APUSH Ch. 17-20 Flashcard

APUSH Ch. 17-20

Jfk Assassinaton Essays - Kennedy Family, Free Essays, Term Papers

Jfk Assassinaton Essays - Kennedy Family, Free Essays, Term Papers Jfk Assassinaton J.F.K. Assassination If Lee Harvey Oswald killed J.F.K. and it wasnt a conspiracy, then why is the government still withholding reports done on the assassination from the publics eyes, in the FBIs possession? President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 on November 22. He was elected president in 1961. First he was a senator. Then he went straight from Capitol Hill to the White House. Robert Kennedy was attorney general and was J. F. K.'s brother. He was head of the investigation of the assassination after Kennedy was killed (3: 1-5). Both Robert and J. F. K. knew that people wanted to kill them. J. F. K. didnt worry about it. But after John F. Kennedy was killed, his brother Robert Kennedy ordered that the casket was to be kept closed to public viewing. Robert thought it would have been him to get killed first, not his brother (5: 83). Robert encouraged his brother to sign three anti-crime bills. The bills targeted organized crime. They were used to stop gambling or at least crack down on it (7: NP). But even with the bills, the FBI director, Hoover, was afraid to go after the mob before the assassination because he thought his agents would become corrupt, and because Castro knew about the conspiracy against him. Hoover even told his agents that if the Mafia caught them, they would be fired and would be treated as a renegade (5: 84). The government didnt approve of the crack down on the mob that was in America. Teddy Kennedy loved busting the Mafia. People like Jimmy Hoffa. Even Frank Sinatra became close friends with Teddy, even made trips to the White House (3: 12-18). But just like his brother John, Robert was also killed (3: 105). After the assassination Robert carried on the bills and got killed also (3: 105). In 1962 Cuba was known to have missiles from the Soviet Union in Cuba. They thought Cuba or the Soviet Union would make a nuclear strike. Accused of helping the soviet union wage war on the U.S., enemies and suspects were made (7: NP). Neither the FBI nor the CIA approved of getting into the Vietnam War. They didnt approve of any of the presidents decisions (3: 105). There were three shots, even a possible four. Some people think that the last shot was one from an agents gun going off into J.F.K.s head after reacting to the shots (5: 84-85). The first shot missed. The second shot hit J.F.K.s shoulder, back, and throat; and Connallys shoulder, wrist, and leg (5: 84-85). But how could one bullet travel with that much force to go through all of that flesh? The third shot was fatal to Kennedy but was very far away, very accurate, and deadly efficient (5: 99). Even the FBIs best couldnt shot with Oswalds gun that accurately (5: 84-85). The gun was tested by the FBI and was found to be off centered. Many people coming from the grassy knoll heard the possible fourth shot. Someone was also seen running away from the knoll and was seen lingering there before the shots rang out. Whoever it was seemed to look like a FBI agent. The three shots that rang out on that very famous day can not be done in that same amount of time or with that accuracy even today ( 5: 84-85). Oswald was a very simple person with many mental problems. He mail ordered the gun that he supposedly shot Kennedy with. It only cost 21 dollars and was bought under a bogus name (5: 90). And after buying the gun Oswald had his wife take a picture of him holding the gun up by his side (3: 1-3). Why would Oswald take a picture of himself and the gun if he was planning to kill the President? You cant expect a very good shot to come from a mail order gun for 21 dollars and with a mental case handling it. During the middle of the cold war Oswald ran to Russia and came home disillusioned. Oswald tried to get citizenship in Moscow and when they refused him he cut his wrists (5: 71). And soon after Oswald met with Valery

Rotana Hotels Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rotana Hotels - Essay Example By understanding the direction the business is to take long-term, it can make decisions that always lead to goal attainment. Rotana’s stated goals of increasing the number of Hotels to 100 within a specific time period shows that the business understands how to develop strategy properly. The goals as they are written give Rotana focus and give the chain a sense of purpose about what direction to take moving forward. By setting two to three years as the basis of expansion, it gives the organization a very clear time-frame regarding what efforts need to be undertaken to get there. In some ways, this can be considered part of the vision as it gives everyone in the organization a sense of direction and know where the business is trying to head. As to whether they meet the criteria of well-written goals, the answer would have to be no. Well-written goals have specific accomplishments listed about the long-term strategy. They should include objectives on how the business intends to succeed all the way through the entire management process from planning, to organizing, to leading and controlling. This is just a broad goal without specific strategies listed. â€Å"To be the Leading Hospitality Management Company within the Middle East and Africa operating a comprehensive range of products and brands that aim to meet all the requirements of our guests† (Rotana, 2011, p.1). organization is actually in business and what is it trying to achieve as well as where it wants to go in the long-term. It tells that it is a customer-focused business that devotes most of its efforts into marketing and guest services. Like most visions should, it should motivate Rotana workers to achieve the goals of providing these guest services and inspire innovators in the company to develop new product variety. Rotana’s values are founded on its LIFE principles, which are long-term, innovation, friendly and ethical.

Book Report Asian Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Book Report Asian Americans - Essay Example Considerably, this fact is noticeably evident in her book thus aiming to show how much importance there is in need of being placed so as to be able to describe and define a society that lives within another society and how that particular matter affects the people in a rather direct manner. In the society, cultural diversity is an evident and become dominant concept wherein it commonly affects the social structures and processes in the society. This is mainly because cultural diversity significantly cause the society to be segregated into their respective social minority groups with their cultural differences serving as the gap and blocking wall between these groups. In addition, cultural diversity also has caused certain negative social problems such as discrimination and oppression worsening the difficulty of social separation. Because of which, the negative aspect of multiculturalism and the social tension it has produced should be sufficiently addressed. Different social groups and institutions are making different steps and approaches to bridge the gap of multiculturalism in every individual and social minority. ... addition, community groups are also establishing social groups and institutions that request participation from different cultural groups giving them a chance to communicate and relate to other groups tearing down themselves the walls created by multiculturalism. These programs and community efforts are established to promote communication and social involvement of each social minority in the campaign to address social unity. Multiculturalism in the present society serves as a hindering wall thus, this hindrance must be torn down using intercultural communication and social participation. Intervention must also be done in facilitating cooperative approaches to ensure its advantage. With this approach implemented, society as a whole would be one-step closer in making a harmonious relationship between culturally diversified social groups. With the growth of worldwide globalization systems, it could not be denied that many people are transferring from one country to another. Some for business reasons, some for educational reasons and others just transfer for tourism purposes. Whatever it is that the different races transfer places, it could not be denied that in many ways, the said progressive movement of the human society towards the future raises several points of consideration in the human identity belonging to a certain ethnic group. Along with the global development come the exchange of culture and other aspects of racial contributions such as language have been exchanged through immigration activities. This is the reason why it is very important for people to see to it that even though there is so much diversity in the world, language is still one of the keys by which a certain race's ethnicity could be identified amidst diversity. In many continents around the

IT Procurement Best Practices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

IT Procurement Best Practices - Research Paper Example In today’s competitive economic environment, every business strives to keep their costs as low as possible while improving the output despite all the challenges available. In order to achieve this, one of the areas of focus is the supply chains and procurement methods which have to adopt philosophies and processes that enable the business to compete appropriately. In order for the procurement processes and the department in entirety to perform at its best, various best practices have to be employed which, in essence, makes use of information technology. Implementing these best practices in an organization will provide a strong foundation for the organization’s supply chain excellence. The aim of this paper is to outline the current best practices that IT procurement employs in an organization in an attempt to achieve efficiency in the organization’s project procurement of software and hardware. The discussion will additionally outline some of the common procurement practices used by the US Government in its systems. Like any other process in an organization, good planning serves as a recipe for a successful IT procurement process. The level to which the planning process takes, however, is dependent on the complexity of the procurement as well as its size. For example, purchasing lesser stationaries and hardware in an organization such as printers and personal computers may not demand a very comprehensive planning process. On the contrary, procurement of complex systems such as infrastructure and software for use in large operations in organizations demands better planning. The planning process is a very important practice and step for the success of any IT procurement process. Typically, a good planning process in IT procurement entails various steps. First, the process has to define a clear description of the expected outcome in the IT

Importance Of Brand Leadership For A Fmcg Brand Marketing Essay

Importance Of Brand Leadership For A Fmcg Brand Marketing Essay The main objective of this report is to understand the importance of brand leadership for a FMCG brand. The report develops further by analyzing the previous literature on Branding, Brand leadership, and Brand Loyalty which is implied to a FMCG brand. Finally, it underpins the Brand value which enables Irn Bru to create Brand Loyalty. 1.2 Objectives: To identify the Brand Leadership model used by Irn Bru. This is based on Aaker et al. (2000) brand leadership model; an analysis would be carried out in order to compare the model with Irn Bru operations. To identify consumer motives behind purchasing Irn Bru. By the help of a devised survey questionnaire, consumer behaviour toward purchasing of Irn Bru will be analysed To investigate why loyalty develop from consumer perspective in FMCG market. Academic literature and dimension of brand loyalty will be used to investigate this objective. Focus group will be brought under practice to indentify these factors. 1.3 Background: With an increase in the level of competition, and companies offering more than one similar product into the market, it has become necessary to brand the product in order to differentiate it from others. Brands play an important role in modern society, and allow products to be easily identified within the market. The concept of branding is used in many aspects of human life i.e. it could be a product, religion, sports, culture etc. As companies are expanding globally, the concept of branding has been recognised as an utmost important factor. Not only to attract set target markets, but also to attain brand leadership. The main aspects of branding include: building a successful brand, differentiating amongst its competitors, and maintaining the brand image in the market. Due to the intensity of the modern market, there has been increase in the spending on marketing; branding is a major aspect (Aaker, 1991; Simmons, G. 2007). Generally, a brand is considered as a product, service, a pres ence or personality which rides on the mind of consumers. Branding, according to De Chernatony McDonald (1992), has been characterized as the process of creating value by offering convincing and constant customer experience, which in turn satisfy their needs and wants and keep them coming back. Organisations have started referring to themselves as a branding organisation once customers have realized the value of a brand. With diversity in the market, it has become extremely important for companies to create and maintain high brand awareness and identify how it varies from that of the competition. Internet has proved to be a medium that enables consumers to explore the benefits provided. The increasing number of internet users indicates that global brands can be viewed, and interacted from a single point. Also, the increasing number of online purchases reflects the future of brands. Since more than one company manufactures similar products, the question that arises is: which brand is a market leader? Brand leadership has opened a new gateway for the brands who seek to be on the top of the market. Brands can be an important asset for the company, and in the future they will be an increasingly prominent feature of business dealings. AG Barr was founded in 1830 with the foundation of Robert Barrs cork-cutting business in Falkirk. In 1875, his son diversified the company into aerated water production, and in 1887 operations were extended to Glasgow. The Glasgow-based company was re-named AG Barr in 1904. Its core brands included: Irn-Bru, Tizer and Orangina, the latter of which is produced under licence from Pernod Ricard. The company also distributes Lipton on behalf of Unilever Bestfoods in impulse and cash and carry outlets. In 2001, the company established an agreement with Pepsi Bottling Group to distribute Irn-Bru in Russia. The company will continue to focus on its core brands and markets. High brand loyalty for carbonates brand Irn-Bru has seen it maintain sales in a declining market sector The Companys main strength lies in its Irn-Bru brand, which shows no sign of a sales decline and seems unaffected by the general switch to fruit/vegetable juice amongst carbonates consumers. To a certain extent it is po ssible that consumers of Irn-Bru are not much concerned with the health issue; whilst, comparing to other carbonated brands. In order to meet the needs of their potential consumers, Irn-Bru has launched a low-calorie version for the consumers preferring diet carbonated drink. The main strength of Irn-Bru is the inclination of consumers toward Scotlands other national drink. The performance of Irn-Bru in Scotland is astonishing, despite the economic downfall. The catchy advertisements and the tag line Phenomenal has continuously portray the tradition and the uniqueness of the Irn-Bru. AG Barr has also pursued a strategy of diversification through acquisition the company bought Strathmore mineral water in 2006 and acquired both the TAUT sports drink range and the exotic juice drinks manufacturer Group Rubicon in 2008. (GMID, 2009). Rationale for the topic: According to Aaker et al. (2000), the emerging paradigm of strategic brand leadership is replacing the classic, tactically oriented brand management system. Leadership has become an important aspect of the brand, as it leads to innovation. A key element of brand leadership is brand vision. The ability to see the future of the company through the customers eyes is important, as it sets into motion a long-term strategy for the brand. It is vital to discover how consumers perceive the product and what their view points are, as brand value is highly based on it. Measuring loyalty towards a product is equally important as it will enable Irn Bru to reflect on their strategies. Chapter two-Literature Review 2.1 Brand and the concepts: A brand is not a name. A brand is not a positioning statement. It is not a marketing message. It is a promise made by a company to its customers and supported by that company. I may have intelligent agents that can go out and assemble pages of reports on every camcorder on the market, but I dont have time to read them. Ill buy Sony (Sterne, 1999 cited in Rowley, J. 2004). Due to the different characteristics of product, brand enables to distinguish one brand from another ( Riezebos, R. 2003). One of the main concerning areas in the field of marketing is branding. As brands have grown beyond the national boundaries, it has become vital to manage and operate them with a strategic view. This will enable companies to focus on the specific brand, rather than company as a brand. As the level of competition has risen, companies tend to focus on their branding strategies. A well derived strategy will lead a brand to attain high awareness and success in the market niche. As defined by Pickton and Broderick (2001), branding is a strategy that helps the company and their products to leverage in to the market and it also build brand value for the owners of the brand and also the consumers. Whereas, Randall G (2000) has a presented a different approach: Branding comprises of all fundamental strategic process going within the company; it is a part of marketing, but not restricted only to marketing department. Based on the benefits offered by a brand, the consumers form a purchasing decision, and evaluate it depending on their needs and wants. According to Temporal (2001), as the importance of branding is increasing, fast moving consumer goods industry is highly benefited by these strategies. Companies have more than one product in the marketplace, and by viewing the soaring profits in this sector. Companies have tried to differentiate it from their rivals, so that consumers find it easy to purchase. Henceforth, brands provide guarantee package to the consumers in terms of va lue, quality and reliability. Consumers will generate loyalty toward a brand, if the promised quality, value and reliability are full field. As identified by Murphy (1991), Branding adds value to the overall product, and from consumer perspective it provides a self confidence. However, Rowley (2004) has argued by stating that brands not only consist of value, and it also acts an information hub. This enables consumers to eradicate the time spent on searching a specific product offering. 2.2 Brand Equity: The goal of the brand leadership paradigm is to create strong brands. Brand equity is defined as the set of associations and behaviour on the part of a brands customers, channel members and parent corporation that permits the brand to earn greater volume or greater margin than it could without the brand (Wood, 2000). Appendix 1 depicts, according to Aaker (1991) major assets of a company can be brought together into five main types: Brand Loyalty, Brand name awareness, Perceived quality, Brand association, and other proprietary brand assets such as copyrights, patents, trademarks. Appendix 2 shows the brand equity chain, where the description provided on the brand leads to the strengthening the brand and this results in creation or building of brand value. Keller (2003; cited in Atilgan et al. 2005) defined Brand equity from a customer based point of view as Customer based brand equity occurs when the consumer has a high level of awareness and familiarity with the brand and holds som e strong, favourable, and unique brand associations in memory. One of the main reasons for a company to brand their product is to attain organisational goals of attracting and creating amongst their consumers by provision of cost efficient products, as it will aid company to acquire higher margin of profit (De Chernatony McDonald, 1998). Strong brands are the core products of the company and in order to gain a recognition and financial reward, it is important to build a successful brand. Appendix I: Aakers theory on Brand Equity Appendix 2: Brand Equity chain Source: Wood (2000) 2.3 Brand Leadership: Leading brands are perceived to be relevant, unique and compelling. They inspire customer loyalty and enable organizations to charge price premiums. They increase bargaining power with business partners, make it easier to hire and retain talented employees and provide organizations with clear strategic directions and platforms for future growth. Together, these lead to well above average financial performance and a market valuation that far exceeds book value. (Aaker, 2000) Leading brands are organizational assets that must be preserved, enhanced and leveraged for the benefit of their organizations. Aaker Joachimsthaler (2000) developed a Brand Leadership model which will enable companies to build strong brands for the future. It comprises of four challenges which an organisation should consider. 2.3.1 Organisational Challenge: Every organisation should structure and process their functions that will lead them to be a strong brand in the market place. A clear organisational hierarchy should be made so that brands are not at the mercy of ad hoc decisions made by those with no long term interest. When a company increases its portfolio, and extends the production line, every manager from a different production line should provide a common set of inputs, outputs and knowledge that will benefit the organisation. The inter-communication will enable the sharing of insight, experience and brand building initiatives. As companies are going international, there lies a trend which companies struggle to confront with, and organisational challenges are raised. With the increasing competition for talent growing amongst business networks, current economic activities rationalise the challenges which are created within the firm. In order to gain competitive advantage, change in organisational strategy is important as respon se to market need is important. 2.3.1.2 Brand Strategy: Strategies are always used to gain sustainable competitive advantage, which could reflect from any part of the organizations operation. The marketplace is the evaluator of this advantage. Brand strategy is the process whereby the offer is placed to evoke the perception of advantage (Arnold, 1992). Almost all the features of Brand Management are driven by the overall brand strategy; otherwise a company might be leading with a confused perception and image of the brand. Strategy gives focus and direction to brand management and provides the platform that enables brand managers to gain consistency in all their brand related activities (Temporal, 2002). According to Reizebos (2003), a brand strategy is based on two parameters: differentiation and added value. Differentiating refers to the practice of trying to establish the difference between a companys own product and that of the competitor. This signifies that the intention of the brand strategy has a competitive character. By targetin g the differentiation strategy, the firm tends to deliver a brand competitive advantage. The other fundamental trait of a brand strategy is added value, which refers to the fact that a brand has more value for consumers than the bare product. In order to create such an added value, the brand must be meaningful for the consumers (Reizebos, 2003). Appendix 3 shows different branding strategy approaches adapted by brands, and their advantages and disadvantages (Drummond Ensor, 2001). 2.3.2 Brand Architecture: Pertomilli et al. (2002) defines brand architecture from a company perspective as a combination of strategies which include managing, organising and operating in to the market with their brands. 2.3.2.1 Branding in FMCG sector: Branding plays a significant role in FMCG sector, as there are myriad of products in the market. Due to presence of high number of products, it acts a powerful instrument in creation of differentiation and higher store presence. Since the competition is intense in this sector, it is highly important for firms to make their brand identifiable from others. Packaging, graphics and promotional activities such as advertisement is used to attract consumers (Ellwood, 2002). Brands operating in this sector are highly cost efficient and production is carried out in masses. A high capital is required to establish production of FMCG brand, as production cost is high; such firms enjoy the benefits of economies of scale. As identified by Moffett et al. (2002), products are not confined within a region or country. With increase in globalisation, brands can be found in any part of the world. Companies need to consider the global implications of marketing and try to gain brand leadership in the mark etplace. For the FMCG sector, advertising plays a pivotal role and is the best channel to communicate with the targeted audience. Moreover, with the advancement of internet and information provided on it, consumers tend to opt to review product information online before purchasing it. With high competition and many brands offering same product quality, it is very difficult to generate brand loyalty in FMCG sector. 2.3.2.3 Benefits of Branding in FMCG sector: A successful brand is one which evokes the consumers by creating and sustaining a strong, positive and lasting impression. (Fill, 1999). For a FMCG company, it is important to create trust towards its brand in minds of consumers. This trust is being built by providing better quality and satisfaction. Once the trust is created, it subjects to the top most choice of the consumers mind set and leads to re-purchasing actions. The approval of customers signifies that branding, from consumer perspective, is a method which reduces the time taken for decision-making and related perceived risk of the product. This shows that the brand name provides information about the quality, price, and attributes of the product without requiring the consumer to undergo the time consuming process (Fill, 1999). 2.3.2.4 Branding in the soft drink sector: With the fierce competition in the soft drink industry, firms are fighting for market share. Companies should reflect upon their branding strategies, as they are of paramount importance. Companies should extend their brands to various market niches in order to meet the needs of the consumers. The scope and opportunity in this market is high, as products can be differentiated by infusing different flavours. It would be appropriate to emphasize that the value which the brand adds to the product is intangible, however, its presence is undeniable and with immense significance. Considering the characteristics of soft drinks, branding is an ideal marketing tool which allows companies to position and differentiate between the offered product and its incremental value. International product portfolio analysis The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) originated an early version of product portfolio analysis. The BCG version classifies a companys products into four categories: stars, cash cows, problem children, and dogs. The classification is based on market share and market growth rate. The optimum product portfolio for one market is different from that of another. Product A, for example, may be a star in country X, and a dog in country Z. Individualizing the use of portfolio techniques for each country will help define different product portfolios for each foreign market. Although portfolio analysis of products for international sale is relatively new, it can assist the company in determining how to allocate resources among different markets. Positioning a new product/brand depends upon the firms ability to describe product attributes that will generate a flow of benefits to buyers and users. The international marketer planner must put these attributes into bundles so that the benefits created match the special needs of each targeted market segment or subculture. Product positioning then is viewed in a multidimensional space, commonly referred to as theperceptual space or product space (Johanson, 1985). In terms of perceptual space, a particular version of a product is graphically represented as a point specified by its attributes. Competitors (local and international) and other products are similarly located. If points representing other products are close to the point representing the new product, then these are products similar to the new prototype. If the prototype is positioned away from its closest competitors in the world markets and its positioning implies positive features, then it is likely to have a significant competitive advantage. This mapping process is appropriate for each foreign country/market segment contemplated. 2.3.3 Brand identity 2.3.3.1 Competitive Analysis: According to Cohen (1988), competitive analysis permits the understanding of differential competitive advantage, as well as the comparative advantages in relation to competitors. Intense competition requires operations to be carried out with maximum efficiency. The key to this is large-scale production to reduce the value of fixed costs per bottle. With increasingly sophisticated vehicles and rising investment costs, the optimum economic scale increases (Rees, 1999). Industry Analysis Using Porters Five Forces According to Besanko (2007), in order to devise and execute successful strategies, a firm must understand the nature of the markets in which they operate and compete. In 1980, Micheal Porter developed five forces to analyse the extent of competition. Understanding the nature and strength of each of the five forces within an industry assists managers in developing the competitive strategy of their organization. (Campbell D., 2002, p.134) The Five Competitive Forces for Irn Bru: A structural analysis of the UK carbonated soft drinks industry examines the impact the various forces have on this industry. Firms operating in the carbonated soft drink market in the UK, face tough competition from the rivals. Every soft drink organization should review its rivals products, analyse any potential new entrants in the market, understand the demand of substitute products, review the consumption pattern and demand amongst the buyers, and identify appropriate suppliers. Porters five force model is used to analyse the magnitude of competition. The intensity of competition within the industry is quite high, with regular advertising wars taking place; on the other hand, sales are increasing and the products are differentiated. There are high barriers to limit entry such as: the high capital required for production and distribution, increasingly advanced and specialised technology, lack of access to distribution, and strong consumer loyalty to recognised brands. A final, but very critical, point to bear in mind is that the forces themselves change over time. Sometimes in a predictable way, other times not. However, it is usually possible for the firms to have some influence over these changes. If no action is taken to counter the forces, it is extremely likely that the forces will grow stronger over time. Each firm needs to consider the actions that it could take to counter the forces, or position itself in such a way as not to face their full impact. For example, merging with a rival not only eliminates a competitor but also reduces the number of competitors in the market as a whole, something that can benefit all rivals by reducing competitive intensity. Threat of Rivalry: In the UKs soft drink industry, Irn Bru faces the greatest competition from its arch rival Coca-Cola and Britvic soft drinks (Appendix, X). Their presence all round the globe shows their potential strength, and demand in the consumer market. As can be seen from the table, Irn Bru has made constant strides in an upward direction by gaining market share. Manufacturers retail value brand shares in carbonates, 2006-08 2006 2007 2008 (est.) % change  £m %  £m %  £m % 2006-08 Coca-Cola GB, of which: 1,296 65 1,302 65 1,334 66 2.9 Coca-Cola 934 47 942 47 968 48 +3.6 Fanta 127 6 124 6 115 6 -9.4 Schweppes 96 5 102 5 111 6 +15.6 Dr Pepper 61 3 61 3 65 3 +6.6 Sprite 57 3 56 3 60 3 +5.3 Lilt 21 1 17 1 15 1 -28.6 Britvic Soft Drinks, of which: 277 14 280 14 305 15 +10.1 Pepsi 215 11 224 11 252 12 +17.2 7-Up 24 1 28 1 30 1 +25.0 Tango 38 2 28 1 23 1 -39.5 AG Barr Irn-Bru 82 4 86 4 91 5 +11.0 Other 96 5 94 5 88 4 -8.3 Own-label 239 12 235 12 200 10 -16.3 Total 1,990 100 1,997 100 2,018 100 +1.4 Source: Mintel, 2009 Loyalty towards brand names is another factor to measure brands performance. Brand loyalty in the soft drink market is another component which Irn Bru has to deal with from its rivals. Coca Cola and Pepsi are well established brand names all around the globe. Due to high brand awareness and product availability, they attain high market share. The presence of Irn Bru in the international market is very limited. Perhaps, due to its authenticity, it is famous in Scotland, and has struggled in other international markets (e.g. Russia, South Africa, Australia, America and Canada). The soft drink industry is mature, with nominal current growth and limited ability of firms to increase revenues at the pace they may have become accustomed to in the past. Of course, new markets, such as in Middle East or Southern Asia, may result in major new growth opportunities. The current makeup of the industry line-up leads to higher levels of competition. On one hand, key rivals offer different products, but similar in size, which increases competition. Differences in companies philosophies, cultures, and histories result in varied strengths and weaknesses, and lead to different strategies in pursuit of competitive advantage; the overall predictability of the industry development decreases and industry volatility increases. Irn Bru has a strong presence in the Scotland, due to the fact that it is the country of origin and a strong culture is associated with it. Threat of new entrant: Entry to the market, on a large scale, is difficult. The risk of new entrant in the soft drink industry is low. The presence of renowned brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, and their strong distribution channels in major grocers, public houses, and fast food outlets dominate the industry. Moreover, as the market is saturated, growth tends to be minimised. Such situations prevent new entrants from entering the market, and competing against strong brands. With high fixed cost attached i.e. labour, warehouse, logistics and economies of scale, it is difficult for new entrants to compete with established brands. Market saturation and high fixed costs, the levels of barriers are increased, and henceforth, entering into the UK soft drink market is difficult. Furthermore, because the products are have already acquired the impression of good experience, and reputation matters, very heavy advertising would be a necessity to gain a foothold as a brand producer. Entry as an own label producer might be possible, but it would demand a large scale operation to keep costs down and be as competitive as the existing large own-label producers. Even with the removal of trade barriers and generally greater harmonization within the European Union, major continental firms have appeared to be reluctant to plan a takeover on the UK market. There are at least several strong brands for every consumer segment currently in the carbonated soft drink industry. Consumers do have a choice, and many have developed brand loyalty. It would be difficult for new entrants to sufficiently differentiate their products and to build brand identity and loyalty. Threat of Substitute: There are number of substitute for carbonated soft drinks e.g. mineral water, fruit juice, energy drinks, tea, coffee etc. Water and sport drinks provide more variety that appeals to the consumers who seek the healthier options. However, carbonated soft drinks have gradually been gaining market share at their expense and this trend does not appear set to reverse. In addition, carbonated soft drinks have a particularly strong appeal to the youth market (10-25years), which is where most of the sales can be traced to. Overall, the threat appears relatively weak, especially to the core youth market. Power of suppliers: Soft drink industry suppliers do not hold a strong competitive pressure. There are usually several suppliers to choose from for any of the soft drink components; therefore, the rivalry between suppliers is high, and companies have many options, including manufacturing components themselves, which some of them still do. Again, relatively weak pressure exists, with the exception of sugar producers and plastic suppliers. The work force is not highly organised, nor is it militant. Power of Buyers: The large numbers of consumers willing to purchase a bottle of carbonated soft drink mean that the actions of a single consumer will not have a notable effect on a companys performance. At the same time, however, these consumers face low switching costs and have varied degrees of brand loyalty, which requires companies to spend significant resources on capturing and retaining that individual consumer. Over 65% of sales are sold through multiple grocers. The top five grocery chains account for nearly 70% of all grocery sales and are thus in a strong bargaining position. Some 8% of sales are through fast food restaurants, and 6% sales are through public houses. (Mintel, 2009) The remainder of sales are relatively weak buyers, including off-licences, confectionaries, newsagents and restaurants. Soft drink manufacturing companies distribute the products to these stores so that they can be sold to the consumers. The top grocers buy soft drinks in bulk, as it allows them to purchase goods at a cheaper price. The strongest pressures come from the power of buyers and the fairly intense non-price competition within the industry. Nevertheless, overall the industry seems to be in a fairly healthy position: the leading firms are very profitable and industry growth is expected to be steady around 8% over the period 2007-9. Cola, as a product, appears to be reaching maturity, but other segments offer prospects of development and growth. This plays to an advantage in the hand of Irn Bru, as the product offered is completely contrary to the Colas. At the same time, the firms are actively competing on quality and bringing new products to market, as well as being innovative in terms of reducing costs by investing in new technology and machinery, developing new forms of packaging and offering better distribution services. The danger is that the firms may not be able to sustain the route to growth and instead may seek growth through techniques such as undercutting rivals prices in a market share game. In this situation, profits are likely to deteriorate rapidly if destructive head-to-head price competition becomes the main competitive instrument. 2.3.3.2 The Brand Positioning Concept: According to Kotler (1997), Positioning is the act of designing the companys offering and image so that they occupy a meaningful and distinct competitive position in the target customers minds. The positioning of a brand is not about the quality which products provide, but it is what consumer thinks about the brand. For positioning, it is important how a consumer perceives the product rather than its physical nature. According to King (1991; cited in Fill 1999), advancements in technological fields have allowed products to offer similar functional and physical appearance, where consumers choices and decision will be based on the brand name. Henceforth, positioning origination as a brand will evoke actual and potential customers. According to McCormack (1984, cited in Olsson 2004), positioning is a factor which determines what consumers are actually purchasing while buying any product or service; and subsequently communicating related imitations and inspirations to the buyer. An organ ization should primarily evaluate and identify where they stand in the market spectrum and then position it accordingly. 2.3.3.3 Branding from Consumers Perspective: A brand provides not only a source of information, but also performs certain other functions which justify its attractiveness and its monetary return, when they are valued by buyers. According to (Kapferer, 2008), there are eight main functions (Appendix 4), Identification and practicality are mechanical and concern the essence of the brand i.e. to function as a rec

Theme Analysis of Maupassants The Necklace Essay -- European Literatu

Guy De Maupassant's short story "The Necklace" remarkably demonstrates how misfortune can lead to self improvement through the character Mathilde Loisel. Madame Mathilde was one of those beautiful and delightful young ladies with not very many high expectations, achievements, and no way to be accepted into the elaborate society and lifestyle in which she finds herself daydreaming about day and night. In Guy De Mauspassant's `The Necklace," the author examines the theme of how learning a difficult lesson about honesty can impact someone for the rest of their life. The author also examines the theme through the use of his title, the characters who act out the events, and the plot. "The Necklace" plays a larger role than just the heading to a short story; the necklace is used as a symbol throughout the entire story. Young Mathilde has been invited to attend a fancy ball with her husband and realizes that she does not have any jewelry to show off at the big event. Mathilde finds a solution to her problem with the jewelry by borrowing a beautiful necklace from one of her ...

English Teacher

Name______________________________________ Date ______________________Block__ Subject-Verb Agreement – Exercise 1 Circle the correct verb in each sentence below. In the line next to the sentence write down the rule# it applies to. 1. Emily and Greg (comes,   come) to my house every Friday for lunch. Rule#_____ 2. There (is,   are) time to watch the movie. Rule#_____ 3. My friends who are in the band (wants,   want) me to play a musical instrument. Rule#_____ 4. My father or my brothers (is,   are) coming with me to the ball game. Rule#_____ 5. Everyone (needs, need) time to relax. Rule#_____ . That bag of oranges (looks, look) fresh. Rule#_____ 7. The lacrosse team (hopes, hope) to win the tournament next week. Rule#_____ 8. Your trousers (needs, need) to be cleaned. Rule#_____ 9. Some of the books on the shelf (is, are) dusty. Rule#_____ 10. Even though the students like the class, a few (thinks, think) that it is too complicated Rule#_____ ———â⠂¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Top of Form Name______________________________________ Date ______________________Block__ Subject-Verb Agreement – Exercise 2 Circle the correct verb in each sentence below.In the line next to the sentence write down the rule# it applies to. 1. Mumps (is, are) not common among adults. Rule#_____ 2. Viruses from third world countries (is, are) a major concern. Rule#_____ 3. Most of the sand (is, are)   wet from the high tide. Rule#_____ 4. Either the two kittens or the puppy (sits, sit) in my lap while I watch television. Rule#_____ 5. A subject of great interest (is, are) rainforests. Rule#_____ 6. Hansel and Gretel (is, are) a famous children's story. Rule#_____ 7. The team members (is, are) arguing over the defense tactics. Rule#_____ 8. The economics of the trip (was, were) pleasing.Rule#_____ 9. Why (is, are) your parents going to Africa for a vacation? Rule#_____ 10. The mayor and the governor (hopes, hope) that the bill will soon become a law Rule#_____ Name______________________________________ Date ______________________Block__ Subject-Verb Agreement – Exercise 3 Circle the correct verb in each sentence below. In the line next to the sentence write down the rule# it applies to. ————————————————- Top of Form 1. The books from the library (need   needs) to be returned by Friday. Rule#_____ 2. The parents and the child often (watch  Ã‚   watches)   Disney movies. Rule#_____ 3.The phone that belongs to the two friends (have   has) finally run out of minutes. Rule#_____ 4. That pair of trousers (look   looks) good on you. Rule#_____ 5. Either Matilda or her brothers (use   uses) the symphony tickets each week. Rule#_____ 6. The crowd (were was) cheering wildly for Tom. Rule#_____ 7. The politics of this campaign (seemà ‚   seems) very complicated. Rule#_____ 8. Everyone at the company's headquarters (know   knows) the code to the safe. Rule#_____ 9. Gulliver's Travels (are   is)   one of my favorite books. Rule#_____ 10. Measles (cause   causes) a good deal of itching. Rule#_____ Bottom of Form Bottom of Form

Child Pornography on the Internet essays

Child Pornography on the Internet essays In this new age of Information, the Internet has made all types of information readily available. Some of this information can be very useful, some can be malicious. Child pornography, also known as Paedophilia is one of these problems. Any one person can find child pornography on the internet with just a few clicks of the mouse using any search engine. Despite webmaster's and law enforcement officials' efforts to control child pornography and shut down illegal sites, new sites are posted using several ways to mask their identity. The Internet provides a new world for curious children. It offers entertainment, opportunities for education, information and communication. The Internet is a tool that opens a window of opportunities. As Internet use grows, so do the risks of children being exposed to inappropriate material, in particular, criminal activity by paedophiles and child Many children first come in contact with the Internet at a very young age. Some children become victims of child pornography through close relatives who may have abused them. Some children become involved with chat services or newsgroup threads. It is usually through these sites that they meet child pornographers. Children may be asked to send explicit pictures of themselves taken either by a digital camera or scanned from a polaroid. The pornographer will then post the pictures on their web site, sometimes hiding them through encryption, steganography or password protecting them using a javascript or applet. Certain efforts have been made to control child pornography through legislation. In 1977 the Sexual Exploitation of Children Act was put into Legislation. (U.S. Code : Title 18, Section 2251-2253) The law prohibits the use of a minor in the making of pornography, the transport of a child across state lines, the taking of a pornographic picture of a minor, and th...

Romeo and Juliet Essay Essay Example

Romeo and Juliet Essay Essay Example Romeo and Juliet Essay Essay Romeo and Juliet Essay Essay Text Analysis: Complexity of love in Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is a complex tragedy exploring different dynamics of love and particularly true love. The play confronts the audience with the very old enmity between two families. The focus is primarily around Romeo and Juliet but also infatuation and brotherly love. Several interpretations have being made, although reading scenes from the real play give a direct familiarity with the text. Romeo and Juliet the play is opened with a focus on the Montague’s and Romeos relationship with Rosaline. The first introduction to Romeo is by mention from his mother Lady Montague. She appears worried and asks her husband and Benvolio if they have seen Romeo. The Dialogue indicates that Romeo has being very upset and was seen walking with tears streaming from his eyes he has also being shutting himself in his room â€Å"So early walking did I see your son Many a morning hath there been seen, with tears augmenting the fresh morning dew. † (Act 1 line 120, 129-30). Romeo is presented as being deeply in love with Rosaline. Shakespeare may have added this scene exaggerating Romeos dismay to emphasize how quickly his feelings change when he sees Juliet also to underline how Romeo and Juliet share an undeniable love which he clearly did not have with Rosaline. Romeo’s sudden change of emotion is clear in â€Å"If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin this is: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. (Act 1 Scene 5 line 90) where he first sees Juliet and wants to kiss her hand. Romeo declares that his feelings for Rosaline are completely gone when he sees Friar Lawrence â€Å" With Rosaline, my ghostly father? No; I have forgot that name and that name’s woe† (Lines 35-45 Act 2 Scene 3) and inquires about taking Juliet’s hand. At first FL believes Romeo is there to speak to him about Rosaline and gives a small speech to Romeo accentuating how Romeo was conveyed to be feeling. These series of events unquestionably prove that Shakespeare used Romeos first relationship (Rosaline and Romeo) to show that they did not share love but rather an infatuation (Superficial love) which is proven when Romeo finds his true love with Juliet giving viewers a more certain opinion that Romeo and Juliet do in fact have true love it was very important Shakespeare utilised this to ensure that the audience did not doubt the abrupt love or mistake it for infatuation as an author Shakespeare also used diverse language techniques nd altered the characters actions (When Rosaline and Romeo broke up, Romeo no more than cried; When Juliet was thought dead Romeo then to killed himself) He manipulated the audience into believing Romeo and Juliet’s love was real. The enmity between two of Verona’s noble families, tore two sides between many of the residences. Bringing the conflict outside of the two family’s immediate family and also involving close friends. This typ e of dedication and loyalty is very risky as Escalus had become weary of the fights disturbing the rest of the community. Declaring the next person to fight in the risk of being banished from Verona; which resulted in even defending a family that Mercutio was not a part of. This is an example of a deep unconditional love and friendship, or family type bond which Mercutio and Romeo shared. Unlike other relationships the brotherly love showed a different dynamic to Shakespeare’s writing abilities. He illustrated he could use formal language and informal language between different characters to one another. Informal language is commonly used between the characters with brotherly love, as this is in the intimacy of the friendship and not in serious situation. Often spoken by Mercutio, until his last moment alive. Shakespeare upheld his level of wit and humour in a somewhat relaxed manor â€Å" Good King of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that I mean to make bold withal; and, as you shall use hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out † (Act 3 Scene 1 lines 175-177) Here Shakespeare has used Mercutio’s attitude to belittle Tybalt saying he wishes to attack him, asking him to do as he pleases and quickly (with haste). Because of this it is very hard to precisely generalize Romeo and Juliet as a Drama play or Comedy (this could also broaden Shakespeare’s range of Audience). Romeo shows his heart break and depression over Mercutio’s death killing Tybalt and consequently becoming banished. Tybalt, also Juliet’s cousin causes Romeo and his actions damage his relationship with Juliet making the families anger and hate towards each other increasingly raw also giving Juliet’s parents more reason to despise Romeo as an individual. Romeo’s actions were an intense show of emotion as he essentially put Mercutio before Juliet. Shakespeare uses the concept Love at first sight as a basis for Romeo and Juliet’s love and then developing it into a physical and endless connection, using the initial family feud as a foundation to create an innovative love story it was an ideal situation to exhibit how they’re immediate love was stronger than there love for their family as both Romeo and Juliet question their own names and decide the enmity does not affect how they feel nor does the families opinions have an input into the decision to get married. Juliet goes to a severe level to avoid marrying Paris; Shakespeare also causes Juliet’s actions to create immense grief for her family even though she did not actually die at first. This yet again expresses Juliet’s weakening consideration and love for her family as she put her family through extreme sadness for Romeo not taking into account their reactions or heartbreak and only thinking of her and Romeo’s relationship. The two lovers act very quickly not using much thought or contemplation throughout the play (Romeo taking poison straight after seeing Juliet without thinking of other solutions) â€Å"Arms take your last embrace! And lips, O you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss. A dateless bargain to ongoing death! Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide! Thou despite pilot, not at once run back on the dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! Here’s to my love [drinks] O true apothecary thy drugs are quick † (Act 5 scene 3 lines 113-18) Demonstrating Shakespeare’s idea of true love as the couple puts their love for one another before everything else in their love. In conclusion the types of love shown in the whole play are not only complex but a deep insight into what lovers may of felt like in Shakespeare’s time. The audience could clearly recognize the types of love within this play and also pulls people in. Shakespeare’s dramatised use of language is endless in time and can be understood and interoperated clearly, the descriptive use of texts gives a broad and personal level to understanding what is being said. The drama and exaggeration of each conversation makes the tragedy interesting and there is always something attention-grabbing being said or going on.

Free Trade benefit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Free Trade benefit - Essay Example Also when countries trade their specialties, nearly all the stakeholders receive the benefits. Free trade theory claims that economic competition with minimal government intervention will lead to greater efficiency, productivity, and innovation; will reduce costs for consumers; and will free up more capital for further investment. First of all, the role of free trade is removal of trade barriers such as tariffs which should promote economic growth, foster a cooperative spirit among nations, help developing nations into becoming independent economies, and end poverty around the world. Free Trade benefits developing countries because it provides economic opportunities, improves working conditions, and advances their technology, becoming more globally conscious. Free Trade provides developing countries different opportunities for economic growth. If free trade becomes a universally acceptable economic system, provisionally wealthy countries and developing countries both gain a number of benefits to grow the worldwide economy. Trade is the greatest factor that leads to economic growth. When trade occurs as a result of true demand and supply, the economic growth that occurs also truly reflects the increase in economic welfare. Thus, free trade brings about increased economic growth, which means better and more jobs; advanced standards of living and so on. Free Trade is not only beneficial for wealthy countries, but also developing ones. The growth is the solution to world poverty. Additionally, free trade improves working conditions for workers in the developing nations. Free trade can help global workers who are working under torrid conditions. If my friend told me â€Å"I feel bad that workers are laboring under life-threatening condition s to produce the goods I buy. However, I don’t know how to change my consumer habits.† I agree we all feel difficulties in changing our consumer habits. Even though

Development of Energy Derivatives in Risk Management Essay

Development of Energy Derivatives in Risk Management - Essay Example An off-shoot of this transfiguration is augmented market fluctuation which has resulted in an equivalent increase in demand for risk management products. This requirement is mirrored in the development of financial derivatives ranging from the harmonized futures and options products to the wide spectrum of over-the-counter or OTC products as offered. Financial risks may be construed as the risks to an organization which crop up as a result of price vacillations, either directly or indirectly, influencing the value of a company (Sprcic, 2007). A fusion of greater deregulation, international competition, interest rates, and foreign exchange rate fluctuation, along with commodity price suspensions, and hoisted corporate concerns, have resulted in increased significance of financial risk management in the years that trailed. ... interest rate confrontation, the way and limit of managing such risks has frequently witnessed a major role in the success or failure of a business. As a result, we can discuss that financial risk management is one of the most significant corporate operations for the reason that it contributes to the actualization of the primary target of the company, which is stock-holder wealth maximization (Sprcic, 2007). It is possible to conduct financial risk management in two unique manners. On one hand, the first approach can be the employment of a diversification approach in the assortment of businesses that are operated by the corporation. On the other hand, the second approach can be the corporation's involvement in financial transactions. In the case of such diversification, which has been one of the most prominent tools of risk management, firms which are basically concerned about the fluctuations of their earnings, have switched to the financial markets. This is solely because of the reason that the financial markets have embellished more straight approaches to risk management which excel the requirement to straightway invest in actions which help in the alleviation of instabilities. The errand of financial risk management has been provided by the increasing accessibility of an assortment of derivative implements in order to shift financial price risks to other worthy parties which are capa ble of benefiting from it. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Introduction to Derivatives Prior to the accurate development of derivatives markets, the