Gangsterisum Essays - Prohibition In The United States,

Gangsterisum GANGSTERISUM In 1919 congress passed the eighteenth amendment. Which annulled liquor and lawfully precluded the assembling or offer of any sort of mixed refreshments. In this way bringing the ascent and increment of composed wrongdoing and crime. This change would be a gigantic misstep for the nation and the United States would endure harshly. In the event that there is an interest for something, no mater what it is, there will consistently be someone there to participate during the time spent satisfying those necessities of the shopper. Numerous individuals entertained themselves with a wide range of sorts of liquor, from multiple points of view. It was a lifestyle. At that point the administration steps in and puts a band on along these lines of life. State and government specialists quickly shut down the bars and cantinas. Just to revive as underground speakeasies. So individuals began purchasing their valued mixed drinks wrongfully. Concealed spots where individuals could thump and talk delicately at a safely bolted entryway, a mystery foundation for entrance into the black market of illicit alcohol utilization. These mystery places were first made by destined to be incredible horde supervisors. These smuggling dealers that ran the speakeasies discovered wealth and influence in the unlawful tasks. Accordingly bringing the presentation into sorted out wrongdoing. Sorted out wrongdoing was soon on the ascent, particularly in huge urban areas. The huge smuggling tasks bloomed into numerous other criminal operations. These sorted out wrongdoing pioneers had the police on their finance working for them. They would instruct them to look the other way and the slanted police were paid liberally for their shamefulness maltreatment of power. They additionally had their hands in other degenerate organizations, for example, prostitution, unlawful betting, and the sneaking of various sorts of opiate drugs. Posse savagery likewise got more grounded between the opponent crowds of sorted out wrongdoing. Road wars broke out and numerous showings of these wrongdoing heads powers were communicated. The expansion of murders of low positioning, normal residents were turning out to be increasingly normal. With the greater part of the police accepting bribes, there were significantly less capture and those lawbreakers who were captured normally got off on the enti rety of their charges, contingent upon whom they knew or whom they worked for. The majority of the horde supervisors were merciless to the point that they would menace fair, dedicated vendors into paying, supposed insurance cash, to the under masters in their square or that ran the racket they worked in. In the event that these basic shop laborers wouldn't pay them their assurance cash now and again they would mess up their workers, annihilate their stores, and frequently hospitalize the businesspeople themselves. Huge organizations were undependable either. They were likewise influenced. These criminals would push around the huge organizations advertisers, coordinators, and even the solid trade guilds. Today the story isn't so notable. Its not as terrible today since individuals have more trust in the police to ensure them. The mobsters will in general disregard typical normal individuals since they truly have no business with them and they dont need to face the challenge of getting captured by show sailing their names and powers. The criminals of today are not as openly known even idea they despite everything have a wide range of hangs on enormous organizations and huge pieces of the urban communities. Additionally the law is more commanding today than eighty years back against composed wrongdoing. Today you wont discover many abnormal power authorities that you could simply pay off to get yourself in the clear. Not to state that these settlements dont still happen today they are simply stayed silent and individuals have learned numerous approaches to not get captured. There are as yet numerous illicit gambling clubs, prostitution rings, and racketeering run by these enormous myst ery societys., however sedates are still presumably the main lucrative business for composed wrongdoing units in the United States today. There is a lot of cash to be made out there illicitly, that sorted out wrongdoing is digging in for the long haul. On the off chance that its Mafia, Columbian, or Street based, in some structure or another it will be composed by someone somehow. American History

How to Write an Essay - A Guide to Writing a Better Essay

How to Write an Essay - A Guide to Writing a Better EssayIf you're new to writing essays and want to know how to write an essay, here are some tips. We've all done them and we all know how the process goes. It's not easy, but if you make it work, it can be a lot of fun.First, decide what type of essay you will be writing. It could be a review of a class you took, a story about your family, or something a little more detailed. Think about how you will write the essay before you start.The first step to writing a good essay is to get everything down on paper. Write everything down, including any notes or suggestions that may come to you throughout the writing process. You'll want to know what questions to ask yourself. For example, 'how much time do I have?' or 'how much research do I need?'Next, think about how you are going to format the different types of information you'll be writing about. There are two ways to format your essay. Use a professional-looking typeface or write in a mo re informal way.Try to include as much basic information as possible. This includes the person's name, hometown, major, career choice, and education. Anything you think will be used in the essay is important.The most important pieces of information are the essay's conclusion and the body of the essay. These sections should include information such as who the author is, why they wrote the essay, and why it is important to pass it along. Writing these sections will help you stick to the plan and stick to the style.How to write an essay is a skill that can be learned and perfected over time. Keep it in mind while you're writing so you don't forget. If you find yourself losing your train of thought, stop, clear your mind, and re-assess your point.Remember, practice makes perfect, but it's a skill that takes some practice. Always plan ahead, get everything written down, and stick to the plan so you will learn how to write an essay.

Batman Essay Topics

Batman Essay TopicsBatman essay topics are popular choices for kids that want to write about their favorite DC Comics hero. The Batman universe has become the 'cool' kid's comics series for adults, and kids love to pretend they are superheroes themselves.If you're thinking of writing a Batman essay topic for a class assignment, or just want to improve your writing skills, don't be intimidated. Writing Batman comics essays is a lot like writing fiction essays. When you use a format to structure your thoughts and add some flair to your writing, you'll be able to win the attention of your readers.When it comes to Batman, there's really no need to worry about how long the essay is because most students can write one that won't take more than ten minutes to finish. You can even have several students do each part and write on a variety of Batman topics. That way, you'll be able to get different perspectives on your Batman writing.The first thing you need to remember is that you don't have to spend time on everything, or any time at all. In fact, you need to start off with some basics. Begin by setting the scene, and then introduce the Batmobile and any other minor details that make Batman and the city of Gotham interesting. Don't forget to get to the punch line!After you have established the setting, you can move onto the lesson plan. Make sure to consider the themes of Batman's stories, and focus on what makes them interesting to both the readers and your students. Focus on learning about Batman's attitude, his morals, and his other attributes.Be prepared to break from the normal course materials and switch it up a bit, especially if you're teaching younger students. A Batman essay can have some interesting twists, so keep that in mind. Make sure that your students understand what you're getting at and don't be afraid to be daring.Get a few fun facts about Batman, like his appearances on 'Jeopardy!' and in 'Batman Returns' movie. Aside from the facts, the focus shou ld be on learning about Batman, his teammates, and the villains.Start with an introduction and the plan you're going to follow. Think of Batman essay topics as something different from your usual essays, and then, finally, when you're done, start writing. Batman seems to be a theme that continues to fascinate, and what better way to write a Batman essay than to capture that feeling.

Public Transport vs. Private Transport

Public Transport vs. Private Transport Nowadays people from all over the world are suffering from the air pollution. One of the reasons of such situation is the constantly increasing car usage. Are we able to do something in order to encourage people not to use private cars or to use them less? To be honest, there are only several things we can do. Among them is propaganda of the risks caused by the private cars usage. We can provide people with the main benefits they can get by using public transport and make the transportation prices more affordable. First of all, advertisement is a very powerful â€Å"weapon†. Many people can remember the ad they saw several years ago. Advertisement has a very strong effect. It can impress people, influence their thoughts and even change them. Of course, it is impossible to encourage all people from all over the world to use public transport only. But still a certain number of people will definitely give up using cars and will give preferences to the public transport as time goes by. Moreover, we can also provide people with the benefits they can get from usage of public transport. For example, it is possible to provide those people who use public transport with the 20% discount when they need to buy something. Also, it is possible to implement special cards that will be some kinds of an opportunity to change bus to train for free. As a final point, let’s take a look at one more thing we can provide people with in order to encourage them to use public transport. It would be advisable to make the public transportation prices lower. Let’s suppose that you pay 40$ per month to drive your own car. If you give preference to the public transport, it will cost 20$ per month. What would you pick as the method of transportation? Sorry to say that it may be quite hard to set the price of 20$ for public transport, as transportation companies may be against such fee’s reduction. But if it happens one day, a great number of people would give up their cars and prefer public transport in order to prevent congestion and air pollution. I’m 100% sure that all the ways we’ve mentioned above are still really good methods to encourage people to use public transport instead of private cars.

Man s Quest Always Conquers, Outdoes And Destroys What...

As the result of rapid industrialization and other human activities like chemical testing and deforestation, the Earth became loaded with pollutants. Pollution is a serious problem because it causes global warming, acid rain, famine, water shortage, disease, genetic mutation, and many different types of problems. Most environmental pollution is the result of human activities such as deforestation, automobile emissions, radioactive waste, fuel combustion, etc. in my essay, I will prove that man’s quest always conquers, outdoes and destroys what nature has created. According to the book â€Å"Literature for composition†, Jack London says â€Å"The time the shivering came more quickly upon the man. He was losing his battle with the frost.†(Page. 604) This quote means that men always challenge nature, but the last winner is always nature. This quotes tells people that instinct and knowledge are important. Humans always destroy nature but they don’t know that d estroy nature is destroying themselves. According to the book â€Å"Literature for composition†, Emily Dickinson says â€Å"Nature is what we hear – The Bobolink- the Sea – Thunder- the Cricket – Nay- Nature is Harmony†. (Page 619) This quote tells readers that nature is important because nature is always around us, harmony is nature and nature is harmony. Every time, we chop trees down, we are destroying harmony because trees grow naturally. Every day, plants absorb bad chemicals to produce oxygen for humans, and humans need oxygen to live.

Anna Karenina Free Essays

The novel opened up to an implication of the strife in the Oblonsky household. There was an atmosphere of confusion as everyone was concerned about the discovered sexual affair of the Master of the house with the French governess. The wife of Prince Arkadyevitch Oblonsky (Stiva) did not leave her room and it showed how the situation evident with how everything has been going wrong. We will write a custom essay sample on Anna Karenina or any similar topic only for you Order Now Examples were given to prove establish the confusion and the mess of the situation like the children going wild all over the house, how the house helpers were quarrelling, the man-cook quitting his job and others who were threatening to do so. Stiva woke up on the leather-covered sofa in his study without having to realize that he was not sleeping with his wife until he reached for his dressing gown that was not where it should have been, within arm’s reach of their bed. After which, he remembered his current predicament. The setting in this scene how a marital dispute can affect so many people and how more marital disputes can stir the course of the following events in the novel. Kitty’s big night, the ball, was narrated to be a dream-like event where she was to go down a â€Å"great staircase, flooded with light and lined with flowers and footmen in powder and red coats (Tolstoy Part 1, Chapter 9).† The sound of the orchestra can be heard. Women and men were wonderfully dressed, expensive fabrics and vibrant colors filled the ballroom as people started to waltz on the dance floor. This shows how Kitty, at the start of the novel was naà ¯ve in a way as she saw so much romance in the night and how she loved social gatherings like that night’s ball. The setting described the vibrancy and excitement Kitty felt before she found out that Vronsky, the man she loved, fell in love with Anna, the woman she adored. The description of the ballroom and the atmosphere was further elaborated with describing how perfect everything was with Kitty, from her hair, to her dress to her shoes, only to come to a huge turning point wherein she sees Vronsky’s affection for another woman.   The description of how exquisite Anna looked that night, added much weight to the twist that was about to take place, it made Vronsky’s admiration for Anna like a harder slap on Kitty’s face. Theme The major theme in the novel was about society and family. The second part of the novel gave much emphasis to solidifying this theme through different instances wherein Anna was reprimanded or placed in a bad light because of a foreseen case of infidelity.   It was important for families to stay together, more so during their time as women who are divorced loose a lot of ground in society, while the men do not loose as much. There was one instance wherein the text showed how Anna had three sets of friends in the Petersburg society.   There are those who belonged to the circle of her husband’s colleagues that seems to serve merely as acquaintances with the family. Another set was concerning the friends in Countess Lydia Ivanovna’s circle that Anna soon disliked greatly and the last set was one with Princess Betsy Tverskaya who was the wife of her cousin.   Each set of friend offered much of their opinions about how Anna changed and often gossiped about her and her husband Karenin. Alexey Alexandrovitch, Anna’s husband, only saw fit to talk to her wife about her behavior with another man upon realizing that others are already gossiping about them. The confrontation was indifferent for both of them and their relationship changed but they stayed together to avoid any societal conflicts. When Anna and Vronsky made love, it was obvious that Anna was distraught as to the consequences of her actions with society and how it will affect his family, even her son. When Vronsky fell of his horse during a race, Anna could not contain her emotions in public. This had shown her improper affection for Vronsky.   She cried as she was so worried about him. Instead of being jealous about Anna’s obvious feelings for another man, Karenin simply warned her to be careful about how she reacts in public and showed how he valued his social stature more than he did his actual relationship with his wife. Even after Anna admitted his relationship with Vronsky, Karenin was more preoccupied with protecting his honor. During that time, it has established how people were more concerned about the opinions of society and how they maintain a clean image in public.    How to cite Anna Karenina, Papers

Media in Goa free essay sample

I can proudly say that I was the first television journalist to start work from Goa, till then Channels from Mumbai Delhi only sent their camera team and reporters for any major news event happening here. A decade later today its great that we have a number of local television channels and a 12 hour news channel as well. In that regard Goa Newsline was our first major step towards setting up of this industry in Goa. After 2 years of Newsline a number of other channels had jumped into the news making fray and the rest as you all know is there for all of us to see. I completed my Masters Degree in Communication studies from the Department of Communcation Studies University of Pune as there was no Journalism related course in Goa then. After that I interned with Zee News Noida and underwent practical training in Electronic News Media . We will write a custom essay sample on Media in Goa or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Thereafter I joined Asian News International (ANI) and joined them as a Correspondent Camera-person for the state of Goa. Thereafter I joined Aaj Tak and worked for them as their Goa Correspondent, My father Mr. Waman Prabhu is also a journalist and was in the print media. As the electronic media fever caught up he joined Zee News as Goa Correspondent and together we covered Goa in all its splendour for these national channels. In this entire process there was a feeling that Goa was not being given due coverage on National TV and all the snippets that were shown of Goan Festivals and Events were not doing justice to the actual event. There was so much that was happening in Goa yet the national channels were just not interested. All that mattered to them was the Goan Carnival Christmas and New Year in Goa. And we all know that there’s so much more that the rest of the country needs to know about Goa. That was the time when the thought of a Goa News Channel crossed our minds and we both along with my younger brother Pravesh went ahead with a Goa News Channel. It was a tough exercise. Covering Goa for national channels was completely different.. for a local news channel the same had to be done in a local perspective. We started with a half an hour news bulletin which covered all aspects of the state the political,social,religious and sports aspect of Goa. It was Feb 2002 Goa Newsline was a valentine gift to the people of Goa. Because till then they could only rely on the erratic Doordarshan round up of events which happened every week. When we started Newsline we opted for Konkani as our news language because it was a language tht could connect us to the people of Goa. It was sheer hard work because our effort was to deliver todays news today-all over Goa. We wanted the people could watch the news at home before they read it on the papers the next day,that was the USP of our news. We dealt with time constraints as there was no highend editing software at that time with us. But yet we managed fine all the morning/ afternoon events were incorporated in our news bulletin. Yet another hurdle that we faced was initially people were reluctant to air their views on Camera, the concept looked good on national tv but it was difficult to accept it initially. Politicians too hesitated over how and what they spoke on local tv but gradually the transformation took place And once the news began there was a flood of appreciation that motivated us to perform better. We had no high end machinery and no spacious studio. Yet we had to deliver CD’s to over 23-24 locations everyday at a given time and the manpower—just the three of us. My father wrote the newsscript, Pravesh did the shoot and edit on camera and I read the news and pitched in for the filming of events as well. It was an effort that met with a lot of praise and also its share of criticism. I am glad that happened then as we complete ten years of Newsline this February. Goa Newsline was what everybody living here needed because audio visual media has its own power –the power of delivering an event happening in some place of Goa that you can relate to right in your home. It was a novelty in the beginning and we had endless lists of people who wanted us to cover their events -some interesting some trivial. It wont be wrong to state that Goa Newsline started the chapter of Electronic TV Journalsim in Goa and that it continues to have a loyal viewership in this day and age of Direct Transmission to Homes like Dish TV etc. It’s a challenge now to maintain the erratic cable connections when you have a no hassle set top box installed on your tv providing you crystal clear transmission but people here have still maintained their cable connectitons nly to watch the news programmes that are aired on these cable channels. So in a way it is also right that the cable industry in Goa is surviving on the hefty fees that these channels pay them and the connections which have not yet been replaced by Dish TV for the sake of Goan News updates. I feel the cable network industry should in turn protect the interest of the news channels in order to strengthen the chances of their survival.

Luxury and Ethics

Luxury and Ethics Ethics is a philosophical concept that describes what is good or evil with reference to ascribed standards of action (Mackenzie, 2008). Being ethical is perceived differently by different people. For some people, it means great concern for the environment while for others it is great concern for both workers and the society.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Luxury and Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For purposes of this paper, being ethical means great concern for the environment, the society, workers and consumers at large. In fashion industry, ‘ethical fashion’ reflects concerns in different areas including workers’ rights, trading relationships, production and processing practices, transportation of products, and social and environmental effects (Labor Behind the Label, n.d). When it comes to luxury fashion, there is a dilemma as to luxury and sustainability. While ethics dictat e luxury brands to be environmental friendly, luxury dictates that luxury brands reflect the highest quality and creativity ever and should not be restricted in any way. This thus leads to the question, is being ethical crucial for the survival of luxury fashion brands in the market? Today’s marketplace has become more challenging as consumers are increasingly becoming aware of ethical codes of conduct and practices. In the marketplace, there is emerging type of consumers who are more concerned about the ethical performance of companies when making their buying decisions. The case is even more serious when it comes to luxury brands. Luxury is never a priority and as more consumers become aware of ethical luxury, it only means that unethical brands might soon be faced out of the market. The luxury fashion market has been dominated by the most prominent and high ranking people in the society for a long time. Such people are well-aware of the prevailing business ethics and can u se their knowledge when making buying decisions. Even though, the luxury market has expanded to accommodate the low-class in the society, ethics remain a necessary tool for fashion brands to survive. Bearing in mind that luxury is not a necessity, consumers are most likely to go for fashion brands that they feel have value for their money and in this case not the monetary value, but the ethical value. Similarly, fashion has the power to evoke change in the society (Chenay, 2011).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As Jem Bendell and Antony Kleanthous (2007) states, â€Å"luxury brands have the power to influence consumer aspiration and behavior by editing consumer choices through product design, distribution and marketing; and influencing how, when and for how long consumers use their products† (as cited in Chenay, 2011). In this case, luxury fashion b rands can use ethical practices as a necessary tool to influence consumer buying behaviors. This paper, therefore, seeks to examine the relationship between luxury and ethics. The paper explains the significance of ethics to the survival of luxury brands in the market as presented below. The significance of ethics to marketing of luxury brands Traditionally, fashion industries had little concern for ethics. With globalization taking centre stage, marketing of luxury fashion brands is faced with a number of challenges including counterfeiting, fast fashion, casual consumer, maturing new markets, democratized luxury, and western existentialism (Lode, 2008). At the same time, consumers now use available information to question how production and marketing decisions of various luxury brands affect the social and environmental realms of life. In this regard, luxury fashion brands often face ethical problems while marketing. As disposable income decreases owing to the recent economic rece ssion, consumers are increasingly becoming conscious of their buying behavior. Consumers are now more than ever concerned about the ethical performance of companies while making decisions to support their luxury brands. Besides, the luxury market is dominated by the affluent and global elite who show great concern for social and environmental issues, but at the same time are concerned about the luxury element of individual success in the products they purchase (Lode, 2008). With the increasing demand from ethical consumers, fashion companies are forced to revise their marketing strategies. In order to survive in the current market, fashion industries have to show concern for the environment, professionalism, and the society as well (Lode, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Luxury and Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the current economic and environmental crises, sustainability cannot be over looked. Consumers are now more conscious about their consumption habits. Most people only invest in luxury when it becomes a necessity. For this reason, companies dealing in luxury fashion brands must stand out so that their brands are considered. Companies must convince consumers that they offer more than just status. They must make consumers believe that they offer some solution to the current crises. This can only be achieved through ethical practice. When consumers are convinced that a company brand offer solution to their problems, they will not think twice about supporting the same company by purchasing its luxury brands. It is for this reason that Marks and Spencer is currently involved in a  £200 million eco-plan with a vision of becoming carbon neutral by 2012 (Eassey, 2009). The company engages in ethical production practices, which includes fair wages and eco-friendly dyes and eventually offers affordable prices to its target consumers who are the youth. There is a wide spread notion that fashion industry encourages conspicuous consumption when sustainability dictates otherwise. In such a marketplace, companies have to be ethical in order to survive. Unless fashion brands convince consumers that they are playing an active role in environmental conservation through their activities, ethical consumers would never support their luxury brands. This is usually achieved through Fair trade and organic clothing, which most consumers consider environmental friendly. Going green is an ethical strategy that is currently being used by most companies, fashion brands included, to lure ethical consumers into buying their products. Mark and Spencer plan A initiative is a perfect example of how far luxury fashion brands are ready to go in order to survive in the market. Similarly, the UK-based Monkee Genes has managed to be successful in the luxury fashion market simply because of its eco-friendly jeans and products (Just-style.com, 2011). According to previous res earch findings, being ethical is crucial for luxury fashion brands to survive in the current market (Varley, n.d). There have been reported cases where consumers boycott luxury fashion brands on the basis of their ethical performance.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Balenciaga, Gucci, and Yves Saint Laurent, all from PPR SA, are some of the brands that have been faced with boycotts in the recent past for their unethical production practices. Boycotts on these brands were based on the belief that these brands have no respect for animal rights as they predominantly use animal fur in their products. Better still, available data shows that brands have made remarkable sales when consumers perceive them to be ethical (Varley, n.d). According to Co-operative Bank Ethical Consumerism Report 2007, organic and Fair trade cotton increased sales by 79% between 2005 and 2006 while 2006 recorded significant boycotts in ‘low-cost’ clothing (as cited in Labour in the Label, n.d). Luxury fashion brands are expected to cost a premium. If this is not reflected in the prices, then such brands may not attract ethical consumers. Besides, ‘low cost’ is perceived as an indicator of poor production and labor practices hence ethically incorrect . Consumers will always choose to support luxury fashion brands that they trust and share values with even if they cost a premium. If a consumer is more environmental conscience, then he or she would rather support fashion brands that embrace sustainable environmental practices in their production process. Similarly, consumers that are more concerned about business ethics will choose to support luxury fashion brands from companies they consider to have the best business ethics. In an effort to lure ethical consumers to their products, fashion brands are currently taking a notch higher with their ethical practices. For instance, Ermernegildo Zegna has embraced environmental sustainability it its â€Å"Solar jacket† brand that is able to charge handheld electric devices. Similarly, Stella McCartney has embraced eco-design in her shoes which has biodegradable rubber soles. Such initiatives have made their brands attractive to environmental friendly consumers. Furthermore, the cu rrent luxury market has become accessible to many fashion brands hence making it too competitive for a brand to survive on the basis of exclusivity. With many competitors in the market, fashion brands have to work out marketing strategies that will make them stand out as the finest in the market. With the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) gaining momentum, that much needed added value could come from â€Å"deeper brand values and more sustainable business practices† (Lode, p.13). In other words, it is high time luxury brands consider ethics as a luxury attribute in order to survive in the current market where the population of ethical consumers is rising by each passing day. Consumers will be more than willing to stand by those brands, which show concern for the environment, the society, and embrace acceptable labor practices. Corporate Social responsibility is now the norm of the day hence there is no way a luxury brand would expect to survive in the market if it does not reflect this in its operation. In this regard, the US-based Toms Shoes has managed to curve out a niche in the market through their social responsibility marketing strategy. Known for trendy sneaker-style shoes, Toms Shoes is involved in a youth movement initiative whereby for every pair of shoes bought, they give a pair to a needy child (just-style.com, 2011). This has made it attractive to consumers who value philanthropist initiatives. Luxury is often associated with elitism, prestige, and premium (Chenay, 2011). This is an important ethical issue that cannot be underrated when marketing luxury fashion brands. Both the company and its products must be a reflection of luxury based on the premise, ‘nothing except the finest’ (Chenay, 2011). This should be reflected in the company’s practices across its chains. Unless, consumers are made to believe that the brands are the finest in the market, they would not choose those brands over the others availa ble in the market. The company must strive to be reputable in terms of its production practices and employment as well as its marketing approach. As the say goes, â€Å"survival is for the fittest.† For a luxury fashion brand to survive in the current market, it must have all aspects of ethics. For instance, a company may be environmental conscience and have good employments practices, but produces counterfeit fashion brands. Such brands can never survive in the current market where consumers are well aware of patent property rights. Similarly, a company that offers low prices for its luxury fashion brands may be perceived to be having poor production practices that translate into low prices hence may as well not survive in the current luxury market. However, with the current economic crisis, ‘low cost’ fashion brands may still survive in the market so long as consumers perceive them to be the ‘finest’ in the market. In order to attract ethical consu mers, companies will thus have to convince consumers that their low prices are in the benefit of consumers and that their practices are ethically right. Unless this is achieved, it will not be easy for a ‘low cost’ luxury fashion brand to survive in the market. Conclusion This paper has managed to address the role played by ethics in marketing of luxury fashion brands. From the discussion above, ethics is a must have tool for luxury fashion brands to survive in the current and the future market. The future market even poses more challenge as consumers are increasingly becoming aware of ethical consumption and ethical campaigns taking centre stage. It will take more than just being the finest for luxury fashion brands to survive in the market. It is, therefore, the responsibility of luxury brands to revise their production and operation strategies so that consumers perceive their performance as being ethical. Some luxury fashion brands have made recommendable efforts in this area, but the fashion industry still has to do more to convince consumers that they offer ethical value for their money. References Chenay, N., 2011. Ethical luxury. Excerpt from MA design Research. Web. Eassey, M., 2009. Fashion marketing, 3rd ed. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Just-style.com, 2011. Just-style management briefing: Eco-fashion retailers walk a fine line. Web. Labour in the Label. Ethical consumerism. An ethical industry discussion paper. Labour in the Label. Web. Lode, S. B., 2008. The development of luxury fashion attributes: from class to mass to†¦ sustainable luxury?  Papers by Silje. Web. Mackenzie, J., 2008. A manual of ethics. London: Read Books. Varley, R. Ethical issues in fashion and marketing. Excerpt from Parker, L., and Dickson, M.A. Sustainable Fashion: A handbook for educators. UK: Labour Behind the Label.

The Best Email Marketing Sending Frequency According to 20 Studies

The Best Email Marketing Sending Frequency According to 20 Studies How often should brands send marketing emails? That’s a common question without a single definitive answer. But, you’re responsible for establishing your company’s email schedule and managing the marketing calendar. If your boss asks, â€Å"Are we sending emails at the best possible frequency,† you can’t say, â€Å"That answer is unknowable, young Jedi.† That’s not a helpful response. And it’s condescending to your department head (and you want to keep your job). Plus, if your email frequency isn’t optimized, you might be missing opportunities to convert more leads (or stop chasing away those currently in your funnel). Your list is an invaluable resource, and how often you send to it matters. The best schedule will vary from business to business, but you need a starting point and data to compare against. In this post, you’ll learn what 20 different companies discovered when they tried to answer this question. By the time you’re done, you’ll be prepared to plan a complete email schedule optimized for frequency and pacing. It’ll all be backed by real data, and ready to be fine-tuned based on your own performance. The Best Email Marketing Sending Frequency Backed By 20 Studies via @Snag Your Free Email Schedule Optimization Bundle Use the right tools for the right job. To help you get started managing an effective email schedule, here are three templates to use: Email Marketing Calendar Template: Schedule all those emails in one place (at the best dates and times, of course). Best Times to Send Email Guide: Get some additional insight into which times typically work best. Email Marketing Strategy Template: Plan and organize the complete strategy behind every email you’ll send. †¦ And Plan Your Email Frequency With The easiest way to map out your email schedule is on a calendar integrated into a holistic marketing management platform. With its new email marketing integrations, that platform is . With Email Marketing from , you can: Seamlessly integrate with your *favorite* email marketing platform. You already have a kick-a$$ email platform you know and love, so why give it up? With Email Marketing, you can easily connect your preferred email platform to with just a couple clicks. Write click-worthy email subject lines...every time. With Email Marketing, you can use ’s *exclusive* Email Subject Line Tester to optimize and perfect every subject line to drive more opens, more clicks, and more conversions. Get full visibility into your ENTIRE marketing strategy. Say â€Å"buh-bye† to disjointed marketing content (and constantly jumping from screen to screen). With Email Marketing, it’s easy to see how your email campaigns relate to the rest of your marketing strategy and quickly make adjustments if necessary. With Email Marketing, you can easily connect your preferred email platform (MailChimp, Campaign Monitor, Constant Contact, and ActiveCampaign) to with just a couple clicks. Here’s how you can get started. Or schedule a free 14-day trial. About the 20 Studies, Blog Posts, and Research Reports So, where did all the research in this post come from? Here’s a breakdown of all 20 studies and posts: Infusionsoft’s post on finding the best frequency to email customers. DMA’s annual email marketing report. Entrepreneur’s pointers on the topic. Campaign Monitor’s surprising findings. Constant Contact’s detailed guide. Sark eMedia’s thoughtful opinions on what offers most value. Traffic Generation Cafe’s syndicated advice courtesy of Daegan Smith. Smart Insights’ research-backed findings. Crazy Egg’s impassioned recommendation to send more emails. Benchmark’s practical guide to choosing days and times to deliver. Fulcrum Tech’s helpful delineation between the terms â€Å"frequency† and â€Å"cadence.† OmniSend’s original research from 2017. Aweber’s answer: there’s no magic number (plus rationale for that conclusion). MailPoet’s more philosophical answer: it depends (and an explanation for that, too). EventBrite’s concise tips specific to event promotion emails. Ignite Visibility’s advice for promotional emails. SendGrid’s useful tips on what to do if your frequency is too  frequent. MailChimp’s email marketing field guide, which touches on frequency. Clickz’s collected research, which includes insights on how often top brands are sending email. ReturnPath’s original research on email frequency. That’s a lot of difference perspectives, from all different types of sources. This ensures the advice in this post isn’t all coming from one perspective, while reflecting the diversity of opinion and thought on this topic. What do 20 different studies say about the ideal email marketing send frequency?Setting Benchmarks: Frequency Vs. Results For comparison purposes, here are some benchmarks gathered by the folks at SendGrid, based on their own original research  (based on â€Å"50 billion messages to over 100,000 different senders in the top 25 industries who sent email through SendGrid†: A few things to point out straight off the bat: The average respondent sent around two emails per week. This marked a decline from 2016 to 2017. Which corresponded with a 3.3% increase in opens and a .4% increase in unique opens. However, unique clicks and clicks overall declined. What does this tell us? We can make a few educated guesses: Consumers are overwhelmed with information overload. Not just in their inboxes, but all over the web. So, reducing email may be an effort to reduce content shock. So, sending slightly less email can potentially improve results. It makes each email appear more valuable (at least initially) if they’re received less often. But, that email needs to be engaging to get clicks. The fact that clicks went down somewhat is slightly concerning, even if CTRs didn’t drop precipitously. This lines up with some other findings this post will dig into a bit later on. What Can Happen When You Tweak Your Frequency? Now, if you’re already sending marketing emails, you might be worried about adjusting your frequency. After all, if you don’t know what might happen, you may not want to risk something going wrong. But, fortune favors the bold. If you really want to know what works, you’ve got to be willing to experiment at least a little bit. To alleviate potential fears, though, here are four possible outcomes that Campaign Monitor says can occur. Unsubscribes Might Go Up Even worse, SPAM reports might go up, too. So, take that as a warning not to go overboard. That data aligns with possible solutions: Engagement Might Drop Citing (gated) data from Return Path, Campaign Monitor’s post reports that engagement could drop if too many low-value emails are sent. Not only could opens drop and unsubscribes increase, but even people who stick around might just disengage. Nothing Happens You make a change and †¦ nothing changes. That’s †¦ okay? Sort of? What this means is it’s time to test another variable. †¦ But, Your Results Could Improve (Dramatically), Too! When you start testing, some things might not go your way. But, once you start to see positive movement, keep at it. The results are worth the effort. In Campaign Monitor’s post, they highlight Aviva, an insurance company based in the UK. They were only emailing their list once a year. You read that right. But, then they increased their frequency. You’ll never believe what happened next: 48% more requested insurance quotes 304% more unique clicks 45% more email revenue Those are some awesome results, and they never would have been achieved without pushing past status quo and the fear of change.

The Budgeting Committee of Hardhat Limited Research Paper

The Budgeting Committee of Hardhat Limited - Research Paper Example Performing profitability analysis requires an understanding of selling prices and the behavior of activity cost drivers. (Activity cost driver is often referred to as cost driver when the context is clear that we are discussing activity, rather than structural or organizational, cost drivers.) Profitability analysis is widely used in the economic evaluation of existing or proposed products or services. Typically, it is performed before decisions are finalized in the operating budget for a future period. This report shows the analysis done to find out the changes in the profit when the costs increase and how much of sales is requires to achieve the targeted profits and also the selling price that is required to achieve the targeted profit. For the CVP analysis it is assumed that the total costs can be segregated into fixed and variable costs, the fixed cost remains constant during the relevant period, variable cost per unit remains constant during the period of consideration and the selling price will also be constant irrespective of the volume sold during the year 2007/ 2008. It is also assumed that the production and sales volume will remain constant. With these assumptions as the background, the calculation of the effect of profit is calculated when there is the change in selling price, sales volume and cost of resources are made and submitted.   Ã‚  It is mentioned that the expected sales, variable costs an fixed costs will change in the year of 2007/ 2008. The reason for the increase in fixed cost is the increase in the selling expenses due to expected increase in sales volume and the increase in administration costs are due to an expected increase in salaries. Hence, we have to find out, the relative sales volume to earn the target profits and the new selling price when the sales volume increases by 10% and 20%. These analyses help to understand the triangular relationship between the costs, the volume of sales and profits. Understanding of this relationship helps to make managerial decisions and to devise marketing strategies. From the information provided the variable cost and the fixed costs are segregated to calculate the contribution. Contribution per unit is the difference between the selling price and the variable cost per unit. The contribution is not profit. Contribution means the amount that is obtained by the sale of each unit towards a recovery of the fixed costs.

Current Affair Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current Affair - Assignment Example In a bid to stop spread of Ebola, people have to avoid making physical contacts since Ebola is transmitted through body fluids such as sweat, saliva, blood, and tears among others. In a community that regards physical contact as the best way to express affection and show friendship, Ebola has claimed the lives of so many people. It is quite hard to shun away from the accustomed practices but nevertheless, this is the only way to prevent Ebola spread. It is extremely hard for family members and friends to avoid making physical contact regardless of situations requiring comfort. This is what makes it so hard to stop Ebola spread once it hits a certain area. Despite the view of many in different parts of the world, Ebola spread and containment is heavily dependent on the status of a country or area. Ebola may arguably be considered to thrive the best in areas of low development and therefore it is in order to say that Ebola spread is highly dependent on social inequality and economic imbalance. Looking at the recent sprout of Ebola, it is evident that developing countries such as some in Africa are at higher risks of experiencing such deadly diseases. To make matters worse, these are the same countries without the required techniques and knowledge of how to combat such horrific infestation. However, this is not to say that it would have better if the cases occurred in developed countries but instead it is a call for more to be done by the developed countries to help developing countries in times of crisis. For instance the levels at which media in developed countries reacted to the recent Ebola pandemic in Liberia is not satisfactory. It was not until Ebola claimed the first life in the American soil that American media reacted. This is despite the fact that cases of Ebola had already sprouted in Africa several months

Essay --

As part of marketing in business, strategy is a leading light because it is a plan of action designed and followed by businesses to become successful. Three companies in the same industry can offer similar products in a completely different ways. Branding is everything and understanding what customers want determines a company’s brand position. Airline companies are great examples of numerous companies offering the same product. Major differences in brand and quality management come when comparing three airline companies that offer the same product such as Spirit Airlines, Jet Blue and American Airlines. Although their product is the same, the processes to marketing their product are completely different. Spirit Airlines is an American ultra low-cost carrier headquartered in Miramar, Florida. Spirit has scheduled flights with 52 destinations across the U.S. as well as the Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America. The company first started off as a Clipper Trucking Company in 1964 but the airline service was founded in 1980, as Charter One, a Detroit-based charter tour operator providing travel packages to entertainment destinations such as Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and the Bahamas. On May 29, 1992, Charter One bought jet equipment, changed its name to Spirit Airlines, and started services from Detroit to Atlantic City. During the next five years, Spirit expanded rapidly, increasing service from Detroit and adding service in new markets such as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Los Angeles, and New York. In 2001, Spirit began services to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and performed a fully unified Spanish-speaking customer service plan including a website and dedicated reservation line. Spirit allows you to bring one carry-on bag and payme... ...assengers receive alcoholic beverages for free. Non-alcoholic beverages are free for all classes. Alcoholic drinks are available for purchase on all home flights in Coach. Beer and wine are now free on long haul international flights to Europe and Asia and certain flights to South America. Its goal is to provide safe, dependable and friendly air transportation along with related services, making a great effort to transform any experience into a positive one. All of the services that this company has and the image that they are trying to keep in everyday activities make each day a little challenging for its employees. American Airlines’ employees will be able to travel for free in coach class on any flight in the worldwide network, the airline told them. The new program also will give the employees’ registered family members and parents unlimited travel privileges.

Keurig: Convenience, Choice, and Competitive Brands Essay

In 1990, John Sylvan and Peter Dragone entered the coffee brewing industry by launching their company Keurig built upon on the question of, â€Å"why do we brew coffee by the pot when we only drink it by the cup?† Within a few years after their start-up, they were able to secure multiple patents as well as acquiring $1 million from venture capitalists to improve upon their prototype. By 1998, Keurig, which is German for excellence, was finally able to launch their first industrial strength, single-serve machine delivering a perfect cup of coffee every time. Keurig was lucky to join the coffee market at the dawn of its explosion, when consumers’ wants and needs began to shy away from traditional coffee pot brewing and shifted more towards a single cup of premium, gourmet roasted coffee. As the coffee market continued to grow, it exhibited two trends. First being the â€Å"mainstreaming† of specialty coffees and secondly, only brewing one cup of it at a time. Keuri g focused its efforts towards adapting to these changes by dramatically boosting innovation, technology, and their R&D department. Keurig changed the game in the single cup sector by introducing their patented K-Cup and partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR). These were tiny plastic cups that contained the coffee grounds already within the filter and sealed with an aluminum lid. All the consumer then has to do is place the cup within the Keurig machine (without removing the aluminum), close the lid and press a button, and in less than a minute, a fresh cup of coffee awaits. From the time of its launch in 1998, Keurig offered only 8 varieties of GMCR coffee and by the early 2000’s consumers had the choice of over 200 varieties from 30 different brands. When it comes time that Keurig’s patents will expire, competition will skyrocket, so it is extremely important that they pay close attention to their competitors’ moves. After an in depth analysis of the entire coffee industry, its competitors, and major market players, I have determined three recommendations to go forward with: Recommendation 1: Expand internationally using a transnational strategy. Recommendation 2: Follow GMCR’s 2012 initiatives with increased innovation Recommendation 3: Pursue a recycling initiative or biodegradable K-Cups With the coffee drinking market growing as fast as it is along with the amount of competition that  can present in the market, it is important that firms build their brands and are constantly improving what they have to offer. Recommendation 1: Expand internationally using a transnational strategy. Current in the industry, the top market players have established themselves in the United States as well as in other various parts of the world such as Europe and Asia. In order to be a serious competitor, Keurig must consider the advantages to expanding internationally, not only for sales but for manufacturing purposes as well. That being said, it is extremely important that companies pay close attention to other cultures and certain characteristics that effect each community differently. Especially when you are attempting to enter somewhat of a segmented market. Keeping foreign cultures in mind, implementing a transnational strategy would be the most advantageous in terms of serving the needs of other countries. Keurig would impose a think global, act local strategy or â€Å"glocal†. The book describes this as a middle ground strategy for when there are relatively high needs for local responsiveness as well as appreciable benefits to be realized from standardization. Although coffee is somewhat the same all over, different cultures prefer different types or blends. It is crucial that a company understands a cultures preferred wants and needs before embarking abroad. Although it may be difficult to implement, the benefits of sharing information and resources across boarders along with flexible coordination can far outweigh the negatives. Because coffee can become so standardized, it will not be extremely difficult or costly to differentiate between the lines. If Keurig wants to be able to compete with the other industry leaders, it is essential that they take the time to do careful research, then implement their strategy for expanding abroad. Recommendation 2: Follow GMCR’s 2012 initiatives with increased innovation With the expiration of Keurig’s patents coming to a near, it is crucial that Keurig be on the defensive end for a while and prepare themselves for any major market moves. In order to prepare themselves, Keurig must also have some tricks up their sleeve to keep their market share and diversification high because of the relatively low barriers to entry. There were two of GMCR’s 2012 initiatives that stood out as goo d plans for attack. The first one dealt with launching new coffee makers such as the Rivo Cappuccino and Latte System as well as new variety blends to accompany them. When their patent expires, launching  a completely new product with new patents will pave the way for increased market share. Keurig will be able to compete in a much broader market and can appeal to greater amounts of consumers. In addition to developing new variety packs, it is also essential that Keurig pursue more beverage options to appeal to a broader market. For instance, GMCR mention introducing a Wellness Brewed line to include healthy beverages containing vitamins and antioxidant ingredients. Keurig must continue growth between certain partnerships to keep up with certain trends in the market to be able to jump on new opportunities that present themselves and can be taken advantage of. Innovation is extremely key to remaining on top, and it is one of Keurig’s primary key success factors. Recommendation 3: Pursue a recycling initiative or biodegradable K-Cups Pursuing a green initiative, I believe will bring nothing but prosperity to Keurig. Being economically and socially responsible can yield high returns if done in the right way. With the coffee industry already in the global spotlight wi th Fair Trade agreements, it certainly would add credibility to a brand. With a large number of coffee drinkers already economically conscious, it would exponentially boost ratings if they were enforce a recycling initiative similar to what Nespresso did with their â€Å"ecolaboration† and encouraging consumers to recycle. Equally as important, if not more, would be the need for developing biodegradable K-Cups. It is very important to the world and its consumers to give back to the earth and not harm our environment. With the extremely high number of K-Cups produced, it would be extremely beneficial to find a way for those tiny little cups decompose into the ground. From the time Keurig was launched until 2006, over 1 billion K-Cups had been consumed. Within the next two years, another 2 billion had been consumed by 2008. That is an exceptionally large amount of K-Cups potentially harming the environment that could otherwise be helping to add to our nutrient rich soil. Industry Analysis Exhibit 1: Dominant Economic Forces Market size and growth rate: The coffee market within the United States is steadily increasing from year to year. In 2012, the US alone consumed nearly one-third of all coffee worldwide. That equals out to roughly 400 million cups of coffee per day.  During World War II, US coffee consumption accounted for nearly 80% of all coffee worldwide. Despite the drastic change in percentages, the coffee industry has never been as profitable as it is today because consumer value migration. In the early 90’s, P&G, Phillip Morris/Kraft, and Nestle held nearly 90% of the entire coffee market. When the market for specialty coffees began to take hold, within six years, that market had already grasped 22% of the total market share, leaving the big 3 in the dust without knowing how to properly react to the extensive growth. The big names were concerned with price and consistency while specialty coffee focused on origin, quality, processing and cultivation. It was estimated that the total coffee market consumption was nearly 2.9 billion pounds or $30-$32 billion in 2012. Specialty coffee accounted for nearly 37% of volume share and over 50% value share meaning it was far more profitable than generic coffee. In 2010, there were 90 million coffee brewers within US households and in 2012 alone, approximately 24 million brewers were purchased. During this growth phase, single cup brews increased 52% while all other brews only increased 3%. Coffee pods and single cup brews have experienced dramatic growth and have begun taking over the entire coffee market share. From 2011-2017, it is expected that these will lead the evolution with a 74% off-trade growth. Number of Rivals: Within the specialty coffee industry, there are only a handful of companies that compete at the level of Keurig and their single K-Cup technology. There are four main market players that have similar brewing technologies. The most successful competitor would have been Nestle with their Nespresso brewing machine released in 1976 that utilized pods for their espresso. Their technology has been around the longest but with the emergence of Keurig, they slowly began to be overshadowed. Keurig’s other three primary competitors included Mars’ Flavia beverage system which targeted offices, Kraft’s Tassimo system which offered an at home brew, and lastly there was the Senseo brewing system manufactured by Sara Lee. Scope of competitive rivalry: The coffee industry has a massive international market that reaches all points around the world. The US has the next largest market compared to  France. Americans consume 276 cups of coffee a year while the French consume 395. Nestle took advantage of this by expanding its technology to Europe to include both France and Switzerland as well as in Japan and China. Within the US, Keurig began to dominate by purchasing companies nationwide to increase its market share much quicker than rival companies were able to keep up with. Specialty coffee already had a strong foothold in New England. To expand their brand, Keurig partnered with Van Houtte to gain market share in Canada and later purchased Caribou Coffee (Midwest) as well as Tully’s coffee (Pacific Northwest). Number of Buyers: The number of buyers within the Unites States is extremely vast. As mentioned earlier, nearly 90 million of American households had a coffee brewer of some sort. The scope of brewers reaches far beyond that and can be classified into smaller groups. Households: extremely prevalent within the industry with high purchase power Hotels: approximately 5 million coffeemakers are in hotel rooms in the US Businesses: most, if not all businesses have a coffeemaker onsite or in their break rooms. B2B: Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Office Depot, Staples, Bed, Bath & Beyond Pace of technological change: The increase of technology and push for innovation plays a huge role in gaining market share. The evolution from a coffee pot to single cup brews has sparked a huge push to develop the perfect cup of coffee while at the same time making the process simpler. Coffee pods lead the way for the early 2000’s but when Keurig introduced their K-cups, other companies were eager to jump on board. Their patented technology included the coffee and the filter all into one simple cup. Keurig also released the My K-Cup, which allowed consumers to use their own coffee grounds to make a single cup roast. Upon Keurig’s patent expiration in 2012, other companies such as Breville and Cuisinart developed their own single cup brewers and even offering a My K-Cup as part of the package. Specific brewing techniques are important to customers in terms of getting the most out of your cup of coffee. Improving upon the injection brewing process is the key to perfecting the brew. Innovation is extr emely crucial in order to meet customer demands as well as keeping up with their wants and needs. It is  critical to have a strong research and development department to keep up with these changes. Standard Products: Within the specialty coffee market there are two products used within conjunction. There is the brewing machine itself and then there is the pod or the cup. There is mild differentiation between products but vast differentiation between different blends or roasts and so on. In the end, what it comes down to is the techniques applied to the brewing processes. Though coffee is not the only thing a Keurig can brew. It can brew a wide variety of beverages such as tea, lemonade, cider, fruit brews, and cocoa, which many competitors cannot compete with. Vertical Integration: By partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Keurig was able to keep the manufacturing and selling process within the boundaries of their supply chain. Also by partnering with Van Houtte, they were able to acquire an already very successful vertically integrated company on top of being able to expand their market share into Canada. GMCR divided their operations into 3 different segments: Specialty Coffee business unit (SCBU), Keurig business unit (KBU), and Canadian business unit (CBU). Each of these carry out different responsibilities such as packaging processes or customer relations. For instance SCBU deals traditional packaging for supermarkets, convenience stores and distributors, while KBU focuses more on single serve packs for at home brewers. Keurig also has many licensing partnerships to carry and promote their product in their stores such as Wal-Mart and Starbucks. Exhibit 2: Five Forces Analysis Rivalry: Weak to Moderate Buyer demand is growing rapidly (-): the specialized coffee industry is growing as exponential rates, in some years even double digit increases Costs to switch are high (-): if a consumer owns a Keurig, then they are unable to switch to any other brand that does not utilize K-Cups Number of buyers are increasing (-): it is a growing market that is spreading rapidly and gaining nationwide attention Fairly high product differentiation (+/-): The brewers themselves are strongly differentiated as well as the diversity in the roasts themselves Threat of New Entrants: Strong Entry barriers are low (+): once Keurig’s patents expired, it made it easier for companies to enter the market and mimic preexisting products Buyer demand is growing (+): specialty coffee drinks are growing dramatically Expanding market segments (+): companies are purchasing or partnering with other companies to increase the geographical market segment. In doing so they are also expanding their product lines buy adding new brews Threat of Substitutes: Moderate to Strong Substitutes are readily available (+): consumers can choose to go to Starbucks or other coffee shops. Customers can also pursue another source of caffeine such as sodas, energy drinks, or 5-hour energy Substitutes have comparable features (+): Whether customers are pursuing a caffeine fix or looking for a good cup of coffee, they are each similar and readily available Relatively high switching costs (-): it would be much cheaper to put a K-Cup into the brewer than to go out to a coffee shop and purchase a specialty brew. Same idea applies for purchasing sodas or energy drinks Supplier Power: Very Strong Differentiated product selection (+): the products available are specific to each company’s needs such as K-Cups or pods. Coffee blends are very specific as well and rely on the same product on a regular basis No good substitutes for suppliers without high switching costs (+): it can be extremely difficult to switch coffee producers. There are specific contracts in place that need to be fulfilled. Supplier industry is more concentrated (+): Keurig obtains its coffee from specific companies that their sole purpose is to provide coffee. The industry is also dominated by a few large companies Bargaining Power of Buyers: Weak Buyer demand is growing (+): It is expected that the specialized coffee industry will continue to grow and bring high demand Buyer might not necessarily be able to postpone purchase (-): The primary purpose of purchasing coffee is for the caffeine intake and waking up. Certain customers integrate coffee into their daily routine and do not fare well without it High switching costs (-): difficult and expensive to purchase an  alternative product. Buyers price sensitive (-): In Keurig’s case, this works to their benefit because purchasing a specialty cup of coffee is more expensive than purchasing K-Cups and customers are likely to revert to Keurig when money is tight Exhibit 3: Driving Forces Entry or exit of major firms: In 2012 when Sara Lee was forced to discontinue their Senseo coffee maker, that in turn opened up a great deal of market share for competing companies such as Keurig to take advantage of. Companies were able to thrive off their misfortune and gain market share and new customers. On the contrary, barriers to entry into the market are relatively low, meaning new competition can arise causing existing companies to have to shift their focus and execute counteracting strategies. Buyer preferences shift to standardized product: With this situation I believe that Keurig has the upper hand whether buyers prefer a standardized product or a differentiated product. The same can apply for a situation in which buyers have to cut costs. Keurig offers both cheap, generic beverages and expensive, high end K-Cup choices. Keurig is the better alternative to purchasing an expensive specialty drink at a coffee shop. Regulatory or government policy change: There could be an increase in price between trade agreements or extra tariffs imposed for importing coffee into the United States. This could cause Keurig to have to make drastic changes in their pricing or expenditures. Although they might not deal directly with importing the coffee, they would surely be impacted down the line and consequently have to bear the brunt of it with increased prices from suppliers. Product innovation: There is always a high probability of a competitor coming out with a revolutionizing innovation that boosts them to the forefront of the market. Both Kraft and Nestle are capable of improving their products and making Keurig seem outdated. Keurig would in turn have to implement a sound strategy to counteract their move and boost their research and development teams. Exhibit 4: Key Success Factors Technology and Innovation: Held 26 US patents and 65 international patents in 2007  Patented proprietary portion-pack system using specially designed filter, sealed in a low-oxygen environment to ensure freshness (K-Cups) Specially designed proprietary high-speed packaging lines that manufactured K-Cups Brewers that precisely controlled the amount, temperature, and pressure of water to provide a consistently superior cup of coffee in less than a minute Eliminating the need to measure water and coffee grounds Marketing: Penetrating the medium and low income homes and not just appealing to high end Reliable pod machine, with easy to use refills, and a variety of coffee flavors that are easy to find. Leading to a 94% customer satisfaction rating Offering My K-Cup to use for personal coffee grounds Encouraging distributors to give away or lease Keurig brewers to businesses in order to attain the real profits from the K-Cups Utilizes â€Å"razorblade model† that keeps customers continually having to replenish their K-Cups once they have purchased the brewer GMCR deriving 90% of consolidated net sales from Keurig appliances and K-Cups and receiving $.04 royalties from every K-Cup sold through partners Expanding Brand Name Vertically integrating their business to keep it within the supply chain Partnered with Van Houtte, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Newman’s Own, Gloria Jean’s, Coffee People, Caribou Coffee, and Tully’s coffee in order to increase market share Partnering with large corporations such as Starbucks, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Staples, and Bed, Bath and Beyond to promote and stock their product on their shelves With these partnerships, Keurig was able to expand their customer base not only geographically but also by expanding their beverage variety to more than coffee and tea Exhibit 5: Competitor Overview Competitor Analysis Despite stiff competition and rapid growth of single cup brewing, barriers to  entry remained relatively low. Although, the high demand for Keurig’s K-cup technology began to vastly outnumber that of its competitors, many still pursued their techniques and innovative strategies. Sara Lee: Their brewing line was called the Senseo which was the first real competitor of Keurig. The Senseo utilized similar brewing techniques by being able to vary the amount of water passing over the coffee, which affected the flavor and strength of the brew. When Keurig introduced their Vue system in 2012, Sara Lee was unable to compete forced to shut down production due to unreliable performance and short product life span. Kraft Foods: Launched their product called the Tassimo, which utilized coffee pods called T-Discs that caught on extremely well in France. After spending nearly $10 million in promoting T-Discs, coffee pod volume grew 26% in 2005 and another 35% the following year in France. Unfortunately, due to lesser quality of coffee and limited user control features, sales were negatively affected. On top of that, in 2012, approximately 835,000 coffeemakers in the US and another 900,000 in Canada as well as 4,000,000 T-Discs were recalled after reports of brewers spraying hot liquid and causing second degree burns to consumers. Mars: They developed a brewing system named Flavia. Their primary focus was creating a coffee maker that would be ideal for the workplace or in a business environment Nestle: Nestle has been in the coffee industry the longest out of the competitors. In 1976 the launched the Nespresso machine that was one of the first to encapsulate the single cup espresso. Their technology quickly caught on and within ten years had expanded their market to Switzerland, Japan, and Italy. In the early 90’s they introduced their household espresso machine in France. By 2000 they were experiencing double digit growth by focusing on the highest quality coffee. Their industry was skyrocketing and in 2006 exceeded revenue of 1 billion, quickly followed by 2 billion in 20 08, then 3 billion in 2010. By 2012 they had over 8,300 employees across 60 countries, offering 30 machine models, which all lead to their 19% market share in espresso and premium coffees that paved the way for the rest of the premium coffee roasters. Exhibit 6: Financial Breakdown The chart below demonstrates the breakdown of net sales between 2010 and 2012 of each of the products the Keurig sells. It is clear the vast majority of  sales is due to sales of single serve packs growing on average nearly 1 million a year. Keurig has experiences substantial growth from year to year with the exception certain royalties. Their ability to rely on the sales of single serve packs acts as their distinctive competency. Exhibit 7: Weighted Competitive Strength Assessment The weighted competitive strength assessment demonstrates that Keurig and Nestle both have the strongest market positions compared to the inferior Kraft and Sara Lee. Keurig exemplifies its strengths in quality and innovation while Nestle has the upper hand in their developed brand name and advertising abilities. Kraft and Sara Lee have lower scores considering their failed attempts to compete at the top only to have their products discontinued or recalled which reflects their overall quality which is demonstrated in the group map below COMPANY ANALYSIS Exhibit 8: Business Level Strategy Keurig focuses their strategy around broad differentiation by offering customers something that competing rivals cannot. Keurig coffee makers have appeal to all coffee drinkers worldwide, especially in the Unites States, whether they are pursuing a premium roast or a basic cup of coffee. They appeal to the niche market of specialized gourmet coffee drinkers with the ability to reach the broader section of all coffee drinkers. They offer something attractively different while keeping quality at a premium. In doing so their customer loyalty continues to flourish with nearly all of them being repetitive buyers as well as a 94% customer satisfaction rating. Through all of their partnerships with other coffee companies they are now able to appeal to vast array of customers, and not just coffee drinkers. Their massive selection of K-Cups includes over 30 brands with over 200 varieties to choose from. Their partnerships have also put them to the forefront by being able to grasp a nationwide market share that appeals to everyone. When it comes to innovation, Keurig’s puts that as a top priority, which keeps them ahead of their imitative competitors, especially when it comes to the speed and simplicity of using their product. Their ability to evolve their technology through innovation is their strongest sustainable  competitive advantage. In addition, their continued increase in capital investments is why they have remained an industry leader as well as their large amount of patents they are able to retain. Keurig would not be nearly as successful without their well-built, in-depth research and development team. Keurig stands by their name of excellence. Lastly, their implemented growth strategies is what will keep them on top with continual improvements and innovations to all aspects of their brand. Of the 90 million households with coffee makers, Keurig has made it their goal to convert half of those coffee makers to Keurigs as well as strongly pursuing hotel rooms to implement their technology. GMCR has four vectors of their growth strategy for Keurig which include new brewer technologies, new beverage categories, new brands, and new channels. Keurig clearly demonstrates their strive for product supe riority over the rest of the market. Exhibit 9: Resources and Competitive Capabilities Resource Strengths Keurig has developed a strong loyal customer base that spans beyond specialty coffee drinkers, and even beyond coffee drinkers for that matter, including tea and cocoa Acquirement and partnership with multiple established companies nationwide that strengthen their market share, customer base, and supply chain success Core Competencies Strong differentiation from their competitors in terms of offering their superior K-Cups and premium roast coffee blends Their strong ability to improve upon their technology with their extremely advanced and well-rounded research and development department Distinctive Competencies Keurig has become an industry leader in the single cup market by vastly differentiating their products from competitors through a series of patents that revolutionize the speed and simplicity of using their coffee makers. Exhibit 10: S.W.O.T.O. Analysis Strengths Keurig is one of the leading innovators in the industry with one of the best research and development teams to back them that are constantly aiming to  improve their brand Expanding the firms brand vertically and geographically to gain greater market share and appeal to consumers by broadening their beverage horizons and offering over 200 different varieties The idea that customers will continually run out of K-Cups and have to repurchase them and earning a $.04 royalty with every K-Cup sold through another brand Weaknesses Keurig, unlike many of the other industry leaders, has not firmly established itself as a strong international brand. In order to stay at the top, a company must compete with its rivals on other playing fields. There is tremendous room for growth internationally, especially with the technology Keurig has to offer Opportunities Total coffee machine sales are projected to increase by 20% from 2011-2016 The specialty coffee industry is experiencing rapid growth New iced coffee drinks are becoming more popular in the market Threats The idea that some of Keurig’s key patents will expire in 2012, meaning they are vulnerable to mimicking as well as potential flooding of new entrants due to the relatively low barriers to entry Increased tariffs or trade barriers Options Implementing a green initiative to encourage recycling as well as developing biodegradable K-Cups to not hurt the environment Expanding internationally and increasing its market share Push to partner with hotels to include a Keurig coffee maker in every room

Analysis of Eliza Doolittles Pygmalion Monologues

In the final scene of George Bernard Shaws play Pygmalion, the audience is surprised to learn that this is not the fairytale romance that  the entire play has been building up to. Eliza Doolittle may be the Cinderella of the story, but Professor Henry Higgins is no Prince Charming and he cannot bring himself to commit to her. The fiery dialogue also transforms the play from comedy to drama as Elizas monologues are filled with passion. We see that she really has come a long way from that innocent flower girl that first appeared on stage. She is a young woman with a mind of her own and new-found opportunities in front of her though she does not quite know where to go now. We also see her slip back into her Cockney grammar as her temper flares. Though she catches and corrects herself, these are final reminders of her past as we wonder about her future. Eliza Expresses Her Desires Prior to this, Higgins has run through Elizas options for the future. It seems to him that her best prospect is to find a man unlike the confirmed old bachelors like me and the Colonel.  Eliza explains the relationship she desired from him. It’s a tender scene that almost warms the Professor’s heart despite himself. ELIZA: No I dont. Thats not the sort of feeling I want from you. And dont you be too sure of yourself or of me. I could have been a bad girl if Id liked. Ive seen more of some things than you, for all your learning. Girls like me can drag gentlemen down to make love to them easy enough. And they wish each other dead the next minute. (much troubled) I want a little kindness. I know Im a common ignorant girl, and you a book-learned gentleman; but Im not dirt under your feet. What I done (correcting herself) what I did was not for the dresses and the taxis: I did it because we were pleasant together and I come--came--to care for you; not to want you to make love to me, and not forgetting the difference between us, but more friendly like. When Eliza Realizes the Truth Unfortunately, Higgins is a permanent bachelor. When he is incapable of offering affection, Eliza Doolittle stands up for herself in this powerfully feisty monologue. ELIZA: Aha! Now I know how to deal with you. What a fool I was not to think of it before! You cant take away the knowledge you gave me. You said I had a finer ear than you. And I can be civil and kind to people, which is more than you can. Aha! Thats done you, Henry Higgins, it has. Now I dont care that (snapping her fingers) for your bullying and your big talk. Ill advertize it in the papers that your duchess is only a flower girl that you taught, and that shell teach anybody to be a duchess just the same in six months for a thousand guineas. Oh, when I think of myself crawling under your feet and being trampled on and called names, when all the time I had only to lift up my finger to be as good as you, I could just kick myself! Does Civility Equal Kindness? Higgins has readily admitted that he is fair in his treatment of everyone. If he is harsh with her, she should not feel bad because he is equally harsh most people he meets.  Eliza jumped on this and the realization forces a final decision from her, at least when it comes to Higgins. This also makes the audience wonder about the commentary on wealth and civility in relation to kindness and compassion. Was Eliza Doolittle as kind when she was living in the gutter? Most readers would say yes, yet it draws a stark contrast to Higgins excuse of unbiased severity. Why does a higher class of society come with less kindness and compassion? Is that really a better way of life? It seems that Eliza struggled with these questions herself. Where is the Happily Ever After Ending? The big question that Pygmalion leaves the audience with is: Do  Eliza and Higgins ever get together? Shaw did not initially say and he intended for the audience to decide for themselves. The play ends with Eliza saying goodbye. Higgins calls after her with, of all things, a shopping list! He is absolutely positive that she will return. In reality, we do not know what happens to the two characters of Pygmalion. This confounded early directors of the play (and the My Fair Lady movie) because many felt that the romance should have blossomed. Some had Eliza return with the necktie from Higgins shopping list. Others had Higgins toss Eliza a bouquet or follow her and beg her to stay. Shaw intended to leave the audience with an ambivalent conclusion. He wanted us to imagine what might happen because each of us will have a different perspective based on our own experiences. Maybe the romantic sort would have the two live happily ever after while those jaded by love would be happy to see her go out in the world and enjoy her independence. The directors attempts to change Shaws ending prompted the playwright to pen an epilogue: The rest of the story need not be shewn in action, and indeed, would hardly need telling if our imaginations were not so enfeebled by their lazy dependence on the ready-mades and reach-me-downs of the ragshop in which Romance keeps its stock of happy endings to misfit all stories.   Though he also gave arguments as to why Higgins and Eliza were incompatible, he did write a version of what happened after the final scene. One feels that it was done with reluctance and its almost a shame to pass along this ending, so if you want to retain your own version, it would be best to stop reading here (you really will not miss much). In his finale, Shaw tells us that Eliza does indeed marry Freddy and the couple opens a flower shop. Their life together is filled with dreariness and not too much success, a far cry from those romantic thoughts of the plays directors.