A Summary of Cubbin and Geroski

This article examines the nature of short-run dynamics in judging the profitability in the marketplace.   The authors state that the dynamics of profits in the inter-industry averages, even between companies in the same industry, can be extremely variable.That is, although it is assumed that there is some homogeneity that can permit comparison between company profits within and industry that can then be used to create an inter-industry average, this homogeneity does not, in fact, exist.It is apparent that this flawed assumption has its roots in the â€Å"shared asset theory of profit determination† posited by Porter (1979) as a method of determining performance in an industry (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987, p. 427).   The authors state that the flaw comes from assuming that the â€Å"intra-industry variations in profits are small and uncorrelated with market structure† (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987, p. 427), which, if this assumption is untrue, the industry-level analysis of the dynamics between companies is no longer of interest and is no longer of any value.In addition, Porter’s model seems to have failed to take into account the differences that exist between the industry leaders and the industry â€Å"followers† in terms of profitability and how that profit is made.The literature review for Cubbin and Geroski (1987) suggests that analysis of different industries show that market power gains are unevenly distributed between these leaders (the large firms) and followers (the small firms) in these industries and that the markets share that this power reflects is important in determining the relative profitability between companies (pp. 427-428).The authors indicate, however, that there are several assessment methods in terms of determining any individual organization’s profitability both on firm specific and industry-wide factors.   These factors include:Co-efficients on variables, such as market share and industry concentration.An analysis of variance (ANOVA) framework that deconstructs performance variables into effects created by industry, firm, and market share.A dynamic model, which the authors suggest that a co-variance might exist between â€Å"profit paths† across intra-industry firms (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987, p. 428).The authors’ state their intent at this juncture; indicating that they intend to examine the importance of industry effect on industry profitability in the United Kingdom (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987).   It is also at this point in the paper where the authors describe the form that the paper will take, explaining how the information will be organized and analyzed.The ModelThe model that the authors examined for the purpose of this paper is that of an individual firm (i) in a single industry (I).   The current profit rate for i is then compared for the equilibrium profit rate for I, over a long term.According to the authors, it is unlikely that the comparison of the profit rate s for   Ã‚  and I will be equal to one another over the period of analysis for one of two reasons: 1) that there is no equilibrium in the individual firm’s profit over the long term, or 2) that the equilibrium profit rate for the individual firm differs from that of the industry as a whole.   In addition, the ease or difficulty with which a firm can enter the market and other factors that affect doing business in that industry may have an effect over the rate of equilibrium profit.The authors maintain that the profit rate for the individual is determined by the equilibrium profit rate for the industry and â€Å"the dynamic forces that generate adjustment towards them within and between industries (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987, p. 429).Cubbin and Geroski (1987) go on to explain that one issue in this model is that tracking the factors that go into the dynamic may be impossible to measure, in part due to the difficulty in observing them.In addition, the actual entry of a firm in to an industry may or may not have an effect overall and may or may not lead to the existing firms in that industry–particularly, presumably, the leaders of that industry–to make strategic preemptive pricing moves that may effect the performance of the market before the new firm even has time to enter and disturb the equilibrium (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987).The authors propose a solution to control these variables.   They first define â€Å"entry† into an industry as being when 1) new firms enter the industry, 2) expansion of incumbent firms, and 3) as incumbent competitors attempt to block new firms by uniting their production and pricing efforts (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987).This definition was left broad to â€Å"include all systematic dynamic forces interacting with profits† (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987).   Entry might then have a strong impact if there are strong dynamic forces; however, weak dynamic forces result in the average industry profitability being af fected over a long period (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987).If a firm holds a strategic place in the industry and earns profits higher than those earned by others in the industry, then a response to this position might result in other firms in the industry might encourage â€Å"mobility† in the industry itself, with other new firms entering or incumbents restructuring to diversify (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987), which results in any of these actions having an effect on the individual firm.The basic model that the authors suggest using to analyze industry profits is arrived at after a series of equations that are eventually modified to take compare the vulnerability to the effects of entry on the part of the individual firm against the industry at large (Cubbin & Geroski, 1987), based on the movement created by firm and industry specifics.

Career Research Project on Business Management Essay

1.JOB TITLE Business Administration and Management, or Sales Management JOB DESCRIPTION Direct the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and to monitor the preference of the consumer. Daily activities include selling or influencing others-convincing others to buy merchandise or otherwise changing their minds. Making decisions and solving problems, evaluating, and analyzing information and data to make decisions and solve problems. Establishing and maintaining a rappur with customers and employees. Basically providing structure within the company and making authority decisions. Sources: Career in Business by Richard Watkins page 27-35, Myers Briggs, Best Jobs for the 21st Century Second 2.EDUCATION/TRAINING REQUIREMENTS Work experience plus degree, preferably 4 year degree. Majoring in Business Administration and Management, in which most schools offer degrees in business. Prerequisites that are needed to take and helpful would include macroeconomics, intro to business, accounting, microeconomics, Principals of Management and Organization, and many other courses that will prepare you for the management field. The current cost per credit at USF is $84.77 for Florida residents, the overall cost for 2 years for a business degree including cost of living would roughly be estimated at $31,930.00 excluding financial assistance, grants, and possible scholarships. Source: www.usf.edu  under prospective student. 3.CHARACTERISTICS OF OCCUPATION Personality type: Enterprising. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. In management for example would include leading people and making many decisions, requiring risk taking. Abilities: Oral comprehension-the ability to listen to and to understand information and ideas presented verbally. Written comprehension-the ability to read and understand information and ideas in writing. The ability to communicate information verbally so that others will understand. Speech clarity-the ability to speak clearly and educated so that it is understood. The biggest skills of all to me is the Speaking, being able to talk to others to effectively explain information and using critical thinking to use logic and analyze the strength and weaknesses of different approaches. In general you have to obtain a people person communication with a positive attitude and motivational actions towards the company and the employees. Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook page 347 4.TRENDS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK Speculated at 23% growth with 89,237 annual job openings with 2.4% being self employed and 2.6% part timers. My interviewee stated that there will always be plenty of job openings and positions available for anyone with a degree in business rather if its for sales management or even corporate america because we are a consumer based country, all though this does have its ups and downs regarding the economy there will always be positions needed for qualified good character, educated, leading, person for any company. There will always be a need for leaders in companies. Sources: Best Jobs for the 21st century Second Edition by Farr Ludden page 206 5.SALARIES Yearly earnings according to The best jobs of the 21st century is $57,300.  According to my interviewee, the average sales management is usually also based on commission and perks within the corporation but says at least $30,000 annually but up to sky’s the limit depending on your motivation, desire, and determination to succeed. Sources: Best Jobs for the 21st century Second Edition by Farr Ludden page 206

Amateurism in Ncaa Football

Paranny Aril Crawford Sandin English 101 13 October 2012 Amateurism In NCAA Football The National Collegiate Athletic Association is corrupted with sneakiness, unfairness and greediness, particularly in division one colleges. In North America, sports play a huge role, especially sports like football, hockey, basketball and baseball. Sometimes this causes us to become vanished of fairness, like are the players being treated right? A great example of injustice in sports is amateurism of football players in division one colleges.Division one and division two athletes must obtain amateurism, which is playing the sport as a hobby rather than for the money, many would define amateurism as worthy but it is really tainted and monopolized! Should NCAA athletes get paid? Numerous of people would easily answer no because college athletes are on scholarships and various athletic departments loses money even with a winning record. Also college athletes have advantages with free tuition, books, li ving expenses, food, clothing and health.Although all of these features appear wonderful but there are more cons than pros of amateurism. For example the NCAA is a business that are making money out of these athletes basically for free and yes they do receive tuition but that does not compare to the large amount of money the NCAA is making out of them. According the Stanford Review, college athletic is a multimillion-dollar industry with recruiting the best of the best in the nation. So why not pay the best of the best, if they put in all this hard work, then they should be rewarded.Instead the National Colligate Athletic Association is a monopoly because of its limitation of scholarships and other payments to boost its college sports program. Also not all of the athletes receive scholarships. College football players put in more work on the field than they do in the classrooms. For example when in season they have five-hour practices and that doesn’t include lifting for an h our and this is from Tuesday to Friday with game day on Saturday. After the season is over then they begin spring all which is just only practices and plus they don’t have a summer break because they have to stay for summer ball. We consider college athletes as student athletes but that is such an oxymoron because in realty their sport does come before their schoolwork. When playing in a big division one school, most athletes believe to make it in the big leagues but sadly only about 2% makes it. Colleges should stress more on education for so call student athletes but they don’t because of the athlete’s popularity and how the NCAA is making money out of them regardless if they have a future afterward or not.It’s horrible how the NCAA contract includes that when an athlete commits and decides to transfer to play for another school then they have to sit out a year. This rule is so unfair because coaches don’t have to do that. The NCAA is the biggest monopoly in America according to Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine. When selling college souvenirs and jerseys, videogames, etc and the athlete does not make any money from that, even if they are the main reason for those sales. It is amazing that most players receive a free education but does not compare to what the NCAA is making off of them.The players should receive a cut of these profits or gain a portion of this money after graduation so it can help them financially with their futures. Sadly the NCAA is too considerate of themselves and if an athlete is injure or not performing well then they have no problem wiping their name off the record books. The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a business that makes tons of money from college athletes. Another reason why the NCAA doesn’t pay their athletes is because they will be tax and they can lose a lot of money from that.Well, professional sports obviously pay their athletes and they are tax too but the professional leagues are doing well. College basketball and college football are highly talked about and televised just like the professional sports so it shouldn’t be a problem if college athletes get paid. With amateurism in college sports, athletic programs cheat. They secretly cheat by illegally over paying top players or handing them out free stuff. For instance Cam Newton who was an All-American quarterback playing for Auburn and Mississippi before was secretly offered 120,000 to 18,000 from Mississippi State.Playing in top division one colleges, â€Å"winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing† and if athletic programs will cheat to have the best recruits and this is no surprise. If amateurism didn’t exist, there wouldn’t be any cheating scandals and every player will treated equally from their performance. Brown, Noah. â€Å"The NCAA Monopoly – The Toonari Post – News, Powered by the People! â€Å"

Financial Analysis of Bahrain Mari. & Mer. Inter.Co Assignment

Financial Analysis of Bahrain Mari. & Mer. Inter.Co - Assignment Example Bahrain Mari. & Mer. Inter.Co Company Profile: Bahrain Mari & Mer Inter co. is also known as BMMI in Bahrain stock market. BMMI principal activities are whole selling and retailing of food, beverages and other consumable items. Company also provides services in shipping. BMMI's headquarter is located in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and with international operations spanning three continents, BMMI is a diversified retail and distribution, and contract services and supply group, supported by a world class integrated logistics capability. BMMI is one of the fastest growing companies in the list of the companies which are listed on the Bahrain Stock Exchange. BMMI has an annual turnover in excess of US$ 230 million. Company adopts a costumer focus business approach and follows the international standards and global best practices. BMMI Group now has a presence in seven countries across three continents of the world, and has staff comprising people of 30 different nationalities. BMMI operates core business area. The group has owns and operates a chain of Supermarkets in Bahrain, which enjoy a reputation for delivering fast and offering fresh, quality products. BMMI also provide the some other services like remote site and facilities management, contract supply, packed meals and beverage distribution. Financial Analysis of Bahrain Mari. & Mer. Inter.Co. Note: All Accounts' figures have been form BMMI financial statements of three years. Profitability Ratios Liquidity and leverage Ratios: Year 2011 2009 2008 Equity attributable to shareholders' to total assets (%) 78.02 77.27 64.59 Total liabilities to total Equity attributable to shareholders' (times) 0.28 0.29 0.54 Current ratio (times) 3.03 2.80 1.72 Quick ratio (time) 2.32 2.04 1.03 Financial performance: Note: All Accounts' figures have been form BMMI financial statements of three years. It is clear that the recent financial performance of BMMI Co has been good. Total sales revenues are strong at BD 84.8 million despi te a slight decrease compared to BD 87.2 million in 2009. However, According to financial statements of the company the net profit of BD 9.2 million was the fourth highest in the Group’s history, while shareholders’ funds increased to BD 48 million, up seven per cent over 2009. There are also several positive signs. BMMI Co. has not made losses in any of the last three years. There is an impressive increase in liquidity position, with cash and short-term deposits increasing to BD 12.9 million from BD 12 million in 2009. On the side the value of total assets also increased 5.9%. Financial Position: According to the financial statements of the company total operating profit is increased to BD 8.9 million from BD 8.7 million which is the indication of lower selling and distribution expenses. Total assets also increased from BD 57.8 million in 2009 to BD 61.2 million in 2010, due to increases in property, plant and equipment and trade receivables. Earning per share has als o increase .079 to .080. On the other side he underlying net profit and revenue strength of businesses must be highlighted, but this factor can not effect on the company's performance because company strongly capitalized, highly liquid, unleveraged and conservative towards investments. It is clear that with the presence of recessionary pressures from suppliers and customers BMMI has successfully increased its Gross profit margin to 26 per cent. It is the symbol that the company is focusing on primary functions in efficient manner. Investment portfolio can be seen in healthy position but on the other side some devaluation of investments and provision against losses can be seen in BMMI statements. According to BMMI's chairman this is due to the impairments against some losses and further improvement is expected in 2011 as markets continue to recover. Shareholder wealth: Shareholders’ funds increased to BD 48 million, up seven per cent over 2009. This clearly states that BMMI Co has been increasing the

Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Mythology - Essay Example iewpoint, one which is related to the sacred and religious ideal and the other which shows a specific ideal related to the human element of what death means. The first perception of death in Greek myth that is displayed in the story of Alcestis is by the personification of death as a God. This shows that the Greeks looked at death as a divine entity that was entitled to take the life of those that it wished. As death talks, not only is it seen that this is a divine entity that is able to take the lives of those who are ready to die, but also plays with the lives of those that are about to die for respect and for status among the other gods. This is seen from the beginning of the play when talking to Apollo. In a conversation, Apollo states, â€Å"One life is all you get. Young or old, what difference does it make? Death: Honor. The younger my victim, the more mankind fears and respects me† (Euripedes, lines 80 – 84). This shows that the concept of death is one that is attributed to the gods. When death is able to take a life, it causes a fear and unknowing among the culture. This allows death to remain as a god and to carry the ideal of a god. This sacred concept was one that was accepted by the Greeks and the ideals in which they held about death as a part of their religious philosophies. The concept of the divine is not only one in which the character of Death holds before taking Alcestis. The relationships to the divine by those that are in the play also reflect the idea of death and the mystery that it holds. This relates specifically to the religious and cultural affiliations of what it means to leave the earthly plane. An example of this is when Alcestis is getting ready for her death. She considers the moment sacred and dresses in her finest clothes to prepare. She is then seen praying at every alter in the area to prepare for her journey to the underworld, while asking for assistance for her family and children. The attitude toward death

Prevention to Threats and Attacks on Computer Network Assignment

Prevention to Threats and Attacks on Computer Network - Assignment Example An IDS based signature monitors the network for packets and compares them against signatures or known threats in the database. Tremendous increase of services and information that is sensitive on networks has made security very important. However, the more network technologies have developed, the more network attacks have increased in severity and numbers. Intrusion detection systems (IDS) can effectively provide network security by preventing, detecting, and possibly fighting attacks. Such systems monitor sources of activities while employing various security techniques. Therefore, they ought to be precise in quickly defining attacks, in training and generating very few positives. Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS) monitor networks for intrusions or attacks, reporting them to the administrator for necessary activity. A NIDS server that is large enough may be created on a backbone of network, to check and asses all traffic; or other smaller systems may be created to check or asses traffic for a specific server, gateway, switch, or router. The computing environment is constantly evolving and this demands Intrusion detection products to aid in managing attacks in this changing environment. Threats can be individuals or groups that wish to compromise a computer system such as disgruntled employees, rival companies or even foreign governments and their attacks can be devastating on the network systems. Intrusion attacks are those where an attacker enters ones network to read, damage, and/or steal data (Albitz 1992). These attacks can be divided into two: Port scans: A scanner is a program that probes a system remotely to establish which TCP/UPD ports are open and if they are subject to attacks. It identifies a computer at risk within the network, find the services that are installed on the computer, and show weaknesses in operation (Hudson KURT and Stewart Michael.

Assignment on Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment on Macroeconomics - Essay Example Financing deficit by borrowing in the futures through bonds with a premium interest is not a good prescription to finance additional expenditures. Running a budget deficit places upward pressure on interest rates (Arestis & Sawyer, 2010, pg.328) When a government has to raise money, which in this case is to finance Social Security, Medicare or other programs for the elderly, one of the tools it can use to sell bonds or promissory notes which the buyer or investor can cash in at a maturity date which the government guarantees. Raising money for such laudable programs is not a problem, only the method it is being raised in this case because it has a contagion or ripple effect in the other sectors of the economy. We all know that business needs capital either to start or to expand. Business is essential in a given economy as it does not only pays taxes for the government to spend on its programs but it also provides jobs which in turn yields more taxes to the government through the inco me tax of the employees. Also, it produces goods and services which other entities may utilize to create value and in the process also yields tax to the government. Suffice to say, business is important in the over-all health of any given economy. Business also incurs costs; either for its operation or the overhead of maintaining itself to be a going concern as a business. One of the expenses it has to pay is interest expense or the cost of money. It is necessary for business needs additional capital for it to expand and respond to competition, changing technology or to simply adapt with the times to remain competitive. So when interest rates are jacked up to invite investors to avail the bonds for the government to finance the spending on Social Security, Medicare, and other similar programs, it inadvertently harms other components of the economy such as business. Plainly, what the government is doing in this case is to make the cost of money more expensive so that there will be mo re buyer of its promissory notes or bonds. When cost of money becomes high, it will precipitate a vicious cycle in the economy. If we may recall the recent crisis both in Asia July of 1997 and United States in 2009, interest rates became so high that nobody can afford to loan it or banks were just hesitant to lend money due to the high prevailing interest rates thinking that they will not be repaid or that borrowers will default on it. So when interest rates or cost of money is high, business will freeze their expansion programs or whatever projects they have on the table. This will result in the freeze hiring of additional workers, business becoming less competitive resulting in the over-all contraction of the economy. So while there will be money that will be raised for financing the government social programs such as Social Security, Medicare, etch, it will eventually back fire in the future. Not only that the economy will contract, but there will also be lesser jobs available. B usiness will implement cost-saving measures and this will precipitate a recession as business are interconnected, one supplies the other or dependent with the other. When there are lesser jobs available or when companies are refusing to give its employee a salary raise, there will be less money available in the pockets of the consumer. When there is less money in the pockets of the consumer, they will tend to spend less. When there is less spending in the economy, there will be less incentive for the industry to produce. For one man’s spending is another man’

The General Consensus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The General Consensus - Essay Example Of importance to note is the fact that expressions such as Barrack Obama are known as proper names. Hornsby and Longworth, (2005), hold the view that proper names such as the aforementioned expression are generally regarded to be paradigmatic expressions of reference. Hence, this paper shall seek to answer the question as to why proper names are directly referential. By so doing, this paper shall delve into the mechanism of referencing. In a nutshell, this shall be approached from the standpoint of what do words of referring attach to individuals or objects. Furthermore, the paper shall seek to exhaust the relationship between meaning/sense and reference. Against this backdrop, some theories of proper names reference shall be used to provide a deeper insight into this topic. On the other hand, this paper shall also consider views which have been put forward by opponents in relation to reference. As it has been stated above, there is the general consensus that proper names are paradigmatic expressions of reference. This can be attributed to the fact that they tend to have a distinct attachment to things in the World. Perhaps one might wonder what really constitutes proper names in the first place. For the purposes of this research paper, proper names shall be used in the context of all that is commonly known as names. Expressions such as Barrack Obama, New York or Mount Kilimanjaro fall within the category of proper names. Yet still, one might wonder what is common among all the three expressions. In essence, do they form a genuine group of linguistic expressions? A closer look at all the three expressions reveals that they are indeed syntactic expressions which are simple. In this regard, they refer or part of them refers to specific individuals and objects. Hence, ‘Barrack Obama’ refers to a specific man; ‘New York’ refers to a given city while Mo unt Kilimanjaro refers to a specific mountain.

Philosophy of Media Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy of Media Ethics - Essay Example I will also seek to dispel the notion that a conflict of interests develops between social science which is based on generalized information and natural sciences which focus on specifics. Roll-Hansen has argued that while the press is designed to provide independent opinion based on reliable information and well supported knowledge, discrepancy can be created based on political expediency. Hansen has focused on the need for basing reports on, "reliable knowledge" which he implies to be, "strongly confirmed by empirical investigations" and also corroborated by, "other well established knowledge". He also dwells on the need for complete knowledge and basing reports on the whole truth as is expected from witnesses during trials. In the second part of my exegesis I will dwell on how the specific events denoted by Hansen of acid rain and lifting the ban on whale hunting were not misrepresented by the media but were the result of relative ignorance of implications and that the biases had crept in due to external interests rather than representation of falsehood. Hansen feels that the media does not provide accurate information and tends to support public assumptions. Hansen cites two examples to support this hypothesis. The first is the alarm in Norway based on media reports of extensive damage to forests due to acid rain in Germany and Central Europe with reports of, "yellowing, loss of needles and gradual thinning of the tree crown with death ensuing". This created public alarm of, "forest death". Scientists at the Norwegian Institute for Forest Research (NISK) held that the threat of damage to forests due to acid rain supported by the minister of environment was, "over dramatized" and there was no reason to panic. A press conference organized by the NISK to provide balanced information of the case did not receive much attention as journalists felt it lacked a good story and they were, "disappointed". The danger of acid rain to Norwegian forests thus became firmly entrenched in public opinion. A book, "If Trees could Cry" was published with support from the Norwegian ministry of environment, prefaced by the minister who criticized the role of scientists at the NISK. Evidence that the damage could have occurred due to causes such as drought, untimely frost, fungi and so on was ignored. Public opinion was so strong, that NISK scientists fell silent and some even supported the theory, falling prey to opposition which was proving, "strenuous in the long run and not conducive to procuring economic support". Hansen feels that the journalists themselves were, "caught in bias producing mechanisms" and consistently ignored substantial facts. I feel that this argument over states the case that n ewspapers can form and sustain public opinion independently. The second case quoted is that of wide spread condemnation of the Norwegian government for permitting resumption of commercial hunting of minke whales in 1992. The charter of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) denotes that a balance between conservation and interest of the whaling industry should be maintained. The protests arose based on depletion of stocks and a stronger argument as per

Braided River System in South-Eastern Spain Essay

Braided River System in South-Eastern Spain - Essay Example Landcover is mostly low bush and grasses with or without trees (Prakash, 2005). Land usage includes agriculture (barley and others under irrigated conditions), grazing, mining (gypsum, gravel and sand) and tourism (movie-making and others) (Prakash, 2005). The gypsum karst of the Tabernas-Sorbas basin of SE Spain is a Neogene intramontane one in the Betic mountain range and is composed of significant deposits of evaporates from the Messinian period (Calaforra and Pulido-Bosch, 2003). The semi-arid environment in the region has assisted in conserving the large numbers of surface and underground gypsum karstic forms and the speleogenetic processes characteristic of such a region (Calaforra and Pulido-Bosch, 2003). In essence, this implies that, at least for this field study at the Western edge of this karstic formation, a semi-confined status existed upon the gypsum strata (Calaforra and Pulido-Bosch, 2003) through which the old braided river section flowed and it is possible that only those speleogenetic processes characteristic of a karst region such as this have been influential in the accretion process of sediment evident today. In study of fluvial systems such as rivers the term 'braided' implies a low proportion of flood-plain mudstones and a high one of sedimentary sand elements like sandstone (Adams and Bhattacharya, 2005). There is characteristic distinction which states that 'meandering' channels have high mudstone-to-sandstone ratios and tend to have high sinuosity combined with single channel flows (Adams and Bhattacharya, 2005). In contrast, 'braided' channels have a high sandstone-to-mudstone ratio and tend to have multiple channel flows (Adams and Bhattacharya, 2005). This distinction is blurred at times by continuity of variables (Adams and Bhattacharya, 2005) but, for the purpose of this field study, it is accepted that the study area comprised of a 'braided' channel portion. Of eminent interest to this study are the depositional and erosional patterns of the river at the meandering stage and the braided one. It has single-layered laterally accreting patterns with similar eroding ones in the me andering stage while accretional patterns in the braided stage are multi-layered and vertical (Adams and Bhattacharya, 2005). Field Work Rationale: To test whether 'braided' stream sections have lateral and/or vertical sorting/fining tendencies. Methodology: Six different randomly selected channels of the known old braided river system in the Urra Field Centre were chosen. From each channel, three samples from the left and right banks and the centre of the stream were taken. Sample bags were used to collect the pebbles from the sample-taking areas. A tape measure was also used to measure the channel sections. A pebble template and a grain size chart were used to size up the collected pebbles. Additionally, a camera was used to collect photos of the sample-taking areas to provide rough assessment of the pebble characteristics at each site. The pebble sizes were measured and the data tabulated as per each site characteristic. In this part of the study the data shall be analysed through multiple statistical descriptive tests such as mean

Existentialism is a Humanism Essay Example for Free

Existentialism is a Humanism Essay In Existentialism is a Humanism, Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) presents an accessible description of existentialism. A key idea of existentialism—and of the human condition— is that existence precedes essence. The essence of something is its meaning, its intended purpose. A paper cutter is made to cut paper; that is its point. Humans, however, do not have an essence. Man exists, turns up, appears on the scene, and, only afterwards, defines himself. We have no greater purpose, no pre-determined plan, no ultimate meaning. We have, in Sartre’s words, no human nature, since there is nothing (e.g. God) outside of us which would conceive of it for us. We are simply here, and it is up to us to define ourselves. Responsibility Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself. We have choice, we have subjectivity, and we choose what we will make ourselves to be; we are entirely responsible for our existence: Thus, existentialism’s first move is to make every man aware of what he is and to make the full responsibility of his existence rest on him. This thought is often not easily accepted. ‘Subjectivity’ is a word that riles up many. â€Å"If everything is subjective then nothing is objective; nothing is absolute! Our values are nothing more than our whims! Nothing is right or wrong! Rabble, rabble, rabble!† Sartre replies that, â€Å"it is impossible for man to transcend human subjectivity.† He isn’t saying â€Å"I prefer subjectivity over objectivity,† he’s asking, â€Å"how can we possibly not be subjective?† Even the religious individual who believes that morality is absolute and comes from God must, at some point, choose to bel ieve that this is the case. Our responsibility is a blessing and a curse. It leads us to feel things like anguish, forlornness, and despair. Anguish We experience anguish in the face of our subjectivity, because by choosing what we are to do, we ‘choose for everyone’. When you make a decision you are saying â€Å"this is how anyone ought to behave given these circumstances.† Many people don’t feel anguish, but this is because they are â€Å"fleeing from it.† If you don’t feel a sense of anxiety when you make decisions, it’s because you are forgetting about your â€Å"total and deep responsibility† toward yourself and all of humanity. Forlornness Forlornness is the idea that â€Å"God does not exist and that we have to face all the consequences of this.† There is no morality a priori. There is no absolute right or wrong. There is no ultimate judge. This is a very distressing idea. As Dostoievsky said, â€Å"If God didn’t exist, everything would be possible [permissible].† Without God we have nothing to cling to. â€Å"There is no determinism, man is free, man is freedom. [] We have no values or commands to turn to which legitimize our conduct.† In other words, we have no excuses, and we are entirely responsible for our decisions. What are our values? The only way to determine them is to make a decision. At the end of the day, your ideals aren’t what matter; what matters is what you actually did. Despair Despair arises because we only have power to change things that are within our power to change—and there is a lot we cannot change. Reality is impartial and out of your control, except for small aspects of it here and there. We despair because we can never have full control of the future. What Will Happen Will Happen Tomorrow, after my death, some men may decide to set up Fascism, and the others may be cowardly and muddled enough to let them do it. Fascism will then be the human reality, so much the worse for us. Regardless of what is right or wrong, good or bad, and regardless of whether these are absolutes or not, â€Å"things will be as man will have decided they are to be.† What will happen will happen and humanity will be entirely responsible for what it does. Does this mean we ought to become passively accepting of what will happen? Sartre says the exact opposite. Does that mean that I should abandon myself to quietism? No. [] Quietism is the attitude of people who say, â€Å"Let others do what I can’t do.† The doctrine I am presenting is the very opposite of quietism, since it declares, â€Å"There is no reality except in action.† Moreover, it goes further, since it adds, â€Å"Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfills himself; he is therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life. No Excuses This is why existentialism horrifies some people. It puts such a burden of responsibility squarely on their shoulders. They can’t stand to think they were at fault for not being a great or successful person, for having no great friendships or love. They think they are the victim of circumstances; they haven’t had the proper education, leisure, or incentives; they haven’t found the right person yet; they haven’t had the opportunity to show their greatness. Sartre, however, says that â€Å"The coward makes himself cowardly, the hero makes himself heroic.† The artist is an artist because of the works of art he created, not because of what he could have created. The mathematician is famous for the math he did, not what he maybe could have done. We find that this is â€Å"a harsh thought to someone whose life hasn’t been a success.† We are responsible for our successes and failures. But at the same time, this harshness forces us to face the incredibly important fact that: Reality alone is what counts. Sartre sees these views not as a pessimism, but as an â€Å"optimistic toughness.† Optimistic in that we are the rulers of our lives; our destiny is within our hands; we are encouraged to take action. Sartre summarizes his idea of optimism and action in the following passage. Thus, I think we have answered a number of the charges concerning existentialism. You see that it can not be taken for a philosophy of quietism, since it defines man in terms of action; nor for a pessimistic description of man—there is no doctrine more optimistic, since man’s destiny is within himself; nor for an attempt to discourage man from acting, since it tells him that the only hope is in his acting and that action is the only thing that enables a man to live. Is Choice Arbitrary? Sartre ends this piece with a further defence of subjectivism, in which I wish he had gone into a little more detail. He says people are still not satisfied with the idea of subjectivism, and objections usually come in one of the following forms: 1. â€Å"Well then, you’re able to do anything, no matter what! You’re promoting anarchy!† But this isn’t the point. It is not possible to not choose. In not making a choice you are still choosing not to choose. Choice is inescapable; we are â€Å"condemned to be free† because we are human, whether or not we are existentialists. 2. â€Å"You can’t pass judgement on others, because there’s no reason to prefer one idea to another!† We can still hold values, and values appear out of the choices we make. Through our actions (as an individual and as a group), we create ethics. 3. â€Å"Everything about your choice is arbitrary!† We define ourselves through our actions, â€Å"in relationship to involvement.† And as we make ourselves—as we make choices—it is absurd to say we are choosing arbitrarily.

Activity-based costing Essay Example for Free

Activity-based costing Essay There are many different types of cost systems a company can choose from when calculating their costs. Two of the most frequently used cost accounting systems are a volume based cost system and an activity based cost (ABC) system. Each system has their own advantages and disadvantages and some are more common among certain industries. Wilkerson, like many other companies, used a simple/volume based cost accounting system. Under this system, Wilkerson was inappropriately allocating their costs by assigning the overhead expenses based on direct labor, thus calculating their total costs and operating income incorrectly. If Wilkerson continues to operate their company ignoring the fact that their costs are inaccurate, it is possible that they may make poor business and pricing decisions in the future. Although Wilkerson’s costs are currently being calculated incorrectly, if they decide to use an activity based costing system, they may achieve more accurate results. Using a simple cost accounting system is often easier and less time consuming than an activity based costing system, but it is also less accurate. Wilkerson’s implementation of an ABC system would most likely be very beneficial to the company in terms of both determining their costs more precisely and making overall better pricing and business decisions. An ABC system at Wilkerson would look very different than their current volume based system. Wilkerson’s ABC system would use machine-related expenses, setup labor cost, receiving and production control, engineering, and packaging and shipment as the cost pools. The revised per unit product costs under this system would be $46.17/valve, $58.20/pump, and 115.38/flow controller and the margins would be 46.3%, 33.1%, and -9.9%, respectively. The results when calculating product costs are so different depending on the cost system because we are now actually determining the costs per unit with multiple cost pools because each resource uses a different amount of the indirect resources rather than assigning the manufacturing overhead cost solely based on the direct labor costs. Based on this new accounting information I would recommend that Wilkerson try to make an improvement in their flow controller product. Since the gross margin for this line is negative, if adjustments are made but there is no improvement in its profitability, I would tell Wilkerson to consider dropping the line completely. Although Wilkerson would lose $420,000 in sales, their costs would be reduced by more than this amount, ultimately increasing overall profits for the company. Unfortunately, there are some limitations in our analysis of Wilkerson’s alternative cost systems. One limitation is that we are unable to easily assess how the market will react to a change in the flow controller line. A second limitation that we have to consider when looking at our analysis is that although our cost allocations are much more accurate than before, these costs are still the averages for each product, which could impact how accurate we are in determining the costs. However, if we are able to look past these limitations, our analysis of Wilkerson is beneficial in shaping how the company can more accurately calculate costs as well as be more profitable in general.

15 Shows You Didnt Know Were Spin-Offs

15 Shows You Didnt Know Were Spin-Offs People out there constantly complain that theres nothing to watch on TV, but there have been tons of shows out there that werent well known enough or good enough to survive. In addition to these, there are TV shows that are on right now that people are/arent watching because they have no clue what theyre linked to. Yes, there have been a great deal of shows on TV that have been left alone or treated like the plague by viewers. However, before you dismiss the next series you see on your guide, check out these past and present spin-offs that were thought to have potential and the surprising shows they spawned. You might find something to watch tonight! Breaking Bad/ Better Call Saul (AMC) Half spin-off and half prequel to the hugely successful AMC series Breaking Bad, the newly created Better Call Saul was highly anticipated by many who were enthralled by Walter Whites misadventures. Those who arent so hip to their Breaking Bad trivia may not have known the two were even related due to Saul (AKA Jimmy McGill) being a lawyer and the show itself being a darker legal drama as opposed to a prime time crime-fest. Okay, so theres still crime, but yeah, Better Call Saul was popular right away (it had the highest basic cable ratings in history when its first episode aired). Beverly Hills, 90210/ Melrose Place/ 90210/ Melrose Place (FOX) Beverly Hills, 90210 was a prime time teen drama that swirled around the oh-so-complicated lives of teens as they make their way through high school and college in one of the most affluent zip codes in the US. Grant Shows character, Jake Hanson, was introduced to the world via Kelly (Jenny Garth) in the original 90210s second season, and he lived at Melrose Place. Geared towards an audience of college kids and adults who could figuratively empathize with the trials and tribulations of attempting to make it in LA, Melrose Place featured stunning performances by Heather Locklear, Marcia Cross, and then teen heartthrob, Andrew Shue. Melrose Place and Beverly Hills,90210 were very successful and lasted seven and ten seasons respectively. However, the spin-offs 90210 (2008 for five seasons) and Melrose Place (2009 for one season) didnt fare as well, and ended up being nixed pretty quickly. Pawn Stars/ American Restoration/ Counting Cars/ Pawnography (History) Men all over the place who have watched Las Vegass family pawn shop reality series Pawn Stars probably already know this, but Counting Cars and American Restoration are both spin-offs of this antique-driven History Channel show. In fact, many episodes of Pawn Stars feature the head honchos of the two series when Rick enlists their services to provide appraisals of the various artifacts people bring into his familys shop. All three of the shows are still running on History along with a third Jeopardy ­-like show Pawnography that started this last year and gives people an opportunity to win some of the treasures in Ricks shop. Bones/ The Finder (FOX) Aired for a single season back in 2012 on FOX, The Finder was a spin-off of the wildly popular Bones, which is currently in its 10th season. The main character, Walter (played by Geoff Stults), was introduced to Bones fans back in the 6th season of the show, and was followed around in his work for the first and only season of the spin-off. It is also the last known work of infamous The Green Mile actor Michael Clarke Duncan who played Leo Knox in the fated series. Degrassi Junior High/ Degrassi High/ Degrassi: The Next Generation (CBC/ CTV/MTV/ PBS/ TeenNick) Centuries ago, Degrassi Junior High followed the lives of young teens in Toronto. The continuation of the series saw the kids in DJH go to high school for, you guessed it, Degrassi High. The next spin-off was geared towards high school students as an after school special. There were original cast members from the previous two spin-offs who participated in Degrassi Talks, but it ended up fizzling out, making brief appearances during sex-ed classes all over Canada in the late 90s. The biggest show came in 2001 as DJHs teen mom Spikes daughter, Emma (Miriam McDonald), became a teen herself. Degrassi: The Next Generation was a huge hit on both sides of the border and helped propel stars like Nina Dobrev and Drake into their current careers. With a modernized list of teen issues, the show is still big and in its fourteenth season. The Vampire Diaries/ The Originals (The CW) Although the supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries has been renewed for a seventh season on The CW, they spawned a spin-off that focuses on TVD character Niklaus Mikaelson (played by Joseph Morgan) who was introduced during the second season of the show. The show is called The Originals and set in New Orleans after almost 100 years of the Mikaelson clan being gone from the city and the pressures of being a vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my! Crocodile Hunter/ Bindi the Jungle Girl (Animal Planet/Discovery Kids) Given the fact that Steve Irwin was fatally shot in the heart by a stingray while filming one of his documentaries about wildlife, some may not remember our beloved Crocodile Hunter so much. His legacy as an animal-lover and wildlife advocate has been carried on by his wife, Terry, and their children. One of these, Bindi Irwin, landed herself her own nature show that was geared towards children and aired on both Animal Planet and Discovery Kids. The show provided highly educational material for kids all over the world and featured Steve before his 2006 death but only lasted two seasons. Now 16 years old, she still works with animals, so watch out for Bindi in the future. Toddlers Tiaras/ Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo (TLC) As controversial as childrens pageants are, TLC felt that its 2009 series Toddlers Tiaras was popular enough to make a spin-off. Outspoken little one, Honey Boo-Boo, was given her own show Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo that aired in 2012 and went for four seasons. It was like a car accident with redneck trailer trash parents trying to raise their kids to be like mama and papa bear (or Mama June and Sugar Bear), complete with farts, belches, and some gross-ass substance lurking between Mama Junes toes. Eventually, Mama June landed herself in some hot water when she and her husband became estranged; Mama June later became romantically involved with a registered sex offender and child predator who quickly came to live with the family. The show was canceled because of it. -and there went Honey Boo-Boo. MadTV/ Key Peele (Comedy Central) The Comedy Central sketch show Key Peele is hilarious, and of course it is! The show is a spin-off of FOXs MadTV, their answer to SNL,which aired for fourteen seasons. The main stars of Key Peele are former MadTV cast members Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key who often worked together in sketches and had an unmistakable chemistry as comedians. Key Peeles fifth season returns to Comedy Central later this year. The Daily Show/ The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore / The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) Everyone has been talking about Trevor Noah replacing Jon Stewart as host of the long-running Comedy Central hit after his 16 years at the helm. Although its two spin-offs The Colbert report and The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore are often misconstrued as copycats, Stephen Colbert and Larry Wilmore have The Daily Show and Jon Stewart to thank for their success as news satire and comedy anchors on their own respective shows. Now, all three are out there providing laughs and poking fun at the top news of the day in politics, pop culture, and much more. JAG/ The entire NCIS collection (CBS) Im not sure how many people out there watched JAG, but the Navy-themed legal drama somehow lasted for nine seasons on CBS. Once the show hit its eighth season, a few characters from NCIS were introduced to viewers, and the procedural drama has been going for thirteen of its own seasons and has resulted, much like its rival CSI, in additional spin-offs that set in New Orleans and Los Angeles. Good Morning, Miss Bliss/ Saved By the Bell (NBC) Technically a reboot of Disneys Good Morning, Miss Bliss, NBCs smash hit with teens in the early 90s was the birthplace of many Hollywood stars careers. Saved by the Bell differed from Good Morning, Miss Bliss in that it was set in High School rather than junior high. Saved by the Bell focused on the lives of students Kelly Kapowski, Screech, Zack Morris, et al. right through to college while GMMB was all about their teacher Miss Bliss. Saved by the Bell ran from 1989 to 1993 and was the American equivalent of Degrassi for tons of kids growing up in the 90s. However, the college spin-off and resurfaced teen series didnt do well with viewers or critics, so they were both canceled after giving them both a fair chance to succeed. Jackass/ Viva la Bam/ Wildboyz/ The Jackass Movies (MTV) The disgusting, funny, and very successful Jackass franchise has seen many spin-offs. The original series aired for three seasons on MTV between 2000 and 2002, and saw cast member Bam Margera break off to film his hectic life at home in Viva la Bam. The series was much like Jackass but definitely more raunchy and hardcore in terms of pranks and stunts, which were unleashed on his friends and family. Chris Pontius and Steve-O branched out too with their own show entitled Wildboyz where the two traveled the world, messed around with exotic animals and cultures while performing dangerous stunts on camera. Jackasss spin-offs are still their six films are the most successful. Two were considered bonus footage reels and were released as Jackass 2.5 and Jackass 3.5, and another was Academy Award-nominated Bad Grandpa. Although critics are never happy with them, and Ryan Dunn, one of the main cast members, passed away in a tragic car accident after Jackass 3Ds release, director Jeff Tremaine has hinted that there may be another film in the making, and it might go down in Australia. Chicago Fire/ Chicago P.D. (NBC) As if it wasnt completely obvious by the name, right? Well, some people dont know that the two Chicago-based prime time dramas were linked. Both are very successful with Chicago Fire currently in its third season and Chicago P.D. being renewed for its third season earlier this year on NBC. If you watch, you can see the characters interlocked during emergencies and investigations that require both law enforcement and fire. The Tracey Ullman Show/ The Simpsons (FOX) Hosted by former Brit pop star Tracey Ullman, The Tracey Ullman Show was FOXs second prime time show following in the footsteps of MarriedWith Children and featured a lot of comedy, animated shorts, and musical skits. The variety show was on for four seasons between 1987 and 1990. During the first two years of its broadcasts, the show featured shorts made by none other than Matt Groening, which happened to commonly feature everyones fave yellow family The Simpsons. The animation portion of the show was cut in 1989 so that it could try its luck in its own half hour slot, and there was The Simpsons. -and theyre still going after 26 seasons!

A Rolling Model :: Role Models Media Cartoons Essays

A Rolling Model When I was twelve years old, I had every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle that was ever made. I had cases of the plastic figures lining the walls in my room. Posters were laid out everywhere, and my whole room was completely decorated in Ninja Turtle material. My bed, my drapes, my walls, literally everything was something about a Ninja Turtle. I spent a lot of my time watching those television shows, memorizing each tape word for word. I would pretend with my friends that we were the turtles, always fighting crime and always on the move under the streets, showing up only at night to fight the â€Å"foot clan†, the archenemy of the turtles. You could say that it was an obsession, and yes, maybe it was, but as a little child I could not realize it was an obsession, or that this obsession could make me a different person. It was intriguing, even as I grew to understand that the Turtles were made-up figures, that I still had an attachment to them. It was as if these imagin ed characters had become role models for me. Is it possible that something that doesn’t exist can become a role model, and continue to be one even after the discovery is made that they are only cartoons? And what effects do these role models have on people? Are they long term affects or short term? Just what is a role model? It seems to be anything or anyone that can influence people to do things that they normally wouldn’t have done without the inspiration of the model. Role models cause others to follow their ideas or concepts. As long as the object gets a person to follow in the footsteps of the object, anything can be a role model. Even if one concept makes an impact on a person’s life, people will admire the model more, placing the role model on a pedestal. The object has become the object of admiration and thus becomes a role model. Furthermore, people can have more than one role model. As long as others move to follow ideas and characteristics and eventually change the way they think about things, there may be several role models that people follow.

girl interrupted review Essay -- essays research papers

One popular cultural myth about the mentally ill is the archetype of the "Sexy Crazy Girl", which we've seen in movies, comic books, and music. Losing your grip with reality is not a glamorous subject, but that's not what you get from Girl, Interrupted. It is apparent that all the girls in the movie had some type of dysfunctional personality, and bad things happen to some of them, but it just did not seem realistic. First off, most of the patients prtrayed were young, which made the care facility look like a youth home rather than a mental institution. but only the main (well known) stars, (Jolie and Ryder) were focal piont. I'll also note that about half the young girls in the movie, Ryder and Jolie included, simply don't look like girls in the 1960's. Maybe that's a difficult statement to explain, but it has to do with that certain look each time and generation seems to have; and Ryder and Jolie don't look like girls of the 1960's. Of course, one could easily say that th eir displacement is part of their condition... but I didn't buy it. To finish this paragraph about this film's inconsistent appearances, I'll mention how convenient it seems that with the exception of one extra, nearly the entire cast of patients in this ward are under the age of 25 or so. Mental illness strikes women of all ages, so it was a bit perplexing to see it portrayed as a thing of youth. This also feeds into my prior statement about making "going crazy" look cool... this movie ...

New Technology Essay -- Cause Effect Technological Computers Essays

New Technology In my research, I am focusing on the new technology dealing with computers. This technology includes CD writers, DVD players, digital cameras, and cable modems. I will describe each technology and then how it will effect today’s society. Technology is the way of the world now, so improving technology helps to improve the society. CD writers are the wave of the future. What is a CD writer one may ask? A CD writer is simply a technology device that allow one to record information onto a CD and then the CD is used for storage instead of using the hard drive. Why would you want something that records CDs? CD-RWs are a great storage device. You can create valuable backup volumes for your important files and programs, share your work with friends and colleagues in an easy-to-manage and familiar format, and make mixed audio CDs from CDs in your personal collection or even from old tapes and vinyl. How much does something like this cost? Below you will find a chart showing different CD writers available, the cost, and other valuable information. CD writers are not for everybody, but they are worth checking into. Another new technological device for computers is the DVD player. DVD stands for digital video drive. Recall that VCR sitting in your den? VCRs are quickly diminishing as DVD players are beginning to take over. Why the DVD player? A DVD player has better graphics then does a VCR. The DVD also takes up less space then videotapes since they are on a CD. With the DVD player, one can play games or simply watch movies from their very own computer. Prices for DVD players vary depending upon brand, speed, and other determining factors. DVD players range between $179.94 to $1,299.95. As well as DVD players for the computer, DVD players for the TV are becoming available. Some people will want a DVD player for their computer while others will want it for their TV and still others will stick with their VCRs for the time being. Below you will find a list of available DVD players and their cost. Oritron-DVD player PYD200 $179.94 Toshiba-DVD player RC522OP $249.94 GE –DVD player GE11059 $199.94 JVC-DVD Changer XVM555BK $349.95 CABLE MODEMS--Wave of the Future? If you think about the future, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Well, in the minds of most people the word compu... ...ia of professional cameras, film is still cheaper. They are light and portable and don't require a computer on constant standby. Now that you have seen the advantages and disadvantages of film and digital, do not take on a solid opinion. Each have their own benefits, different applications can benefit from one of the two main kinds of cameras. As said before, entry level digital cameras are most practical from high use applications where resolution is not a big issue. Professional digital cameras are probably most practical for a professional photographer who need instantly processed images cheaply and on a computer. Film allows more unspecialized people like the common shutter bug or family member who wants to store good memories. To conclude this presentation, digital cameras will become as cheap and as good as film cameras are right now. The keyword is eventually. Digital cameras still have a long way to go before they can seriously rival film. Computer Technology will keep affecting our lives in many ways. Such technological advances will be better than others. But it will all affect us in one way or another. Also such advances in technology will revolutionize the future.

Manufactured Crisis: Myths, Fraud, and the Attack

Manufactured Crisis: Myths, Fraud, and the Attack on America's Public Schools is an illustrative work by Berliner, an educational psychologist, and Biddle, a social psychologist, unfolds the the popualr myths about American school education that are prevalent in the American society.   It further explain the background of the creation of these myth and refute the popular beliefs on various grounds.He is of the view thatr since the publication of A Nation at Risk (1983), American society has fabricated various popular myths about their scholl educational system. He further narrates the nature of these beliefs and says that there are several distinct types of popular myths i.e. failure of Aemrican school system in general, declin in the college students’ performance   and the comparative failure to keep up with their fallow students in   advanced European and Asian countries measured against the developed parameters, better performance of private schools as compared with public schools, too much resource allocation for education but net result is not worth that spending and threat to American future due to the failure of these public school system. Berliner and Biddle consider these allegation as mere speculations and fabrication that has no real grounds. The arguments provided innthe books are not subjective and indivduals speculation but Berliner and Biddle’s arguments are developed by close analysis and interpretation of the data and decoding high-sounding polemical pronouncements. The pronouncements of these prominent scholars are based on quite fair assumptions and they closely assess the data to prove their points. The strength of their findings can be illustrated by the continuous advice offered to reader to aassess their findings on parameters they used for other contemporary educational critics who created the above-mentioned myths. At the very start, the book looks into the hidden agendas and motives of some distinguished educational critics and tries to pocate the reasons for that. The authors depict that by manufacturing some myth about the public sector school system, these scolars and intellectiauals serve the vested interests of pro-privatization groups. Berliner and Biddle further assersts in the past the assualt on public schools came from the same pro-privatization groups. They provide comprehensive data and manifest that all these attacks were repleted with fabricated myths faradulent assertions about the disadvantages of American Public School System. Berliner and Biddle illustrates that in reality this manufactured viewpoint is an epitome of organized malevolence that only serves the interests of some vested group in the education sector.And this creationof myth has deluded American nation about the true state of public school system and their triumphs for the last two decades. The fabrication of these myths need lobbying abd subtle penetration into the minds and psychology of the Amerrican people. Berliner and Biddle affirm that this viewpoint has been extensively propogated influential people within the govermental sector and outside, who â€Å"were pursuing a political agenda designed to weaken the nation's public schools, redistribute support for those schools so that privileged students are favored over needy students, or even abolish those schools altogether† (p. xii). Berliner and Biddle again reinforce the idea that provision of education to a diverse population on the mass scale is only possible through these public schools amd its structure is far more developed than depicted by the authors of manufactured realities. The intial chapters reveals the deceitfuil statements about the accomplishments and aptitudes of American students. They further explores the myths associated with huge spendings on the educations and its results. It further narrates the chrateristics of public school systems that are apprehensible to the critics of public schools. These chapter further illustrates the misapprehension in the mind of general public and root causes of prevalent public dissatisfaction with public education. Berliner and Biddle discloses that these critics intentionally disregard the   accomplishments of these public schools and only portrays the social and educational problems associted with these institutes. In the proceeding chapters, the authors analyze the mtives behind these manufactured criticism and dilemmas attributed to public school system.   Berliner and Biddle display that this criticism is dine in a subtle way but in response they do not put the blame of the critics and their believers but put social forces under allegations.They further appraise the suggestions of these critics for educational reforms of this system as poorply formulated ideas. The next chapter provide a cpmprehensive assessment of the real dilemmas faced by American educational system. Considers authtentic and productive criticism beneficial for public school system in particular and American educational sector in general but they further note that criticism to serve particular interets has also long tradition in the education sector. Berliner and Biddle note that there has been a long tradition of criticizing. They not only identifies the manufactured myths but also proves these myths as fake and fabricated with the help of data collected through various means. They further seek solutions to the real problems faced by the public schools in America. This book also considers the five Bracey reports on public education published annually by Phi Delta Kappan since 1991 and the 1994 PDK/Gallup poll as essential indicators of the realities about American School systems. Berliner and Biddle’s main focus was the manufactured crisis produced by various educational critics to undermine American Public school system and erosion of a sense of loss these manufactured myths has produced in the minds of American citizens about their educational system but thet further eloborated the various authentic criticism and suggested that the recommendation of these studies must be implemented to improve the system. They include their own recommendations in that list and says that the comiited forces together with appropriate educational research and compassion can eliminate this crisis and will mold it into success. For the above-mentioned reasons and others, The Manufactured Crisis is an well0doumented and illustrative work that can capacitate those who committed for the excellance in American school system to work in a more productive and reponsible way. Rerefences Berliner and Biddle.( 1995.) The Manufactured Crisis: Myths, Fraud, and the Attack on America's Public Schools. Addison Wesley.

Literature Review Influencer Marketing Essay

INTRODUCTION Influencer marketing has emerged as one of the fastest-growing social marketing practices as brand marketers look to connect with consumers and customers in meaningful and authentic ways often through the collective voice of active bloggers that are passionate and vocal about the brands they love. It represents a form of Word of Mouth marketing, which we define as an unpaid form of promotion – oral or written- in which satisfied consumers tell other people how much they like a product, service, business or event. Marsden (2005) says that research shows that word of mouth (WoM) is at least twice as powerful as traditional marketing communications in influencing sales, and given the rise of electronic word of mouth (mobile and internet), word of mouth is now some 50% more influential than it was 30 years ago. This is supported by a Nielsen survey showing the most trusted form of advertising was, recommendations from other consumers, being cited by 78% of respondents. Furthermore, the third most trusted form of advertising (behind adverts in newspapers at 63%) was consumer opinions posted online which was trusted by 61%. Brand Association Maps (BAM) that plot language, attributes and issues around a topic show that, for advertising, attributes like â€Å"false†, â€Å"deceptive† and â€Å"misleading† are highly associated. The fact is that customers are seeking out opinions because they don’t trust marketing as much and thus independent influencers become more influential than ever before. But WoM is not just about referrals to achieve sales, it also adds credibility to a message. A friend or family member talking about a brand or product, or an independent commentator writing about it, tend to be believed more readily than commercial advertisers talking up thei r own brands. Terminology Online word of mouth is called viral marketing and was coined as long ago as 1996 by Rayport at Harvard. Viral marketing describes any strategy that encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message to others, creating the potential for exponential growth in the message’s exposure and influence. It is also defined as â€Å"an alternative marketing strategy supported by research and technology that encourages consumers to dialogue about products and services†. The first viral marketing campaign was the  Hotmail launch in 1996 and it grew faster than any other company in history. Within 18 months it had over 12 million subscribers Offline is where the majority of WoM actually occurs and has the strongest impact and there are a number of terms that are used: Word of mouth (the emphasis here is on personal, relationship related and spontaneous communication) Advocacy marketing (most often relates to social and voluntary sectors) Public affairs (a well-worn phrase asso ciated with political influence) Referral marketing (a classic business-to-business method) Mutual marketing (the co-creation of products and services by producers and users, but also used in public affairs to describe joint activities between two or more organisations with a common cause) Influencer marketing (influencing the mass of prospects or other groups through the influence of a few and/or identifying those with influence and engaging, or when a marketer identifies, seeks out, and engages with influencers in support of a business objective. Influencer marketing can be traced back to 1950s when Lazarsfeld and Katz introduced the concept of the two-step communication process and personal Influence. They stressed that some people have a disproportionate degree of influence on others and can be effective communications channels. INDFLUENCER MARKETING According the annual marketing management survey run by the magazine PR Week, 69% of marketing managers in the US now include the targeting of influencers as part of their strategy. Despite the hype surrounding online viral marketing, it is claimed by WOMMA (the UK trade association) that 85% of WOM activity takes place offline and that offline WoM is more powerful because here communicator is usually known to the recipient and thus the communication has added trust power. A similar figure is reported from the US where according to the Keller Fay Group 73% of marketing-related conversations take place in person, and only 10% happen online. So, the focus of your WoM or influencer marketing strategy should be face-to-face (mouth not mouse), rather than mouse-to-mouse communication Central to most strategies designed to amplify WoM is the notion of influencers, which put simply means targeting those who have the greatest viral impact rather than engaging the masses. However, the theory that there are influencers that have disproportionate impact is not universally accepted, as we shall  discuss later. The Word of Mouth Marketing Association defines an influencer as a person who has a greater than average reach or impact through word of mouth in a relevant marketplace. Malcolm Gladwell, a New York Times journalist and the author of â€Å"The Tipping Point†, first stressed the importance of the so-called â€Å"influentials†. He categorises influentials into three different categories: 1.Connectors are the people who link us to the rest of the world 2.Mavens are the information specialists who accumulate and share knowledge 3.Salesmen are the â€Å"persuaders† who possess the powerful negotiation skills Keller and Berry in their book â€Å"The Influentials† categorise influencers by reference to the nature of their influence: 1.Social influencers (meta trends) 2.Category influencers (in a sector or product area) 3.Brand influencers (which brands are in and which are not) A good advocate or influencer is typically someone who has had a genuine experience of the product or service (or has been told about it by someone they know or trust) and whose opinion is trusted by at least one other person. To make a difference on a large scale a strategy needs to plan to: 1.Bring these advocates together in one place. 2.Trigger their advocacy through active involvement. 3.Create more opportunities for them to influence the more easily influenced INFLUENCER STRATEGY Influencer programs are, by definition, long-term, multi-year commitments designed to build a relationship; they are not marketing campaigns. The first steps are to identify amongst your key stakeholder groups both the easily influenced (after Watts) and the influentials (after Gladwell). Both approaches have merit and are not mutually exclusive. How to identify the easily influenced Many colleges and universities ask new students or business clients who they spoke with or what they read or browsed before enrolling or contracting, but fewer ask specific questions about what or who influenced them and why. It is important to identify who influenced whom rather than merely who communicated with whom. Such questions on your induction or joiner surveys  can help to reveal the connected and trusted sources (the influencers) but also this can reveal who was influenced by word of mouth or personal recommendation and the analysis of this cohort may help to locate the most likely to be influenced in the future. However, the evidence is that all demographic groups are likely to recommend and be recommended to and influenced, so simple analysis based on demographics is unlikely to be very revealing. Any preparatory research also needs to map out a timeline of influence, as education markets are cyclical and seasonal. It is critical to know when influence will be most impactful as that is when you should stimulate chatter. Keller and Berry 2003 have distilled published research into a simple screening profile for identifying connectors (influencers), recently estimated by NOP to make up 10% of a target audience based on their ACTIVE profile: Ahead in adoption Connected (socially and electronically) Travellers Information Hungry Vocal Exposed to media CONCLUSION Exactly what is included in Influencer Marketing depends on the context (B2C or B2B) and the medium of influence transmission (online or offline, or both). But it is increasingly accepted that companies are keen to identify and engage with influencers. As Keller and Berry note, Business is working harder and paying more to pursue people who are trying to watch and listen less to its messages.† Targeting influencers is seen as a means of amplifying marketing messages, in order to counteract the growing tendency of prospective customers to ignore marketing. References 1. Keller, Ed and Berry, Jon. The Influentials, Free Press, 2003 2.Scott Pearson and Duncan Brown, The influence of Word of Mouth, Influencer50, March, 2008 3.Justin Kirby and Paul Mardsen, Connected Marketing, the viral, buzz and Word of mouth revolution, Butterworth-Heinemann , 2005 4.The Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey, 2009 5.Rayport Prof J, The Virus of Marketing, Harvard Business School, 1996 6.Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point, 2000

Promotion Strategy

Table of Contents Sr No. | Title| P No. | 1. | Introduction| 2-5| 2. | Promotional Mix| 5| 3. | Sales process| 7-8| 4. | Advertising| 9-13| 5. | Other Methods| 14-15| 6. | Public Relations| 15| 7. | References| 18| Introduction What is promotional strategy ? Promotional strategy is the function of informing, persuading, and influencing a consumer decision. It is as important to non profit organizations as it is to a profit oriented company like Colgate-Palmolive. Some promotional strategies are aimed at developing primary demand, the desire for a general product category.For example, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board promotes natural cheese through advertisements without referring to any particular cheese maker. But most promotional strategies are aimed at creating selective demand, the desire for a particular product. Land O' Lakes campaign—†The taste that stands above. Land O' Lakes 4-Quart Cheese†Ã¢â‚¬â€is an example. The objectives of promotion, the component s of the promotional mix—personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, and public relations are discussed, and finally, the factors that influence marketers' decisions in selecting a promotional mix are explained.Objectives of Promotional Strategy Promotional strategy objectives vary among organizations. Some use promotion to expand their markets, others to hold their current positions, still others to present a corporate viewpoint on a public issue. Promotional strategies can also be used to reach selected markets. Most sources identify the specific promotional objectives or goals of providing information, differentiating the product, increasing sales, stabilizing sales, and accentuating the product's value. An organization can have multiple promotional objectives.The National Pork Producers Council has developed â€Å"The Other White Meat† promotional campaign primarily to position pork as a white meat rather than a red meat. Other goals of the campaign include inc reasing the sale of pork and informing consumers that pork is low in calories and cholesterol, high in nutrition, easy to prepare, and versatile. To illustrate the versatility of pork, one advertisement in the campaign features 21 different pork dishes and offers consumers a free booklet for those and other pork recipes. Providing InformationIn the early days of promotional campaigns, when there was often a short supply of many items, most advertisements were designed to inform the public of a product's availability. Today, a major portion of advertising in the United States is still informational. A large section of the daily newspapers on Wednesdays and Thursdays consists of advertising that tells shoppers which products are featured by stores and at what price. Health insurance advertisements in Sunday newspaper supplements emphasize information about rising hospital costs.Industrial salespeople keep buyers aware of the latest technological advances in a particular field. Fashion retailers advertise to keep consumers abreast of current styles. Promotional campaigns designed to inform are often aimed at specific market segments. Warner Bros. Records, for example, created a compact disc advertisement targeted at the baby-boom generation. In explaining the purpose of the ad, a Warner executive said, â€Å"We believe that most boomers are unaware that our classic recordings of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are on CD along with the current releases. The ad informs baby boomers that Warner releases not only contemporary recordings but also some of its best albums from previous years, including those by Fleetwood Mac, Van Morrison, and ZZ Top, on compact discs. Included in the ad is a list of classic recordings now available on compact discs. Differentiating the Product Marketers often develop a promotional strategy to differentiate their goods or services from those of competitors. To accomplish this, they attempt to occupy a â€Å"position† in the market t hat appeals to their target customers.Promotions that apply the concept of positioning communicate to consumers meaningful distinctions about the attributes, price, quality, or usage of a good or service. Positioning is often used for goods or services that are not leaders in their field. The advertisement for Murphy's Oil Soap in Figure 13. 2 is part of a promotional campaign The Murphy-Phoenix Company uses to differentiate its household cleaner from its much larger competition. While market leader Mr. Clean and other large competitors such as Top Job are promoted as â€Å"tough on dirt† cleaners, Murphy's Oil Soap is positioned as a gentle household cleaner.The positioning strategy is carried through in other ads in the campaign, in which caretakers of churches and opera houses emphasize the soap's gentle cleaning attribute. Increasing Sales Increasing sales volume is the most common objective of a promotional strategy. Some strategies concentrate on primary demand, others on selective demand. Sometimes specific audiences are targeted. In an effort to build the sales volume of its bodywear, Danskin developed an advertising campaign targeted at women age 18 to 44. Advertisements in the $3 million campaign, helped boost the sales of Danskin's adult garments by 30 percent in one year.The campaign theme—†All the World's a Stage†Ã¢â‚¬â€communicates the message that Danskin garments can be purchased not only for exercise and dance but also as everyday apparel. Stabilizing Sales Sales stabilization is another goal of promotional strategy. Sales contests are often held during slack periods. Such contests offer prizes (such as vacation trips, color televisions, and scholarships) to sales personnel who meet certain goals. Sales promotion materials—calendars, pens, and the like—are sometimes distributed to stimulate sales during off-periods.Advertising is also often used to stabilize sales. Hotels are crowded on weekdays with bu siness travelers, but these people go home on Friday. So many hotels promote â€Å"weekend packages† at lower rates to attract tourists and vacationers. A stable sales pattern allows the firm to improve financial, purchasing, and market planning; to even out the production cycle; and to reduce some management and production costs. The correct use of promotional strategy can be a valuable tool in accomplishing these objectives. Accentuating the Product's ValueSome promotional strategies are based on factors, such as warranty programs and repair services, that add to the product's value. Many Ford Motor Company advertisements promote specific car and light truck models. Some ads, however, are designed to promote Ford's 6-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty, while others concentrate on the Lifetime Service Guarantee offered by Ford dealers. These promotions point out greater ownership utility to buyers, thus enhancing the product's value. The Promotional Mix Firms use various elements to achieve their promotional objectives.Promotion consists of two components: personal selling and nonpersonal selling. Personal selling is a promotional presentation made on a person-to-person basis with a potential buyer. Nonpersonal selling consists of advertising, sales promotion, and public relations. The promotional mix is a combination of personal selling and nonpersonal selling. Marketers attempt to develop a promotional mix that effectively and efficiently communicates their message to target customers. Personal Selling For many companies, personal selling—a promotional presentation made on a person-to-person basis to a potential buyer—is the key to marketing ffectiveness. The promotional strategy of Merrill Lynch, a financial services firm, focuses on its 12,000-person sales force. Selling was the original method of promotion. Today, selling employs over 6 million Americans. The sales function of most companies is changing rapidly. In some cases, the change has been only cosmetic, such as when the title salesclerk is changed to account representative but the job function remains the same. Yet, many firms are making significant changes in their sales force. Sales duties have been expanded, and in some instances, the function itself has changed.The primary trend is toward increased professionalism on the part of sales personnel. Today's sales people act as advisors to their customers, helping them utilize more efficiently the items they buy. Sales Tasks Sales tasks vary significantly from one company or situation to another, but it usually includes three basic tasks: order processing, creative selling, and missionary selling. Order Processing: The task of order processing involves the receipt and handling of an order. Needs are identified and pointed out to the customer, and the order is processed.The handling of orders is especially important in satisfying customer needs. The Willamette Industries advertisement points out that t he firm's salespeople take a customer-oriented approach to order processing. They check the quality of the products their retail customers receive, know their customers' market, and ensure that products are available when customers need them. Route sales personnel for such consumer products as bread, milk, and soft drinks are examples of order processors. They check a store's stock, report the inventory level to the store manager, and complete the sale.Most sales jobs have at least a minor order-processing function. It becomes the primary duty in cases where needs are readily identified and acknowledged by the customer. Creative Selling: Sales representatives for most industrial goods and some consumer goods are involved in creative selling, a persuasive type of promotional presentation. Creative selling is used when the benefits of a good or service are not readily apparent and its purchase is being based on a careful analysis of alternatives. In new-product selling, sales people n eed to be very creative if initial orders are to be secured.Missionary Selling: An indirect form of selling in which the representative markets the goodwill of a company or provides technical or operational assistance to the customer is called missionary selling. For example, many technically based organizations, such as IBM and Xerox, provide systems specialists who consult with their customers. These people are problem solvers and sometimes work on problems not directly involving their employer's product. A person who sells a highly technical product may do 55 percent missionary selling, 40 percent creative selling, and 5 percent order processing.By contrast, the job of retail salespeople may be 70 percent order processing, 15 percent creative selling, and 15 classifying a particular sales job. The Sales Process Years ago, sales personnel memorized a sales talk provided by their employers. Such a canned sales presentation was intended to provide all the information the customer ne eded to make a purchase decision. The entire sales process was viewed as a situation in which the prospective customer was passive and ready to buy if the appropriate information could be identified and presented by the representative.Contemporary selling recognizes that the interaction between buyers and sellers usually rules out canned presentations in all but the simplest of sales situations. Today's professional sales personnel typically follow a sequential pattern, but the actual presentation varies according to the circumstances. Figure 13. 5 shows that seven steps can be identified in the sales process: prospecting and qualifying, the approach, the presentation, the demonstration, handling objections, the closing, and the follow-up. Prospecting and Qualifying: In prospecting, salespeople identify potential customers.They may come from many sources, such as previous customers, friends, business associates, neighbors, other sales personnel, and other employees in the firm. A re cent study indicated increased advertising in business publications results in more prospects for salespeople promoting industrial goods and services. In the qualifying process, potential customers are identified in terms of their financial ability and authority to buy. Those who lack the necessary financial resources or who are not in a position to make the purchase decision are given no further attention.The Approach: Salespeople should carefully prepare their approach to potential customers. All available information about prospects should be collected and analyzed. Sales representatives should remember that the initial impression they give prospects often affects the prospects' future attitudes. The Presentation: The presentation is the stage at which the salesperson transmits the promotional message. The usual method is to describe the good's or service's major features, highlight its advantages, and cite examples of consumer satisfaction. The Demonstration: A demonstration all ows the prospect to become involved in the presentation.Demonstrations reinforce the message communicated to the prospective buyer. In promoting some goods and services, the demonstration is a critical step in the sales process. Paper manufacturers, for example, produce elaborate booklets that their salespeople use to demonstrate different types of paper, paper finishes, and graphic techniques. The demonstration allows salespeople to show art directors, designers, printers, and other potential customers what different paper specimens look like when they are printed. Handling Objections: Many salespeople fear objections from the prospect because they view them as a rebuke.Actually, such objections should be welcomed, because they allow additional points in support of the sale and to answer questions the consumer has about the good or service to be presented by the sales representative. The Closing: The closing is the critical point in selling—the time at which the seller actua lly asks the prospect to buy the product. The seller should watch for signals that the prospect is ready to buy. For example, if a prospect starts discussing where the new equipment would fit in the plant system they are inspecting, it should give the sales agent a signal to attempt to close the sale.Effective closing techniques might be that the salesclerk can ask the prospect directly or propose alternative purchases. Or the salesperson may do something that implies the sale has been completed, such as walking toward a cash register. This forces the prospect to say no if they do not want to complete the sale. The Follow-Up: After-sale activities are very important in determining whether a customer will buy again later. After the prospect agrees to buy, the salesperson should complete the order processing quickly and efficiently and reassure the customer about the purchase decision.Later, the salesperson should check with the customer to determine whether the good or service is sat isfactory. Many firms employ telemarketers to conduct post-sale activities. Telemarketing: is a personal selling approach conducted entirely by telephone. Telemarketers employed by the Apple Bank for Savings in New York make follow up calls to customers to measure their reaction to the bank's services. Telemarketers also perform other functions in the sales process. At Apple Bank, they handle customer inquiries and help market the bank's financial services.For example, telemarketers call customers when their certificates of deposit are about to mature and suggest other savings alternatives. Advertising For many firms, advertising is the most effective type of nonpersonal promotion. Advertising is a paid, non personal sales communication usually directed at a large number of potential buyers. Firms in the United States account for about half of worldwide advertising expenditures. U. S. marketers spend more than $100 billion each year, or about $420 for each man, woman, and child.The nation's leading advertisers are Philip Morris; Procter & Gamble; General Motors; Sears, Roebuck; and Ford Motor Company, each of which spends more than $1 billion on advertising annually. Advertising expenditures can vary considerably from industry to industry and company to company. In the nonresidential general building contracting industry, for instance, advertising spending amounts to only two-tenths of 1 percent of sales. At the other extreme is the retail mail-order house industry, which spends 14 percent of sales on advertising. Types of AdvertisingThe two basic types of advertising are product and institutional. Product advertising involves the selling of a good or service. Advertisements for Nike Air shoes, Marriott hotels, and Packard Bell computers would be classified as product advertising. Institutional advertising: involves the promotion of a concept, idea, or philosophy, or the goodwill of an industry, company, organization, or government entity. For example, Texas p romoted tourism with the theme: â€Å"Visit a country where the natives are friendly and the language barrier is easily overcome. Institutional advertising by profit-seeking firms is called corporate advertising. A form of institutional advertising that is growing in importance, advocacy advertising supports a specific viewpoint on a public issue. Its purpose is to influence public opinion and/or the legislative process. Advocacy advertising is used by many nonprofit organizations. For example, advertisements by the National Rifle Association support Americans' constitutional right to keep and bear arms and speak out against the passage of gun-control laws.The Chemical Bank advertisement an example of a corporate advocacy advertisement. The ad expresses Chemical Bank's viewpoint concerning a current law that prohibits commercial banks from competing in the securities underwriting market. Advocacy advertising is sometimes referred to as cause advertising. Advertising and the Product Life Cycle Product and institutional advertising can be subdivided by its purposes: to inform, persuade, or remind. Informative advertising, intended to build initial demand for a product, is used in the introductory phase of the product life cycle.When Johnson ; Johnson introduced its Acuvue disposable contact lens—the nation's first disposable lens—it launched a massive advertising campaign directed at consumers and eye-care professionals to explain the health benefits of using the new product. Persuasive advertising attempts to improve the competitive status of a product, institution, or concept. It is used in the growth and maturity stages of the product life cycle. The Kinder-Care advertisement in Figure 13. 7 is an example of persuasive advertising. Since it was established in 1969, Kinder-Care used informational ads that promoted the centers' hours and programs.But now that the company has grown to almost 1,400 centers and competitors such as La Petite Academy, Children's World, and Gerber Children's Center have entered the market, Kinder-Care has shifted to a persuasive advertising approach. The theme of the campaign—†The Joys of Kinder-Care†Ã¢â‚¬â€promotes the idea of trust, which the firm's marketing research indicated was parents' major child-care concern. One of the most popular approaches to persuasive product advertising is comparative advertising, which makes direct comparisons with competitive products. Numerous companies have used comparative advertising in recent years.The Pepsi Challenge is an example of comparative advertising. Pepsi-Cola ads have used blind taste tests in which a majority of consumers choose Pepsi over Coca- Cola. Although Coca-Cola still leads the soft-drink market, the Pepsi Challenge helped increase Pepsi sales considerably. Reminder-oriented advertising, used in the late-maturity and decline stages of the product life cycle, attempts to keep a product's name in front of the consumer o r to remind people of the importance of a concept or an institution. Soft drinks, beer, toothpaste, and cigarettes are products for which reminder-oriented advertising is used.The Association of Railroads used an advertisement that began: â€Å"Today's railroads, America's great untapped resource. † Even police cars in some areas of the United States carry reminder-oriented themes such as â€Å"We protect and serve. † E. D. Bullard Company designed the poster shown in Figure 13. 8 to remind workers of the importance of wearing hard hats. Advertising Media All marketers face the question of how to best allocate their advertising expenditures. Cost is an important consideration, but it is equally important to choose the media best suited for the job. All media have dvantages and disadvantages; these are discussed in the sections that follow. Newspapers: Newspapers, with 26 percent of total advertising volume, are the largest of the advertising media. 9 Because newspaper advertising can be tailored for individual communities, local advertising is common. Newspapers also reach nearly everyone in the community. Other advantages are that readers can refer back to them, and they can be coordinated with other advertising and merchandising efforts. In fact, advertising is considered the third most useful feature in newspapers, after national and local news. A disadvantage is the relatively short life span.Television: Television ranks second overall to newspapers with 22 percent of all advertising volume, but it is the leader in national advertising. Television advertising can be classified as network, national, local, and cable. Television has a significant impact on potential customers despite its high cost. Mass coverage, repetition, flexibility, and prestige are other advantages. The medium's ability to reach huge audiences was demonstrated vividly by the 1989 Pepsi commercial featuring pop singer Micahael Jackson. The firm spent $5 million to beam the commercial to 250 million viewers in 40 nations, from Finland to the Philippines. The ad was pulled because of Michael Jackson’s image and legal problems. ) In addition to high cost, its disadvantages include the temporary nature of the message, some public distrust, and lack of selectivity in the ability to reach specific target market segments without considerable wasted coverage. Direct Mail: Direct mail is the third-leading advertising medium, with about 17 percent of total advertising expenditures. Its advantages include selectivity, intense coverage, speed, flexibility, complete information, and personalization. On the other hand, direct mail is extremely costly.It is also dependent on effective mailing lists, and it sometimes meets with consumer resistance. Radio: With 99 percent of all U. S. households owning on average five radio sets, radio is another important broadcast advertising medium. Radio, which accounts for 7 percent of total advertising volume, can be cla ssified as network, spot, and local advertising. Advantages of radio are immediacy, low cost, targeted audience selection, flexibility, and mobility. Disadvantages include the short life span of a radio message and a highly fragmented audience.Magazines: Magazines account for about 5 percent of advertising volume. Modern Maturity, with almost 20 million subscribers, is the nation's largest magazine in terms of paid subscriptions. It is followed by Reader's Digest and TV Guide, each with about 17 million subscribers. Advantages of magazines include selectivity, quality reproduction, long life, and prestige. The main disadvantage of magazines is that they lack the flexibility of newspapers and broadcast media, but the appearance of local advertising in various regional editions of national news magazines suggests that this problem is being overcome.Outdoor Advertising: One percent of total advertising expenditures are on outdoor advertising such as billboards. Its strength is in commu nicating simple ideas quickly. Other advantages are repetition and the ability to promote goods and services available for sale nearby. However, the message must be brief, and there are aesthetic considerations. Other Media Options: Other media include advertising in movie theaters and on airline movie screens. Recently, several firms such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Chrysler, and Hershey placed ads on videocassette movies.Many firms display their advertising message on trucks, while others use transit advertising. An advertising vehicle gaining in popularity is the hot-air balloon, used by organizations such as Maxwell House, Coors, Eastman Kodak, and the states of Maryland and Connecticut. These alternative media can be employed separately or in conjunction with advertising campaigns using more traditional media. Can you name the candy the space creature picked up in the film â€Å"E. T. â€Å"? Reeses Candy company's sales of Reeses Pieces went through the profit ceiling for this ex posure.As such, many other companies now pay thousands of dollars for this type of theatrical exposure and advertising. Sales Promotion Sales promotion consists of the forms of promotion other than advertising, personal selling, and public relations that increase sales through one-time selling efforts. Sales promotion was traditionally viewed as a supplement to a firm's sales or advertising efforts, but now it has become an integral part of the promotional mix. Expenditures for sales promotion total more than $100 billion each year. Point-of-Purchase Advertising (POP)Point-of-purchase advertising (POP) consists of displays and demonstrations promoting an item at a time and place near the location of the actual purchase decision, such as in a retail store. Video advertising on supermarket shopping carts is an example. POP can be very effective in continuing a theme developed by some other aspect of the firm's promotional strategy. Specialty Advertising Specialty advertising is the gi ving away of useful merchandise such as pens, calendars, T-shirts, glassware, and pocket calculators that are imprinted with the donor's name, logo, or message.Because the items are useful and are often personalized with the recipient's name, they tend to be kept and used by the targeted audience, giving the advertiser repeated exposure. Originally designed to identify and create goodwill for advertisers, specialty advertising is now used to generate sales leads and develop traffic for stores and trade show exhibitors. Trade Shows A trade show is often used to promote goods or services to resellers in the distribution channel. Retailers and wholesalers attend trade conventions and shows where manufacturers exhibit their lines. Such shows are very important n the toy, furniture, and fashion industries. They have also been used to promote the products of one nation to buyers from another. L. A. Gear used a trade show extravaganza to let retailers know about its diversified product lin e. The company, which originally produced a line of teenage fashion athletic footwear, expanded its offerings to include 80 women's shoe styles, a men's and a children's line, and an apparel collection. But most retailers carry a limited number of L. A. Gear styles compared to those of nationally recognized brand names such as Nike and Reebok.To build its brand recognition among retailers, L. A. Gear designed a trade show display replicating the city of Los Angeles, complete with a Beverly Hills Hotel and a 25-foot City Hall. The display includes a stage where dancers, gymnasts, and other performers entertained retailers attending the National Shoe Fair in New York and the Super Show, the trade show of the sporting goods industry. Don Wasley, L. A. Gear's vice-president of promotion, said, â€Å"When we created this trade show booth, it was to let the retailers know we'd arrived.We wanted them to take us seriously. Other Sales Promotion Methods Other sales promotion techniques incl ude samples, coupons, premiums, contests, and trading stamps. Most of these methods are used to introduce new products or encourage consumers to try a new brand. A sample is a free gift of a product distributed by mail, door to door, in a demonstration, or inside packages containing other products. Samples are particularly useful in promoting new products. PepsiCo used a novel sampling promotion to boost the market share of Pepsi Cola in Brazil.Young male students wearing T-shirts with the Pepsi logo dispensed Pepsi samples from refrigerated backpacks to beachgoers sunning themselves on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. The promotion supported PepsiCo's â€Å"Taste of a new generation† advertising campaign in Brazil, where 50 percent of the population is younger than 20. A coupon is an advertising clipping or package inclusion stamps are similar to premiums in that they are redeemable for additional merchandise. Historically, they have been used to build loyalty to a certain ret ailer or supplier. Contests, sweepstakes, and games offer cash or merchandise redeemable by the customer.Offering what amounts to a small price discount, it can help get a customer to try a new or different product. Many retailers, including southern supermarket giant Winn Dixie, double the face value of manufacturers' coupons. In a recent survey comparing various methods of consumer promotion, 83 percent of respondents said coupons increased the value of their shopping dollar. The respondents gave sweepstakes and other sales promotion techniques much lower ratings. A premium is an item given free or at a reduced cost with the purchase of another product. Premiums are most effective when they relate in some way to the purchased item.To promote its new cinnamon-and-raisin biscuits and increase overall breakfast traffic, Hardee's fast-food restaurants offered the premium of a California Raisin figurine for 99 cents with the purchase of two biscuits. Sales during the four-week promotio n increased 18 percent, well above Hardee's goal of increasing sales 4. 5 percent. McDonals and Burger King promote theatrical releases through their â€Å"Kids Meals. † Trading as prizes to participating winners. The transit poster advertises an American Natural Beverage Corporation sweepstakes in which the grand prize is a 1957 Thunderbird Classic.The first person to spell â€Å"Cruisin†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ by collecting specially marked bottle caps from Soho Natural Soda wins the car. Public Relations Public relations is an organization's communications with its various publics, such as customers, vendors, news media, employees, stockholders, government, and the general public. Many of these communication efforts have a marketing purpose. Johnson ; Johnson Health Care Company launched a five-year public relations campaign to educate the public on reducing childhood injuries.The Safe Kids program includes a free safety kit for children that contains Band-Aids and other J;J produc ts. The firm hopes the goodwill generated by the program will not only enhance its image as a caring and concerned company but also translate into more sales. â€Å"Building our image builds our business,† said a J;J executive. 14 Public relations is often used to supplement advertising and personal selling efforts. In some cases, however, public relations is used as a dominant element in a firm's promotional campaign. For example, in ddition to advertising, Paramount Pictures developed a public relations program to promote the Eddie Murphy movie â€Å"Coming to America. † The program was designed to change Murphy's image and broaden his appeal beyond his hard-core, young male fans. In the movie, Murphy plays a romantic and humorous leading man, a departure from his familiar tough-guy role in previous films such as â€Å"Beverly Hills Cop† and â€Å"Trading Places. † To stress the versatility of Murphy's talent, Paramount prepared publicity releases for n ewspapers and magazines and sent electronic press kits to television stations.These efforts resulted in extensive media coverage for the movie. For example, several magazines featured Murphy in cover stories, and radio stations gave the movie's soundtrack additional playing time. Selecting a Promotional Mix Selecting the appropriate promotional mix is one of the toughest tasks confronting marketers, but there are some general guidelines to assist in determining the relative allocations of promotional efforts and expenditures among personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, and public relations. These guidelines might be stated as a series of four rules.The first guideline is the decision whether to spend promotional monies on advertising or personal selling. Once this decision is made, the marketer needs to determine the level of sales promotion and public relations efforts. A second consideration is the market served by the good or service. For instance, a drill press is sold to the industrial market, so the manufacturer's strategy must emphasize the sales force. By contrast, California Raisins are sold to consumers; an effective advertising campaign is important to consumer products like raisins.The third rule deals with the value of the product. Most companies cannot afford to emphasize personal selling in marketing a low-priced item and instead choose advertising for the promotional strategy of goods like toothpaste, cosmetics, soft drinks, and candy. Higher-priced items in both industrial and consumer markets rely more on personal selling. Examples include time-share vacation condominiums and Boeing aircraft. Finally, the marketer needs to consider the time frame involved. Advertising is usually used to precondition a person for a sales resentation. An effective and consistent advertising theme may favorably influence individuals when they are approached by a salesclerk in a store. But except for self-service situations, a salesperson is typically in volved in completing the actual transaction. Advertising is often used again after the sale to assure consumers of the correctness of their selection and to precondition them for repeat purchases. Alternative Promotional Strategies The selection of a promotional mix is directly related to the promotional strategy the firm will employ.The marketer has two alternative strategies available to meet these goals: pushing strategy or pulling strategy. A pushing strategy is a sales-oriented approach. The product, product line, or service is marketed to wholesalers and retailers in the marketing channels. Sales personnel explain to them why they should carry this particular item or service. The marketing intermediaries are usually offered special discounts, promotional materials, and cooperative advertising allowances. In the last case, the manufacturer shares the cost of local advertising of the product or line.All these strategies are designed to motivate wholesalers and retailers to †Å"push† the product or service to their customers. The kiwifruit advertisement is an example of a pushing strategy. In it, the New Zealand Kiwifruit Authority suggests ways retailers can merchandise the fruit so consumers will buy it. A pulling strategy attempts to generate consumer demand for the product, product line, or service, primarily through advertising and sales promotion appeals. Most advertising is aimed at the ultimate consumer, who then asks the retailer for the product or service; the retailer in turn requests the item or service from the supplier.The marketer hopes that strong consumer demand will â€Å"pull† the product or service through the marketing channel by forcing marketing intermediaries to carry it. The General Foods advertisement for Maxwell House coffee in illustrates a pulling strategy. The ad announced a sales promotion that tied in with the Taste of Chicago outdoor food festival. Consumers who brought two empty coffee cans to the Maxwell Ho use cafe at the festival received $6 worth of free food tickets. The consumer pull influenced Chicago-area retailers to prominently feature the brand at their stores. With consumers edeeming about 49,000 empty cans, the promotion was so successful it produced record sales and moved the Maxwell House brand from third place to first in the Chicago market. Most marketing situations require the use of both strategies, although the emphasis can vary. Consumer products are often heavily dependent on a pulling strategy, while most industrial products are sold through a pushing strategy. References 1. Colton. M. Jo Ann (2000). The Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Basics 101; Advanced Marketing Technologie 2. http://www. smallbusiness. wa. gov. au/marketing-promotion-strategy/#selling