Thursday, November 28, 2019

Big Brothers Big Mouth Essay Example

Big Brothers Big Mouth Paper This would mean that its audience are socially diverse, open-minded, and slightly merciless. This is reflected by the increasing diversity of housemates (i. e. tourettes sufferer Pete), the increasingly shocking events taking place and the vindictive and merciless competitiveness of the programme. Big Brother is the perfect example of cultivation theory, that is, through repeated exposure to former taboo subjects and issues the audience has become desensitised and almost view such issues as normal or acceptable. This is one reason why Big Brother has become one of the phenomenons of the 21st century; because our society has become so much more diverse and accepting Big Brother is allowed to flourish where as if it had been shown during the 1950s for example, it would have been met with disgust and uproar. Even today Big Brother often stirs up controversy but in an era in which controversy is almost the norm, it is just something to read about in newspapers, and perhaps argue about with friends. Another important consideration is Big Brothers target audience which is extremely diverse; its primary audience is 18 to 35 year olds, of both genders. This is reflected by the housemates who fit into this category themselves, which is important in order for the audience to be able to relate to the them. I would consider the target lifestyle to be mainly aspirers. This is because Big Brother is essentially a shortcut to fame, with only a very select few making it onto the programme. Therefore the people watching Big Brother aspire to the housemates an the supposed fame that awaits them. We will write a custom essay sample on Big Brothers Big Mouth specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Big Brothers Big Mouth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Big Brothers Big Mouth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I also believe that Big Brother appeals to explorers due to the fact that it is such a revolutionary show. I t offers something that no other genre offers, which satisfies explorers want for new experiences. As for the Uses and Gratifications theory, Big Brother offers its audience a form of escapism, social identify, and a reflection of social relationships. The audience find an escape from their own problems and worries through the exaggerated and dramatised ones of the Big Brother housemates. It is also an extremely unlikely situation, giving its audience a temporary escape from reality. Due to the fact that Big Brother is based on social interaction of the housemates it is a reflection of social relationships. Much of the public can relate to the relationships between characters, e. g. the romance between Grace and Mikey. These relationships often reflect the audiences own social relationships making it interesting and often informative viewing. The diversity of the Big Brother house ensures that it is extremely likely that there is at least one character in the house that the audience can relate and feel a connection to. This social identity is an important factor, as everyone wants to feel that they can relate to another person or group; the need for acceptance is a key part of human nature. Big Brother recognise this need and addresses it with its uniquely diverse household. The ideology promoted by Big Brother is a shallow one, with the importance of fame, popularity, and winning being either embedded or promoted by the housemates. It implies that society is based on competition, and that personal relationships can be used as a tool to get what you want. These ideologies have prompted much criticism from the media. However, the institution behind Big Brother, Endamol, will continue with its controversial winning formula so long as it keeps audience figures up. This is because Endamol is a major commercial institution meaning that its main priority is profit. It is behind many other successful TV productions such as Desperate Housewives and Lost. The popularity of Big Brother has resulted in it branching off into a mini-subculture with supporting programmes such as Big Brothers Big Mouth, Big Brothers Little Brother and Diary Room Uncut. It has even got its very own column or page in most tabloid newspapers dedicated the happenings inside the Big Brother house. This reflects the amazing popularity and influence Big Brother holds in todays society, the key to its success? It is a reflection of society and we as a race are constantly trying to analyse and explain our own behaviour, Big Brother is essentially a glass cage in which we can curiously peer.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Compare the pre-titles sequences of two James Bond films- Goldfinger and Goldeneye Essay Example

Compare the pre Compare the pre-titles sequences of two James Bond films- Goldfinger and Goldeneye Paper Compare the pre-titles sequences of two James Bond films- Goldfinger and Goldeneye Paper Essay Topic: Film There has been a large change in society in terms of excitement for the audience. The old film Goldfinger, and the more recent Goldeneye, are films to suit two different types of audience. Over the past thirty years, there have been higher expectations within the action film industry such as action, humour and stunts. The two James Bond films have many similarities because they are the same theme. The classic opening with the barrel of the gun and blood down the screen are in every James Bond film. It is almost a trademark. Another trademark is the theme tune in both films. People know what the film is just from the theme tune because of its large popularity. The action scene at the beginning is to attract the audience interest and attention. It shows the kind of action to expect. For example, in Goldeneye the start has many stunts such as the bungee or plane. Therefore, it will have lots of stunts later through the film. James Bonds personality is the same. His charm and witty puns is what attracts people to him. The style of his clothes such as his smart white tuxedo makes the audience still familiar with the same type of James Bond. Because he is a ladys man he is admired by both woman, for being attractive, and men, for his exceptional charm with any woman. His similarities with woman are also in the title sequence. The actions of the women give a sort of prologue for the film. As well as many similarities there are also many differences. The technology in the films is very different. They supply an expectation from the audience because they usually get the high-tech gadgets. The action is also different especially the stunts. More modern films such as Goldenye have more thrilling and ambitious stunts. This is done by new technology and graphics. Societys cloths have changed in the past thirty years. In Goldfinger, James Bond wears a wet suit which covers his tuxedo. In Goldeneye he wears a stealthy black outfit for infiltration. The plots of the films have also changed. The bad person in Goldenye is a classic villain who paints his dead victims gold (to go with his name). In Goldenye it has a good agent who seems to be killed. However, the film later reveals that he is actually the main villain. This twist in the film gives a greater excitement to the audience. The directing of James Bond is different. In Goldfinger his moves with a hop, skip and a jump. He has a hand to hand fight with a bad person. These basic actions are what would be expected from a film thirty years ago. However, today it would be seen as boring to the audience. In Goldenye, James Bond sneaks around the facility with a silence pistol. When his cover is blown they end up shooting lots of guards. The large amounts of violence from the deaths of the guards help to fill up the audiences excitement. When his fellow agent is killed which makes it even more interesting James Bond is left pinned with many guns aiming at him. As well as excitement it also builds tension as the audience wonder what he is going to do. To finish the pre-title opening, he rides over a cliff into a plane. Before the title sequence there is a large explosion. All these different actions and violence give a greater thrill. The light and camera angles are also used to entertain the audience. In Goldfinger the scene is done under the cover of darkness. Although in Goldenye it is done during the day. This is to make the scene look more dangerous as he will be more easily seen. This builds up tension for the audience. He meets the other agent in a dark storage room to show the stealth of the mission. The stealth makes it look even more exciting. Camera angles in Goldfinger are mainly focused on him. James Bonds facial expressions are used to emphasise action and danger. The camera angles on Goldeneye are focused on him and the surrounding area. The close up shots is used to create the feelings of tension with facial expressions. The far out shots indicate danger and large action scenes. For example, the far out shot of the dam in Goldenye shows the danger James Bond has to do. When the camera looks over the dam to show the great height it makes the audience nervous from looking at the great height. There are far more camera angles in the modern film with quicker shots. This is used to build up the tension and excitement in the audience. For example, when James Bond is running along the dam there are many angles. These are focused from a side to show his action, at his feet to show the pace of his running and his body from a far out shot to show the distance of his running. These fast camera shots are used to build up the excitement. There are no camera angles on his face to help create mystery. Because it does not show his face the audience cannot be completely sure it is James Bond. The only sound in the film is the running of his feet which also create tension. In Goldfinger, there are only a few camera angles which change over a longer time. This does not create as much excitement and tension in the audience. They are mainly further out shots so the shot captures more of James Bond from one angle. The camera angles was not as important in that time as society had a lower expectation for action and thrill. The title sequences of the two films are different because of the change in society. There are naked woman in Goldeneye because it entertains the audience more. It is now seen as acceptable in society to show woman naked because of the more lax nature. There are dressed woman in Goldfinger but are wearing revealing cloths. The film has tried to make the woman as naked as possible without overstepping the boundaries of society. People have higher expectations in Goldeneye than in Goldfinger. They want more killing, violence and stunts. This is to give the audience an all round thrill. The action in the film is represented with music to give an audio perspective. The music is usually the James Bond theme so people can always associate it with action and excitement. As well as expectations of the film, people also have expectations of James Bond. They want him to have action, humour as well as some sexual content. This is because it is what the audience have previously seen from James Bond and enjoys his personality. His classic speech of Bond, James Bond is well known and used by every actor to identify him as James Bond. The technology in both films has gadgets, cars and woman. This is the usual from James Bond and is admired by men as they are boys toys. The technology has to keep up with society. In Goldfinger, James Bonds explosive was on a timer like a clock. In the more recent Goldfinger, the explosive were on a more modern digital timer. Technology is very important in James Bond especially in later films. Goldenye is based on advanced technology such as the helicopter and satellite. As the technology has improved in the film it has also improved out of the film. More advance graphics means that the action and stunts can be even wilder. Blue screening makes the film and action better as they can add scenes where they have never been. This was done in Star Wars to add different scenes and other worlds. If the two films were made at the same time, the plot would be different but the technology similar. Both Goldfinger and Goldeneye were able to satisfy society in their time. However as technology and stunts improve people want to see more action and excitement. Both the films have action in the pre-title sequences although the action is much better in the more recent Goldeneye than Goldfinger.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Police Interrogation and Due Process Research Paper

Police Interrogation and Due Process - Research Paper Example The above principles which are contained in the 5th amendment are very important to an individual accused of a crime. Although the amendment is viewed to contain various provisions, four elements widely protects an individual accused of a crime are right of protection against double jeopardy, right to due process, a right to what is known as grand jury and finally, right against self incrimination (Tomkovicz, 2002). Within courts in the United States, whenever questions arise in criminal trials whether a confession is incompetent because it is not viewed to be voluntary; this issue is mainly controlled by the 5th amendment commanding that specific individual shall at any given time be compelled in a criminal case to be a witness against himself. Self incrimination indicates that no person accused of a particular crime may be compelled to be a witness against her/himself. Supreme Court ruled that this specific action is only available not only police interrogation but also the trial. Further, this same rule may only apply to custodial interrogation where police interrogates an individual while in custody. Grand jury is defined as a group of individuals who decide whether there is enough evidence to charge a particular suspect. However, the US Supreme Court has not ruled on this requirement to apply to the states. Double jeopardy implies that individuals may not be punished and tried twice for the same crime. This area is complex such that even Supreme Court struggle with it. Finally, based on the due process, the 5th amendment indicates that no one should at any time be deprived property, life and liberty without due process of the law. The two types of due process are substantive and procedural. Procedural type focuses on fundamental fairness whereas substantive widely extend beyond the context of criminal prosecutions (Sonneborn, 2004). 4th Amendment Clearly, it is the legal responsibility for any government to provide each and every defiant in any criminal ac tion with legal representation which must be viewed to be effective. This is explained by the 6th amendment to the U.S that states â€Å"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦to have the assistance of counsel for his defense†. This clause gives all defendants the right to communicate with an attorney from the specific moment the defendant was taken into police custody. Decision by U.S Supreme Court to have constructed this clause was to ensure that any defiant enjoyed the constitutional right especially during critical stages in a criminal proceeding. These critical stages are namely; preliminary hearings, custodial interrogation, trial, post indictment, first appeal conviction and sentencing (Chemerinsky, 2002). This same clause was mainly to react against English practice where assistant from an attorney was denied even in very serious criminal cases. Here, defendants required

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Mills and Boons Collaboration with the RFU Case Study

Mills and Boons Collaboration with the RFU - Case Study Example There are various ways of segmenting the market. There are mainly four bases on which a consumer market can be segmented. The geographical segmentation is based on the area and the population's characteristics of the segment. Then there are demographical factors that include the age, gender, income and status of family and other related factors (Stanton, Etzel, 2003). Psychographic factors are the attitudes of the people in the market segment, whereas behavioral segmentation is the price, brand loyalty and price of the product. Demographic factors are a useful indicator because the marketer would need to see that what age group reads the novels of Mills and Boon. Normally the age bracket of its novel readers is between 18 to 34 years of age. Age is an important characteristic because the demands of an individual changes with time and therefore it is necessary for the product to fulfill the desires of each one of the changing demands. The novel should have something for everyone. Their target is females who are more inclined towards romantic novels. The idea behind this deal between Mills and Boons and RFU is to increase the female readership of Boons and Mills novels. By including the rugby players as the heroes of these novels, it will make them more attractive and appealing for young women who are educated and who would love to see the energetic, glamorized players as the romantic heroes. This is expected to boost the demand for the novels as those who already read them will get an extra flavor to it, wh ereas even the sports fans might just go ahead and buy these novels. The marketer will have to access the psychographic factors in the market because only those will be willing to buy these novels who either love to read romantic fiction or are a sports freak. People who are not into reading and sports will not care to pay attention to it at all. Moreover who are risk takers would like to try to read something different and look forward to the new subject. Also the buying of the romantic novels depends on the mind set of an individual, the lifestyle and the culture altogether. Behavioral factors can also be utilized to segment the market for readers. For this the kind of people to be targeted will have extensive knowledge related to the subject therefore while marketing the novel to them the marketer will need to satisfy them. The there are habitual buyers who have a passion for romantic novels. There will be some people for whom the price will be a consideration and can affect their decision making, while there will be some who would buy it out of brand loyalty (Kotler, Armstrong, 2003). These factors can be utilized by Mills and Boons and RFU in order to divide the market into segments and then come up with an appropriate marketing strategy for each one of them. This will help to allocate resources effectively and make work easier. Question - 2 Mills and Boon was founded in the year 1908. Over the period of time it has

Monday, November 18, 2019

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT - Coursework Example In this entire period, the Canadian Aluminum company shifted its strategies from immediate to deliberate strategies. However, its external factors were very influential on the decisions made. As the company continued centralizing its structures, it relied on deliberate strategies. The authors have a high credibility in that, they are attempting to evaluate whether the growth of a company depends on either deliberate or emergent strategy. Their credibility is evident since they try to apply what Henry Mintzberg had already introduced. Other scholars have reviewed the source of their information. In their findings, they disclose that emergent and deliberate strategies vary in their continuum. The authors research and findings support the research topic, that their exist similarities and differences between the emergent and the deliberate strategies. I endorse their conclusion on the ground that, the two strategies cannot be equally exclusive since either occurs because of varied factor s. Mintzberg, H., Waters, A. J, 1985, Of Strategies, Deliberate and Emergent: John Wiley & Sons, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. ... The article is relevant to the research topic since it supports that there is a sharp dichotomy between the deliberate and emergent strategies. Some of the features that I consider useful in supporting the research topic is when the authors confirms that the two strategies are like two end points of a scale upon which the organizations base their strategies. In presenting their credibility, the authors come up with a notion that and some other fundamental issues linked to strategic decisions. In their conclusion, they disclose the various types of strategies that concealed in research. In extent, these may compromise the validity and reliability of their research since most of the strategies unearthed are not peer reviewed. The strategies uncovered in research include; planned, entrepreneurial, ideological, umbrella, process, unconnected, consensus and imposed strategies. Even though, I support their research that there is a great comparison between the emergent and deliberate strate gies, I am not quite certain about the other strategies they introduce and consider that they also vary. Mintzberg, H, 1990, Design School: Reconsidering the Basic Premises of Strategic Management, John Wiley & Sons, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Mar. - Apr., 1990), pp. 171-195. Accessed: 30/07/2010 04:57. Web: Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2486485 Among the opinions held by particular groups on the formation of strategy, there is one that lies beneath the descriptions in the area of study, and that is the design school. The main purpose of this paper is to suggest on a simple model, which evaluates the process, as a design to accomplish a fundamental anchor between

Friday, November 15, 2019

Marketing plan and the strategies for small business enterprises

Marketing plan and the strategies for small business enterprises Small business enterprises (SBE) are normally started and owned by solely and is the way of entrepreneurs own marketing concept and is different other than business in global market. It is the widely spread and known business in western region of world, specifically in Europe and is contributing to worlds economy very efficiently. Though there is always lack of marketing specialists and the resources as well as skills, marketing approach are always based on sole decision makers as of entrepreneurs perceptions. It also cannot be separated from the marketing approach which includes relationship approach and is found that marketing is important as other functional areas of the small business organizations. The business is affected by marketing which includes, the location, pricing, sales techniques, advertising, promotional activities even the goal of the company. Marketing is all about the making its customers aware of the products or services, good value, good service and following up the customers are even more important which can be done better than the competitors. Introduction In general small businesses are run by the owner who owned the business privately. According to the Industry Canada, the business that has less than 500 employees is known as small medium enterprise. In addition, small business is defined as the business having less than 100 employees and if the business is based on service then the number of employees is even less than 50 and. According to SBEs industry published guidelines, for wholesaling the range of employees falls under 100 to 500 and for manufacturing, ranging from 500 to 1500. Thought the small businesses hold lesser number of employees and other resources, it holds the powerful position for the economic development. It is quite difficult to define the accurate definition for small business because of different varieties of firms, but finally according to the agreement, is defined differently in different parts of the world and according to the national needs. (Theng and Boon 1996). It plays the vital role as the contributors to the economic, development and the employment growth in the economy of Individual County as well as in the world economy. Mulhern (1995) concluded that, there is 99% of companies are small and medium sized in all over Europe whereas also generated 66% of employment. The idea of comparing the size of a business, to the size and power of a boat, provides an excellent analogy. A cruise ship may withstand storms and high waves much better than a small yacht, but it is not very manoeuvrable. A speedboat can go places a ship could never attempt. It is faster, agile, and can turn quickly to avoid danger. These comparisons are no surprise. Most people seem to realize these differences, but contemplating them well enough to seize their potential is what separates the weak from the strong. The small athlete, who could easily be crushed by bigger competitors, can still win by dodging them and outrunning them. For small business owners to adapt the same thinking as big business can easily bring disaster. You have the advantage if you think differently. Business models are changing fast, and a small agile company can adapt more quickly. There are big companies teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Some of them are so steeped in outdated business practices that they cannot adapt quickly enough to avoid hitting the iceberg. Every product or the services is worthless unless there are any customers to buy them and are the key factors for making any business towards the success or the failure. Here exists the essence or the importance of marketing for generating the customers for the business whether it is done online or offline. Marketing is none other than creating the demands for the products or the services provided by the business from the potential customers and even more additional demands from the existing customers. (www.theinternetbusinesscoach.co.uk) In general, most of the small businesses spend less on marketing but key for whole process is to focus on the right customers whether by adding value to the products or services which is directly perceived by the customers mind creating the brand loyalty which will be discussed in next section of this report. Customer as a Key Factor The mantra The customer is the king, is popular since the 1940s. The customers are being key factors for the success of the business since early age of business development. In every or almost all business enterprises, the ultimate goal of those organizations is to fulfil the demands or their wants and needs through products or the services to the customers. CRM as the solution for Small Business Customer relationship management widely known as CRM, as mentioned by (Chang, Liao and Hsiao, 2005) it is really an observable fact when came out after the occurrence of Internet and the web technology in order to facilitate for the implementation of CRM. It mainly focuses on the interaction between the customers and the service providers through the Internet and the web based applications. Customer Relationship Management is a comprehensive strategy and process of acquiring, retaining and partnering with selective customers to create superior value for the company and the customer. (J. N. Sheth A. Parvatiyar, 2001). The most important aspect of CRM is the selection of the customers. As many of the researchers has shown in their studies that, all the customers are not always profitable for any individual company. Some customers might be profitable for any individual company but not for all. So company therefore adopt the selective programme and marketing efforts by segmenting and selecting the most fruitful or profitable customers as the individual marketing programme. So as the size of small business and the available resources, it is very important to focus on particular customers from the particular section of the market, widely known as the segment of the market. The owner of the small business spends less on marketing and the strategy so, determining the profitable customers become very essential for the small business. Needs of Marketing for SBE The marketing needs of small business are very different but simple. He further added, local markets are mainly targeted for business advertisement of small business. The most common methods for advertisement flyers, yellow pages are used in local market. As it is the back bone of European business and many of other countries. In todays world economy, small business is contributing the most. The lack of perfect business plan and market strategies is squeezing the possibilities for the success so the adopting the marketing plan and strategies will definitely help the small business to grow satisfying the ultimate customers need and wants. It allows looking forward to plan the changing environment and the trend of the existing market even changes of the competitors. It is for helping to identifying the strengths and weaknesses of own company, its products or the services as well as the reviewing the available resources and the skills and to explore them to get fit in the market and to fulfil the companys strategic goal. SWOT Analysis of SBE It is the well known tool for analysing the strategic position of the business and the environment. The purpose of this tool is basically to find the strategy which is ultimately creates the specific business model. There are four factors in SWOT analysis which are as follows: Strengths: it is the qualities of any business organization which enables the business to survive and to gain the competitive advantage. It can be either tangible or intangible. As the small business are small in size but also have the strength of low investment risk and low investment on the advertisement. Weakness: these are the factors which is the standard of business organizations. Low product range, poor decision making, insufficient research facilities. In terms of small business, it does not need the massive numbers of resources but whereas the product is concerned, the small business focuses on very few ranges of products as well as limited services. Opportunities: It is the opportunities which are present in the environment where the business organization operates. As the small businesses are the back bone of the country economy, arise in market, increasing demand are the opportunities of the small business. Threats: this is the condition where the environment is not in favour of the business. In general there are some threats for small business because of the existence of large business occupying the market of small business. Market Planning for SBEs Product or Services There are two types of strategic market planning. They are as follows: Long-term market planning Short-term market planning Long-term market planning: the long-term market planning is set as the name suggest for the long term goal of the company as a scheduled day-to-day business and marketing activities. This is ongoing process and the marketing activities whereas is the essential part for new business. Short-term market planning: it is the process of developing and setting the specific goals. This is adopted by the existing businesses in response to the unexpected in the business and if is new in the marketplace. On the other hand, it is basically adopted when there is decrement in market share, launching new product, increasing in customers complaint, and change in government regulations and if new market is identified for the product or the service. Depending upon the market or the business whether it is existing business or the new business the marketing plan can be chosen out of two which both focuses on the companys strength and the weakness of the competitors and to improve the market position while increasing the sales and the profitability of the company. Marketing strategies for SBE The customers needs and wants can be fulfilled when the situation are analysed which are the key factors for the business success. The factors involved in marketing strategies are as follows: Market segmentation Market targeting Market positioning Value proposition Generally segmenting the market means grouping the people of same behaviour or the buying pattern of the customers. Whereas segmentation is concerned with the small businesses, it is very important to find out the right customers from the right place. Though the market is very small, finding the profitable customers and their needs is essential for the small businesses. Segmenting the market can be of different types: according to geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural. According to geographic segmentation, it is based on the region, size or the density of the population. It is benefit for the small business to segment the market according to the geographic location because of the popularity of the products or the services where the business can occupy its own market. On the other hand, demographic segmentation, it is based on age, gender, income occupation, religion, family size, education and so on. This can be another benefit for small businesses because of limited resources it is easier for small business to launch the new products or for the promotion of new products or the services. Next is psychographic segmentation which deals with the life style of the customers, their social class, values, and opinions, their interests, attitudes. Small business focuses on the customers of similar class rather than the high class, so that the products or the services will fit with all the general class. Final strategy of market segmentation is behavioural segmentation and is based on the pattern of purchase behaviour and also based on usage rate. This segmentation is somehow affecting the small business. Where the small business is concerned, the combination of geographic segmentation and demographic segmentation are best suited for the small business as targeting on very specific customers is fruitful and less expensive for small business organizations. After deciding the segmentation strategy, the next step is to target the right market. According to Ferrel et al, 2008, there are five strategies for targeting the market. The first is single segment targeting. This strategy is normally selected by the small business because of concentrating on specific segment of the market. On the other hand, selective specialization select the multiple segment of the market and is widely, known as differentiated strategy. Product specialization is another which specially deals with the particular specific group of customers. Mass market targeting is the one which is specially adopted by the large businesses and target the mass markets. Finally market specialization which expertise in one market and provides the solutions to the customers problems. Importance of positioning for SBE Positioning is not only to position any product or services in any location or in the place rather it is about to attract the attentions of the products while matching the customers needs and wants. It is about the position in customers mind against the competing products. Kotler (1986). For positioning the product or the services, Robert et al (2006) purposed some approaches where attributes of the product, and deals with brand loyalty of the products by delivering the better value than the competitors. Brand name and the value for the product by positioning in customers mind is known as price or quality approach. Product user and the product class is another one which deals with the specific group of products whereas use of application approach deals with positioning according to the uses by the customers. Competitor is the last one and deals with as the name suggests positioning directly to the market by distinguishing to each other. For small business, use of application approach will be best suited because of the same behaviour of customer buying pattern. For example McDonald is most popular for fast food but in competition to street fish n chips shop in UK. Though the fist n chips shop can also provides all the services to the customers as McDonald can but the trend of customers is highly follow the others. Pricing Strategies of SBE It is most important to focus on pricing strategy as it is the major factors affecting the marketing mix. It is the important factors for the product features, choosing the channel distribution for the products or the services and determines the whole resources of the business. There are different types of pricing strategy for the product or the services. They are: premium pricing, skim pricing, penetration pricing and economy pricing. Among of all the pricing strategy, it is suggested to adopt economy pricing strategy as the small business organization would cover all the customers in middle level neither high class nor the low class. The product or the services should be easily accessible to all level of customers satisfying the needs and the wants. The Pound shop or 99p shop in UK can be the best examples as they provide all the products for just a  £1. Distribution system for SBEs Products or Services It is the methods of providing the products or the services to the ultimate customers what they want or need. There are basically two types of channel that can be followed for the distribution of products or the services. The first one in Indirect Distribution and another is Direct Distribution. Among of two distribution channel, Direct distribution will be the best suited for the small business organizations. By adopting the direct distribution, the mediators in between the business and the customers can be eliminated and can save the further expenses. Small businesses are not relying on traditional marketing methods, where marketing was used to like work-of-mouth or just printed advertisement. The time has been changed now so instead of traditional marketing internet marketing are in existence today. Internet has become as an integral part for the shopping by the customers. It is very difficult to find the customers for small business just depending upon the traditional marketing. Through the internet the business can attract many of new customers and is even cost effective and even the customers can save their valuable time and money. It is also noticed that the research activity output in E-Marketing had decreased significantly between 2003 and 2008 . The availability of information about the products and 24 hours service can give the advantage to the small business as well Conclusion To conclude, it is found that marketing is an important aspect for any kind of businesses whether it is small or big. The size of the business does not matter while adopting the marketing but the strategies of marketing plan may differ from one business to another. SWOT analysis or the use of Four Ps can be helpful for determining the specific marketing plan or for the marketing process. Whether it is segmenting market or the promotion strategies, for the small business there is the importance exists for satisfying the customers needs by providing the right product for right value. On the other hand, maintaining the relationship with customer is equally important to retain the customer within the business organization. It is not all over by only selling the product to the customers. Actually its the start of good relationship and the business opportunities from the profitable customers.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Contemporary World Final Essay -- essays research papers fc

Final Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second half of the twentieth century has seen many changes in political policies, the economy, religion, and technology. All of these have affected each other. The study of the history of humankind allows us to look back and learn from past accomplishments and mistakes. Although technology has allowed for incredible communication and reporting around the world, as individuals do we use this to our advantage and grow as better people? We continue to struggle with ingrained prejudices and ideals for other ethnic groups. As the movement for diversity continues to grow in today’s society, our biggest problem we face in the future could be the disuniting of people. How we handle the changes will provide negative and positive results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the United States was formed, the different ethnic groups had a common goal. They wanted to build a nation of multiethnic groups sharing in common political ideas. This was clearly stated in the Constitution of the United States. â€Å"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union†¦Ã¢â‚¬  builds an immediate identity of citizenship among the people creating cohesion of the different ethnic groups. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, a French immigrant published Letters from an American Farmer during the American Revolution. In it, he answered his question â€Å"What then is the American, this new man?† His answer is â€Å"He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, received new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles†¦.Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men.† (Schlesinger, Jr. 12). The term melting pot was coined to describe the blending of the new multiethnic society in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, ethnic groups settled together in areas and formed their own neighborhoods. In a diverse city like Chicago, this is clearly seen. Ethnic groups wanted to maintain some of their beliefs and ways even in America and being together helped them maintain their culture. Now, individual groups of ethnicity are seeking acknowledgement for their differences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The question as to whether or not we can accept the changes with cultural div... ...e and pray that individual acceptance, love and kindness will overcome some of the issues that arise in the future and we can live in peace and put the past atrocities of ethnic cleansing, war, racism, communism, and hatred behind us. The world’s future depends on us to be accepting and tolerant of each others differences while having a common goal of building economic stability, fair political policies and having a sense of common identity. If history repeats itself, we have not proven we can do this. I would like to believe the most promising development in the world is the return of conservation. As individuals reach a greater awareness of the earth’s depleting natural resources, conservation will become a way of life, rather than the throw away society we have been. In some areas, such as California where there have been brown outs and the practice of electric conservation has been forced. As utility prices skyrocket as we saw with the gas bills this past winter, our awareness of conservation will grow as it hits our pocket books. Works Cited Schlesinger, Jr. Arthur. The Disuniting of America – Reflections on a Multicultural Society.New York:W.W. Norton & Company 1992.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Final Marketing Plan Presentation Essay

The Allstate Corporation is the largest publicly held personal lines property and casualty insurer in America. Allstate provides insurance products to approximately 16 million households. Allstate was founded in 1931 and became a publicly traded company in 1993. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol ALL and widely known through the â€Å"You’re In Good Hands With Allstate ®Ã¢â‚¬  slogan. (Suite 101, 2013). Being such a large provider of consumer protection takes hard work and dedication from every individual in the company to provide consumers with the highest level of customer service. While Allstate was trying unsuccessfully to diversify, rivals were revolutionizing the auto insurance business, which Allstate still counts on for most of its sales. Auto premiums generated 55% of its $31.4 billion in revenue last year.Geico and Progressive Corp. found a new formula for growth in the relatively mature business. They crafted a lower-cost model combining direct sales over the Internet and telephone with heavy television advertising. Offering lower prices and more convenience, they grew rapidly at the expense of Allstate and other insurers that sell mostly through agents.Allstate’s second-place share of the auto insurance market fell to 10.4% from 11.3% over the past five years, while Chevy Chase, Md.-based Geico jumped two points to 8.7% and Progressive climbed to 7.9 %( Suite 101, 2013). State Farm Insurance the largest car and home insurer in the U.S. and a mutual company owned by its policyholders consistently rated better for claims handling and service than Allstate. The claims department of Allstate has some of the most critical interaction with the consumers because it is during a time of need. Consumers contact the claims department when they have suffered a loss to establish a claim. The claims adjuster has the responsibility of obtaining claim pertinent information from the consumer to effectively evaluate the loss. At Allstate Insurance claims departments are separated according to customer needs. Large claims offices known as Market Claim Offices, MCO, are strategically located to provide adequate coverage across the nation. A Market Claim Office presides over a few states or an individual state depending on claim volume and consumer coverage. Allstate has specialized offices that handle claims for the entire nation but only if they meet certain criteria. The Hudson Express Office out of Hudson, Ohio is an office with a focus on handling claims with a reduced cycle time or the  time from claim submission to claim settlement. A starting to examine the external factors impacting customer expectations, which may or may not be off-kilter with necessary protocols and the terms of coverage insurance in general, is the media’s unflattering portrayal of the i ndustry; especially in light of post Katrina claim controversies and litigation. Aside from merely being a nuisance, the media also contribute to customer apprehension, which invariably affects the entire claim experience, starting with the initial exchange. Customer leeriness combated, comfort level enhanced easily by treating the customer and the claim with care and speed. To meet this reduced cycle time the Hudson Express Office only handles smaller claims with a total loss under $10,000. Everything within the Hudson Express Office is completely in house with no need for outside adjusters. A challenge area that arises because there are no outside adjusters is to efficiently write an estimate for structure damages and example of this comes from a customer’s review: (Five Weeks and Still Waiting, Jan 18 2013)†. I was broadsided by a driver who didn’t stop at a stop sign at a 4 way intersection. My car was left un-drivable. She didn’t have her insurance card with her. After a lot of investigating I found out who her insurance company was and called them myself. They told me an adjuster would be out to look at my car. No one showed up. I have called every day since. I have been told that as soon as they receive the police report and accept liability, they will put me in a rental car. It has been almost 5 weeks!† Description of the new product of service Allstate aims to compete more effectively with Geico and Progressive on their turf. After a successful four state pilot of the new Claim Satisfaction Guarantee for auto insurance across the country. Will Shorten claim cycle time ultimately results in higher customer satisfaction because the consumer can resume life as usual sooner rather than later. Allstate Insurance has implemented a new web-based customer service center to in able consumers to provide claim pertinent information via their computer through the use of the customer website. Consumers are able to enter file notes into the claim as well as submit a list of stolen or damaged items through the customer website that can be instantly attached to the claim. An opportunity area for decreased cycle time is with regard to property estimates. An in house  estimating system is utilized by inside adjusters to create a preliminary damage estimate. For smaller less complicated damage areas a web based estimating system would allow consumers to generate their own estimates. A simple web page can include multiple selections for damage areas including fences, doors, and windows. Once a damage area has been selected, multiple choice questions would allow consumers to describe the damaged area as well as the style and material the damaged area. If a consumer does not know the material or style, a default or average style and material would allow an initial estimate to be completed. Once the consumer receives an estimate or invoice from a contractor to complete the work, the claims department can review it for validity and issue any supplemental damages incurred. On simple claims, a consumer could file and settle a claim online without waiting for a call from a claims department representative significantly decreasing claim cycle time. SWOT Analysis The idea of developing a page on an insurance claim and being able to submit your complaint and receiving an instant response sounds great; Allstate needs to ensure that claims are being handled in a way in which will not create the webpage to become overloaded, it has to be user friendly and appropriate for any age group .Other considerations include the cost effectives of this type of service and how it will benefit the consumer and profitably for the brand.New automation also lists the opportunity in cost saving measures such as employee down sizing. Other key item to consider when marketing this type of service can be Advertisement on social media, newspapers,word of mouth, Blogs etc†¦ which are all great ways of promoting the new product and it also provides an opportunity to identify other forms of the same productoffered by the competitor. Target market including geographic Target market is middle market emerging affluent and mass affluent consumers with retirement and family financial protection needs. Priority status at the network repair shops and with our Service Centers. saving time and effort by having Allstate manage the entire repair process. Using the online system with real time updates to electronically monitor your vehicle at the repair shop. Progression updates are given on repairs so you can  spend time doing other things. working to minimize the repair time, which means a quicker reunion with your car. Quality factors including the quality of repairs, Guaranteeing repairs for as long as you own or lease the vehicle is one market point. If a policyholder has a burning question about a claim at 2 a.m., they are able log in to the online service site at any time to check the status of the claim. Porter’s five competitive forces model Allstate’s Consumer Segmentation Strategy When purchasing insurance or any other product or service, consumers have more choices than ever before and they know it. But decision making power is not in the customer’s hands alone. A company can build tremendous customer loyalty over time by making it a top priority to understand and meet its customers’ needs. As a result, Allstate will continue to refine its product offerings, marketing outreach and customer service based on careful research. Allstate serves four different consumer segments with distinct interaction preferences (advice and assistance versus self-directed) and brand preferences (brand-neutral versus brand-sensitive). Marketing research is an approach conducted to evaluate particular strategies.As well as the tactics used toward the web-based estimating system. The marketing research will help to connect with the consumers to analyze what is needed to research opportunities and evaluate marketing actions. This will also help to prevent uncertainties for the new service provided. The market research will allow the chance to determine how well the system is working. The competitive intelligence will help to identify what competitors are doing and how Allstate can differentiate service to gain customer loyalty. Marketing research will aid in developing a strategy that will increase the satisfaction of our new product of service. Allstate is working to provide quality service and conveniences. Therefore, the quantitative research will touch base on many incentives needed to process the claims. Other approaches will involve the act of identifying any other areas of concern. In which could relate to technical issues and a collection of data needed to estimate totals. The marketing research approach described will enhance the quality and promotion for Allstate’s new web-based system. The overall marketing plan should ensure the quality of each area of the  product and should provide the opportunity for clients to get on the site with hassle free problems and get the service that each individual needs. The mission should be to provide the best customer services and to ensure that the client gets what is needed in the end. Positioning statement Our Shared Vision provides the â€Å"why, how and what† behind everything we do at Allstate. It provides the road map for our continued success. Through this vision, we will truly put the customer at the center of everything we do (Allstate, 2013). We will become an even more valuable company to our customers, associates, investors, our communities and society a company with strong earnings potential and financial performance that sets the benchmark for our industry. We are the Good Hands: We help customers realize their hopes and dreams by providing the best products and services to protect them from life’s uncertainties and prepare them for the future. Deliver substantially more value than the competition by reinventing protection and retirement to improve customers’ lives. Put the customer at the center of all our actions. Utilize consumer insights, data and technology to serve customers and generate growth and attractive economic returns. Take an enterprise view of our people and processes and work as a single team to advance Allstate rather than our individual interests. Strategy and Position Description An automated online estimating system needs to be easy to understand and easy to use. The first element to the estimating tool is it needs to be easy to understand as well as aesthetically pleasing. When a customer logs on to his or her internet profile the option to choose an action needs to include selecting an existing claim on the insurance policy. Once the claim has been chosen, there will be a selection for estimating system. When the estimating system is chosen, the customer will be prompted regarding the damages he or she has sustained. For example, a customer was a victim of a recent theft loss where the front door was kicked in. The customer will select the damage option for entry door which will lead to a chain of questions regarding the  door. Options for the door will include material in which the door is made such as wood, metal, or fiberglass and whether or not the door is painted. Next, the customer will indicate the size of the door, if the customer does not know how to measure a door there will be a help icon that will advise the proper ways to measure a door. Style is another important factor in the cost of entry doors, options such as flush, panel, French, or security are the most common doors available. The next area of focus will include the damage sustained, whether the door, frame, or both are damaged will determine the proper repairs. The last area of concern for an initial estimate is whether the hardware is damaged and what type of hardware the customer currently has. When all of the information has been entered the estimating system will automatically construct an estimate for the removal and replacement of damaged property as well as the disposal of any debris. When the estimate is finished a disclaimer will be needed to inform the customer that the estimate is only a preliminary estimate and if any discrepancies arise when a contractor has seen the damage to inform the claims department for a review of the estimate. Since claims are being filed online, the movement on this is a little quicker. First of all, it reaches the company faster. The need to have the customer come in and get the information then in-putting it into the computer and have it looked at by the investigating agent, then processed, prepared for payment (if need be). Instead, you are cutting out the getting information process, and the inputting it into the computer by the agent. Instead you call or go online and put the information yourself and then let it get processed and then get paid. The affect it has on the movement is that it gets through quicker, you get faster response time from the company, and you get as accurate information as possible. The life cycle in a sense lasts shorter. Instead of taking a few weeks (possibly), it could take up to a week or less. So the life cycle in this case is a shorter one, which is good much better for the company overall. The only downside to this is that even though you get pretty accurate information, you then need to process it into insurance terminology so to speak, in which case you have an agent process the information. It’s also a good thing, because the agent is proof reading it so to speak to make sure that the information posted or given is  correct, and is process correctly, and is given to the proper division within the company. It’s sort of a backup plan and a much needed help for the customer who really has little to no knowledge on how insurance claims work. So overall, it is a faster and easier process which is set up to help the customer, and speed up the process to get claims paid quicker. Over time, while it does become easier, eventually other companies will begin to do this as well, and people will switch to whoever is cheaper. Service Packaging Packaging is not needed for our products or services. Instead we are offering our customers an easier way to file insurance claims. Normally a client would have to call in to the hot line number in order to file a claim. Once the operator answers then the client is expected to listen to numerous options and select which one applies to their personal needs at that moment. This process can be time consuming and aggravating depending on how many clients the customer service representatives the operators are assisting. The next step would be to explain the situation to the operator and wait for them to file the claim for the person. The on line website will be a fast working, easy to navigate website. There is nothing more aggravating then trying to complete information on a website that is slow and takes a long time to accept information. With technological advances, being able to file on line may be more convenient for those who do not have time to call the hot line and file claims. Clients will be able to access the website from laptops, cell phones, iPad, or any other media devices that allow access to the internet. Add value because it will be less time consuming for customers, if a follow-up is needed then the information may be easier to retrieve due to the pre-online registration. With every question there will be a detailed explanation of what information is required for that particular question. The question and additional information will be explained thoroughly to customers without them having to wait on hold in the phone for long periods of time just to speak with a live operator. This will add value to the customers in three ways. The online website will save time. Allow customers to have a more hands-on experience with the editing of claim information. Product Life Cycle Over the lifecycle of a product, a company’s differentiation and positioning strategy would need to change as the market, competitors, and product change. â€Å"When we say that a product has a life cycle we assert four things; Products have a limited life, Product sales pass through district stages, each posing different challenges, opportunities and problems to the seller, Profits rise and fall at different stages of the product lifecycle, and Products require different marketing, financial, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resource strategies in each life cycle stages† (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). â€Å"Product life cycle (PLC) deals with the life of the product in the market with respect to business or commercial cost and sales measures† (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). There are â€Å"five stages of each product lifecycle: product development, introduction, growth, maturity, and decline† (Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC), 2014, p. 1). During the introduction stage, Allstate will be launched into the market. Sales grow slowly in this time, and informative advertising is done (Dinesh Bakshi, n.d.). Many firms do not earn profits in this stage. There wouldn’t be much price skimming because our product is not a new invention and does have competitors. Due to the amount of competitors in the insurance market, competitive pricing is used. Sales rapidly grow during the growth stage, so we use persuasive advertising to gain customers. Competition is stiff at times prices may be reduced to stay a top competitor. Even though competition may be stiff, firms start to earn more profits in this stage. Our sales increase slowly and the highest figures are reached during the maturity stage of the product cycle. Since competition is at its max level, it would be in Allstate’s best interest to implement promotional pricing. Our profits are also at their highest level. We use competitive advertising to attract and retain our customers (Market Force, 2005-2014). Next we enter the decline stage where sales and profits decrease. During this stage, we must determine if the decline is temporary or permanent by conducting marketing research. Production may be stopped if the decline is considered to be permanent. If the decline is temporary, extension strategies are  implemented. The extension stage comes into play to come back from the decline. Original products may be reintroduced in other variations by changing the design, starting a new advertising campaign, and more (Dinesh Bakshi, n.d.). Pricing The price strategy of the web based system. The primary goal is to assure that this meets the needs of our loyal customers and anticipated customers. Moreover the pricing of our new web based system is an essential part of the marketing piece. Indeed this product of service can be very successful through proper indications of the pros and cons. Other price strategies could relate to what new services are provided by our competitor’s. However, researching the value, quality and conveniences of the product of service is essential. Pricing strategies with our new service can work to help gain satisfaction from the customers. Consequently, if the market research is not implemented correctly; this can work against the organizations overall plan. Contingency plans will also help the guide the new product in the process of service. Most of all pricing factors outline important steps of the web based system. In which will differentiate us from other insurance organizations such as Sta te farm. Furthermore one of all states insurance pricing strategies would involve a small fee. This fee will be deducted from the insurance holders policy every month or every six monthly. The web based system will be done as a package deal. Therefore customers will have the option to participate or not. The new product of service will also be explained to every customer .As well as step by step instructions to give a better understanding of how to use the system. Ultimately the use of the system operates to have claims estimates completed in a timely manner. Customers immediately have an opportunity of seeing the breakdown of damages and cost online. Overall the web based systems pricing is a concern that customer will have a choice to speed the process of with their claim .Although there are some people who may prefer to wait to speak with a claims adjuster. Most of all the new product of service will eliminate many problems with the process of claims. Customers will have an opportunity to view their own claims, and get a compete estimate without waiting for a call back from a claims adjuster. Although  this is a preliminary estimate of the claim, this is a positioning factor that gives Allstate’s customers satisfaction. Pricing figures are major factors towards marketing as well as the competitors. Promotional Strategy Allstate has several online competitors (Progressive, eSurance and Geico) that equate themselves as easy and fast. One of Progressives main thing is â€Å"price match†, which allows consumers to compare rates without providing too much personal information. Many people are reluctant to participate in many online services such as this because they think they will bombarded with spam and other marketing tactics. Generally, customer just a roundabout amount of what they would have to pay for car insurance based on their specific coverage needs. Allstate has identified this problem and created an innovative solution. First and foremost, Allstate designed a new way for customers to shop for quotes and have them delivered. According to â€Å"Marketing Edge† (2014), quotes would be delivered â€Å"anonymously (no personal information required), fast and easy, helpful (accurate), contemporary, and intuitive† (para. 4). Allstate needed to spread the word on this innovation, and the best way was to implement a campaign. This campaign included banner ads online and other tools designed to focus on online shoppers. Allstate needed to market themselves differently than their competition in order to stand out, excite consumers, and provoke attention. According to â€Å"Marketing Edge† (2014), â€Å"The new anonymous quote tool was the centerpiece of the program. Once it went live on the www.allstate.com site, DRTV, paid search, and online advertising campaigns were implemented in order to drive traffic to it. The DRTV campaign used a unique URL, â€Å"getallstate.com† for tracking purposes. Online banner ads linked directly to the site so visitors could be tracked through initiation and completion of a quote. The Program Objective: Develop and market a category-unique online shopping/quoting tool and introduce it to consumers in a way that cost-effectively invites greater shopping/quoting in the direct channel† (para. 7). This creative strategy had continued to allow online shoppers the freedom  and convenience to stay anonymous. Customers do not even have to provide their name to receive a quote (estimate). There is no application to feel out and no surveys to take. All of the other necessary information is gather by simply inputting your zip code. There are helpful tools strategically placed to assist customers, and the web site design is contemporary but not too flashy. According to â€Å"Marketing Edge† (2014), Based on their information, shoppers are presented with an array of estimates in a matrix that allows them to compare different features and levels of coverage that meet their unique needs. And it provides a price for each option. The tool demonstrates throughout the ease with which consumers can obtain the customized price and coverage information they want† (para. 10). Professional Selling Effort In order to market the new automated system for making claims, Allstate needs to express to the customers exactly how beneficial it will be to them. The best approach would be to build the value to the customer. They would have to show the customer exactly how it would benefit them to manage their claims online rather than deal with a claims adjuster right from the get go. Several people will find it convenient to be able to fill out the accident forms right from their mobile device, like their smart phone or tablet, while others will not be so prone to using technology as they are not technologically advanced. We will show the customers not to be afraid of the new systems, and that they are a benefit, not a burden. Initial Budget The budget is a financial plan for Allstate that quantifies the resource allocation plan for the years to come. To start, Allstate would have to create a specific amount, generated from how many people are going to be monitoring the online claims, and how many hours those individuals are going to be putting in. A sum of $208,000 will needed for ten individuals needed for the new system, all set at 40 hours per week and being paid $10 per hour. Allstate will have to create a budget for the person or company putting together the mainframe for putting together the portal for online claims, and setting up the website. Allstate will have to keep in mind that it is going to be a process to put this together and a lot of storage is going to be needed for their clientele. Generally, websites and web design  are going to cost Allstate anywhere from $1,000 t $2,500. Allstate will create jobs for this new system, and they will have to advertise or promote within in order to fill those jobs, b ut this will be very minimal cost to Allstate. The company expects to have a gross profit in the first year of $250,000-$500,000 due to the amount of claims that are not going to need claims adjuster to visit sites to assess the damage personally. The targeted output rate is 1,000,000, and with the average of 86% of all applicants that start the claim online actually finish it, that leaves 860,000 people that use the online claims and pricing. Allstate does not expect any losses with the new market plan. Success Plan Measurement There are several ways to measure the success of Allstate’s marketing plan. For Allstate to accurately measure their success plan they must â€Å"start with the end in mind† (Dyke, 2014). One of the first things to do is ask why the project began and what the goals are. Companies cannot lose sight of why they started something. Once that drive is lost the campaign goes under and the company is next. Numbers do not lie, so if the marketing plan is working it will show in revenue. Dyke (2014), â€Å"Measure success on your marketing program’s ability to meet the needs or desired outcomes of an objective. Remember your business planning here – start with setting your goals, list objectives that meet these goals and then identify tactics that will achieve your objectives. The best objectives are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and tangible)† (para. 13). To start tracking progress and success, Allstate must determine who their audience is. having a newsletter can be the turning point for a business. You can see which articles have the most readers and track statistics. Dyke 2014, † Begin to gather intelligence around the reader’s interest in the topic, taking the newsletter from a passive strategy to an interactive strategy, and one that can be measured. At the bottom of each online article, give readers several options. They can comment or ask questions, request that a lawyer call them, request a white paper or a helpful form or  checklist you’ve developed, or they can register for topical events. Remember, your responsiveness to requests is critical in developing relationships† (para. 20). Next, reducing that amount spent on proposals and pitches will help to increase rates in other areas. get to know clients rather than just what they think they want. Allstate must stay one step ahead of the competition to succeed. Many say the â€Å"perception is reality†, so it is imperative to know exactly what Allstate’s clients think about them. This can be done by implementing satisfaction surveys for the clients to ensure all their needs are met. All threats or problems acknowledged or revealed by the client must be handled swiftly. Allstate must â€Å"market for the sake of revenue, not for the sake of marketing – and take the momentum of your success and apply throughout all your marketing initiatives† (Media coverage: grabbing the bull horn). Ethical Issues Reference Dinesh Bakshi. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dineshbakshi.com/igcse-business-studies/marketing/revision-notes/814-product-life-cycle Dyke, S.V. (2014). CBA Practice Link. Retrieved from http://www.cba.org/cba/practicelink/mt/measureefforts.aspx http://www allstate.com/claims/report- Insure Me. (1993-2014). Retrieved from http://www.insureme.com/insurance-agent/marketing-tips Market Force. (2005-2014). Retrieved from http://uk.marketforce.com/price-checking/ Marketing Edge. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.marketingedge.org/marketing-programs/collegiate-echo/challenge-history/dma-international-echo-showcase/winner-allstate Perreault, W. D., Cannon, J. P., & McCarthy, E. J. (2009). Basic Marketing. A marketing Product Life Cycle | Stages and Limitations of Product Life Cycle (PLC) . (2014, Summer). Textile Learner, (1), 1. Retrieved from http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2013/12/product-life-cycle-stages-and.html Strategy Planning Approach. (17th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Company

Friday, November 8, 2019

The key strands of thought in Sociology Essay Example

The key strands of thought in Sociology Essay Example The key strands of thought in Sociology Essay The key strands of thought in Sociology Essay In this assignment I intend to examine in detail some of the main strands of thought associated with industrial sociology. To avoid the notion of schools of thought within sociology the term strand has been coined which allows to bring together the different contributions with whom a pattern has appeared and have something in common (Watson, 2003, p. 21) In exploring this topic in further detail one can see that there are six main strands. These include the managerial-psychologistic strand in which Watson points out is a strand in which contains what are usually seen as quite separate and indeed contrasting styles of thought (Watson, 2003 p. 21) Other stands include work by influential and renowned figures of sociology who include Durkheim in the Durkheim-systems strand, Marx in the Marxian strand and Weber in the Weber-social action strand. Lastly the sixth strand which will be examined within the assignment is that of the postmodernist perspective and poststructuralist. The first strand that will be explored is the managerial-psychologistic strand. This strand can be broken down into two key developments in this strand which are Scientific management and Psychological humanism. In looking at this one could argue that this strand does not strictly cover the work of sociology at work but rather it looks at the human side and is one in which sociologists look to and indeed critique to provide alternatives. The scientific managements advocate was F.W Taylor whom was an American engineer and consultant between 18-56-1917. Essentially what Taylor tried to do was develop an efficient work-force by cutting the unnecessary workers which became surplus to requirements due to the experiments he conducted which focused on the time being the factor. Taylors formulation signified producing more for lower cost per unit, usually by eliminating unnecessary workers. Similarly, how quickly signified that time and money were equivalent. Above all, efficiency was a science (Norton, 2006 p. 468) According to Watson (2003, p. 21) psychologism is a tendency to explain social behaviour based solely on terms of the psychological characteristics of the individual. This leads onto an important sociologists work; Mc Gregors theory X and Y. Essentially what this theory is trying to establish is that workers have a need to find fulfilment at work (Parker et al. 1967 p, 158) Theory X suggests that individuals need to be controlled by managers whereas Theory Y suggests that managers should adapt a strategy of worker self-fulfilment. If they do not, they will feel deprived, resulting in a work force negatively inclined to managements goals. (Parker et al. 1967, p, 158) Another aspect of the psychologistic strand in the people with needs, democratic humanism is that of Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper hierarchy of needs. Essentially what Maslow was implying was that a person has a basic set of needs that need to be fulfilled before one can move onto the next level of needs. As people move up the pyramid the needs become more social and psychological as opposed to the base levels which are effectively very basic needs like shelter, food and sleep. One can see that the humanistic nature of the psychological strand leads onto and indeed can be linked to that of the Durkheim-systems strand which will now be explored. Durkheim-systems styles contrasts with that of the psychologistic in that it looks at the social system in which the individual is a part. Watson (2003, p, 27) describes the social system as society as a whole, or, alternatively, it may be the work of the organisation or even a subunit of the organisation. The key idea within this concept is that the relationship patterns within a society are explored rather than the actual individual. One of the leading sociologists who pioneered this work is Emile Durkheim. Durkheim explored the concept of anomie which as Watson (2003, p, 28) describes a form of social breakdown in which the norms that would otherwise prevail in a given situation cease to operate. Durkheim gave rise to a concept which is coined as systems thinking. Watson (2008, p. 44) describes systems thinking as social entities such as societies or organisations which are viewed as if they were self-regulating bodies exchanging energy and matter with their environment in order to survive. It can be argued that the greatest benefit of systems thinking gave rise to the development of study on work organisations which became recognised as a part of a social environment. Two important strengths from recognising the organisation as an environment where relationships have to be developed and maintained in order for the organisation to continue and also the fact that any factor affecting relationships in subunit of the organisation can be impacted on in another part of the organisation. The influence on systems thinking has a long reach into industrial relations and played a key part in many of the reports commissioned and indeed had its roots planted deeply in the Fox report of 1972.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Capital Punishment14 essays

Capital Punishment14 essays This page aims to discuss capital punishment as rationally as possible. I propose to present information which may help people make up their minds about whether or not capital punishment keeps them safe, makes economic sense, or provides a satisfactory "closure" for the victims of homicide. How, if at all, this information affects your response, either emotional or political, to capital punishment remains entirely up to you. The questions of fact concerning capital punishment fall into three general areas: does capital punishment , freeing social resources for better purposes than warehousing and feeding murders, or does it actually cost more, consuming resources that could go into preventing crime? Does capital punishment strike fear into offenders, saving innocent lives by would-be killers? And, finally, the courts make mistakes; what does capital punishment mean to an innocent These questions fit together to define a complex problem. If experience showed capital punishment saved lives by deterring offenders, the cost would not matter; a certainty that capital punishment would save innocent lives might even make the risk of wrongful convictions acceptable. If no risk at all existed of an error by the courts, the question of whether capital punishment saves innocent lives by deterring murder might matter less. And we cannot limit the cost of capital punishment simply to money, since society has limited resources, and can only spend so much on criminal justice. A society that spends money on executions can't spend that money on police officers, courts, or jails; to say nothing of schools, vocational programs, or other measures aimed at preventing crime. If the broader public view of capital punishment does not reflect the reality, how does capital punishment work in the United States? How do alternative systems work in countries such as Canada? And if of responses to murder, and the effe...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Western civilization.Persian Empire,Greece and Ancient Rome Essay

Western civilization.Persian Empire,Greece and Ancient Rome - Essay Example Modern civilization today seems to be far from the world of ancient history where stone and man were the fundamental building blocks of technology, but when examined closely, that is not actually so. Modern civilization can trace its routes quite clearly to ancient history, one civilization after the other, with each influencing the next and all subsequent empires, in terms of both innovation and invention. Perhaps one of the most advanced empires of its time, in terms of technological development and innovation, was the Persian Empire, which occupies the area now held by modern Iran. This was perhaps due to the fact that their own technological innovations and ideas were greatly helped in development due to the natural resources available in the area. The Persian empire can not only be attributed to inventions such as the Qanat, a water irrigation system, windmills, or even the earliest batteries – which were possibly used for purposes such as electroplating – but also to a great number of technological advances, in terms of weapons as well as art and architecture. The Persians had managed to develop their ancient tools of knives and bows and arrows into stronger, more advanced weapons made of hard metal by the rule of Darius. This included both weapons, such as the metallic dagger and swords, as well as armor, such as shields and helmets. Persian architecture included the use of cider instead of stone, allowing them to create tall, high structure, supported by thinner and more delicate, yet stronger, beams than other buildings of the era. The Persians can also be attributed to having invented history’s first pontoon bridge. Many of these inventions served as inspiration for future development and some of them are in fact still used today, but in a technologically more advanced form. As advanced as the Persians might have been in their own time however, there is absolutely no doubt as to incredibly advanced level of innovation and inventio n held by the Greeks. Inventor and mathematicians such as Heronas, who was the mind behind modern day hydraulic systems as well as many other machines and automation systems, was also attributed to having invented and developed the world’s first steam engine. The steam engine, in its developed modern form, was one of the most milestone inventions for modern western civilization as it provided a complete turn of mechanism from the ancient days of doing everything by hand. It created a clear divide between the age of man and the age of machines, with modern civilization developing rapidly and dramatically after its invention. Indeed many of our inventions today can trace its route back to the steam engine, or can at least accredit it to being the inspiration behind them. The principal behind jet propulsion is indeed the exact principle behind the ancient Greek version of Heronas’s steam engine. Rotary mills, screw presses and the use of gears and screws may also be attri buted to the Greek inventors of 5th Century BC. Perhaps the most significant period of Greek impact on modern civilization is the Hellenistic period, or the Age of Alexander, where the modern western of civilization finds its roots in not only technological impacts, but also in terms of philosophy, science, politics and literature. In the Hellenistic period, scientist focused more on the practical aspect of science, dwelling into practical experiments, rather than focusing only on theoretical debate, which was more the focus of classic era scientists such as Plato and Aristotle. Early writings indicated evidence that the Hellenistic scientist Strato had in great detail described the principal and construction of a vacuum, an innovation that would not properly be considered and developed until centuries later in the Renaissance Period. Strato also worked on the principals of acceleration, force, gravity and momentum, all of which are fundamental principals in physics and technology. What made these

Friday, November 1, 2019

See the attachments Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

See the attachments - Assignment Example The incoming research will investigate workforce diversity in light with establishing parameters surrounding it. The report is defragmented into three key sections and a secondary section. The commencing secondary section- rationale of the study- will justify why it is important to engage in these studies. As well, the section will incorporate two key theories to support the study. The first primary section, Workforce Diversity will assess what is known about the discipline. The midsection will propose a Personal Development Plan. The last section will clarify on the learning outcomes of the PDP. There have been growing debates on the extent of diversity in organizations. Primarily, critical attention is accorded to whether organizations are affirming Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) in affirming to diversity. Diversity concerns stretch valiantly with gender, race, sexual orientation and physical abilities being the most visited roles. Rice (2015, p. 93) establishes that diversity might be identified as an important goal for the workforce by affirmative action, which might show positive results, but not everyone may benefit from the sometimes blunt methods applied to achieve it. Convincingly, although developing practices increase the relevance of the diversity in the organization, different groups seems to benefit more than others. The rationale for such studies is projected by the fact that not much has been done in the field of diversity. A crucial theory in these studies is Social Identity Theory. Social Identity Theory can be identified as a mixture of people with the different group identified within the same social system. Intergroup perspectives have been one of the major frameworks for understanding human interactions in a wider organizational context. The category of being perceived by others belonging to a given social category is nullified at this point. In relation to the theory, Guajardo (2014,