Thursday, October 17, 2019
Representation of Masculinity in Die Hard 2 Essay
Representation of Masculinity in Die Hard 2 - Essay Example As such, this paper intends to analyze the representation of masculinity in one of the Die Hard films namely Die Hard 2 by drawing on Mulvey and Neale readings as well as discussion by Taster. Hegemonic masculinity associates with social dominance on one end. On the other, it involves physical prowess, sexual virility, and aggression (Rzepka and Horsley 2010: 61). These are potentially bewildering images of action heroes. With that in mind, it is interesting to note that this hegemonic ideal is not only hard to create, but also implausible to keep up with for the contemporary male. Therefore, this figure that depicts powerful masculinity may only exist or embody in legendary heroes, mythical figures, and probably a minute number of males within a society (West and Lay 2003: 27). Die Hard 2 is a story revolving around a cop who cites in New York and on fine day to Christmas, he visits his ‘distanced’ wife who lives in Los Angeles. Upon his arrival, he finds her and the re st of her work mates having a Christmas party at the same building where they work (Gates 2006: 35). Coincidentally, there happens to be some criminals posing as political terrorists who invade the building demanding for petty yet criminalist favors like release of war criminals jailed in one of the penitentiary facilities around America. John McLane works as a New York law enforcement officer. He stays far from his wife and have some unsolved issues which act as part of the reasons as to why they are no longer in goods terms (Rzepka and Horsley 2010: 89). He is a masculine male character with virile physical prowess and social dominance as well as high level of aggression. Post analysis of Hollywood presentation of male genres characterized Die Hard 2 as male driven action movie that the audience understands to be one of the most visually explosive films with a macho that portrays Hollywood genres (Milestone and Meyer 2012: 50). This is because of its spectacular sight and relevanc e of the hard male body set forth by the main character. Indeed, extant studies and research from with the some of the feminist film theories puts across clearly that the body masculinity of an action hero gives the preferential tone for an action narrative (Caroll 2003: 79). Analysis of Die Hard 2 highlights that movie directors construct action heroes like Bruce Willis exclusively via their physicality and the way they display their bodies form a vital ingredient of the visual effects or excess that they offer in the muscular action cinema (Gates 2006: 58). Several suggestions show that American action films strive hard and frequently at the expense of developing the narrative, to contrive situations or instances for displaying the body of an action hero. Ideally, extant literature that examines both the hegemonic male and the action hero routinely expound on issues such as sexuality, race, class, nationality, and above all the body (Bould 2005: 59). Despite his ageing body prowes s, most reviewers, and critics alike, received the Die Hard Series with a lot of zeal and plausible applauds. This is due to his ability to withstand physical assaults with his male hard body irrespective of age at that particular time (Berg 2002: 80). You should note that masculinity change must take place
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Culture and Perceptions and Attitudes and Values Essay
Culture and Perceptions and Attitudes and Values - Essay Example Culture relates to the set of beliefs and traditions which is followed by a segment of a nation's community and includes sub cultures, corporate cultures as well as national and social cultures. It includes religious beliefs, norms, traditions, rituals etc that is specific to that particular country or region. The cultural framework encompasses within its gamut, various other factors such as language, religion, values, attitudes, and educational qualifications that is peculiar to the nation and plays a significant role in influencing their purchase decisions. For instance, in the case of famous beverage marketing firm Captain Morgan rum the marketing management of the company perceived Hispanic male consumers as probable target audience to whom the product could be successfully marketed and sold. However, such a notion was held wrong since the Hispanics perceived the product as symbolizing domination and exploitation owing to the company logo of a pirate. This proves that the concept / idea that were appealing to the Anglos were found to be disgusting by the Hispanics owing to their cultural differences (Korzenny, 2005). In China, the year 2007 which was considered to be the year of the pig - a symbol of wealth and prosperity according to their culture and traditions, all the advertisements related to pigs were banned. The move was intended to respect the religious sentiments of the 20 million odd Muslim population and was considered as a gesture of respect to their traditional values (The Sunday times, 2007). In the year 2005, France's Catholic Church banned an advertisement (Appendix 2) featuring a popular clothing brand which was based on Leonardo Da Vinci's Christ's last Supper since it hurt the religious sentiments of the Catholics world wide (BBC News, 2005). In 2004 China banned the Nike advertisement featuring LeBron James battling a cartoon kung fu master, alleging that it was a national insult and it hurt the dignity of the nation (China daily, 2004). International Marketing can be better understood in terms of high - context and low - context culture whereby it is argued that people belonging to the same set of backgrounds share a high degree of understanding of the concepts intended to be depicted in the advertisements and hence the need to explain or clarify the intentions is not recognized. High context culture largely relies on non verbal communication since it is fast and efficient within their group eliminating the need to explain or explicitly express the intended meaning, their behavior is predictable and is considered to be misinterpreted or incomprehensible by outsiders i.e., those belonging to the low context culture (Bennett, Blythe, Pp.44). These specific points related to high context and low context culture needs to be understood adequately since it holds utmost significance in terms of international marketing of products or services. It helps the marketers to better understand the targeted consumer groups and assist them in designing appropriate marketing campaigns suitable to their tastes and cultures. People's attitudes and values are also crucial in ascertaining the appropriateness of the choice of marketing campaigns in accordance to the country's cultural, national, political, economical and social
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Alcoholic in Teens Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Alcoholic in Teens - Research Paper Example Moreover, alcoholism is more than just a social weakness or problem as many would tend to think if the medical definition of it being a chronic illness is anything to go by. As a matter of fact, the National Institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism in a report of a research recently conducted indicates that there is increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among alcoholics (Bryant, 2013). This is because alcoholism has been found to affect the brain so that the retention of trauma is higher than usual. Social workers should therefore be concerned with the identification of the factors that have made alcoholism among teens popular (Zarbock, 2008). In recognition of these surprising facts and statistics among other effects of this major problem in the American society especially with regards to teenagers, the study will be conducted to ascertain the extent of this problem among teenagers in the country. The research will be for the purposes of pointing out the extent of alcoholism among teenagers using the primary surveys and available secondary data on the subject. The study will involve a sample of participants across the country. The identified sample will be conducted with the help of about 60 teenagers who are currently within the states and territory of the United States. The age bracket under investigation that will also be considered for sampling will be boys and girls between the age of 12 to 15. Since there is the issue of legal consumption of alcohol, the identified age bracket is important for the examination of the effectiveness of the law in curbing this habit among the younger generation. The main sampling criteria employed will be intensity sampling. This is because there will be need for the identification of a fairly distributed and representative sample so that the objectives of this study is
The Renaissance Period Essay Example for Free
The Renaissance Period Essay The period in time referred to as the Renaissance started in the late 1300s and existed through the 1500s. The term translates into rebirth, and describes the process of intellectual and cultural change that began in northern Italy and eventually made its way to countries lying further north. In this era, Christianity began to evolve and branch into different directions, weakening the power of the church and allowing the disciplines of philosophy and science the freedom to take new routes encouraging scientific observation as opposed to blind faith, or reasoning (Gaardner 197, 202).            These changes in Christianity, philosophy and science brought about the new ideas of renaissance humanism. When the author says, We speak of renaissance humanism, since now after the Dark Ages in which every aspect of life was seen through divine light, everything once again revolved around man., he is explaining how man has come to see himself in a new light. In the Dark Ages man viewed himself simply as a pitiful servant to God, unworthy of any form of greatness. During the Renaissance, man saw himself not as a servant to God, but as an integral and more importantly, unique part of God and his greatness. Man began to believe that God existed everywhere and in everything, including himself, and so man could now celebrate himself and his individual achievements, which became the basis of the new world view (Gaardner 197, 201).            The new world view consists mainly of two things: the way man viewed himself, and the way he viewed his surroundings. As previously stated, man viewed himself in a much higher light than in the previous era. He now also had a new view of nature. Previously, the world had only been looked at as a place of preparation for the hereafter, but now it was looked at as a place to investigate and explore. There was an exciting environment of freedom and exploration. Many people of the time were very aware that they were living in a special, exciting era of intellectual and cultural growth, and they wanted to play an active role in it. This led to huge advancements in all areas from the arts to the sciences, and to the ideal of the Renaissance man, the desire to be knowledgeable in all of these areas (Gaardner 200, 201).            There were three main technological developments that were necessary for the Renaissance era to come to life. The compass, which made navigation simpler and encouraged the exploration of new lands, accrual of new observations, and information; firearms, which gave the Europeans military power and made exploring the new lands safer, allowing them to easily overcome any native populations; and most importantly, the printing press, which allowed people greater access to all forms of information, promoting curiosity in the common person and encouraging the desire to know more, to explore, and to ask questions about their surroundings. The printing press also took away the authority of the church as the only source of written knowledge. All three of these developments came together to contribute to the spreading of the new world view over long distances, encouraging the growth of the Renaissance movement and its ideals (Gaardner 198).            The transition from a subsistence economy to a monetary economy also played a large role in the formation of the Renaissance era. The difference between the Renaissance economy and the economy in the Middle Ages was the formation of a large middle class. The formation of the middle class occurred during this time because at the end of the Middle Ages, large cities were fully developed, encouraging the growth of trade and commerce. A monetary economy with banking systems soon followed and the middle class was born, with people having the luxury to be able to buy the things that they needed or wanted. This type of system encouraged people to work harder and smarter, as opposed to feudalism, where working harder would not reap any personal benefits. As the author puts it, This state of affairs rewarded peoples diligence, imagination, and ingenuity. New demands were made on the individual. This statement reflects the trademarks of individualism, experimentation and exploration that are present in the ideals of the Renaissance era (Gaardner 199).            Another way that the printing press contributed to the Renaissance was by allowing the Bible to be translated and printed in different languages. Prior to this, in the Catholic church, only priests and monks read the Bible, because it was only available in Latin. Once it was translated and printed, an individual could read it for himself, and interpret what it said in his own way. This led to an emphasis on an individuals personal relationship with God, and less of an emphasis on a persons relationship with his spiritual leaders. Eventually, it would lead to the Reformation (Gaardner 212).            The author speaks of a new religiosity that developed during the Renaissance. He is referring to the fact that thoughts on God in his relation to the individual changed dramatically. Prior to the Renaissance, there was a belief that the priest was the only person who truly had a special relationship with God, so therefore it was entirely necessary for an individual to seek forgiveness from God through the priest. God was the only gateway to paradise, and the priest was the only gateway to God. Once the Renaissance was in progress, with its newly found importance of the individual and the ability of the common person to read and interpret the Bible for himself, people began to feel that it was possible to have their own personal relationship with God with or without the involvement of the church, which is a view that is still extremely popular today. This view was put forth by Martin Luther, one of the important contributors to the Reformation of the church during the Renaissance (Gaardner 212-213).            Many of the new views on religion during the Renaissance were prompted by advancements in science. A new scientific method was developed during the Renaissance, and formed the basis for all of the technological and scientific advances that have been achieved from that point onward. The new method incorporated using your own senses and experiences to observe phenomena during experimentation. Two of the most important scientists of this time, in my opinion, were Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton (Gaardner 202).            Galiliei formulated the Law of Inertia, which states that a body in motion or at rest remains in that state until an external force causes it to change. Galilei set up a simple experiment to observe what would happen when two forces acted on an object simultaneously. Through his observations, he found that despite what was commonly thought, an object that had been propelled into the air would follow a parabola-shaped trajectory. This would occur due to the forward force of the propulsion of the object, combined with the force of gravity pulling the object down towards the earth (Gaardner 205-208).            Newton used his own observations to formulate the Law of Universal Gravitation, which states that every object attracts every other object with a force that increases in proportion to the size of the objects, and decreases in proportion to the distance between the objects. He used his newly formulated law in conjunction with Galileis previously stated law and observations to explain exactly why the planets traveled in elliptical orbits around the sun. It is the result of two forces acting on an object simultaneously: linear movement from the force applied to the planets during the birth of the solar system, combined with the movement towards the sun due to its gravitational pull. The combination of these two forces, as Galilei previously stated, is what creates the elliptical movement. Newton was able to show that the same laws applied to every heavenly body in the universe, thereby proving that there was not a special set of laws that applied to the heavens, and a separate set of laws for the earth. This caused the people of the time to begin to question exactly what their place was in the universe(Gaardner 209-211).            To this day, we are still making discoveries that lead people to question what their place is in the universe, and if their belief in God is logical or not. Scientists have made and are constantly on the verge of making some huge, definitely stunning advancements, and it inevitably causes people to further question what their place is in respect to the world, the universe and in God. For example, the issues of stem cell research, cloning, and the manipulation of genes are all very controversial at this time, because people are forced to see that man has the ability to create life in a lab, and that he can go on to guide life in almost any direction he may choose, he can play God, as many people say. My own opinion on science is that it is something that must move forward. There is no reason to fear science. When I analyze each of the topics mentioned above, I can not think of any logical reasons why we should not proceed experimenting with them. They are simply processes that occur naturally already, we are only directing them to proceed in a manner that will be as beneficial to us as possible. As far as what this means for religion, faith will always be what it has always been faith. True faith is unshakeable, as mentioned by Gaardner in respect to Isaac Newtons belief that his findings only supported proof of the existence of of the great and almighty God (212). Who is to say that all of these magnificent discoveries and the intricacies on which they are based are not guided by the hand of God?            As to the question of our own age that we are living in, I think that in many aspects it is very similar to the Renaissance era. There is definitely a strong belief in the importance of the individual, so much to the point that I think you could say there is a strong trend towards selfishness and indifference. I think this has been reflected especially in the area of the family unit, with the high rates of divorce and single parent homes. People no longer base their life decisions on what will be best for the family unit, but what will make me happy.            There is also a similarity in that many people no longer feel the need to involve the church in their relationship with God. While most people still have a strong faith in God, or some form of Creator, church attendance has reached record lows. Some people believe that science has become the new religion, but I think that mankind will always feel the need to believe that he will somehow be allowed to continue on, as death seems much too simple of an ending to the elaborate design of a human being and the world around him.            Despite our many similarities to the Renaissance, I think that our era can be defined as the Age of Technology. I believe this era began with the inventions of the computer and the internet. Like the printing press during the Renaissance, these two developments allow the rapid dissemination of information across vast distances. The discovery of these systems has revolutionized every area of science, allowing information to be rapidly computed and shared. I think that we are still in the very infantile stages of the Age of Technology, and we can only wonder what developments will arise by the time a new age begins. Works Cited Gaardner, Jostein. Sophies World (188-215).
Monday, October 14, 2019
The Ferrero Group Is A Family Limited Company Marketing Essay
The Ferrero Group Is A Family Limited Company Marketing Essay This paper was written in order to present Ferrero solutions and possible strategies to increase its profit during the period of Christmas 2010, in the UK. The report will comprehend the global chocolate market along with the current trends; with a special highlight on the UK market. First, the situation analysis of the company is the crucial step that will allow us to understand on what the objectives and strategies must be based on. In order to do so, we will undertake a macro and micro environment description and analysis to see how is influenced the company; starting with the company itself, we will define its place in the market, its product line, its culture, and its goals. This will lead us to the study of the collaborators such as the distributors and the suppliers which have a key role in these busy times. Analysing the market size and growth will help us to understand the English customers, their behaviour, their needs and expectations and particularly in such important period. We will also define the appropriate target markets. Certainly, we will also have a look on the competitors of the market; the direct or indirect ones based on their positioning and market shares. And finally a PEST Analysis will help us to understand the current climate and context and the current political, economical, social and technological factors that can have an impact on our objectives. Ferreros budget on this project is  £ 740 000. Based on this budget and on the fact that Christmas count for 40% of the annual sales we expect a 3 % profit increase in comparison with last year. We will give our advices on how implement and control the whole project. Introduction The FERRERO group is a family limited company of the Italian food-processing industry created in 1946 by Pietro Ferrero. The company was founded in 1956 in Alba, Italy. Ferrero ranks today 4th in global confectionery and chocolate. The company is active on five major markets (spreads, dried snacks, chocolate, confectionery and chocolate confectionery pocket), with highly targeted product of international renown such as Nutella, Mon Cheri, Kinder, Ferrero Rock. The company is today employing 21600 people all around the world. Very involved in environmental and social problems, Ferrero is a large sized company which based its success on its core values: fun, innovation, respect for those who manufacture goods and those who consume them, quality and accountability involving all the employees. (MINTEL, 2009) The Corporate Objectives: Peter Drucker in his book Management-Tasks, Responsibilities and Practices suggests that a company should have objectives in each of these goals areas: Market standing Innovation Productivity Physical and financial resources Profitability Management performance and Development Worker performance and attitude Public responsibility Regarding the market standing, Ferrero aims to be leader on the confectionery market. The policy adopted by Ferrero Group is to keep an excellent quality, to be developing markets with products that are unique, different from those of competitors and technologically innovative and have the ability to respond to consumer tastes, whatever their nationality and their age. Over the years, Ferreros policy is to consolidate the position of existing brands, accelerate growth, launching at least one new product every year, always advancing the customer satisfaction invest in the territory and finally promote employment. EXTERNAL MARKETING AUDIT Macro environment PESTE analysis is the tool we used to analyze the strategy macro-external environment within which Ferrero operates. PESTE factors play an important role in value creation opportunities of a strategy. However they are usually beyond the control of the business and must normally be considered as threats or opportunities. (TELLIS,2006) POLITICAL Political factors can affect Ferrero. It could be either an advantage or a disadvantage. Indeed, if taxes increase, therefore consumption decreased and sales of stock decrease. However, if taxes decrease is consumers will probably buy more. Laws and regulations can also affect Ferrero income, especially regarding international trade and food labeling. Also, the Government is very concerned about obesity and is warning the population on the harmful effects of confectionery. ECONOMIC The new Christmas strategy will have to take into account economic factors because they have a strong impact on business. The first factor that could disturb the business is inflation. Prices will go up increasing the production costs of the company but the customers will not agree with paying more money. Also, inflation rates must be involved ina strategy. Indeed, if the interest rates go high then Ferrero will not expand its business. Also if consumers are under pressure due to their loans they would not want to buy unnecessary products. SOCIAL The main social factor which could influence Ferrero business is the current trend of snacking. Indeed, the number of people eating on the go is increasing over the years. Also, any social change taking place outside Ferrero could have an impact on the new strategy. If for example, the birth rate falls, like expectancy will increase. We can suppose that there will be a larger demand on confectionary for middle aged consumers. On the other hand, if the birth rate increases we can assume a larger demand for the young population. Also, diets are a problem. Indeed, all the current studies announced that obesity increases, and will even more in the coming years. This means that demand will decrease, people will prefer a fruit rather than chocolate. Finally, fashion is a contemporaneous factor that changes customers mind and tastes. Even if chocolate is not really the main preoccupation it is still essential to keep in mind that fashion is changing very quickly. Ferrero needs to adapt adverts and promotions in order to keep catching customers attention. TECHNOLOGICAL Today, production is high. This is thanks to high technology machines, quicker and more efficient. Also, factories are enabling high quality mass production. Then, the new ways of communications have improved. Indeed, it is easy and cheap to use Medias such as the internet, magazines, television, newspapers, and the radio to advertise and promote the products. Finally, Internet is still a good place to sell goods, even confectionary ones. This PESTE Analysis allowed us to comprehend the external environment barriers that can affect Ferrero business. This analysis introduces us on the direction that the company should go in order to increase the products success and minimize the cost. We are now going further working on the micro environment factors. Micro-environment The Company What helped Ferrero to reach its position on the international market is based on a few keywords. The first one is the very high quality of each item of their different ranges of products. Actually, the excellence of the raw materials is a determining factor in the companys products performance. Moreover, they are conscious about the fact that being in a long term and strong relationship with the best suppliers is the only mean to offer some of the best products on the market. To make sure that Ferreros products quality meets all the customers expectations and desires, at a reasonable price, Ferrero established a set of rules which constitute its Quality Management System. It is a certification mean applied to standards for raw materials and packaging, choice of suppliers, checking of goods, recipes, production instructionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In order to reach an entire customer satisfaction, the company worked a lot on its last key success factor: Freshness. To be able to offer the best freshness to each of its product range, Ferrero settled high standards of hygiene and food safety. Being constantly innovating is the last key factor of the brands success. It is evident that Ferreros biggest strength is its continuous research in order to be able to develop and offer new and original products to the consumers. This task is carried out by Soremartec (Socià ©tà © de recherches marketing et technique) whose mission is to study, develop and realize innovative products capable of creating new market sectors, characterized by exclusive ingredients and manufactured using technologically complex production processes. Furthermore, Ferrero is also implied in social issues, environmental causes and cares a lot about food safety. But the companys main characteristic is its way of being GLOCAL. It means that its thinking globally, and its acting locally. That is to say that they are influencing the international market, while taking care about individual localities. These values led the confectionary group to the top, by making its products known and loved by millions of consumers worldwide. Overview of its products Ferreros products are part of the existing chocolate market. Generally, all the products offered are sold at a medium price, and the brand makes the difference playing on the content of the selections. Range of products sold on the market Ferrero classified its product in five categories according to the following logic: Kinder product: the first Ferrero category, is divided itself into three smaller ones: Kinder Bars, such as: Kinder Bueno, Kinder Chocolate, Kinder Maxi,Kinder Country. Chilled Kinders, such as: Kinder Pingui, Kinder Choco Fresh, Kinder Maxi King. Playful Kinder Eggs, such as: Kinder Surprise Kinder Schoko-Bons Ferrero products, is the second category, is made of: Nutella and Duplo products such as Nutella Go, Nutella Snack Drink, the classical Nutella jar and also Duplo and Duplo Nocciolato. As a third category, there are Chocolate products which are presented in transparent boxes: Ferrero Rocks, Raffaello, Mon chà ©ri, Then comes the Sugar Confectionary category, mainly composed of Tic Tac products such as: Tic Tac Tic Tac Silvers Tic Tac King Size Drinks is the last category classifying two Ferrero products: Estathà © and Nutella Snack Drink c. The market The company Ferrero is present on the international market; its geographic distribution is also international. It is a company of large size which invested a lot each year, who obtains a positive growth each year and whose profitability cannot ceases to increase; the subsidiary has seen its turnover multiplied for twelve years. France therefore takes the third place in terms of turnover after Italy and Germany. Ferrero is currently evolving differences on five markets: hazelnuts spread, confectionery chocolate, snacks dry more ultra-fresh, candy pocket, chocolate bars. Our product will position itself therefore on the confectionery market of chocolate. Currently, Ferrrero products located in the category sweets chocolate are at the stage of the maturity. Ferrero group is located in the fourth place in the world in the sector of confectionery. In the UK and over the 2005-2009 period, the consumption (Appendix 1) has increased as well as the total sales in value by an estimated 10%, to  £4.83bn. Chocolate remains the largest of the two main sectors and also showed the highest growth over the period. The Customers Geographical range Ferrero is present in the world, on all continents. Sociodemographic This market being very narrow, Ferrero had tried to expand and make chocolate a food as pleasure according to all. That is why, confectionery shock of Ferrero chocolate are addressed to all ages, all social classes, all nationalities, all religions, all income, all the socio-professional categories, etc. The Ferrero market shares by sector: (Source: ACNNielsen July 2005) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spreads batter: 89, 2% of the shares of total market: Nutella à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Snacks dry and ultra-fresh: 30,3% of total market shares Dry Kinder (Kinder Dà ©lice), Kinder Ultra-fresh (Kinder Pingui, Kinder Chocofresh, Kinder Happy Time) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Confectionery chocolate: 20% Bars (Kinder Bueno, Kinder Maxi, Kinder Country, Duplo, Mouthful and rocks (Ferrero Rocher, Raffaello, Mon Chà ©ri, Ferrero Prestige Confectionery playful (Kinder Surprise, Kinder Shokobons) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The confectionery pocket: 11, 5% of the shares of total market: TIC TAC à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The chocolate tablets: 3, 2% of the shares of total market: Kinder chocolate Regarding all these segments, Ferrero is very present for children, it must therefore continue on this track because the chocolates pleasing to children but also to parents who buy for children. And if the mothers buy chocolates to children, is that they are seduced and convinced of the quality of Ferrero chocolates. This means therefore that the targets of Ferrero are fair and respected. Ferrero may not only strengthen its segmentation because it is already very developed on all segments. And it should not ignore in any case a small part of a segment. Chocolate is a food consumption of which quality is constantly increasing. In the years 2000, chocolate becomes a means of comfort, of delight, and pleasure of share its mixture bold and sweet highly taste. It is weapons natural style but also a good anti-stress. Each year, the total production in UK is about 380,000 tones, an increase of 33% between 1990 and 2000. Each year, the consumption of chocolate increases by about 3%, for indicative purposes, in 2002, the consumption of a one person was 4, 86 kg per year. It is by helping of such data that we can explain the excellent results in terms of sales and turnover of Ferrero. Competitors Years ago, the God-fearing and abstemious English Quakers were responsible for the early development of chocolate in the UK. They created the foundations of todays leading confectionery conglomerates. Some of the most famous Quakers names in chocolate making are Rowntree, Fry, Cadbury and Terrys. Then the Swiss took advantage of the market with their technical and commercial expertise. They created Nestle, Lindt, and Tobler perfecting the art of chocolate-making on a large scale. Today, the worlds leading chocolate manufacturer is still the Swiss based Nestle. It is followed by the US based Mars Inc. The other major players have almost the same size and each of them has an essential position in different markets. Philip Morris-owned Jacobs Suchard dominates in most of European countries. Cadbury Schweppes is the UK market leader. By 2010, the Total European Chocolate Market Will Reach a Value of $35.4bn, with Germany accounting for a 32% share, followed by the UK with 25%. Nestle, Mars, Ferrero, Jacobs Suchard and Cadbury are the market leaders. (HOOVERS) Also, the chocolate bars like Crunchie, Picnic, Mars, Snickers, Kit Kat and Violet Crumble account for about 40% of chocolate market sales. But it is the emerging markets in Asia, South America and Eastern Europe which offer the greatest growth prospects for the worlds chocolate makers. Asia, hampered by humidity, often inadequate refrigeration and poor distribution, is nevertheless seen as a major growth market due to its sheer size. International rank of Ferrero, in terms of percentage of Sales in value Distributors Ferreros success is based primarily on the success of different brands developed by the group. But, to maintain this level of excellence, Ferrero must anticipate any change and adapt as soon as possible. This involves the establishment of a supply chain is performing particularly well. With all its products, Ferrero uses the normal distribution channels for small, medium and large retailers. Ferrero uses short distribution channels, 1 or 2 intermediate before end user, allowing an increase in awareness and geographic implementation locations. This choice of circuit is essentially due to the large size of Ferrero as well as its relocation. Its leading position gives it a certain assurance of profitability and its distribution is assured by its experience. INTERNAL MARKETING AUDIT Operating results Regarding the entire Ferrero Group, and despite its kitsch reputation in the UK, it ended the 2008-2009 financial year with a consolidated turnover of 6,345 million euros, an increase of 2.1% (+131 million euros) compared with the previous financial year 2007-2008. The Group worldwide includes 38 trading companies, 18 factories and around 21,500 employees. Strategic issues analysis Marketing objectives will allow us the secure the loyalty of our customers and attract those whoo are not yet convinced. Our core competencies and our competitive advantage are all about quality, taste, and customers satisfaction. Our products are positioned as premium confectionery products on the market. This position is due to the high quality and the relative high price of our products. Finally, regarding the segmentation Ferrero is now globally sold to individual consumers and families from all socio-professional categories. Marketing mix effectiveness Products This strange mix of tradition and modernity is a strategy that, in the design, manufacturing and communications products, is avoiding the beaten track. (KOTLER 2003). Ferrero creates few brands, but always on high value-added niche, where they quickly become leaders. That is because Ferrero plays on latent demand. More than products, the Italian group invents new ways of consuming the candy. With Nutella was born the chocolate spread, and forty years later, Ferrero still holds nearly 50% volume share of the English sector. Thanks to Kinder, children discovered their first chocolate. And the five products of the brand (Kinder Surprise, Kinder Country ) now represent nearly 30% of the group turnover. The Patent Secrecy is also well guarded that any new process invented by the laboratories Ferrero is industrialized by its wholly goods. Ferrero products have a longer life cycle and are almost all in the maturity phase. The packaging is changing but without much disruption. For example, t he product Nutella is still sold in a glass jar and the dominant colors are red and black. But now thanks to Ferreros research and innovation system, there is a product especially created for each event. There are Christmas tree Ferrero Rocher boxes, bell boxes for Easter and Maxi Kinder Surprise Eggs for childrens birthdaysà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Price Several factors explain the relative dearness of the Ferrero products. Firstly, there is a historical factor: their products are almost always the first appearing on the various market segments they covet and they quickly become successful. The group can afford to set a high price. Then there is a need to reward quality factor. Ferrero products achieve to have this unique taste because they are made with the best ingredients. Moreover, being a Group highly focused on innovation, Ferrero supports large costs of R D. Finally, Ferrero products are often quasi-monopoly on the segments they occupy; there is no competition from cost. Ferrero is free to set its prices, there are no substitute products having the same quality. The Ferrero Group products are related to high-end products that appeal, however, all segments of customers. Place With all its products, Ferrero uses the normal distribution channels for small, medium and large retailers. Depending on the size and type of linear switching surface, the end product is more or less present. Ferrero uses short distribution circuits, one or two intermediaries before the final consumer. Ferrero products are easily accessible as customers can purchase them while going shopping, in any retail store. If the customers do not go shopping especially to buy a Ferrero product, it can become a purchase on impulse, as generally, on special occasions, these products are settled in end-aisle displays to be visible. Promotion The communication strategy is at hand. Not that advertising is neglected, in Italy the Group is the 2nd of advertisers on TV behind Procter Gamble, all brands and all media. Ferrero spent last year around  £11 million a year in the UK advertising its brands. Ferrero Rocher for example has invested over the past 20 years, more than  £50 million in adverting in the UK.A strong past activity in the UK included a tie-up with The Simpsons. But Ferrero has never forgotten his rural roots, is very down to earth: the product, just the product. Advertising extols the nutritional benefits the Kinder, is more milk and less cocoa. It even explains how to eat the egg. Like all other links in the chain, and contrary to what happens in many other food groups, advertising is an integrated service of the company, which has its own management, Pubbliregia. With a golden rule: Never call on behalf of Ferrero. Because the label is hidden behind Ferrero brands. SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES INTERNAL ANALYSIS -Awareness of the brands High quality of the products it offers. Constant political revolution of marketing. Great capacity to meet demand. Innovation research/technology Strong dependence on many suppliers Probability of lack of control by the heavy dependence on many providers. OPPORTUNITIES THREATS EXTERNAL ANALYSIS Easy to buy: easily accessible for the customers. Considered as an ideal product for gifting. New flavors Emerging markets. Health regulations Strong competitors/Imitation Internal Environment Description of the Internal Environment is based on strengths and weaknesses. First, regarding the strengths, one of the essential assets that Ferrero possess is the quality of the chocolate. Quality remains the same over the years. Ferrero knows its customers and is able to perfectly meet the demand. Also, regarding RD, continuous researches are done aiming at developing new and original products by Soremartec (Marketing Consulting Agency). Ferrero invest every year in bringing technical and organizational innovation to the production line. Indeed, the uniquely shaped components of Ferrero required the design and construction of unique machinery, not available on the market. On the other hand, Ferrero has a strong dependence on its suppliers (cocoa suppliers for instance). This strong dependence result that the company may have to interrupt its production if the providers do not supply raw materials. This could result to a lack of control then. External Environment The external environment consists of Opportunities and Threats. The main opportunity is the easy access of the product. Customer can find at least one Ferrero products wherever he goes. Ferrero products are considered as an ideal product for gifting (Christmas or Eastern). It is a kind of tradition that will not change soon. However, the introduction on new flavors will help in gaining more market share. Finally, the emergent countries such as China or India are more and more willing to eat as the Western World. On the other hand, new health regulations such as anti-obesity campaigns for instance can have an impact on the chocolate consumption. Also, even if Ferrero is a leader, there are some strong competitors on the market. Some of them are working with the same technology and high quality end products; there is a risk of imitation. MARKETING STRATEGY Target Market For next Christmas 2010, our objective is to put together all our previous segmentations. This trial will last only for a short time (1month). Kinder Surprise and Ferrero Rocher are the top Christmas chocolate gifts. We decided to first target the young audience with children, who will have an impact on their parents decision making process. But we will still target adults and parents (especially mothers), as the price will not be affordable by young people. Marketing Mix Product For next Christmas 2010 the main preoccupation is to assemble people together. The product will a limited edition of Christmas tree made in Kinder chocolate around 1.4 feet height. The tree will be decorated with six Ferrero Rochers and six Moncheri chocolates, by way of ornaments and baubles. The offer will start on the 1st December and will end on the 27th. We will hide 10 little Golden Stars in the whole English production trees. Each Golden star offers a family trip to Dominican Republic for New Years Eve. Price Looking at the competition and our other prices for example during eastern, we will set our price at  £22/Christmas tree. Place Customers will be able to find this product in everyplace where Ferrero already is (Hypermarket, Supermarket, Convenience stores). Also, we will organize in every point of sales within the supermarkets, a special display stand where the trees will be exposed. The offer will be visible on a promotional banner. Promotion In order to promote the tree, we will first use mass media such as television and radio. As we do not have a lot of time, we need to be quick with our communication. On TV we will create a special advert in a Christmas spirit. But we will put together all the three worlds in the ad (the young Kinder, the gourmand Ferrero Rocher, and the subtle Monchà ©ri). We could adapt the famous catchphrase Christmas isnt Christmas without Ferrero by adding together. Together define the Christmas atmosphere, a kind of love one for family and friends. At the end a special flash will announce our special Sunny Christmas offer. On radio, a special short spot will be broadcasted explaining the offer. Positioning brand The positioning must be done according to competitive offers. It is important to differentiate its product or service in the minds of consumers especially in such busy period. According to Kotler et al 2009 matrix (Appendix 3) our Ferrero product is a high quality product with a quite high price. The positioning must be as a premium brand. Indeed the brand is quite expensive in comparison with other chocolates that customer can find. Implementation and Control Budget We will produce 100 000 Christmas trees for the UK market. Our cost of production are estimated at  £150 000. We assume another  £150 000 in order to distribute the product on the whole market. We will need a total  £400 000 for the all the promotion. In order to launch on the radio the advertisement  £25000 are required. The same amount will be necessary to publish the our newspapers campaigns. The display stands will have a cost of  £40 000. Or TV advertisement will cost  £300 000. Finally our special 10 sunny trips offered will cost  £40 000. If all stars are not discovered before the 26th of December, trips will be offered to a children care association. (See appendix 3) Roll on time table Our product manager Dave Tucker and his team will be in charge of the design of the product Our marketing manager Nell McIntosh will be in charge of distribution and promotion of our all concept. Our financial services in collaboration with the production and marketing department will manage the price strategy. Our product will be advertised 15 days before the launching. The offer starts on the first of December and stops the 26th. The aim is to urge people to buy the Christmas tree to introduce all the Ferrero worlds within families. Monitor and Evaluation We will first analyze sales and financial results and comparing them to our projections. If results are positive we will improve the idea next year. If not, we will undertake corrective actions. But analysis the sales is not enough to reveal how well a company is performing among the competitors. Then we will analyze the market shares Then, we will check either the advertising had a catching impact on our customers by post marketing survey and researches. Finally, we will organize some store checks enquiring about the customers satisfaction. These surveys will be conducted in 10 stores asking for their feelings regarding the product, the allocation of shelf space, the price and the promotions underway. BIBLIOGRAPHY Anderson E. and Simester D. (2003) Mind your pricing cues, Harvard Business Review, September. Berger W (2003) Thats advertainment, Business 2.0, March. Brown S. (2001) Torment your customers (theyll love it), Harvard Business Review, September-October. Codol J.P, Tap P.(1988) Revue internationale de psychologie sociale, n ° 2. Dhar R and Glazer R. (2003) Hedging customers, Harvard Business Review, May. Dubois B. (1998) Lart du Marketing, Village Mondial. Drucker P. (1975) Management-Tasks, Responsabilities and Practice. Eliott S. (2006) Letting customers control marketing : priceless, New York Times, 9 October. Johnson M.D. (2004) Customer portfolio management, Journal of Marketing. Kapferer J.N. (1995) Les marques, capital de lentreprise, Les Editions dorganisation. Kotler Ph.(1967) Marketing Management : Analysis, planning and control, Prentice Hall. Kotler, Philip (2003) Marketing Management, Prentice Hall. Lendrevie J, Lindon D, (2006) Mercator, 8à ¨me à ©d, Dunod. Malcolm McDonald (2007) Marketing Plans: How to Prepare Them, How to Use Them. Mintel (2010) Chocolate Confectionary, UK. Mintel (2010) Seasonal and Boxes chocolate, UK. Nagle T.T. and Holden R.K. (2002) The strategy and Tactics of Pricing, 3rd edition. Nohria N. (2003) What really works, Harvard Business Review, 81. Pieters R; and Wedel M (2004) Attention capture and transfer in advertising: brand, pictorial, and text-size effects, Journal of marketing. Sangera A. (2005) Too many mission statements, Financial Times, 22 July. Tellis G.T (2000) Which ad works, when, where, and how often? Modeling the effects of direct television advertising, Journal of Marketing Research. Tellis G.T. (2006) Modeling marketing mix, Handbook of marketing research. Underhill P (2000) La Science du Shopping, comment le merchandising influence lachat, Village Mondial. Vettraino-Soulard M.C. (2000) Luxe et publicità ©, Retz. Appendix 1: Western Europe: Consumer expenditure on chocolate confectionery by country (2007)
Sunday, October 13, 2019
My Philosophy of Teaching Essay -- Educational Educating Teaching Essa
Philosophy of Education As Malcom Forbes once said, â€Å"Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.†As a future teacher and educator, I heartily agree with the quote from Mr. Forbes, a successful businessman. Because I have been a student in school since I was five years old, I have had many opportunities to look at my education and assess what I have truly learned. Honestly, I can say that the most important part of my past and current education has been being exposed to the many ideas and concepts of our world today. Aside from learning about the all important â€Å"classic†subjects, I have been fortunate enough to be educated by individuals who truly wanted to teach me, as well as other students, to make a difference in the world. Due to the condition our world is in today, I feel it is extremely important to teach my future students about such issues as racism, gender inequality, war, legal matters and environmental issues, just to name a few. In order to be a successful person in the world today, it is imperative that all citizens are aware of the many non-educational issues surrounding them. It is vital that every person is capable of making rational decisions on his or her own. These ideas and skills are not something that parents alone can teach their children, simply because so many children do not have parents that are involved in their lives. Therefore, it is the school’s responsibility to teach the students about all areas of life. Every student, regardless of background, race, sex, and ethnicity will be educated on how the become a more worldly person. No one, thanks to a free public education, will be denied the right to learn. Because I hold these views, it is clear that I embrace a So... ...e, as well as observation hours and lessons to teach. Yet I know that deep down inside, I am making a good decision for my life. Teachers may not make the most money or have the most respected profession, but it is a job that is always needed. Teachers have helped encourage so many of the world’s brightest people; so many people have admitted that they wouldn’t be where they are today without the support from that one special teacher. I want to be that special teacher, the one who goes the extra mile for her students and pushes them to be the best they can be. But most importantly, I want to be able to teach my students to be worldly and independent. For Robert Hutchins once said, â€Å"It must be remembered that the purpose of education is not to fill the minds of students with facts†¦it is to teach them to think, if that is possible, and to always think for themselves†.
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Economics :: essays papers
Economics2 CLASSICAL THEORY -The classical theory of employment is grounded in Say’s Law, the classical interest rate mechanism, and downwardly flexible prices and wages. -The aggregate supply curve is vertical at the full-employment level of output; the aggregate demand curve is stable if the money supply is constant. -Government macroeconomic policies are unnecessary and counter-productive; automatic, built-in mechanisms provide for full-employment output. KEYNESIAN THEORY -Keynesian analysis unlinks saving and investment plans and discredits downward price-wageflexibility, implying that changes in aggregate spending, output, and employment, are likely. -The aggregate supply curve is horizontal; the aggregate demand curve is unstable largely because of the volatility of investment. -Active macroeconomic policies by government are necessary to mitigate recessions or deppressions. -Say’s Law is the disarming notion that the very act of producing goods generates an amount of income exactly equal to the value of the goods produced. -Supply creates its own demand. -Saving would constitute a leakage in the income-expenditure flows and would undermine the ffective operation of Say’s Law. -Saving is a withdrawal of funds from the income stream which will cause consumption expenditures to fall short of total output. -Investment spending by businesses is a supplement to the income-expenditure stream which may fill any consumption gaparising from saving. -Keynesian economics hold that there ar etwo other sources of funds which can be made available in the money market: 1)the accumulated money balances, 2)lending institutions. -The Keynesian position is that saving and investment plans can be at odds and thereby can result in fluctuations in total output, total income, employment, and the pricelevel. -The amount of goods and service produced and therefore the level of employment depend directly on the level of total or aggregate expenditures. -A consumption schedule indicates the various amounts households plan to consume at various possible levels of disposable income which might prevail at some specific point in time. -Because disposable income equals consumption plus saving (DI=C+S) you need only subtract consumption from disposable income to find the amount saved at each level of DI. -Break-even income is the level at which households consume their entire income. -APC= consumption/ income -APS= saving / income -APC + APS= 1 -MPC= change in consumption/ change in income -MPS= change in saving / change in income -MPC + MPS = 1 -Nonincome determinants of Consumption and Saving are wealth, price level, expectation, consumer indebtedness, taxation. -Consumption spending and saving both rise when disposable income increases; they fall when disposable income decrases. -The average propensity to consume is the fraction of any given level of disposable income which is consumed; the average propensity to save is the fraction of any given level of disposable income which is saved.
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