Saturday, August 31, 2019
Brita Marketing
Contents Introduction1 Background1 Situational Analysis1 P. E. S. T. L. E Analysis2 S. W. O. T Analysis3 Porter Five Forces Analysis3 STP Analysis4 Possible Options Available5 Do nothing5 Manage decline5 Develop and implement a marketing strategy for growth5 Short term ââ¬â Expand existing market5 Long term ââ¬â Increase Market Share6 Conclusion6 Introduction This document represents The i-Fusions Consultantââ¬â¢s Report on BRITA. The companyââ¬â¢s current business situation is analysed and various options for action considered.The report aims to identify a clear marketing strategy for Brita in order to address the current issues facing the company the associated falling sales. The report is broadly comprised of three main sections: 1. Background 2. Situational Analysis 3. Options open to Brita 4. Recommended Strategy Background Brita, after an extended period of success and dominance in the filtered water market is facing increasing competition, new market entrants and falling sales. After various failed initiatives to reverse the resultant decline, the company is seeking a new strategy that will restore double-digit growth.History In terms of product history, Brita has been very successful with 2 key water filtration products, Pitchers and Faucet Mounted filters. On launching the filtration pitchers, initial efforts to build awareness and create a market were successful, teaching consumers the benefits of filtered water and creating awareness. Subsequent efforts to develop and broaden the market based on taste were also successful (Tap water Transformed campaign). Brita was the market leader for many years and defended that market share successfully for some time.However, the market is now made up of more than 70 competitors and more recent strategies are failing to deliver growth and profits and Brita sales are now actually falling. Situational Analysis The documentation provided can assist in identifying various problems. The key business issu es identified by i-Fusions are: * Brita failed to recognise and correctly identify the competitive market they are in * Brita were too slow to innovate and more agile competitors have entered the market and taken share * The company reaction has been overly product-focused Brita has considered and/or launched various reactive advertising campaigns based on competitor action, rather than considering a holistic marketing strategy built on market analysis. * Britaââ¬â¢s organisational structure is top-heavy with multiple reporting lines and no clear chain of responsibility. The result is a lack of clarity as everyone is responsible yet nobody is responsible. * The net result of all of the above is that Brita sales are falling. P. E. S. T. L. E Analysis Political: There are no significant external political issues affecting Britaââ¬â¢s business.Economical: The Economy during 1980s & 1990s showed no indications of recession and the emergence of the Internet and the evolution of the global economy generated unprecedented economic prosperity in the United States that lifted consumer purchasing power to better standards. The mid-2000ââ¬â¢s marked the end of this boom cycle and the economy is starting to contract. Social: The primary social trends in the late 1980s and 1990s, as faced by Brita were: * People shifting towards a more healthy lifestyle * Workers working longer hours to gain more salary Shift of workforce from Agriculture to Industry & IT Sectors Technology: The beginning of the 1990ââ¬â¢s marked the beginning of the Internet revolution and this has affected peopleââ¬â¢s lives and lifestyles significantly. The impact on business is that communications are faster and customer expectations are for a more personalised approach (e,g, Emails, Mobile Phones etc). Legal: During 1980s & 1990s, Public Water Hygiene laws & regulations were not enforced effectively to prevent water-borne diseases outbreaks that occurred during that period of time.Durin g the 12 year period (1991 ââ¬â 2002), Public Water contamination outbreaks came from community & non-community water supply (78%) compared to 22% from private/individual water supply systems as report by the ââ¬Å"Journal of Water and Healthâ⬠published in 2006 Environmental: During the late 1980s and 1990ââ¬â¢s, Environment Friendly organisations & NGOs (such as Greenpeace) were not creating an influential awareness of drinking water health issues. As a result, people were not possessing self-awareness of dangers contributing to drinking impure & contaminated water. Porter Five Forces AnalysisRivalry: The market is very competitive and the threat of competition is high. Many companies are present and they are more successful than Brita. It seems to appear a rivalry both in terms of product and location Barriers to Entry: The entry barriers in the market are relatively low, making it easy to access. However, as the market is saturated it could be unlikely for new compa nies to decide to start new enterprises in this field. Threat of substitutes: This represents one of the main threats for Brita. Both tap water and soft drinks are potential substitutes for the product that Brita offers.Supplier power: The suppliers do not play a major role for Brita growth. The product offered is relatively simple and its components are easy to procure. Buyer power: The consumers have a high decision power which can drastically affect the performances of Brita. Depending what type of drink they decide to consume (filtered water, tap water or soft drinks), the sales will increase or decrease. The Five Forces analysis tool highlights that Brita has to focus its attention on what consumers want in order to achieve success (appendix A ).The product is neither significantly unique nor essential to ensure success on its own and taken in the context of a large number of substitutes, consumers therefore hold significant purchasing power. Simultaneously, Brita has to take i n consideration the highly competitive nature of the market. If Brita does not update its product benefits, and then position themselves in such a way that they offers customers a unique benefit vis-a-vis competitors, it is likely further lose market share. Therefore, customers and matching their lifestyle choices should be the focal point of Brita strategy if double growth has to be gained.S. W. O. T Analysis STP Analysis Segmentation Using Behavioural Segmentation, i-Fusions have considered 6 predominant market segments. See Appendix B and C Tap Traditionalists: Slow to change, like the convenience and cheapness of tap water. Weary Tap Users: Low involvement in their water drinking decisions. Like tap water and unlikely to change. They are also the lowest consumers of total water per day. Principled Filter Fans: High involvement in their water consumption decisions and believe filtered water is more healthy.Affluent Fridge Fans: Highly involved in their water consumption decisions and associate water with health and weight control. Assertive Self Improvers: Highly involved in their water consumption decisions and drinks a lot of water for health. This group has the highest overall daily intake of water and drinks most of their water at home. Bottled Water Indulgers: Highly involved in their water consumption decisions and use bottled water as a reward for effort. They are highly attached to bottled water. Of the 6 categories of consumers, 3 have been pointed as the target market ââ¬â PFF, ASI and AFF.Target Market Analysis In terms of water consumption patterns, tap water is still the most utilised (35. 4%) with filtered water also popular (33. 3%). Bottled water is increasingly popular and currently holds 21. 7% of the market. See Appendix D The main perceived issues customers have with Tap Water are Quality and Portability. Most consumers believe that using water filters improves the taste of the waterà and using fridge filters makes it more convenie nt to consume filtered water. Out of a total of 59. 6% people owning the Pitcher Filter system, 50. % own the Brita product standing higher in comparison to the PuR Product. Brita faces some perception challenges as the Faucet Mount and Pitcher do not currently have any stand out features for customers and the Filtering Pitcher is seen as time-consuming and less simple when compared to Bottled water. In terms of good flavour of the water, 77% consumers support BW whereas only 32% support Pitchers. In terms of pureness, 63% consumers support BW and 44% consumers support Pitchers. Positioning Analysis Brita has strong brand recognition and is currently viewed in the key segments as a healthy water option.There is a loyal customer base dedicated to filtered water which represents a growth opportunity if Brita can meet the changing consumer needs. i-Fusions would therefore recommend that Brita builds on this brand strength with a marketing strategy that highlights health and wellness an d sustainability and believes that Brita has strong advantages over its competition to fulfil these targets. Possible Options Available Brita faces a difficult market and there are three broad business options they can consider. 1. Do nothing 2. Manage decline 3.Develop and implement a marketing strategy for growth Do nothing i-Fusions recognise that occasionally it may be acceptable for firms to take a ââ¬Å"wait and seeâ⬠approachâ⬠to their business but we do not recommend this as a course of action to Brita. The risk of inaction is too great in a market with such high competition and falling market share. Britaââ¬â¢s cautious approach to date is reflected in their current situation. Manage decline Brita could continue with their current emphasis on pitchers and faucets and manage decline ââ¬â cutting costs aggressively as sales fall.It is the view of i-Fusions that, given the high number of competing brands, there is a risk that adopting any low cost/low price strategy would merely lead to a race to the bottom. In any case, Brita is unlikely to be able to undercut its smaller, more nimble rivals due to its size and structure. Additionally, this strategy does not fit with the stated requirement for double-digit growth. However, the current product mix and their current specification are in the mature stage of the product life-cycle so Brita needs to seek ways to add value to maintain current sales and to consider new products to drive growth.Our recommendations are therefore predicated on the value that the brand has in the eyes of its customers and to leverage the reputation for quality that the company has built up. Develop and implement a marketing strategy for growth The advice of i-Fusions is for Brita to follow a growth strategy, focused on meeting the needs of key identified market segments with clear product offers, consistent messaging, via the optimal distribution channels and at the appropriate price. Short term ââ¬â Expand existing marketProduct: Existing users ââ¬â Brita should aggressively target existing filtered water users (Principled Filter Fans and Assertive Self Improvers) with Pitchers and Faucets with improved ability to remove impurities and taste. Brita should therefore focus R&D effort on improving the purity capability of its filters, reinforcing the key brand messages of health and purity. Price: Maintain existing pricing strategy Place: Brita should continue with the mass distribution strategy as changes in the past have quickly translated in lost sales.Promotion: Find new uses ââ¬â Brita can create new uses of existing products through promotion of additional activites such as using filtered water for cooking, an activity that is important to key segments Strong single brand messaging around Health/Purity/Sustainability using a mix of targeted TV and radio, social media, lifestyle magazines (home, food, well-being), demonstrations and tasting instore and at gyms/yoga-chains et c Brita is in a position to add complementary messaging around its green/sustainable credentials, which fits with target segment values and has the additional benefit of reaching other segments in the water consumption market. Long term ââ¬â Increase Market Share Product: Change product mix in the longer term. Brita should look at expanding its product mix to better meet the behaviour patterns of its identified segments.For example, developing a filter for fridge water dispensers is highly advisable. Form alliances: i-Fusions strongly recommend that Brita forms strategic alliances with quality white goods manufacturers in order to jointly develop a product that meets the needs of the key market segments identified. It is recommended that quality brands are identified and targeted in order to maintain Britaââ¬â¢s brand image and support the growth strategy. Additional alliances with yoga-chains/gyms for joint marketing opportunities should also be explored. Finally, alliances with home-builders/plumbing providers was considered as an option but i-Fusions do not recommend this for Brita as it is effectively a new and very different market.Price: Reduce costs: Information on reducing overall capital costs is scarce but spend on R&D is likely to increase in the short/medium term. In terms of Fixed Costs, Brita should review its organisational structure, both to clarify reporting lines and reduce management overhead. Finally, it would make sense for Brita to have a single brand, with clear associated brand messages, managing their product lines within that brand. Promotion: New users ââ¬â Brita should aggressively target consumers in the Affluent Fridge Followers category, given the high consumption of water at home and their fit with the key Brita health messages. Maintain green credentials with targeted messaging.Place: Brita should continue with the mass distribution strategy as changes in the past have quickly translated in lost sales. People: Brita should implement clearer communication channels with clearly identified lines of authority. Conclusion On analysing the information available i-Fusions believe that Brita needs to refocus its attention on the market, using short and long term strategies that target appropriate segments with specific products, messaging and distribution channels to best meet their requirements, aspirations and life-styles. We believe that the marketing strategy recommended will assist in driving double-digit top line growth.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Green Technology Essay
There are many things in this world that are ever evolving in technology, from vehicles, television, cell phones, and even green technology. Some of us might not be too familiar with green; however, most people use green technology without even knowing the difference. The following will address questions concerning green technology. 1. What is green technology? 2. What advantages and disadvantages does green technology have? 3. What are the important focuses of green technology? 4. How can Green technology can be profitable? 5. What are the important facts about green technology? 6. What is the future of going green? This is a review of green technology which focuses on these six questions. What is green technology? According to the articleshub. org (2009) the term ââ¬Å"technologyâ⬠refers to the application of knowledge for practical purposes the field of ââ¬Å"green technologyâ⬠encompasses a continuously evolving group of methods and materials, from techniques for generating energy to non-toxic cleaning products. What advantages and disadvantages does green technology have? The advantage of using green energy sources is that it is clean so it does not emit anything harmful into the air which has an impact on the environment. It is also renewable which means we will never run out of it unlike oil which is expected to dry up in a decade or so. (Elise, M. , 2010) Disadvantage of green energy source is the amount of produce electricity, how much it can generate is not consistent. This is because we have no control of the weather so if a certain area relies on solar energy and there is a weather disturbance, it will not be able to convert sunlight into electricity. Another disadvantage is the fact that some of the green energy sources cannot be installed in certain areas of the planet. For instance, wave energy can only be utilized if the waves coming from the ocean reach at least 16 feet. The use geothermal energy can only be done in geologically unstable parts of the planet. (Elise, M. , 2010) What are the important focuses of green technology? The most important focus of green technology is changing the production and waste patterns This method is the process of throwing out old methods of production and waste that harm the environment, and creating new ones that produce the same result. Another important part of green technology is innovation. Nvudev. org, 2012) Nvudev. org (2012) stated ââ¬Å"there is new innovative and alternative technology that does not harmfully affect the environment or its people. Another important part of green technology is energy. Energy is another important part of green technology. Energy is a resource that powers the world. Whenever we find new sources of energy and new ways to distribute that energy is important to the future of the human race. Another focus of this technology is ensuring that products produced are re-usable in the futureâ⬠. Nvudev. rg (2012) believes ââ¬Å"Green technology is important because the methods the planet uses now are depleting our o-zone. Think of green technology as taking the planet earth back a couple of centuries, when a simpler form of survival existed. Technology like this can only be beneficial to the planet. Green technology is the new wave of todayââ¬â¢s society. To ensure that planet earth still exist one hundred years from now, education in ââ¬Å"going greenâ⬠is essential. The key to this type of technology and way of life is making it sustainable for everyone over a long period of time. New methods and ideas will be needed to create a world free of hazardous procedures that humans use too readily to surviveâ⬠. Elise M. (2010) stated ââ¬Å"Green technology is a system that incorporates the new and innovative methods and materials used to create more environmentally friendly cleaning products. The expectation with technology like this is to change the daily habitual habits of society. Green technology focuses on household cleaning products, waste, inventions, clothing, energy sources, etc. Many focus points make technology like this sustainableâ⬠. How can Green technology can be profitable? According to (Schoof, 2012) Green Technology can be profitable. ââ¬Å"The United Nation in a large institutional investors meeting at a conference stated climate change is a risk to avoid and also the opportunity to make good return on investments. The investors, who control more than $20 trillion worldwide, are looking at climate change from a business perspective even as Washington steers clear of the issue. Clean energy investments worldwide grew 5 percent in 2011 over 2010, despite financial turmoil in Europe and a wobbly economy in the U. S. , according to a report releasedâ⬠. Global clean-energy investments reached $260 billion in 2011, about five times more than the $50 billion in 2005, according to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance report. (Schoof, 2012). In the US, only 7% of green energy sources are used nationally. This was much higher 11 years ago. We have to invest more in this clean green energy technology. We can get it from green energy sources such as biomass, biodiesel, geothermal, solar, water and the wind. These are things we have all around us and all it takes is for someone to harness it instead of relying on traditional non-renewable means to produce energy. Schoof (2012) believes ââ¬Å"Globally, solar attracted much more investment than any other source of renewable energy. GE invested $5 billion in research and development in clean energy and efficiency technology. If solar energy is being used and the sun is covered, the emergency generators will be activated and use up the energy that was stored from previously sunny daysâ⬠. According to the green technology and global market (2012) BCC Research predicts that the global market for energy-efficient technologies will grow at an aggregated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9. % for the 5-year forecast period of 2010-2015, from $200 billion in 2010 to $311. 7 billion by 2015, compared to $331 billion for renewable energy. What are the important facts about using green? By using green energy, wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, those sorts of things, those are what we call different types of green energy because they are non Iââ¬â¢m going to call them non-invasive because they do not disrupt our environment, they actually help to improve it by not creating CO2 emissions and thatââ¬â¢s where were going. If wind turbines need more space, they can be installed near the coast instead of putting these on land. (Elise M. , 2010) According to Elise, M. (2010) a study shows that you can generate more electricity while these are placed out in the ocean water. In fact, research is ongoing to try and harness other means to generate the power we need. Power is generated by harnessing the different temperatures in the water. It is currently being used on a small scale both in Japan and Hawaii however if may have a lot promise. There are different types of green energy. Green energy is directly related to green energy resources. One of the green energy resources alternative resource, alternative energy renewable is hydroelectric or hydropower, simply water being used to generate electricity. Solar has been used on a small scale for decades. Today solar is now use on a large scale for homes, industry, and buildings. (Young, 2009) Green technology is a system that incorporates the new and innovative methods and materials used to create more environmentally friendly cleaning products. The expectation with technology like this is to change the daily habitual habits of society. Green technology focuses on household cleaning products, waste, inventions, clothing, energy sources, etc. Many focus points make technology like this sustainable. (nvudev. org, 2012) In order for green technology to have an impact on the environment for the long term it must be sustainable for everyone every day. Sustainability refers to the use of new technologies in a way that will not harm the planet. Green technology researches new ways to use our natural resources without depleting them, and without making it harder for future generations to survive. (nvudev. rg, 2012) What is the future of going green? Technology like solar power and the use of new fossil fuels play a huge part in energy efficiency. Perhaps the most innovative section of green technology is green nanotechnology. This technology refers to the use of both green chemistry and green engineering to perfect the whole notion of going green. If solar energy is being used and the sun is covered, the emergency generators will be activated and use up the energy that was stored from previously sunny days. (Elise, 2010) The future concerning green computers have taken technology to the next level. Green computers are considered environmentally sustainable and eco-friendly. This system of green computers consists of energy efficiency, cost, recycling ability, and environmental sustainability. Thatââ¬â¢s a lot of energy to use for such a little task. Many companies are working on new and innovative ways to improve computer technology. This is known as green computers. (nvudev. org, 2012) Companies like Dell, Microsoft, Asus, and Gateway are all turning to green computers for the 21 century. The most efficient green computer out of these is the Asus EEE, then the Dell. The dell green computer is already ready for distribution in large numbers. Green computers are smaller, more energy efficient and recycle ready. (nvudev. org, 2012) In my conclusion I have learn that Green Technology is based on the premise that businesses have a responsibility to satisfy human needs and desires while preserving the integrity of the natural environment. There are significant indications that environmental issues will grow in importance over the coming years. Long-term sustainability of the planet is likely to require some rather distinct changes in the ethical behavior of its human population. In the short term finding new ways to incorporate technology and carry on exchanges with greater concern for environmental goods and services offer particular promise. Green Technology and the promotion of responsible consumption are part of that solution. There are many things in this world that are ever evolving in technology, from vehicles, television, cell phones, and even green technology. Some of us might not be too familiar with green; however, most people use green technology without even knowing the difference.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Explore the Ways in Which Bullies and Victims Are Present in Lord of the Flies and Dna Essay
English coursework, James Luxton Explore the ways in which bullies and victims are presented in Lord of the Flies and DNA. Bullies and Victims play vital roles in both the novel and the play. The authors, Golding and Kelly, both put their characters through similar trials. In Lord of the Flies, Goldingââ¬â¢s characters turn from normal school boys, to savages who are prepared to kill one another to gain power. Golding suggests that under certain circumstances, people will naturally begin to become more violent and savage. In DNA the characters are thrust into a world of secrecy where they have to cover things up to save themselves, Kelly himself wrote this; ââ¬ËI donââ¬â¢t think I write characters who are bad, I think I write characters who are trying to do the right thing, but are failingââ¬â¢. Kelly gives no description to the lives of his characters before the death of Adam, suggesting that they may have lead innocent lives, but they have been thrust into a world of violence that spirals out of contro l. In Lord of the Flies, Golding impresses upon the reader how childrenââ¬â¢s judgements of their peers are based around their physical appearance which will directly impact whether they are seen as possible leaders or victims. In contrast, Kelly gives us no description of his charactersââ¬â¢ appearance and offers no real clear reason why Adam is the victim; in this way the violence is less readily understood, and ultimately more frightening. Golding clearly demonstrates to the reader how physical appearance effects a characterââ¬â¢s treatment in the opening chapter of Lord of the Flies. Even though they have just survived a plane crash and are apparently the only survivors on the island, Ralph constantly snubs Piggy; based on the fact that Piggy is fat, has asthma, and also wears glasses. Ralph shuns him, despite Piggy being incredibly intelligent, and it is Piggy who suggests most of the things for the boys to do, such as using the conch to call an assembly. Ralph doesnââ¬â¢t realise the true value of Piggy until after his death. ââ¬ËThere was no Piggy to talk senseââ¬â¢ shows Ralphââ¬â¢s despair. When he really needed help, Piggy was always there to offer advice, whereas now, after his death, Ralph doesnââ¬â¢t know what to do. Through this Golding is inferring that people judge others solely on their appearance, and people who appear weak will always be targeted by society, no matter how intelligent they are. In complete contrast, Kelly gives the reader no description of any character in DNA, and in fact no description of theà scenery. Kelly gives no clear indication of why Adam is the victim, which suggests that any other one of the characters in the play may have been the victim, and on a much wider scale, it suggests that anybody in society may be susceptible to becoming a victim; this makes the violence that the group inflict on Adam much more frightening, because we are more likely to think that this could even happen to us. Kelly shows us through his depiction of Adam just how desperate some people are to become part of a group. Adam must continually show loyalty to them all in order to feel safe. They become so desperate to be popular and accepted by people, they are willing to do anything for the group or the people in power; to the point where they are literally willing to risk their lives. Kelly also depicts just how far a group of ââ¬Ëbulliesââ¬â¢ will go to test loyalty. The group made Adam ââ¬Ërun across the motorwayââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ënick some Vodkaââ¬â¢; these criminal and life-threateni ng activities were readily undertaken by Adam even though Jan acknowledges that ââ¬Ëyou could tell he was scaredââ¬â¢. Alarmingly, the group were simply testing ââ¬Ëhow far heââ¬â¢ll goââ¬â¢. Kelly demonstrates how groups can manipulate people and exploit their fear and desperation to belong rather than be alone. . Kelly shows this through Mark when he says ââ¬Ëwe can make him do, we can make him do-ââ¬Ë Markââ¬â¢s repletion and unfinished sentence suggests that he was possibly so uncomfortable with what was done that he struggles to fully acknowledge it. Although he claims that they were ââ¬Ëhaving a laugh, really, he was laughingââ¬â¢, his words give him away. He sounds as if he is trying to convince himself and the separation of the wordââ¬â¢ reallyââ¬â¢ makes him sound desperate. Golding also suggests to the reader just how desperate people are to become part of a group, and how in some situations, becoming part of a group may literally be a life and death decision. Ralph, Jack and Simon set out to explore the island, and Piggy suggests to Ralph that he should go too, because he ââ¬Ëwas with him when he found the conchââ¬â¢ and he ââ¬Ëwas with him before anyone else wasââ¬â¢. Ralph seemingly tries to put Piggy down gently by saying ââ¬Ëyouââ¬â¢re no good on a job like thisââ¬â¢ implying, again, because Piggy is fat and has asthma, he wonââ¬â¢t be able to keep up and he will be a burden to the other boys. In contrast Jack is blunter with Piggy. He simply says ââ¬Ëwe donââ¬â¢t want you, thre eââ¬â¢s enoughââ¬â¢. In this, Jack shows obvious contempt for Piggy. When he firsts speaks to Piggy all he has to offer is ââ¬Ëyouââ¬â¢re talking too much, shut up fattyââ¬â¢. Jackââ¬â¢s obvious loathing of Piggy is evidentà throughout the novel. Through Jackââ¬â¢s first contact with Piggy it strengthens the idea that children judge people solely on looks, and as well as this it is obvious that the constant name calling and bullying of Piggy will render him the victim of the boys throughout the novel. Both Golding and Kelly alarm their readers with evidence of real violence from the bullies to their chosen victims. Violence with stones occurs both in Lord of the Flies and DNA, but they have different consequences. In Lord of the Flies the violent acts begins with Maurice and Roger kicking through the littleunsââ¬â¢ sandcastles. Before the arrival of Roger and Maurice, the littleunsââ¬â¢ seem content with being detached from the other boys. Three boys played on the beach, ââ¬Ëif not happily, at least with absorbed attentionââ¬â¢. Golding suggests that the littleunsââ¬â¢ had nothing else to do besides eat, sleep and play, so the novelty of the being able to do anything has worn off, but ââ¬Ëwith absorbed at tentionââ¬â¢ indicates they still posses the innocence of childhood, so they carry on playing regardless. In contrast, once Roger and Maurice had kicked over their sandcastles, the littleunsââ¬â¢ seemed disinterested, ââ¬Ëso they made no protestââ¬â¢. Maurice kicks sand into Percivalââ¬â¢s eyes, and his reaction to doing this is interesting. Maurice feels guilt through the description of his actions. Instead of staying with Roger, ââ¬Ëhe muttered something about a swim and broke into a trotââ¬â¢. The use of the word ââ¬Ëmutteredââ¬â¢ is significant because it infers that Maurice is trying to create excuses for himself, which shows unease at his actions. In his decision to run to the boys who are swimming, Golding shows that Maurice wants to detach himself from Roger. It is also noteworthy that he runs away from Roger towards the other boys, inferring that Maurice wishes to distance himself from Roger and the possibility of further actions. Johnny, one of the other littleunsââ¬â¢ playing around the sandcastles, then begins to copy the actions of Maurice; he begins to throw sand into Percivalââ¬â¢s eyes. This is reminiscent of the Bandura experiment of 1977, in which he placed an adult in a room with a young child. The adult was given a Bobo doll, which he was told to abuse repeatedly in the presence of the child. The adult then left and the Bobo doll was given to the child. Over time the child would begin the re-enact the actions of the adult, the child would begin to abuse the Bobo doll; this suggests that children are influenced by a person in authority, and that they will copy their actions. Johnny repeats the actions undertaken byà Maurice, and this suggests that natural order on the island is beginning to weaken, and that aggression and violence is taking over, now even the youngest children on the island are beginning to experiment with violence. Golding then demonstrates this experimentation of violence t hrough Rogerââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëstalkingââ¬â¢ of Henry, the third littleunââ¬â¢ that was playing around the sandcastles. Henry ââ¬Ëwandered off along the beachââ¬â¢, he detaches himself from the rest of group, in this sense his exposes himself and leaves himself vulnerable, but in doing this it shows the reader that he still posses childhood innocence and naivety. Roger follows Henry, hiding in the shadows along the beach. Golding creates and air of menace around roger through his ââ¬Ëstalkingââ¬â¢ of Henry. As well as this he suggests to the reader that Roger has no fear, when coconuts ââ¬Ëas big as rugby ballsââ¬â¢ , ââ¬Ëfell about him with a series of hard thumpsââ¬â¢. This lack of care for his own safety is frightening because he doesnââ¬â¢t think in the expected way of a young child. The violent acts Roger then commits are frightening because they are simply not expected of a young child. Roger ââ¬Ëpicked up a stone, aimed, and threw it at Henry-threw to missââ¬â¢. But then he doesnââ¬â¢t stop there. He continues with these violent acts, he gathers ââ¬Ëa handful of stones and began to throw themââ¬â¢. Rogerââ¬â¢s violent acts tell the reader that now almost all of the expected childhood innocence has gone, and that the victims are starting to become apparent. The young, weaker children will be picked on because they are ââ¬Ëbattyââ¬â¢ and even some of the older boys such as Piggy and Simon will be targeted by looks and personalities. The violen ce on the island becomes more real and much more terrifying because the violence that would normally be expected of adults is being carried out by young children. In DNA the use of stones is much more violent, to the point where it leads to a death. The group continue to humiliate Adam, and they continue to test his loyalty to the group. They ââ¬Ëwent up the grille.ââ¬â¢ They force Adam to climb a fence and go walk over a grille covering a hole. This alone is potentially life threatening to Adam. The group see that he is scared, and the group mind set is simply to taunt him and to humiliate him. They then being to start ââ¬Ëpeggingââ¬â¢ stones at him. The use of the word ââ¬Ëpeggingââ¬â¢ is important because it suggest to the reader that the group are actually trying to hit Adam ââ¬Ëjust for a laughââ¬â¢. Even when the stones hit Adam directly on the head, they carry on laughing at him, because ââ¬Ëthe shock on his face is soâ⬠¦funny.ââ¬â¢ When Adam slips and falls into the hole underneath the grille, thatââ¬â¢s when it becomes evident that Mark, the character describing the ââ¬Ëstoningââ¬â¢, realises the consequences of their actions. He repeats ââ¬Ëso heââ¬â¢sâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬â¢ a number of times. It is clear that he is unable to come to terms with the fact that he has participated in a murder, and it takes John Tate, the assumed leader of the group, who earlier banned the word ââ¬Ëdeadââ¬â¢, to finish Markââ¬â¢s sentence. ââ¬ËDead. Heââ¬â¢s deadââ¬â¢. In Lord of the Flies the same violent symbol is used by Jack and Roger. The sharpening of a stick at both ends. The symbol first comes into use after the ââ¬Ëhuntersââ¬â¢ kill a pig. He orders Roger to ââ¬Ëram on end in the earthââ¬â¢. After doing this, Jack, who has decapitated that dead pig, then ââ¬Ëjammed the soft throat down on the pointed end if the stickââ¬â¢ this is the first real sign that the boys have transcende d into savages. Jack then says ââ¬Ëitââ¬â¢s a giftââ¬â¢ for the beast. Through this it suggests that the boys want to pacify the ââ¬Ëbeastââ¬â¢, and in killing the pig and offering its head itââ¬â¢s almost as if they are worshiping it, as if it has become like a god in which they must pay tribute to. When Roger sharpens the stick at two ends, the meaning of this is much more menacing. The boys have now turned into savages, after the deaths of Piggy and Simon, Jack is adamant that Ralph must be captured, and it is evident that Ralph will eventually be killed after torture if he is caught. Ralph is hiding from the rest of the boys, but he meets Samââ¬â¢nââ¬â¢Eric one night so he can find out what will happen to him. At first the twins are reluctant to tell him what Jack has planned, but then came ââ¬Ëthe incomprehensible replyââ¬â¢, ââ¬ËRoger sharpened a stick a both endsââ¬â¢. Ralph is unable to see the true meaning in this, but it is obvious to the reader that Jack wants the same fate for Ralph, as the pigs head earlier in the novel. Roger throughout the novel is presented as the ruthless bully, from when he was throwing stones at Henry, he was the one who released the rock that killed Piggy, and now it is clear that he has been ordered to literally bring back Ralphââ¬â¢s head. The most frightening moment in DNA comes as a threat from Cathy once she has found Adam. She finds him ââ¬Ëliving in a hedgeââ¬â¢ and after she tries to coax him out, Cathy openly admits that she ââ¬Ëused violenceââ¬â¢, she ââ¬Ëthreatened to gouge one of his eyes outââ¬â¢ this is a reference to Shakespeareââ¬â¢s King Lear when Goneril and Reagan rip out Gloucesterââ¬â¢s eyes. Cathy throughout the play is shown to be the most frightening character. She is solely motivated by becoming famous throughà interviews after Adams memorial, she says ââ¬Ëitââ¬â¢s quite excitingââ¬â¢, suggesting that she enjoys the violence of the situation and she is enjoying the spot light. She has no consideration for Adamââ¬â¢s well being, she is self absorbed. In Richardââ¬â¢s speech at the end of the play, he tells Phil that Cathy is ââ¬Ëinsaneââ¬â¢, and that ââ¬ËShe cut a first yearââ¬â¢s finger offââ¬â¢. Cathy and Roger are similar in that they both seem to enjoy inflicting pain on other people; they both come across as sadists. Their actions are terrifying to the audience because their extreme acts of violence would normally have been carried out by adults, but because they are both children, and Roger being so young, the violence is much more frightening. In Richardsââ¬â¢s final speech in DNA, he is sitting in a field talking to Phil. This reminds us Leah, who throughout the play has long monologs when she is talking at Phil, in hope of a response. Phil blanks Richard, which tells the audience that he shuts out everybody, and that his silence wasnââ¬â¢t personal to Leah. The scene also suggests that nothing has changed, and it makes the audience reflect on the characters. Goldingââ¬â¢s portrayal of the boys stays clearly on the same route. Itââ¬â¢s suggested that Jack is evil and that evil continues through the novel, whereas Kelly makes us remember in the final scene of Leah, through Richard, and that Kelly wants to make us reflect on our views of each character, because they could be interchangeable, and they can represent anyone in society.
Operations Management, ABC & Co Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
Operations Management, ABC & Co - Case Study Example They were expecting a vehicle of standard quality. When the first manufactured vehicle came into the market, customers were informed through a massive advertisement through television, newspapers and magazines and it made a great business. After launch of the 1st manufactured car, the company decided to introduce new models of the car every year by making amendments in form of colors, gears, wheels, design of wheels, head lights, improved quality of the silencer, etc. the company did not feel any need to make a heavy advertisement of these changes but an advertisement in few magazines. The reason behind this policy was the trust of the customers who they have gained through their performance. Moreover there was not so much important changed model of the car that it should be advertised at large scale. The company is committed to the quality products and quality services. The company emphasizes over the safety of environment and surroundings. The plants of the company have been established according to the modern technology to recycle the waste and prohibition of smoke and chemicals to the environment. The vehicles sold by the company contains slogan of environment safety as well the manuals of the vehicles contain directions for provision from environmental pollution. The customers of the company are spread all over the world as the company started its services by importing the cars from different regions of the world for different regions. Mainly the customers of the company fall into two categories: 1- The customers buying the imported vehicles. 2- The customers purchasing the company's own vehicles The customers of 1st category are the older clients who purchasing the vehicles of any kind from the company. They never switch towards the other companies in seek of different vehicles as they order their required vehicles through theior orders. They can be categorized as loyal customers. The company focuses to sustain them as loyal customers are much important for any company. They bring more customers for the company as well they describe their demands and suggest beneficial recommendations for the company. The second category customers are temporary purchasing vehicles. They are attracted by new models and low prices. But they can switch to other companies as ell for bargain. The company is trying to gain their trust at such level that they also fall in the category of loyal customers. CHALLENGES: The company has been facing many challenges in the past. The management has been dealing with these challenges very well. The current challenges faced by the company are: to provide services in 5 more countries to manufacture two wheel vehicles for developing regions of the world to provide their
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Organizational Personnel Policy Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Organizational Personnel Policy Critique - Essay Example In this case a person from one department will opt to undertake the duty that is supposed to be undertaken by a person of another department. In most organizations that are there the Human Resource Department will never miss. At the same time there is the project Management Department. Between these two there ought to be a relationship of some sort and there should be no conflicts especially when it comes to the work that is to be done. Even though the HR department will be the one having control over the workforce that is there, the PM department is the one charged with the responsibility of overseeing the workings that are undertaken by the individuals in the HR department. For this reason it is somewhat more influential in comparison to the HR department. However, there are other instances when the PM department will have little or no say on the issues that are affecting the firm. One such instance is when the workers of the firm down their tools or get involved in a go-slow. Even though the PM department supervises the projects that are to be undertaken, it is the HR department that will head out and try solve the issue at hand. Another issue in which the PM department has no say is when the working conditions of the employees are deplorable or not conducive. In this case also it will be the duty of the HR department to try once again and address the matter. What these examples show is that even though the PM department may have some influence in the firm, the HR department still has a lot of control in the sense that it is the department that is handling the workforce that is associated with the firm. The PM, however, can have some influence over the undertakings of the HR department. For example, it is the PM that will give instructions and directives on the way a particular task or project is to be undertaken. At the same time it is the PM department that will hold the employees of the firm
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
English Eassy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
English Eassy - Essay Example Undue influence is a major disastrous tool employed by authority and those in top position to block masses from thinking rationality. The possession of tools of transformation, analysis and evaluation by a rational thinker form the basis upon which a creative and critical thinker should be rated. Such features as inquisitiveness to ascertain finer details based on the analysis of a particular issue on questions are regarded as tools amplifying the ability by people to make independent decisions. This calls for a proper identification and understanding of a particular environment a person lives in terms of people and cultural practices. Culture has led to determent in decision made based on stereotype and superstition as people infer from deeply-rooted culture. The is mind cornered and enclosed thus blocked from developing open-mindedness to see solutions behind every challenge. The results are that people fall into circumstance motions. Foster rates real freedom as a conglomeration of attentiveness, exposed, discipline, caring to oneself and others as well as appreciating the need to sacrifice for others through own effort. In his book, ââ¬Å"This is Waterâ⬠, Foster illustrates; essential lonesomeness of a person, the significance of being positively adjusted and the difficulty of empathy as hindrance to attain freedom of mind. Wallace attaches high education to consciously think about meaning, perception of others and defines how to act when faced with situations. Based on this revelation, the researchers self-evaluation indicates that he is still cannot be rated as a conscious human. Education is viewed as a vessel to redefine individual culminating into sympathy and consciousness making one rated to have climaxed true freedom. Wallace alludes to three fish and water to explain the meaning of liberal arts as making one understand the importance of environment to freedom of mind (Wallace, 167). He calls for
Monday, August 26, 2019
Raltegravir (MK 0158) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Raltegravir (MK 0158) - Essay Example The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus HIV and is characterized by profound immuno-suppression with associated opportunistic infections, malignancies, wasting and central nervous system degeneration. Scientists have ascertained two types of this virus. The principal cause of AIDS worldwide is HIV-1. HIV-2 is dominantly found in West Africa. HIV fit in to the retrovirus family of viruses. (Bullock and Henze, 2000) The modes of HIV transmission have been well identified and have remained unchanged throughout the history of this disease. HIV is transmitted from one person to another through: (1) sexual relations with an infected person; Worldwide, 75% to 85% of HIV infections are transmitted through unprotected sex. (2) sharing in the use of hypodermic needles or accidental pricking by a needle contaminated with infected blood; and (3) transferring of the virus from an infected mother to her baby during birth or through breast-feeding. When HIV enters the body, it destroys lymphocytes, specifically CD4+ T cells which are white blood cells of the immune system that exert critical regulatory and effector functions involving both cellular and humoral immunity. The virus commandeers the genetic material of the host cell, instructing the cell to replicate more viruses. The newly formed viruses rupture free from the host, destroying the cell in the process. The new viruses continue to infect and destroy other lymphocytes. ââ¬Å"As a result of these observations, it was not difficult to imagine that HIV-associated immunodeficiency was due to virally mediated destruction of CD4+ T cellsâ⬠(McGune 2001) Over a period that may keep going from a few months to up to 15 years, HIV constitutes an attack on the entire immune system, destroying enough lymphocytes making the system unable to function properly. An infected individual develops multiple life-threatening illnesses from infections that
Sunday, August 25, 2019
DNA Fingerprinting Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
DNA Fingerprinting - Research Proposal Example Jeffreys began at the simplest, by detecting single copies of the genes and the phenomena of introns. It was this research that introduced the genuine concepts of restricted fragment length polymorphism or RFLP.(Newton, 2004, np) By this technique it was possible to divide the DNA in to smaller pieces, which in turn led to discovery of SNP or single nucleotide polymorphism. The SNP became a designation for points in DNA that show variation in the nucleotide arrangement, which prevents their cutting. These two discoveries were going to affect the entire future of the genetic technologies. (Newton, 2004, np) The discovery of the DNA printing made it an exclusive fact that humans differ substantially from other life forms, a notion he had pride on for many millennia. Now DNA finger printing is a common house hold concept, as people know that in order to identify someone, a small trace of him or her is required in the form of hair, fingerprint, semen, saliva etc. Jeffreys studied the variations in the human DNA, and focused on those variations that would come up in repeat DNA sequences. This research led him to conclude that no two DNA strands can be the same, and act as genetic "fingerprints" to the person.(Sir Alex Jeffreys, 2007, np) The finding again was augmented by data derived from experiments on seal myoglobin genes, where the phenomena of mini-satellites in human genome was discovered. This was a major breakthrough in the start of the research of genetic fingerprinting. (Sir Alex Jeffreys, 2007, np) Mini or micro satellites are located on the non-coding DNA, and it is this DNA th at accumulates random variations at faster pace than the coding DNA. Many of these non-coding DNA genes are gene regulators, but a significant amount does not contain any information at all. These "junk DNA" are essentially the phenomenon which is known as the micro-satellites. The micro-satellites contain short and repetitive DNA sequences within the sequence. Usually their location is easily predicted, however, this sequence repetition is variable in every individual.(Olson, 2006, np) It is the micro-satellites that are cut when DNA fragmentation results, which lead to various lengths of band formation or RFLPs.The main concept behind this individuality of specie within itself is the arrangement of base pairs in the DNA. This arrangement difference is what differentiates species and animals and plants, as well as persons from each other. Therefore, every DNA sequence is unique. The DNA sequence in one organism will be the same in all of its cells, whether unicellular or multi-cell ular. The number of base pairs is different in every species, along with its configuration, which differentiates the various species from each other. (Antler, 2003, para 1) DNA fingerprinting is now being used in many fields of common life and advanced genetic researches. One of the most interesting areas is the diagnosis of inherited disease within an individual. It is now a known fact that humans inherit many illness genes, which are contributory in progression of the disease. Ethical issues aside, in prenatal and newborn infants, this technology can be used to identify any inherited disorders that they may be carrying, and institute treatment should the need arise. Due to the increased involvement
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Corporate Antipolitics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Corporate Antipolitics - Essay Example The advocacy of neoliberal principles may be defined as ââ¬Å"economic Libertyâ⬠. Economic liberty has the influence of reducing government spending and enjoying free trade influences (Sawyer, 2004). The influences of such advances of communities ensure that the private sector has as stake in the management of resources. The influx of such a companyââ¬â¢s influences cultures of communities. The other influences of such companies on various parts of the globe include improvement of welfare, provision of amenities and on economic conditions. On the other side, there have been an increased number of conflicts between groups and the government with such developments. To put into perspective, an example of such conflict is the current Nigeria oil wars. Ecuador is among the largest supplier of oil to the western side of the United States of America. With the increase of companiesââ¬â¢ exploration of oil in the region, there has been an increased activism. Swayer in her examination of the influence of US oil companies in the nation brings diverse perspectives. The author points out that there since the rise of the movement against oil companies there has been three influences. The influence to the conflict on oil brings forth three players. These aspects are the Ecuadorian neoliberal policies, influences of the state and movements (Sawyer, 2004). The region on discussion faces various challenges. The Indigenous people of Ecuador have long struggled to control oil and land resources. This has led to the glamour for rights of the people. However, through neoliberal policies the government and the oil companies dictate norms. This has led to debates and demonstration. Through movements such as the OPIP that was prevalent during the 1990s, the author provides diverse perspective on politics of the land. The aspect of the struggle by such movements is the creation of Autonomy (Sawyer, 2004). The
Friday, August 23, 2019
Political Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Political Terrorism - Essay Example To answer this question let us look at the definition of terrorism. Political terrorism is a mode of warfare and has a different meaning for different people and in this is the conundrum in defining political terrorism. For the developed world the Libyan-supported attacks on the airports at Rome and Vienna in 1985 were acts of political terrorism by Libya and the revolutionary elements using armed struggle to promote their aims at securing freedom. From the perspective of Libya, however it was the retaliatory attack by the powerful United States of America in 1986 that was an act of political terrorism, for it was purely with the objective of putting fear into Libya and the insurgent groups that violence would be met with violence. Thus searching for a universally accepted definition of political terrorism is futile exercise and there would be better reward in trying to understand what political terrorism means (Merari, 2007). There are three basic elements that go into providing an understanding of political terrorism. The first is that the destructive violence seen in mode of warfare of political violent is unlike the conventional open combat and is essentially in used by stealth. The second basic element is the principal targets of this violence is political and even when the targets are not political, the message attempted to be communicated through the violence is political. The final basic element in political terrorism is that it is used by insurgent groups against the state or as recourse by the state. Thus the main players in political terrorism are insurgent groups acting against the state or the state by itself (Ronczkowski, 2004). Terror as a weapon has a long history and is not a development of the twentieth century. However, the nature of terrorism that society faces today is far different from the earlier experiences and as a coherent philosophy is rooted in
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Concert report for a piano Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Concert report for a piano - Essay Example Since the concert had been advertised some days before, a large number of audiences had turned up. Esther Parker was a well known soloist who had performed with orchestras in both the Asia and the United States of America. She has had the passion for the piano since she was four years old and after moving to the United States of America she began attending piano lessons which later became her foundation in musical arts. She graduated from Yale University with a masterââ¬â¢s degree. Tickets could be purchased online before the concert. Most of the people in the audience were students and professors from other departments who had a passion for music. The room was well set for the event and flashy lights had been put in place to add a lovely finish to the whole thing. Additionally, one of the schoolââ¬â¢s bands broke the ice by entertaining the audience. The room was at full capacity by eight in the evening and those who came late did not find a place to seat. The performance was breath taking especially in places where Parker changed the pitches and speed of play. After the first thirty minutes of her performance, the audience was really moved and we were given a fifteen minutes break to review on her performance. She was full of energy and if given the chance, could continue without a break. As soon as she finished her first session, the audience stood up and clapped almost two minutes appreciating her good work. I could even hear some member begging her to continue playing her piano. As her fingers run through the keyboard we all cheered as we went for the break. Mrs. Parker was very kind as when the audience asked for more of her performance, she was very ready to satisfy us and added another thirty minutes to her performance. According to me, here performance was worth a listen since she used the piano keyboard to provide a harmonic and melodic interplay. Musical styles There are different styles of music worldwide which vary from cultural to social and regional diversities. Different cultures may put up various types of music styles and genres. In the United States, there is the Western style of music production which is not found in other regions. From the performance, Esther Parker plays the Western style of music. Having graduated at an American university, she has coped with the western culture which has helped her perform Western styles of music. Music genres These are categories that can be used to differentiate various types of music according to their traditional and convections. Musical techniques may be used to explain a certain type of genre. For example, there are classical jazz, rock and karaoke genres among others. From the performance, Mrs. Parker plays classical types of songs using her piano. This type of music genre is mostly found in the Western countries, United States of America being part of them. Irrespective of her Asian background, she is able to satisfy the audience with the right kind of music genre. Th e classical genre uses staff notation to distinguish itself from other Western genres. Staff notation is where the soloist changes the pitch, meter, speed and rhythms during performance. As Ether parker played her piano, I could note the change in speed and rhythm. The combination of these effects provided a smooth song for the audience. Classical music was codified in the 18th century and later invented in the 19th century. Orchestras first performed it where different instruments including the piano
Television shows Essay Example for Free
Television shows Essay For the present society, television shows are almost considered as a part of the lifestyle and culture of the modern people. Almost every individual in the society have their own favorite television program which they patronize which varies basically due to the factor of preference, time availability, morality and others. Each television program in the modern broadcast industry as their own theme and cultural nature that the show creatively explores to entice the interest and enthusiasm of the public. For the broadcast networks, having a rated television program which the general public patronize is a good investment as this can promote their main line of revenue namely paid advertisement. By critically analyzing the television program in the present broadcast industry, one can actually see that majority of these programs tackle current social issues and trends however, these are presented in a different view. Usually, television programs offer a symbolical perspective on the subject making it more interesting and captivating to the audience as its offers a somewhat imaginative scenario where the public can relate with. A good example of this program nature is the primetime hit television show entitled ââ¬Å"Lostâ⬠. The television program entitled ââ¬Å"Lostâ⬠was actually written and designed to produce an imaginative scenario of surviving a plane crash and being stranded on a mysterious island that has an unknown location. While in isolation, the survivors must struggle against the environment for their survival, against themselves for personal development and against the mysterious inhabitants as their search for a way to communicate with the world. By critical observation, one can learn that the main objective of the show is to show a different view towards dominant social issues such as unity, cooperation, system of leadership and others through the eyes of the small community of the survivors. In this show, the large global community with cultural diversity and other issues has been minimized through the contingent of the survivors as they establish a mutual relationship between each of them and their temporary home. In this show, there are several examples of reality warp or presentation of mystery. For example, the presence of a polar bear in a tropical island, uncharted location of the island, and the presence of laboratory hatches in an isolated place produce certain mysterious characteristic to the program. As the story develops, other mysteries are also explored such as the reason for the plane crash and the nature of the island and its native inhabitants. Much of the story is presented through the use of symbols. General concepts and ideas in the show are mainly represented through certain materials and items that are explicitly used in the programââ¬â¢s story. Foe example, the item of guns and other armaments represent power in the issues of struggle between the plane crash survivors and the inhabitants of the mysterious island. Another is the item of wireless intercom or ââ¬Å"walkie talkieâ⬠presents the idea of difference between the two struggling factions making the inhabitants more sophisticated and better organized than the survivors as they have a mean for communication. All throughout the programââ¬â¢s story, each episode is centralized on a certain character wherein several flashbacks in his or her life will be presented to explain his or her present ideology or philosophy while in the island. Through this approach, viewers will better understand the story characters and their personal reason as to why he or she did his or her decision. Regarding the program advertisements, by analyzing the selection of products and/or services that are commercialize during the programââ¬â¢s timeslot, once can actually argue that the show is intended for general viewing mainly on the adult bracket making them the main marketing target for this programââ¬â¢s advertisement. Some specific commercials are cars, dress or fashion accessories, childrenââ¬â¢s apparel, technological gadgets and household products which are generally products for economically-capable adults. In general, the television program entitled ââ¬Å"Lostâ⬠is a show that offers an alternative scenario in a creatively enhanced reality. Surviving plane crash and being stranded on a mysterious island is indeed a captivating storyline for the adult society who are basically looking for some thrills and adventures in the routinary life. Through this program, viewers are offered an interesting experience to witness how to survive in an island, establish harmonious and cooperative relationship in a group and struggle against forces that are more advance and familiar with the environment while struggling to be rescued and competing against oneself for personal development.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Significant Market Position Toshiba Marketing Essay
Significant Market Position Toshiba Marketing Essay Toshiba is a strong and respected name in the market with a well-deserved reputation for innovation, high performance and reliability. We have represented the brand in Ireland since 1982 and, by combining our strengths with those of Toshiba, we have carved out a significant market share. Broad diversified product portfolio Toshiba is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products. Its product portfolio includes information and communications equipment and systems, internet based solutions and services, electronic components and materials, power system, industrial and social infrastructure systems, and household appliances. Strong research and development Toshiba has strong commitment to research and development programs. In an average year Toshiba is awarded more than 5,000 patents, many of which find their way either directly or indirectly into our multi-functional office solutions products. Enhancement of customer satisfaction Adhering to the Toshiba Group Customer Satisfaction Policy established in 2003, we aim to enhance customer satisfaction (CS) through the provision of safe and innovative products, systems and services as well as through communication with customers. Toshiba Group Customer Satisfaction Policy We make the voice of customers the starting point for all ideas and provide products, systems and services that deliver customer satisfaction. We provide products, systems and services that are safe and reliable. We respond to requests and inquiries from customers sincerely, rapidly and appropriately. We value the voice of customers and endeavor to develop and improve products, systems and services to deliver customer satisfaction. We provide appropriate information to customers. We protect personal data provided by customers. Weaknesses High debt In fiscal 2008, Toshiba placed a high priority on recovering its drastically eroded shareholders equity. The company is now making efforts to reduce debt in order to establish a solid financial profile by March 2012. Towards this goal, the company announced a policy to constrain capital investment, particularly in the semiconductor business. Standard Poors considers Toshibas conservative financial policy to be further evidenced by the implementation of a number of planned financial activities. These include capital enhancement through an increase in common stocks and the refinancing of short-term debt by the issuance of subordinated bonds. Standard Poors will closely monitor whether the company can improve its financial indicators as planned, through the consistent reduction of fixed costs and capital investments. Lack of manpower After four months of struggle and weeks of intense negotiations, workers and management at Toshiba Consumer Products Indonesia reached a settlement: 682 workers will be reinstated, but 15 local union leaders will not get their jobs back. Over leveraged financial position Year over year, Toshiba Corporation has seen revenues fall from $80.4B to $76.6B. This along with an increase in the cost of goods sold expense has led to a reduction in the bottom line from $1.7B to $925.7M. Ubiquitiouegory, products, services Cloud services will become truly ubiquitous, omnipresent. It is the broader access to most recent content and information plus the benefit of a vast social community contributing to its discovery and consumption adding, recommending, rating and prioritizing content and information that will make cloud services an increasingly indispensable element in consumers evolving digital lifestyle. Sun Zi said: When victory is long overdue, weapons will be blunt and the morale (and motivation) of the troops will be adversely affected. In war, it is better to go for swift victories rather than engage in prolonged military campaigns. Sun Zi also said: Therefore, generals who do not thoroughly comprehend the inherent dangers of deploying troops are unlikely to understand the advantages of using troops. Opportunities Market Recently Toshiba just launch the 12 new products in the Bangladesh. Bangladesh have a large population approximately 160 million. Toshiba has working with Smart Technologies BD Limited (STBL) Bangladesh Company since last 3 years. In this 3 year, Toshiba Company found that Bangladesh market impressive increase in term of sales volume and growth. Bangladesh is developing and has high potential in market. Global expansion It can let the profit or income of the Toshiba Company to increase or growing the market value of the Toshiba Company among the world. The popularities can also increase by this way. Without affecting quality and customer service, global expansion can maximizing profitability in all areas of the Toshiba Company. For instance, by developing the new marketing strategies in those regions, it can make let Toshiba Companys loyalty customers to buy their products. Global expansion can also help to leads to leveraging of expertise. With global expansion, leveraging any know-how or expertise in overseas production is prudent. Future plans Toshiba aim to double its annual profit in three year. The worlds No.2 maker of NAND flashes chips, behind the Samsung electronics. The firm is going to shift its focus to emerge economies and growing market after the demand for television fall dramatically than expected in the previous year. Besides that, Toshiba Company also interested in making money through nuclear power, they plan to buy 20 percent of share from the U.S nuclear power company in the next January. Toshiba is going to invest about $4.3 billion dollar to build new flash memory facility, in order to catch up the leader Samsung electronics, aiming to triple its manufacture capacity. Moreover, Toshiba plan to roll out a home storage battery system that can keep the appliances running for a good part all the day long. Toshiba developed a storage battery system that makes use of the Toshiba technology for rechargeable batteries. This storage battery can work up to 12 hour. Threats Competition Being an electronic company, in this environment of course there will be a lot of competitor. For example, the competitor for the Toshiba Company likes Samsung, Apple, HP, Dell, and other company that focus electronic production. These companies have created threats for the Toshiba Company. The tablets that made by Toshiba is not really attracted by consumer, because Apple and Samsung are leading on this market products. Besides that, Toshiba main production is notebook, although this is their priority product, but a lot of competitor also produces various type of notebook. Although they made a quality, productivity and user friendly notebook, but Toshiba still behind the other competitor that leading them by brand name position on customer heart. External changes This changes is depends on the government taxes and politics in the certain country that the Toshiba company invest in. First and foremost, government taxes and politics have created a burden to all company. As taxes increase its have the same effect that the company need to cover the cost of the good that rise such as electricity and input, all company are established because their purpose is profit.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
The Combines Act :: essays research papers
The Combines Act J.C.H. Jones's article "The Economics of the National Hockey League" (1969) purpose is to explain through simple micro economics that the prime motive of professional hockey team owners is profit maximization. The owners argue that their main interest is "for the love of the game," not the financial benefits of owning a professional sports franchise and to avoid government regulations such as the Combines Act (note 1). An article written in 1982 by J.A. Schofield entitled "The Development of First Class Cricket in England," states the behavior of sport cartels. Three hypothesises are used to explain the behavior described by Schofield, number two being developed by J.C.H. Jones (1969). (1) The profit maximization hypothesis. (2)The joint profit maximization hypothesis that the entire cartel (league) strives for. This hypothesis does not incorporate non profit objectives that influence group behavior. (3) The utility maximization model that allow for many possibilities usually compromising arguments such as the success of the team at a given year and paid attendance for the team's venue. By explaining the frame work of a professional sports league Jones introduces us to factors that make an organized league function, which seems quite familiar to any other monopolistic markets. Since no team can create any revenue by themselves they must form a coalition with another club to produce a profit generating output, namely a hockey game. Other clubs enter this coalition thus creating a formal league which we call the National Hockey League. Jones then states how revenue is generated in the N.H.L and how it is affected by certain factors. A theoretical model of the N.H.L is created by Jones with all things being equal, creating an equilibrium amongst all clubs. The model is then adjusted to real life variables that turns his theoretical model into what we know as the N.H.L. Jone's variables includes the incentive for teams to win (this being the Stanely Cup), different quality of players, the amateur draft (a draft at the end of the season which amateur players a selected, last place team gets first pick and so forth), and player redistribution(trades). By applying microtheory Jones clearly presents his argument which I was able to understand with my current knowledge of microeconomics. Jones examines the revenue side of an individual team using the usual variables tastes, prices, incomes, quality and substitutes. On the supply side Jones stresses that the major element is the human inputs namely the hockey players. The data that Jones used was team statistics such as their final rank at the end of the season and the paid attendance as a percentage of maximum seating capacity.
Monday, August 19, 2019
Employees at Sonora Foods are organised into teams. These include: :: Business and Management Studies
Employees at Sonora Foods are organised into teams. These include: production, hygiene, and maintenance. Sonora Foods Ltd. 2 Describe how Sonora Foods Ltd is organised. 2 Identify and explain the roles and working arrangements of three different employees in the same functional area from the following list: Manager, Supervisor, Operative and Support Staff 2 Explain how the organisational structure affects communication between employees. 3 Compare the different working arrangements for the three identified employees. 4 Evaluate whether the organisational structure is appropriate for enabling employees to work together effectively 5 Judge the effectiveness of the different working arrangements of the three identified employees 6 Suggest and justify flexible working arrangements for them that the business might consider in the future 6 In Unit 2-Theme A my coursework was based on Cummins UK. For the rest of Unit 2 I will base my coursework on Sonora Foods Ltd. Sonora Foods Ltd. Describe how Sonora Foods Ltd is organised Sonora Foods produce the following products: Tortillas, Nacho Bites, Tacoââ¬â¢s, Burritos, Wraps and Seasoning Blends. Sonora Foods is divided into four teams. These are: Senior Management Team, Operations Team, Finance Team, Hygiene Team and the Technical Team. All these teams have a managers and team leaders to keep each department running smoothly. The operations staff at Sonora Food are organised to work with different shifts. These are: day shift, 40 hours a week (7am-4pm). Afternoon shift, 35 hours a week (4pm-midnight) and night shift, 32.5 hours a week (midnight-7am). These are the shifts and working hours for the operatives. The wage is à £5.35 during the day and rises to à £10 for staff working on the night shift. This is how the operatives are organised, this has been successful for Sonora as all the operatives are happy with the arrangements allocated to their jobs. Operatives are the employees who are based on the production floor to produce the goods and keep the production line up and running smoothly throughout the day. All the four teams have an organisational chart. There are two types of organisational charts which businesses use. Theyââ¬â¢re flat structure and tall structure. Tall structures have lots of layers, which represent the difference in jobs and how much work is needed to do each one. The jobs at the top end of the chart will be managers and directors, these jobs will pay more than the jobs lower down the chart. Flat structures have fewer layers and are more used in smaller businesses. These have the higher staff at the top then a larger number of staff who are working with different jobs, but these jobs are at the same level of priority and rate of pay.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Mysterious Vanishing Frogs of North America Essay -- Environment E
The Mysterious Vanishing Frogs of North America I have a passion for all things slimy, wet, and creepy-crawly. Some of the best times of my life have been spent on my knees, digging in the dirt for earthworms, traipsing back from ponds with buckets of putrid swamp water teeming with tadpoles, or chasing fat little toads in knee-high grass. I love the outdoors and all of the ugly animals that inhabit it. I like to catch them, watch them, and ââ¬â especially ââ¬â photograph them. For the longest time, lizards have been the main focus of my photographic endeavors, but last summer, inspired by a book on frogs from the local library, I set out to document the lives of these often overlooked amphibians. I live in southern Florida near the Everglades, and I remember catching, mating, and raising dozens of frogs as a kid, so I didnââ¬â¢t expect to have to lug my tripod and lenses very far to find a suitable subject. But much to my dismay, I didnââ¬â¢t find a single frog in an entire afternoon of searching. In fact, in the ye ar and half since my initial search, Iââ¬â¢ve seen only four frogs. I immediately assumed that pollution had decimated the populations of my favorite amphibian. I have no hard evidence, but I believe that this is a common belief shared by many fellow lay naturalists. This makes scientific sense; frogs spend most of their lives in water, have thin, easily permeable skin during all stages of their lives, and lay their gelatinous eggs in water. Pesticides and other pollutants accumulate in water, where they can easily diffuse into the thin skin of frogs. It all seems perfectly logical. The catch is, this perfectly logical and widely believed answer is probably false. While there are never any absolutes in ecology, there is a l... ...y/froglog/FROGLOG-24-4.html Explanation for Naturally Occurring Supernumerary Limbs in Amphibians Stanley K. Sessions and Stephen B. Ruth The Journal of Experimental Zoology 254:38-47 (1990). http://www.hartwick.edu/biology/def_frogs/trem/Sessions&Ruth.html Sessionsââ¬â¢ research groupââ¬â¢s web page http://www.hartwick.edu/biology/def_frogs/Introduction/Introduction.html Morphological Clues from Multilegged Frogs: Are Retinoids to Blame? Stanley K. Sessions, R. Adam Franssen, and Vanessa L. Horner Science 1999 April 30; 284: 800-802. (in Reports) http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/284/5415/800 University of Wisconsin BioLab http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/zoolab/Table_of_Contents/Lab-4a/Trematode_Life-Cycle/trematode_life-cycle.htm Stanley K. Sessions Science 1998 January 23; 279: 459 (in Letters)
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Review/critical thinking Essay
1. Syncopation is placing emphasis or accents on beats that are unexpected, or not having emphasis or accents on beats that are expected too. Syncopated rhythms add variety to music. 2. Ragtime is a musical genre, it combined march music with African rhymths. The instruments used in the bands using ragtime would become the instruments used to create jazz which is how the two were related. 3. Buddy Bolden helped create Classic Jazz. Bolden led a band in New Orleans from about 1895 to 1906, its hard to tell what their music was like because thereââ¬â¢s norecordings only stories. 4. Bebop had faster rhythms and more complex harmonies. The music also has more frequent chord changes, often after only a beat or two, and greater dissonance. 5. Hot jazz is a form of jazz with a lot of improvisation. One of the differences between classic jazz and hot jazz is that with hot jazz, multiple musicians engage in improvisation at the same time, whereas in classic jazz, improvisation was typically limited to one instrument at a time. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Theyââ¬â¢re a lot of similarities and diffrences when it comes to jazz and classical music,theyââ¬â¢re similar because Jazz is referred to americaââ¬â¢s classical music, and jazz was often influenced by classical music. A lot of composers were good at improvising and jazz musicians are sort of know for their improvising. Both classical and jazz music use basic forms and structures. Differences: the tone of the music and the instruments and performances of the music. 2. Characteristics of Jazz: different, unique, many subtypes, ragtime, big bands amd little bands, syncopation, off-beat rhythm and improvisation. 3. A lot of people call Jazz ââ¬Å"Americaââ¬â¢s calssical musicâ⬠I think they say that because classical music developed more in Europe and Jazz is very relative to classical music but it developed in the United States so if thats why they call it that then I agree. 4. Ella Fitzgerald (ââ¬Å"First Lady of Songâ⬠) Shes an icon and one of the best scat singers in the history of jazz. She won thirteen Grammy awards, including Lifetime Achievement award in 1967, and her records sold over forty million copies. Her contribution was just her greatness. 5. Improvisation is the act of creating music in the moment. Its found in many of the subgenres of jazz, some forms of jazz are based on it (Hot jazz. )
Friday, August 16, 2019
Naming and Shaming Sex Offenders Essay
Define: The social issue naming and shaming sex offenders is the worst sex offenders being named and shamed on a website with their picture, name, address and date of birth on their profile. People can type in the suburb they live in and see what sex offenders live in their area. Argument #1 For: Sex offenders, even more so than other forms of crime, are prone to re-offending upon release from prison. Therefore, to protect society, they should be required to register with a local police station, and their names and addresses should be made available to the public. Police would also supply this information to schools and day cares, who will be consequently far more alert to any risk. Parents would find this information invaluable in ensuring their childrenââ¬â¢s safety, and it would cut the rate of sexual crime by those freed from prison. In the end, we have to protect our children at any cost. Against: This proposal is an essential violation of the principles of our penal system, which are based on the serving of a set punishment before being freed from prison. This registration inflicts a new punishment for an old crime and will lead to sex offenders to be demonized by their neighbours and community, and possibly be forced to move out of the town they are located in. It will also lead to campaigns and violence, sometimes against innocent people with similar looks and names, such a risk cannot be taken. Argument #2 For: Crimes for sexual offence are among the most repulsive and damaging that exist; they can ruin a personââ¬â¢s life. As the offenders responsible for these crimes cannot be imprisoned forever, and must be released at some point extra caution must be taken to ensure they pose no threat to the public. Against: The suggestions of this website are clouding the options. Physiological evaluations can define accurately whether an offender is still danger to society or not. If an offender is still a danger to society then they should not be released from prison, if they are not a danger any more then they should be released and be able to live a happy and normal life. Studies have shown that treatment is quite effective to help reduce the rate of re-offending. Argument #3 For: A national web register would allow police to track re-offenders faster, increasing the success rate and the speed of which they are brought to justice. Against: Police can be aided by a register only available to the police. Making it public might make the offenders run and making it hard for police to track them. Studies have shown that a public register is a subjective to abuse from the public. Around 2 out of every 5 offenders have been a victim of vigilantism. The social ostracism, denial of rehabilitative measure such as housing and stable employment, and threats of vigilantism, making former offenders disobey reporting requirements. Argument #4 For: A national register would benefit sexual offenders directly, as they would be on local registers of counseling and psychological help groups, who would be more able to offer help. Against: Offenders should have access to these services anyway, regardless of whether their names are available to society or not. This register has led to large qualities of withdrawing sex offenders listen on the register, along with their families. The register is a spread of myths and stereotypes used by the public to justify the ostracism and denial of service. Sex offenders in Australia have lost jobs, housing and treatment options and forced to live under never ending changing requirements.
Pros and Cons of Outsourcing
Pros and Cons of Outsourcing ShaQuanvia Jones Potomac College Pros and Cons of Outsourcing What do you do when you need a job done that someone else specializes in? Well, of course you would hire that person to do the job. For instance, when you have a company, there are many parts to the company and each part has a different specialization. So they hire people that can do that job. It is the same way with larger companies. They hire manufacturers and smaller companies that specialize in a certain job to do it for them. This is all called outsourcing. Even though it sounds like myriads of advantages, it also has some disadvantages also.What is outsourcing? Outsourcing is obtaining goods and services from an outside supplier. It is like a contract with someone or a company to do a particular job that they specialize in. A car factory would hire companies that make the different parts of the car. Since the company already has the supplies and machinery for the parts it would be cheaper . In this case, the company that is helping the car factory would be called a service provider. It is providing a service that it specializes in to a larger company. These service providers are also called third-party providers.This name is given because it is the provider behind the main provider. Outsourcing is done in many companies like insurance companies, grocery stores, and many of the big businesses. Pros of Outsourcing With outsourcing comes many pros, or advantages. Outsourcing is very popular in our country and internationally. It helps businesses focus on their priorities or their main functions instead of secondary tasks. For example, if a company was good in handling finances, it would be hired to handle only the finances. Outsourcing also reduces expenses by finding certain industries purposes in areas where important costs are cheaper.If you noticed, many of our clothes or shoes are made in China. This is an example of outsourcing but it is a certain type called offs horing. Offshoring is when companies are outsourcing to foreign countries. America does offshoring because it is cheaper to get goods from China. If outsourcing was not a dependent, a company would not have to worry about trying to communicate with another to get goods and services. By not doing outsourcing, a company will also know what is going on with its product and be aware of any incidents. Cons of Outsourcing Although there are many advantages to outsourcing, there are some disadvantages, or cons.Many of the disadvantages would come from communication. When a company is receiving or purchasing goods from another country, they have to have a way to understand their language. With the diverse languages, it would be very hard; therefore offshoring can cause language barrier concerns. Another issue with offshoring would be the different time zones. The products would have to be ordered at the right time because getting products internationally are hard to do. The products have to be in before a certain time. Although outsourcing makes it cheaper for goods, this may also cause many Americans to lose jobs.If outsourcing was not depended on, a company would have to do all the work by their self which would cost more and take longer. As you can see, outsourcing is a very important and useful thing when it comes to goods and services. It has some downfalls, but staying focused and planning ahead of time would be a very effective plan when hiring specialists or handling business overseas. Outsourcing only helps specialize in certain functions so that companies will not have to come out of pocket for extra expenses. Labor is also cheaper when it comes to outsourcing.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
European Commissionôs actions against The Coca Cola Company Essay
* 1 Introduction The Coca Cola Company (TCCC) is an American corporation and manufacturer especially known for its soft drinks like Coca Cola or Fanta. It sells over 3500 products, is available in over 200 countries and has revenues of nearly 50 billion us-dollars (Coca Cola Company, 2011). After Coca Cola was accused by the European commission (EC) to have abused its market power, Coca Cola gave in and set up commitments to prove that it does not abuse its power. They promised no exclusivity arrangements, no target or growth rebates, noà use of its stronger brands to sell other less strong brands and finally a 20 percent free space in their coolers for other products and brands. These commitments were accepted by the EC. This essay explains why the EC is concerned about the abuse of market power and analyzes the commitments stated by the coca cola company in its economic terms and how they affect the market competition. Finally it will evaluate if the EC was correct in accepting these commitments. Background to the Case The EC tries to establish a free competitive market and a fair competition between businesses in setting up competition policies like state aid, merger control rules and antitrust also known as the European competition law (Report European Comission, 2010). It does so to ensure the maximization of social welfare which will be further explained in section 2. In September 2004, the EC started to proceed against the Coca Cola Company relying on their antitrust regulation. In October, 2004 Coca Cola was sent a ââ¬Å"preliminary assessmentâ⬠which stated the ECà ´s concerns about their abuse of market power. One month later Coca Cola submitted commitments in response to these Claims (European Comission, 2006). The four commitments are as followed: 1. Coca cola promised that at all time their customers are free to buy or sell carbonated soft drinks from any supplier of their choice and therefore no more exclusivity arrangements; 2. No target or growth rates are allowed. Coca Cola no longer offers rebates that reward in purely purchasing the same amount or more of Coca Cola products than in the past. Hence it is easier for customers to purchase from other suppliers; 3. Coca Cola is not allowed to use its strong brand to push other products which are not that popular goods; 4. If Coca Cola provides free coolers to retailers, the retailers are allowed to use 20 per cent of its space for other brands and goods. If Coca Cola should break these commitments the EC could demand a fine of ten per cent of Coca Colaà ´s total worldwide turnover (European Comission, 2006). Loss of Welfare due to Market Power But why is the EC actually concerned about the abuse of market power, the ability of a firm to charge a price above marginal cost and earn a positive profit (Perloff, 2012), of big firms like TCCC? The main answer to this question is that the EC tries to ensure social welfare and to maximize it. But before answering this question social welfare needs to be elucidated. Social welfare itself is difficult to measure. One way to measure it is to define it as the sum of the consumer and producer surplus. Perloff describes the consumer surplus as: ââ¬Å"The monetary difference between what a consumer is willing to pay for the quantity of the good purchased and what the good actually costsâ⬠(Perloff, 2012). In other words the consumer surplus is used to measure and compare consumer welfare, the benefit of a certain product a person gets consuming that product less the money he or she paid for the good. In contrast the producer surplus is described by Perloff as followed: ââ¬Å"The d ifference between the amount for which a good sells and the minimum amount necessary for the seller to be willing to produce the goodâ⬠(Perloff, 2012). It is the gain of trade and thus equal to the profit from trade minus the profit from not trading. The EC tries to maximize the social welfare. This is only possible in a competitive market because in such a market environment the price equals the marginal costs (Perloff, 2012) which results in an equilibrium price, an economic term for a balance between the wants of producers and consumers and no loss of welfare. However, the converse argument is that in a non-competitive market social welfare is not maximized. The biggest counterpart to a free competitive market is a monopolistic market. Although TCCC is not a real monopoly it has big market power and can therefore be compared to a monopoly. The loss of social welfare, the deadweight loss, which occurs if a monopoly (or a company with a big market power) arises, is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 Deadweight Loss of Monopoly 1 (Barnett, 2007) Figure 1 shows that at the competitive equilibrium the price (Pc) is lower than the monopoly price (Pm) and the quantity (Qc) is bigger than the quantity (Qm) which the monopoly supplies. Hence a deadweight loss arises. This deadweight loss develops only due to missing competition. This scenario could appear due to an abuse of market power. By definition, market power isà the ability to charge a price above marginal cost and therefore earn a positive profit (Perloff, 2012). Compared to a competitive market the demand curve is not horizontal but downwards sloping. This means that although the quantity decreases if a monopoly raises its price there are still buyers for the product. In a competitive market this is not true because the demand curve is horizontal and only the slightest increase in price will result in zero demand. As we can see in Figure 1: The monopoly is able to set its price not at the equilibrium (the intersection of marginal cost and the market price) but at a poin t at which it maximizes its own profit (a point where the price is higher than marginal costs). This results in a welfare loss for the consumers which the EC tries to prevent. Furthermore the market power is related to the shape of the demand curve and tells a monopoly how much it can raise its price above the competitive equilibrium (the interception with the marginal cost) at the profit maximizing quantity. The more elastic the demand curve becomes, graphically this would means a nearly flat curve, the more sales are lost even if the price is only slightly increased. Conversely, if the demand curve is a steep curve (not very elastic) it would lose fewer sales by the same increase of price (Perloff, 2012). However a firm with a big market power or a monopoly benefit from large economies of scale. They can produce their products cheaper than any number of other firms together and for this reason not challengeable (Perloff, 2012). Economic Effect of the Commitments on Market Competition Concerned of the big market power TCCC had, the EC decided to intervene and requested Coca Cola to come up with solutions to allow the free competition to grow. Coca Cola then set up four commitments which were accepted by the EC. Although all four head to the same economic effect of lowering entry barriers for competitors and accordingly make consumers more aware of substitutes for Coca Cola products, all four are described separately. The first commitment assured that TCCC would not accept any exclusivity arrangements. It allows customers of Coca Cola to sell any soft drinks from any supplier next to Coca Cola. This means more suppliers which results in more products similar to Coca Colaà ´s products, substitutes. Although theseà substitutes existed also before the commitment it is now much easier for consumers to be aware of these and accordingly buy these. The economic effect of more substitutes was already explained in section 2: The market power is related to the demand curv e. The flatter the demand curve is the more elastic it is and therefore a small increase in price leads to a big loss in sales. If we now take the substitutes into account the demand curve of TCCC becomes more elastic because consumers can choose between products of different suppliers. Hence Coca Cola cannot set its price per unit as high as before. In other words the demand curve gets closer to a competitive demand curve and if TCCC sets its prices too high consumers will buy a substitute. In addition as prices of Coca Colaà ´s products gets lower it becomes easier for other firms to enter the market. The second commitment prevented Coca Cola to set up target or growth rates. Hence Coca Cola was not able to reward customers for purchasing the same amount or more of Coca Cola products than in the past. Again this makes it easier for customers to buy from other soft drink suppliers or a less amount of Coca Cola products plus different products. Economically this has the same effect as the first commitment and concentrates the overall effect: The demand curve becomes even more elastic and the market becomes more competitive. The third commitment states that TCCC is not allowed to use the strongest brands to sell less popular brands. Again consumer can choose more easily between different suppliers and the competition in the market is further increased. Next to this economic effect it is now harder for Coca Cola to sell its less popular products and weakens its market power and brings TCCC even closer to sell at the competitive equilibrium. Secondary to the economic effect of the more elastic demand curve the decrease of entry barriers and the gain of substitutes increase the supply of the market. As more suppliers enter the market, supply increases which lowers the price of products in the market. The last commitment allows retailers to use 20 percent of the space in the Coca Cola coolers although they were provided by TCCC for free. Therefore Retailers who want to benefit of a free cooler are not forced to use it only for Coca Cola products anymore. This makes it easy for consumers to be aware of substitutes of Coca Colaà ´s products as well as comparing prices. All in all the four commitments are heading to decrease TCCCà ´s market power and to increase the competition in the market. They do so allowing substitutes gainà more attention by customers which results in a more elastic demand curve for Coca Cola. The more elastic it becomes the more competition increases in the market. Moreover the marketà ´s supply increases and prices decrease. Conclusion Finally it can be said that firms with too much market power can reduce the social welfare. In order to protect this social welfare the EC accepted the four commitments. The closer analysis of the four commitments and their economic effect on the market shows that due to lower entry barriers the marketà ´s supply is increased and more substitutes are easier available for consumers. In addition, Coca Colaà ´s demand decreases and it cannot benefit from its economies of scales as it could before. Furthermore, it cannot set its price as high as it could before. Although Coca Cola does not lose all of its market power and is still one of the biggest companies and soft drink suppliers worldwide its market power is reduced by the ECà ´s actions and this results in an increase of market competition and a reduction of Coca Colaà ´s market power. If it was actually maximized to its fullest cannot be said because the information of actual demand or marginal cost curves is always limited, nor are the theoretical assumptions of a market environment given in real life. Nevertheless, the social welfare was definitely increased by the EC and therefore it was right to accept the four commitments. References Barnett, T. (31. October 2007). Maximizing Welfare through technological Innovation. From www.justice.gov: http://www.justice.gov/atr/public/speeches/227291.htm Coca Cola Company, C. C. (31. December 2011). Anuual Report of Exchange. Von www.sec.gov: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/21344/000002134412000007/a2011123110-k.htm Comission, E. (2006). Competition in Practice ââ¬â Coca Cola. European Comission, E. (2006). Coca Cola. Perloff. (2012). Microeconomics. England: Pearson. Report European Comission, C. (2010). Report on competition policy . Brussels.
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