereign leadership of a monarch. He fails to convince me on either of these points. Despite the fact that I see much to be praised about Lockes theory, I feel that there are  certain frailties that should be addressed, and I will conclude this essay by those that I feel are most significant. Essential too much of Lockes theory is his belief that living within the state of nature, we have certain rights, which he insists should be transferred to the societal or governmental level. Locke provides little evidence to offer support for the significance he places on these rights, and the evidence he does provide is certainly not totally convincing. Concerning opinion on social contract, Locke fails to identify his position on the double contract, and seems to tactfully dodge this difficult issue. Although certainly not nearly as individualist as Hobbes, Lockes theory does seem to lean in favour of the individual, rather than towards the genuine concerns of the group as a whole. One notion within his theory in particular seems to suggest this standpoint most clearly. His belief that we consent to joining society, definitely suggest to me that one is doing so for ones own good, and any thoughts of common good, are secondary at best. Finally, Lockes belief that government and society should be built on the premise that the majority rule, at first glimpse appears fair. This idea certainly was an enormous step forward from the ideas of those who came before him, going all the back to the ancients. However, often within democracies this notion is taking too literally and the majority rule only while considering their own interests and not those of the society as a whole. Minorities are treated like second-class citizens. Evidence of such behaviour can easily be found even within our own borders in Northern Ireland. Endnotes: 1. Gauthier, D. Hobbes, A Companion to the Philosophers. (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2001), 305. 2. Blackburn, S. Dictionary of Philosophy. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996), 163. 3. Darwin, B. (Ed.) The Oxford Library of Words Phrases. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1981), 130. Note: All other quotations cited throughout this essay are taken from: 4. Hobbes, T. Leviathan, Classics of Moral Political Theory. (Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company Inc., 1996, 2nd Ed.). 5. Locke, J. Two Treatises of Civil Government, Classics of Moral Political Theory. (Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company Inc., 1996, 2nd Ed.).

Launching a product in energy drinks industry

Launching a product in energy drinks industry Gatorade is a brand of sports drinks, which is available in multiple flavors, and is manufactured by Quaker Oats Company, which is now a part of PepsiCo. Ltd. Gatorade is basically into the production of sports drinks which are used by athletes and non-athletes all around the world. Energy drinks are those non-alcoholic drinks that serve the purpose of an energy-booster and revitalization. These drinks usually do not emphasize on energy derived from the calories they contain, but rather through a choice of caffeine, vitamins, and herbal supplements that the manufacturer has combined. We have come up with a new product, an energy drink under the banner of Gatorade, Which is called as Powergade. The Energy drink that we plan to launch in the market, shall meet all the requirements that any consumer expects from such a drink. Unlike the other Gatorade drinks, this energy drink will be a carbonated drink and shall consist of all those ingredients like caffeine, sugar and other vitamins, which are present in an ordinary energy drink. But compared to other energy drinks, our product will have other features which make it suitable for consumers of all age groups. This drink will be initially launched in the Indian market, since the scope of promotion in this financial year in India is very good, because of the Common Wealth Games 2010 and also the soon approaching ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. Branding through such popular and large scale events will definitely be a good advantage to the product, and large number of people can be made aware of the drink as these above mentioned events have a huge fan following. Marketing Objectives SMART Objectives: Setting objectives and milestones is of crucial importance for any planning activity and is the core of its success, or failure. Knowing how to set objectives is not exactly rocket science in terms of complexity, but any strategist should know the basic rules of how to formulate and propose objectives. SMART illustrates 5 characteristics of an efficient objective; it stands for Specific Measurable Attainable/Agreed/Accepted Relevant/Realistic Time1. For our new Energy Drink, Powergade; the following objectives are going to be taken into consideration, for an effective and goal-oriented marketing process: To increase the market share of our product in the Indian drinks market up to 10% till June 2011 To increase profit by 10% by the end of financial year 2010-11 To propagate the brand name and the product in all tier 1 and tier 2 cities in the first 3 months of the launch. To survive in the current recession and slowdown period in the Indian Market. To have a constant growth with of 10% each year To improvise sales by 25% quarterly. To increase the market share of our product in the Indian drinks market up to 10% till June 2011: This is one of the most important objectives, as the energy drinks market in India is increasing and improvising at a constant rate. A lot of companies and brands have come into this field of food and drinks industry, hence increasing the competition in the existing market. We plan to have at least 10% of the market share by the period of one year. This will be of a great advantage to meet our other objectives  [1]  . To increase profit by 15% by the end of financial year 2010-11: Profit is one of the most important aspects for any commercial organisation. We, by launching this new energy drink in the market; plan to increase the profit of the brand Gatorade. Since cheap and effective energy drinks have a high demand in the existing market, high profits from this new product can be expected. Hence we plan to increase the net profit of the company by a minimum 15% by the end of this financial year. To propagate the brand name and the product in all tier 1 and tier 2 cities in the first 3 months of the launch: It is a very important challenge for any brand to have a strong goodwill in the market. If the company is expecting to make profits out of the launch of new product, it is very much essential to have good promotion tactics, and to make the new product, as well as the brand name popular amongst the population of the market. Hence, we plan to promote our brand and our new product Powergade in the markets of tier 1 and tier 2 cities within the 3 months launch period of our product. This will give a boost to the sales and result in higher profitability and market share. To survive the current recession and slowdown period in the Indian Market: The recent slowdown in the world economy has affected a lot of industries in the global market. This has led to low income levels and failure of new brands and their products in its launch period itself. Hence, it is a great challenge to survive and maintain a successful launch in the current market conditions. We plan to have effective promotion and sales strategy, so that our new product Powergade can survive in the market. To have a constant growth of 10% each year: As one of our core objectives, we also plan to have a constant growth of 10% each year. By growth, it is meant that we can expand this division of the company. This means to increase production and hence improvise sales. By constant growth, employment can also be assured and new opportunities will be given to fresh ideas. Growth also includes coming up with new flavours and variations in our Energy Drink. That is why; the goal of having a growth of 10% each year has been set. To improvise sales by 5% every month: Sales is one of the most important aspects of any company dealing with manufacturing and selling of goods. Sales can be considered the heart of any organisation. If the sales are smooth, it generates higher profit, improves the goodwill of the company in the market, which leads to having a higher rate of market share in the industry. Hence it has been set as an objective to improvise sales by at least 5% each month to have a better productivity and profit. Target Market/s The Drinks Market Food and drinks industry is one of the largest industries in the world. Its basic target is to cater the population with energy supplement products, which are essential for the survival of any living being. Food and drinks industry consists of products which have inelastic demand for e.g. salt, sugar, water etc. as well as products with elastic demand such as protein supplements and expensive alcoholic drinks. Substantial part of the consumer income is spent on this industry worldwide. Today the drink market is booming in India and it has become a complete new segment in the Indian market. As per the climatic conditions in India, major part of the population tends to buy drinks, especially cold drinks t o quench their thirst. The sales of drinks gets at its all time high during the summer time, this is because the climate is hot and humid in most of the places in India, which exhausts people, which leads them to buy drinks. Drinks market is becoming very popular all around the world, since many people are now attracted towards the drinks market. There are many types of drinks that are available in the market, ranging from fruit drinks to alcoholic drinks. The Indian Drinks market can be categorized in to different sub markets. The following chart shows the various categories and sub-categories of drinks available in the Indian market. The drinks market is broadly classified into: Alcoholic drinks market Non- alcoholic drinks market Alcoholic drinks are those which have high concentration of alcohol content. It is generally considered to be harmful because of its carcinogenic and hazardous nature. Unlike countries having cool climates, the Indian climate is comparatively warm, hence the body cannot adapt to the heat that is attained from such drinks. That is why alcoholic drinks are generally considered to be leisure drinks and the number of regular customers is comparatively less in India. A few famous types of alcoholic beverages are as follows: Beer Vodka Champagne Rum Breezier The Non-Alcoholic drinks, as the name suggest, do not contain any alcohol and are generally considered to be a safe drink for all type of consumers. The non- alcoholic drinks market can be further classified into two type types: Non- carbonated Carbonated Non- carbonated drinks are not concentrated and have no fizz in them, they are like Fresh juices, even Gatorade is a non- carbonated drink which doesnt have fizz and caffeine. These non- carbonated drinks are health based drink, which help for a healthy body, and doesnt harm a person, but revitalizes them, and get back their energy. Examples of Non-carbonated drinks are Real juices Gatorade. Carbonated drinks are those drinks which are concentrated and have carbon content in them, which is generally called fizz. In carbonated drinks energy drinks also come in, which consists of caffeine, which is a certain type of drug, caffeine is there but in a small quantity, it does the work to keep the consumer active and energetic. Examples of carbonated drinks are: Pepsi, Thumbs-up Coke Redbull Cloud 9 Energy drinks are beverages that are meant to be a quick fix for the exhausted and sleepy. Energy drinks are canned or bottled beverages sold in convenience stores, grocery stores, and bars and nightclubs (in mixed drinks). Most energy drinks are carbonated drinks that contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar with additional ingredients. Energy drinks are beverages that also contain vitamins such as vitamin B, taurine and herbal extracts, which help us to gain energy  [2]  . Market Segmentation The whole market can be segmented into different target groups, which are shown in the chart below. Children, who are of age of 11- 15 years, can buy this product, but they may not be having enough money and knowledge about any energy drink to go on and buy an energy drink. And it should also be noted that energy drinks contain caffeine for which children should not be encouraged. Teenage youth will surely be attracted to a product, as they are the younger generation who are prone to experimentation, and they shall buy new products. The energy drink also benefit these people as they are very active and have a very hectic and stressful schedule, this energy drink can generate energy in them and remove all stress and exhaustion. Generally, youth of this age get allowances from their parents, so it depends on the amount they get to spend for a certain period of time.Consumers, who get low allowances, might not spend a lot of money for such drinks, but those consumers who get moderate or high allowances can certainly afford such energy drinks. Hence, it can be said that youth at this age can be divided into two different target groups. Same goes in for Young adults. Unlike the teenage youth, they may not go be so experimental with new products in the market, but this energy drink will surely be of an advantage to them as they also have a hectic and stressful life, this energy drink, will give them energy to work all through the day. These people will be working, so definitely they will have money to buy the product. Even still, the young adults can be divided in to two target groups depending on their income levels. Skilled executives are working class people who work all through out the day and have a very stressful life, they dont do any kind of physical activity, but they can still buy our energy drink to feel refreshed and energetic to work, and will have a complete different approach towards their work and shall be more time efficient. Their income level is generally good enough, so energy drinks will certainly be affordable by this target group. Unskilled Labor are also working class people but they are generally into physical labor, which requires a lot of energy to do work, they really need a energy drink to boost up their stamina and to work for longer hours. Yet again, the income level of such consumers plays a very important role, unlike the skilled executive, their income level is less, and hence affording such drinks is questionable, even though this drink is of much more use to these people. Last but not the least are the Sports athletes, they are recommended to have a energy drink, this is because their work is to participate in sports and physical activities, at the end of the day the sport makes them exhausted, so to take out the exhaustion they need to have an energy drink which not only makes them energetic but also provides them with proteins and vitamins, so that they perform their regular tasks for long hours. This energy drink also increases stamina of these athletes. Potential Segments So we can say that by the above consumers there can be five potential consumer groups which will buy our product, and so we shall concentrate majorly on these consumer groups and they are: Teenage youth with high spending capacity, Young adults of both income groups, Skilled executives, Sport athletes. We target teenage youth as they are risk takers and love to experiment new drinks, thus we will target them who are with high allowances so that they can buy more of our product. We target young adults as they work, and have a stressful lifestyle with work and some other extra curricular activities thus, this energy drinks will be very good for them. As they are working they can buy the energy drink. We target the skilled executives as they have high spending capacities and since they have tedious work procedures and long working hours, the energy drink is for their advantage. And the sports athletes, these we will target as they have to drink a energy drink because of their lifestyle and constant practice of their sport, these athletes have a rigorous routine of sports and for them to not be exhausted, they need to have a energy drink. Criteria for selecting target markets CONSUMPTION: Our energy drink can be consumed by youngsters, working people and sports athletes. Pregnant women are not encouraged to consume our product as it dangerous for them. The reason for consuming our product is because our product refreshes you and quenches thirst faster than other liquids (except water) and it balances our sugar and calorie intake. LIFESTYLE: As our lifestyle is changing day by day, consumers get influenced by new products in the market, especially young generation from the age group 15-25 years. This age group has the resources to buy a new product as they are innovators. They always try exploring new products that come in the market. There are few people who do not have the resources to buy the product but are eagerly wishing to have that product. The consumers of age, ranging from 25-35 is independent considering their spending, and these people have the capacity and resources to buy and consume our product. CONSUMERS ATTITUDE: Consumers attitude towards a new product consist of many things. Few criteria are listed below: Packaging. Taste Brand name Brand ambassador of the product Importance to Packing plays a major role as consumers get excited when they see a product which looks very attractive. BENEFITS: Our Product is comparatively excellent from rest of the drinks because it does not contain artificial flavors and it can be consumed by all age groups starting from 11 years and above. It contains caffeine, vitamins, and minerals which balances the sugar level in our body. For sport athletes our product is like an apple to their eye because our product acts like an energy booster for them. Caffeine after workout provides them with good amount of energy that they have lost during workout and re-builds it. DEMOGRAPHIC: Demographics play a major role which selecting out target market. Our product would mainly be launched in Metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, which come under category of tier 1 and cities like Ahmadabad, Hyderabad, Goa and etc. come under tier 2 cities. Population of the mentioned cities is more and consists of innovators and early adaptors. So our initial target would have a strong consumer base in the markets of these cities. Applying Criteria to potential segments Potential Target Groups Criteria Teenage Youth (high spending capacity) Young Adults (Low income group) Young Adults (High Income Group) Skilled Executives Sports Athletes 1.Consumption 2.Lifestyle 3.Attitude Towards New Products 4.Benefits 5.Gographic Considering the above table, we have concluded that our major concentration would be on the following target groups: Teenage Youth, Young Adults with high income, and Sports Athletes. Customer Profile The above mentioned target groups consists of those consumers, who generally indulge into experiment with new goods and services in the market. They easily take the risk of trying out new products. These consumers also have high capacity to spend on such leisure products, since their allowances or income is generally high. These consumers are generally found in tier 1 and tier 2 cities as they have more exposure to the market and all the on-going promotional activities. They are benefited with our energy drinks, as for the teenage youth, most of their time is spent in their academics, and hence they have busy schedules. Other than that, they also indulge in various physical activities that is taxing to their bodies. The energy drinks help them keep fresh and energetic throughout the day, and hence the results in their respective endeavors is comparatively good Young adults are benefited with our product, as this is the group which is mostly indulged into hard work, be it office or on-site work. They work long hours, and especially in growing cities, travelling and cut-throat competition is also a factor that can tire any individual. Having our energy drink, which contains caffeine; it helps these consumers in being awake without actually affecting their health. The efficiency of these consumers is improvised and they can work longer hours keeping up with the task at hand. Sports athletes will have a complete different approach and usage for this drink. They are generally into more of physical work compared to the above mentioned groups. They need supplements to replenish their body and rejuvenate them. Energy drinks play an important role for such refreshment. Though, they do not prefer carbonated drinks during their games, but they certainly consume it during practice sessions and work outs. Customer perceptual positioning map For this task, our group performed a sample survey, by preparing a questionnaire. A sample of a blank questionnaire can be viewed in Appendix 1. In this survey, we asked different people questions relating to our existing brand Gatorade, its competitor brands and energy drinks. After the survey we could derive the following conclusions. In the survey, it was asked, that which of the attributes play an important role in an energy drink. The attributes included: Effectiveness Taste Packaging Style/Trends Flavor options. The conclusion derived from this survey gave us the following result. Pie chart 1. From this research we concluded that EFFECTIVNESS and TASTE are the appropriate attributes that the consumer keeps in mind to judge the product and to compare the product with that of the competitors. For the positioning process, for our product, we chose 5 brands which are popular in the Indian market, and decided to position of product on the basis of comparison with the following five brands: Redbull Burn Bling Xenia Cloud 9 The sample population was asked to prioritize these brands on the scale of their preference considering the above mentioned five attributes. The results for the attributes TASTE and EFFECTIVENESS is shown in the following pie-charts.We made these pie charts on the basis of the ratings and then derived the percentage of preferred brand for these attributes. A Perceptional-positioning mapping is a kind of visual tool which shows the customers perception of a product or brand in relation to others in the market relating to certain attributes. In our product of Powergade from Gatorade we have considered the most relevant attributes like Effectiveness and the Taste of the drink. The following graph was made on the basis of the ratings given by the sample population to each brand based on the above mentioned attributes of the brands product. They were asked to rate the attributes on the scale of 1 5 in which 1-3 was considered low and 3-5 was considered high. High Taste Powergade We did a primary research on the effectiveness and the taste of our various competitors. From the perception mapping in the above graph and table we got to know the standing of each of our competitors in the market. Red Bull being high in taste and high in effectiveness becomes a tough competitor for Powergade as our product aims to give best of taste and prove to be quickly effective. The marketing mix is a combination of elements needed to successfully market any product. The marketing mix is at the heart of marketing planning. It is used to review and develop marketing strategy. These elements are commonly known as the Four Ps of marketing Product-Our main focus is that our product must be exceptional in taste and quickly effective. Since Gatorade has an experienced research team, we will be able to achieve our goal efficiently. Price-Initially we will come up with a penetration pricing strategy to gain a good amount of market share and create awareness of our product. Keeping low price will help us against our premier competitor, Redbull. Place-As Gatorade is already an established drink worldwide, Powergade will take advantage of this and will use similar distribution channels as well as new distribution channels. Promotion-Since we have a good promotional budget, high scale advertisements will be made and shown on television; radio channels and huge hoarding will be put up all over the country. We will also be aiming to have celebrities to be the brand ambassadors of our drink. Other than that, we will take full advantage of the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup, scheduled to take place in February 2011 in the Indian subcontinent. Concentrating on all the four Ps of Marketing we will be able to achieve our desired position in the Perceptional-positioning mapping. Product Product Type: Energy Drink. The term product includes two things tangible and intangible. It also includes services, ideas, goods, people and a mix of various elements. Our product would come under category of shopping products and non durable goods. There are three product levels: Core product. Embodied product. Augmented product. Core Product: Core product means the core benefits and the reason why people would want to buy our product. The Youth age group (11-21) would buy our product because as they are prone for experiencing new product and they consider it as a style statement. Now-days young generation is facing a problem of very hectic, stressful and tiring schedule. Our product would relief them and provide with energy and necessary minerals. Age group (22-30) these people come under the category of Intense working people and they have a very stressful life, and as they devote very less to physical activity; for them our product would refresh them and would give them energy to work more efficiently. Last but not the least is Sport athletes which are our main target; would buy our product because as their major time goes in playing physical sports, the water and energy level drenches down very quickly and they become exhausted very fast. Our product will be a great beneficial for them. For people who are Chain smokers for them our product is like an apple to their eye and health because our product coconut pulp which works as a nicotine reducer. EMBODIED PRODUCT: Embodied means physical goods or delivery services that provides benefits. It consists of design, packing, ingredients and brand name. Logo of Powergade Description: C:UsersArchitDesktopbackprint.png Product can design front and back Ingredients: Coconut pulp, Water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrate, taurine, glucuronolactone, caffeine, instol, niacinamide, calcium-pantothenate, pyridoxine HCL, Vitamin 612, artificial flavors, colors. Source(s)- (Red bull can) Durability of our product (Expiry of the product)-24 Months from the date of Manufacture. Augmented Product: Augmented product means post-purchase activity or services. In case of defective goods we will replace the defective goods within a period of 5 working days and would give cash back if defective quantity is more than 2%. Minimum order of 300 pieces. Discounts are provided if there is a bulk order. We will also have a scheme of lucky dip when you buy 4 powergade, and get 25% off. Core Product When a consumer wants to buy a product, what will he or she will look into, the uniqueness of the product, and will also differentiate between two products that how a product is different with its same type of competitors product. After comparing the consumer will buy the product which will give him maximum benefits and, also will give him maximum satisfaction. We see that there are many energy drinks in the market and all have a same thing to say, and same benefits to give that are- Increases performance Increases concentration Improves mental alertness Stimulates metabolism Our product powergade is a very unique type of product, and its uniqueness will take this product at the top of the Non-Alcoholic beverages market. You may think that how can an energy drink can be as unique as any other energy drink. Our product has all the benefits that all top energy drinks have in common, but we have added some more three features in our energy drink. Common benefits shared with the competitors will be- Increases performance Increases concentration Improves mental alertness Stimulates metabolism Unique features of Powergade- Nicotine reducer More of Vitamins Additional fibre (fruity taste as fibres will be taken from fruit nectar) The nicotine reducer will help those consumers who are addicted to cigarettes, while people have cigarettes nicotine automatically gets in their blood, whereas when that consumer will have our product his nicotine count will be reduced. We will use a pinch of coconut oil as coconut is the best nicotine reducer. Our product will also have more of vitamins which will help the consumer revitalize his mind, be active and energetic all throughout the day. Additional fibre is fruit nectar which will be used in our product; this will give a good and additional taste  [3]  . As we know today, the demand for energy drinks is increasing day by day in the Indian markets, there is tough competition between competitors, and every company is having a price war with its competitors to sell its products. Red bull in that case has kept its price of a can is Rs.85, and cloud 9 has kept the price of its can Rs.90. These drastic differences in prices will be because of many reasons as for example the ingredients which are there in the drink or mainly the packaging or manufacturing of product will be different from the others, or there may be a simple reason for high prices that will be the profitability of the company. For setting up a price for our brand powergade we need a certain pricing objectives which will help in our pricing decision, pricing objectives are goals that describe the role of price in an organizations plans, the objectives help managers as a basic guide line to develop further pricing and marketing strategies  [4]  . The pricing objectives which are required for this product will be- Market penetration Target rate of return Price stabilization Meet of follow competition Market share Profit maximization Cash flow Product line promotion Survival in the market.  [5]   Our price will overcome the cost and therefore earning us a good profit margin. The cost will include all the internal and external costs. Pricing will be considering the taxes also on the product. Customers will feel value for money for our product as they will be satisfied to the fullest. Our pricing will be complementing other Ps of the marketing mix. It should be complementing with the place it is marketed, the promotion used and the value of the product. Strategies Market Led Pricing Strategy Market led pricing strategy are based on the level of customer demand for a firms products or the level of demand in the industry in which the firm operates. Market led Pricing strategy include Penetration Pricing, Skimming price, Price Discrimination, Loss leader, Psychological pricing and Promotional pricing. In all the market led pricing strategies our product will be using Penetration pricing and Psychological pricing. Penetration pricing is a strategy used for a new product to help establish itself in the industry. This method involves setting a relatively low price in order to gain market share and awareness. Over time, as the product established itself, the price can be raised. This strategy is suitable for mass market products that sell in large enough volumes like our powergade. It will help Gatorade to enter a well established market efficiently. One drawback of using this strategy is that customers might consider the product of low quality as it priced low. Combining with Penetration pricing is the psychological pricing. Psychological pricing is a strategy that involves using numbers like, such as $ 9.99 to make price seem lower. Hence customers psychologically feel that they are getting a bargain or better price for the product  [6]