20 Topics on Consumer Behavior for a Critical Thinking Essay

20 Topics on Consumer Behavior for a Critical Thinking Essay Thinking critically about consumer behavior and producing a strong essay on the subject is a tough challenge. It involves studying marketing principles, human psychology and the complex attitudes which influence buyer decisions. However, the challenging factor multiplies if you had left things up to the last minute. As a result, the simple task of coming up with a title for your essay will be problematic. Do not worry though; the following lines are here to help. Here is a list of 20 topics which will help you write a great critical thinking essay on consumer behavior. You can use these as is or merge two inter-related ones if you think you can do them justice. You can also use these 20 titles for inspiration and come up with your own unique topic. Using Unorthodox Marketing Channels in Brand Building Relying on Celebrity Endorsement as a Marketing Strategy A Comparative Analysis of the Buying Habits of Men and Women Building Brand Loyalty: Challenges, Theories and Success Stories Psychological Factors Which Influence Consumer Choice How Studying Consumer Behavior Can Help Companies Predict Future Trends The Challenges and Opportunities Presented by Today’s Constantly Evolving Markets Understanding the Digitally Hyper-Connected Generation Z Consumers How the Internet Changed Consumer Behavior Cultural Diversity and Consumer Behavior: Highlighting the Impact and Major Concerns The Differences and Similarities of B2B and B2C Marketing The Emergence and Importance of Brand Personalities Important Factors to Consider When Creating Advertising Campaigns The Role of Personality Variables in a Consumer’s Buying Decisions Analysis of Strategies Used to Alter Consumer Attitudes The Growing Impact of Internet Marketing on Consumer Behavior The Impact of a Store’s Environment on Consumer Behavior The Era of Adaptive Customer Experience: How Relevancy and Personalization of Buying Experience Helps Build Brand Loyalty Regaining Consumer Trust after Business Disasters: The Lessons Learned from Businesses The Role of Consumer Insights in Making Marketing More Effective A word of advice: these topics have a broad scope. Though it would have been much easier for us to come up with narrow topics, we focused on broader perspectives to easily customize each topic. To effectively narrow down the scope: Focus on a specific impact factor. Narrow down according to a company. Restrict your topic to a particular country or region. Focus on one population generation. Sample Critical Thinking Essay: The Impact of a Store’s Environment on Consumer Behavior Not long ago, consumers used to focus simply on products functions or attributes before selecting a place to shop at. This has changed recently as now consumers demand added beneficial elements. This is especially true considering the fact that today’s buyers understand how much brands need their businesses. One aspect which they desire the most is a pleasant atmosphere as they shop. Realizing this growing demand, today’s retailers are working harder than ever to integrate convenience into their stores’ surroundings and to ensure huge spaces that spare consumers from feeling stuck or confined as they shop. By definition, atmosphere is a term used to explain consumers’ feelings towards the shopping experience. It can also be described as a design which produces emotional effects on the buyer, enhancing their purchasing probability. Based on these definitions, it is safe to say that an attractive and impressive atmosphere has the power to create an enjoyable experience among consumers, positively affecting their buying decisions and incurring retailers more revenue. There are a set of factors which contribute to the effectiveness of a retail store’s atmosphere. A majority, if not all, should be present to ensure consumers a good shopping experience and keep them captivated enough to come back for more in the future. First off, cleanliness is vital for the atmosphere of the store. Customers are bound to create negative word of mouth if they notice even the slightest speck on product displays or floors. This is because cleanliness of outlets portrays a brand’s dedication to comfort and luxury. Music is another factor that can make or break a retail store’s atmosphere. The sounds can impact consumers’ conscious and unconscious decisions. Styles and tempos of music can influence consumers to buy more at retail outlets. Moreover, pleasant music can lengthen consumption time whereas loud music will drive them away. As music selections and their sound levels differ based on gender as well, stores need to put much thought into what they play in order to ensure buyers of a great environment. Appearances are also taken into consideration while shopping in traditional stores. Contributing to this factor are lighting, colors used, and displays/layout. Lighting goes beyond highlighting products to generating excitement and positively impacting consumer purchasing behavior. Consumers tend to touch products when good lighting shines on them to assess quality. Color is also important for building feelings and affecting consumer attitudes as it has the power to stimulate memories, thoughts, and experiences. For instance, red tends to portray negativity and tension, which is why it is hardly used in comparison with greens and blues. Finally, products are displayed in a way that attracts customers to make impulse purchases. In fact, design and display of products contribute one fourth sales of the outlets. Unfortunately, not many store owners understand the value of the atmosphere and its impact on consumer behavior. As a result, they remain stagnant and refuse to change. On the other hand, some stores make wrong decisions that cost them their clientele. Therefore, this is one aspect that needs to be tackled with care so that stores can truly reap benefits. Of course, you can come up with a better essay since you understand the subject well and have your instructor’s guidelines in mind. So, go on and write a  critical thinking essay before your deadline. References: Peterson, H. (2016). Millennials Are Old News - Here’s Everything You Should Know About Generation Z. Business Insider. Retrieved 26 March 2016, from businessinsider.com/generation-z-spending-habits-2014-6 Priest, J., Carter, S., Statt, D. (2016). Consumer Behaviour (1st ed.). Edinburgh: Edinburgh Business School. Retrieved from https://www.ebsglobal.net/EBS/media/EBS/PDFs/Consumer-Behaviour-Course-Taster.pdf Solomon, M. (1999). Consumer behaviour. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Yarrow, K. Decoding the new consumer mind. Schiffman, L.G. (1993), Consumer Behaviour, Prentice Hall International, London. Schwartz, Barry (2004), The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, Ecco, New York. Elizabeth A. Minton, Lynn R. Khale (2014). Belief Systems, Religion, and Behavioural Economics. New York: Business Expert Press LLC.ISBN 978-1-60649-704-3. 5 Things Every Marketer Should Know About Mobile Commerce. (2016). comScore, Inc. Retrieved 28 March 2016, from https://www.comscore.com/esl/Insights/Blog/5-Things-Every-Marketer-Should-Know-About-Mobile-Commerce Nielsen,. (2016). The Mobile Consumer-A Global Snapshot. Nielsen. Retrieved from nielsen.com/content/dam/corporate/us/en/reports-downloads/2013%20Reports/Mobile-Consumer-Report-2013.pdf Sorofman, J., Polk, J., Newbold-Knipp, K. (2016). Digital Commerce Primer for 2016. Gartner.com. Retrieved 28 March 2016, from https://www.gartner.com/doc/3189320/digital-commerce-primer-

Intellectual Property Rights Example

The Internet/Intellectual Property Rights Example The Internet/Intellectual Property Rights – Coursework Example Importance of enforcing intellectual property violations The Smart Border is a package that was suggested by the Commission in February 2013.it was made after European communication in February 2008 proposing the administration of an entry/ exit system and a registered traveller programme. Smart Borders’ aim is to better the management of the external borders of Schengen member states. In addition to this, it also aims to discourage irregular immigration and information supply about the overstayers. Moreover, it intends to facilitate border crossings towards pre-vetted third country national travellers. It allows a legal flow of goods and services resulting in economic growth (Warburton, 2014).Intellectual property theft refers to the taking off one’s ideas, inventions and creativity without their permission. Intellectual property is anything ranging from trade secrets, proprietary products, movie and music’s parts. Theft has risen particularly with the increase of digital technologies and internet sharing files. IP violation is considered undesirable and unprofitable because it costs U.S a lot of money which is approximately billion of dollars per year. It steals jobs and causes loss of tax revenues in the nation as well.Enforcement of Intellectual property violation is significant because it ends the stealing of ideas that promote the market for the newly made products. For instance, most of the medicines and technology products rely on the design, innovation, research, design and testing applied in their production. Therefore, robbing of the above may lower the market of products made. Also, the enforcement grants rights to the creative thinkers to demand payment of their stolen designs, inventions and creations. In addition to this, the implementation helps in solving the world disputes.Executive order 13,133 is made by the U.S president to improve the critical infrastructure and to ensure there is cyber security. For instance, section 1 policy demonstrates the need to improve the security in cyber. Misuse of the internet can lead to panic selling of shares due to the provision of false information. Evacuation is another result of the messages that are untrue from the internet forcing people to vacate and leave their businesses with no one to take care of (Julius Bombet & Steven Cooper, 2005). ReferencesJulius Bombet, C. L. I., CFE, M. B., & Steven Cooper, J. D. (2005). Intellectual Property Theft. Corporate Investigations, 375.Warburton, C. E. (2014). Intellectual Property Theft. The Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

It's not fair Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

It's not fair - Essay Example I found a little girl on the roadside, with just a silk dress and the cold had already overwhelmed her. She was almost succumbing to the cold and could not speak well besides possible health problems that could have risen from exposure to the extreme level of cold. People seemed to be in a hurry and either did not notice the little girl or they chose to ignore her in preference for their schedules. I also had a tight schedule but the possibility of the girl losing her life caught my attention. I was on my way to school and two main things induced the dilemma. I always planned for a time allowance for which I would arrive in school within five minutes from the formal reporting time. Lateness amounted to punishment by the school authority. In addition, we had a class assessment test and the school’s policy provide that a person cannot take an exam once he or she is at least 15 minutes late for the exam. I therefore had to consider facing one or both of the school penalties for lateness. Alternatively and like other people, I would leave this girl to face fate. My conscience however dictated my decision and I expected the same rationale from the school authority. I believe in utilitarianism, a moral philosophy that provides that decisions and actions are judged based on their consequences, and that a decision or an act is moral if it generates greater benefits, than harm, to a larger population. While reporting to school and for exam on time would only benefits the sc hool for achieving its goal of implementing its internal rules, saving the child’s life would benefit the child and her parents, other relatives and friends. I would also derive self-satisfaction in saving a life and my action would be attributed to the school, which is a social institution and should be active in promoting social wellness. I therefore decided to seek avenues for helping the child by taking her to a medical facility. I

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Leadership - Essay Example In light of this she is still to give recommendations to the senior management on where the ‘additional’ officers will be deployed. Kathy’s team members are aware of this move and as a result they are distressed: an aspect that as earlier stated is affecting their work performance a great deal. The main aim for Kathy is to ensure that the team members’ work performance is within acceptable levels especially during this transition period. This paper will use a leadership approach to come up with how best to solve the dilemma Kathy has. Leaders are supposed to always be able to ensure that things are done through influencing others. For a leadership process to be complete there has to be the leader followed by the task to handle and lastly the ones being led: termed as followers. Â  According to Stojkovic et al. (2008) a leader has to be visionary, good behaviour, be charismatic, have a trait and above all manifest a form of leadership style. Leaders in daily duties are faced with situations that force them to act in a certain manner. Situational variables dictate what to be done and at what time. Some of the situational factors that are of importance to consider are the style the leader opt, followers’ behaviours and capabilities among others. Contingency theories therefore play a key role in guiding leaders on how to lead more so depending on situational analysis. Contingency theories indicate that there is no particular style of leadership that can apply to any given situation. This clearly stipulates th at leaders’ approaches to a demanding situation will depend hugely on the dynamics that the situation poses. The same case applies to leaders themselves whereby if one fails to change with a situation then the chances of success in a volatile environment are slim. Decision making process is complex and can be made simple by a leader’s ability to appreciate change in the environment and by approaching

Retail or Wholesale Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Retail or Wholesale - Research Paper Example marketing retail goods is disadvantageous in that the retailers do not enjoy discounts when buying goods in bulk as wholesalers do when buying from manufacturers. Retail goods face the challenge of having a low turnover rate, as compared to wholesale goods. This is as a result of selling goods in pieces to consumers; however, wholesale goods have a high turnover rate since many retailers buy from wholesalers in bulk. Another challenge faced when marketing wholesale goods is the risk of wholesalers experiencing a huge loss when retailers fail to buy their bulk goods (Bridges & Strelzoff, 2011). A possible new market segment for a video game is the air industry. The target is families with kids less than 10 years boarding long flights. The business strategy will involve collaborating with airplane companies, which will result in installing the video game devices on airplane seats so that kids can play when on board (Klaas & Gainey, 2007). In essence, the marketing strategy entails selling the video games to airline companies. The conventional way of passing time during a flight is watching T.V., listening to music or reading a magazine. This marketing strategy is different in that it involves passing time and entertaining kids during a flight (Whysall, 2011). Klaas B, Gainey T. (2007). Professional Employer Organizations and Their Impact on Client Satisfaction With Human Resource Outcomes: A Field Study of Human Resource Outsourcing in Small and Medium Enterprises. Journal of Management ,

Marketing Analysis of the NHS

Marketing Analysis of the NHS NHS Resource Profile The essence of developing a marketing strategy for a company is to ensure that the companys capabilities are matched to the competitive market environment in which it operates, notjust for today, but into the foreseeable future. At the heart of strategy liesthe need to assess critically both the organisations resource profile (often referred to as its strengths and weaknesses) and the environment it faces (Hooley, Saunders and Piercy, (2004).) With reference to academicliterature and to the National Health Service as an organisation, criticallyevaluate the mechanisms available to management by which it can assess: The organisations resource profile and The marketing environment it faces. Background to the NHS The NHS was set up on 5thJuly 1948 to provide healthcare for all citizens, based on need, not theability to pay. (www.nhs.uk) Prior to this date access to treatment depended oneither the ability to pay, or the goodwill of doctors in hospitals funded bycharitable donations. The latter was a very strained resource and often it wasonly the working parent, usually the man, who was able to access suchtreatment, which he often paid for by way of deductions from salary to schemessuch as the Hospital Saving Association ( www.hsa.co.uk ). Today the healthservice is formed of many trusts, reporting into the department of health,consisting of community services Trusts, Ambulance Trusts to Hospital Trusts.Care is made available for all who need it. Current government statedpriorities, as quoted on www.nhs.uk are given in National Service Frameworks are Cancer Paediatric Intensive Care Mental Health Coronary Heart Disease Older People Diabetes Renal services Childrens services Long Term Conditions The launch of the health servicewas very high profile (www.bbc.co.uk) and still often shown within healthcaretelevision coverage today. Over the last fifty years, many changes have beenmade to the service (www.nhs.uk/history) to enhance itsofferings to the public, yet today the NHS is often in the news for negative reasons. Despite the obvious good work that the NHS does, it is the longwaiting lists, MRSA and occasional health problems that come to the forefrontin the eyes of the media. Again, marketing can play a big part in theperception of the service in the eyes of the public. Organisations resource profile At the heart of strategy lies theneed to assess critically both the organisations resource profile (oftenreferred to as its strengths and weaknesses) and the environment it faces(Hooley, Saunders and Piercy).) In the 1990s the inside-out approach tomarketing, the resource based view (RBV) became popular with strategists suchas Grant, for its new approach which looked inside the firm to assess itscore competencies and to determine which competencies should be used for competitiveadvantage. A neo-classical approach, the resource view was that the externalenvironment was constantly changing and that it would be difficult forcompanies to keep changing with it, rather they ought to stick with what theyknow best and concentrate on their core offerings. The value chain approachoffered by Michael Porter, reaffirmed by Johnson and Scholes, also emphasisedthe importance of understanding how the internal organisational factors addvalue to and impact on the external environmental influences affe cting thefirm. The value chain activities are split into primary activities (inboundand outbound logistics, operations, marketing, sales and customer service) andsecondary activities (infrastructure, human resource management, technologydevelopment and procurement). All of the above chain linkages will need tobe assessed for the NHS in trying to ascertain the organisations resourceprofile. Taking the Value Chain approachand applying it to the NHS The value chain will now be takenand applied to what is known about the NHS in the public domain. (newspapers,media and www.nhs.co.uk) Primary activities Inbound and outbound logisticsrelate to the receiving and distribution of goods and services. Within the NHSlogistics would consist of the following Patients, who would either be transported by their own methods or by ambulances in order to receive the treatment. Drugs, dressings and other pharmaceutical supplies Staff who may travel to and from hospitals, to and from other medical establishments and from either of the former to a patients home/ destination and so on Medical equipment, such as surgical instruments and monitors Non medical equipment such as beds, linen, catering requirements, cleaning equipment and stationary Warehousing of goods From the above, it is noticeablethat there are a range of logistical activities, notably many of these aremanaged by different departments and others outsourced, such as catering andcleaning. Obviously where outsourcing has taken place, NHS Managers have takenthe decision that such services do not come under its core competencies andplaced the management of such activities in external hands. Non the less,outsourced activities are still very much an integral part of a companys valuechain, but where control of activities is outsourced there is a chance of aweak link (Porter) and notably much of the bad publicity (regularly referencedon national and regional news) surrounding the hospitals is indeed as a resultof questionable cleanliness (such as MRSA) and poor quality nutrition. Poorpublicity has an impact on public perception of service quality and the waythat the NHS counteracts this by efficient use of marketing is of importance. Operations transforms these variousinputs into the final product or service (Johnson and Scholes) by pulling allthe operational activities together, be they controlled directly oroutsourced. It is therefore a key link in the chain to ensure servicedelivery. The marketing and sales activitiesare responsible for raising awareness of the services provided by the NHS andthe perception of the quality of service it supplies to the public. Doctorswaiting rooms are full of adverts for services to prolong life, enhance healthand therefore use the service less such as those that target smokers to stop,heart disease campaigns to encourage the public to eat 5 or more portions offruit and vegetables per day, well man and well woman clinics and so on. Manyof these adverts run into national advertising, such as the daily newspaper,whilst local initiatives are often mentioned on the regional news. In additionthe NHS has an informative website www.nhs.uk which gives advice offeringa section on your health (to include self help guidance) and information oncurrent national health campaigns such as help a heart week and everymanmale cancer campaign. Just how much the website is referenced is unknown andone must question whether indeed the public even know of its existence. But marketing is not all aboutadvertising campaigns, especially within the not for profit sector where thereis a reliance on key relationships and networks (Caeson, Cromie, McGowan,Hill). Whilst logistics partners have already been referenced, a goodrelationship between the NHS marketing departments and the outsourced companiesis very important to ensure consistency of message on joint issues, such as thecleaning contractors approach to cleanliness and the rise of MRSA. Within thenot for profit sector there is a reliance on corporate support, national andlocal government support and the goodwill of the public, some of whom areinvolved in management committees (positions are advertised within the localpress). With the NHS being split into multiple trusts, some with differingspecialisms inter trust relationships are key to the treatment of certainpatients, thus creating more linkages in the chain and more marketingrelationships required. All of the above impact on bothinternal and external customer service and perception of service. Secondary activities Secondary activities are sometimescalled support activities as they support the primary activities mentionedabove. Procurement is the processes foracquiring the various resource inputs to the primary activitiesoccurs in manyparts of the organisation. (Johnson and Scholes). Within a complexorganisation, such as a trust, there are many ways to procure goods andservices from both the physical approach to the electronic methods. Technology development ranges fromthe hospital Consultants know how, to computer systems used for medicalrecords, to pharmacy systems linked to drugs. All of these will be managed byhuman resources some directly employed by the trust, some contracted to thetrust and some working for contract companies contracted to the trust. Allstaff will report directly to their line manager, and ultimately they to thetrust manager, advised by a committee, and that manager to the Secretary ofState for Health. Non-the-less, each member of staff employed by or within atrust is an internal marketer (Gummesson) and who they interact with bothinside and outside of the trust gains an impression of the trust by associationwith them. This is all held together by thefirms infrastructure, the systems of planning, finance, quality control,information management (Johnson and Scholes). Marketing environment facing theNHS Successfulcompanies take an outside-inside view of their business. They recognise thatthe marketing environment is constantly spinning new opportunities and threatsand understand the importance of continuously monitoring and adapting to thechanging environment. (Kotler) Analysing theenvironment for any organisation will involve a review of the political,economic, social and technical (PEST) environment it is in or faces. For theNHS, it is a UK based healthcare provider for the public, funded bycontributions made from taxes distributed by the government to each of thetrusts. It operates within a politically stable economy with funds pledged byboth the current and previous governments to the service for improvements inhealthcare and salaries for staff. The economic environment facing the NHS isa growing economy with a rising elderly population and less working people tosupport them. In addition, it has become increasingly difficult to recruitmedical staff (national press) and shortages have often been counteracted byemploying staff from other EU countries, which in turn increases the populationwithin the UK. This again has been a subject of press attention, againnegative for the NHS. The social/ cultural environment shapes beliefs, valuesand norms (Ko tler). Belief in the core values of the health service and theservices it offers was high on the publics list of concerns during the lastgeneral election, as if the NHS is an integral part of the UK and its culture. The technological environment is moving fast within the health caresector, as well as drugs being continually developed, techniques for operationsare being advanced and the use of technologies for both medical andadministrative procedures. Such are rarely mentioned in the press. Traditionally,before formulating a marketing strategy a company would usually undertake aSWOT analysis, that is to understand its strengths and weaknesses and realiseopportunities and steer clear of known and potential threats. The keyelements, in the authors opinion are listed below. Strengths Although not a monopoly, there is no real competitor for the NHS. Whilst private hospitals are available throughout the UK, the Accident and Emergency service is unique to the NHS. The fact that there is continual monitoring of waiting lists is proof that the demand outstrips supply The NHS has been established since 1948 and continues to grow and expand upon its services. Weaknesses Unable to cope with the demand due to the increasing population Possibly the management of the linkages of the chain, per the resource analysis Opportunities To use marketing strategies to raise the profile of the NHS Increase of private investment Threats Image of the NHS being affected by the work of contractors Staff turnover high Of course, theabove SWOT is written down by the author with no first hand working knowing ofthe NHS trusts. As with most SWOTs, the above is based on perception which,in turn, is based on the interpretation of information in the public domain,based on regular articles in the media. So in effect, marketing has alreadyhad an impact on this view. It is likely that many people will all havedifferent perceptions of the NHS, depending on their outlook and any personalexperience they may have. However, given the number of NHS trusts in operationand the number of different operating units even an employee working for onebusiness unit is likely to have a different perception to another. Another tool toassess the NHS would be to undertake a marketing audit, a comprehensive,systematic, independent, and periodic examination of a companys marketingenvironment.with a view to determining problem areas and opportunities(Kotler) . This would indeed be a complex affair. Each trust is strategicallyresponsible for itself, so it may be presumed that it is responsible for itsmarketing activity, but with one NHS website indications are that it iscentrally controlled. Included within the audit would need to be an audit ofthe outsourced companies and their way of representing the NHS. With differentcompanies and indeed trusts operational throughout the UK there are bound to be different corporate cultures and core values which would need tobe considered and addressed if possible. Resource basedview resume v marketing based strategies recommendations From theresource based critique, it was seen that marketing affects every part of theNHS. Having evaluated the NHS against the resource based view, using thevalue chain model; it can be observed that the NHS is indeed a complex organisation.Over the years, it has gone from being a totally autonomous organisation whichdoes everything for itself, to one that now out sources various functions suchas technology, hygiene, and distribution and so on. Of course it hasrecognised that its core competencies lie within the medical services itprovides to its customers, patients, and has concentrated on this side.However, despite the obvious good work it undertakes and millions of livestreated, there is not much awareness made of this important achievement in thenational press, rather it is the down side that is much advertised, much ofwhich is as a result of losing control by outsourcing activities such ashygiene. The NHS does not appear to use marketing as a way of counter attackingsuch reports with headlines such as Doctor saves x many lives in one year.. The resource based view takes very much the relational approach of the notfor profit sector, relying on goodwill, government interaction, committees,initiatives and letting the public know via a website. Probably the marketingfunction is not prominent within the NHS Trust. Whilst the traditional 4Ps (price,product, place, promotion) approach to marketing may not necessarily be thebest approach for the NHS Trust, given its unique prominence in healthcarewithin the UK, there is a definite need to promote the success stories, ofwhich there are most likely to be numerous. Key recommendations for futuremarketing and development are to Place marketing at the centre of the management function Enhance PR activities to both feed positive information into the government as well as out to the various publics in the country. Appoint marketing oriented representatives on each of the trusts managing committees. Internally market successes to staff and try and retain staff for longer. (A separate exit interview exercise will need to be taken for this) Encourage more private investment to grow the service and its core staff. Bibliography Brassington, F, Pettitt, S (2000) Principles of Marketing (2nd Edition) (Essex,Pearson Education Limited: 2000) Caeson, D., Cromie, S., McGowan,P., Hill, J. (1995) Marketing and entrepreneurship inSMEs: An Innovative Approach (Harlow: Financial Times, Prentice Hall) Donaldson, B (1995) Customer Service as a Competitive Strategy Journal ofStrategic Marketing, Vol.3 No.2: June 1995 Doyle, P (1998) Marketing Management and Strategy (2nd Edition)(Hemel Hempstead, Prentice Hall: 1998) Drummond, G, Ensor, J, Ashford, R (2003) Strategic Marketing: Planning and Control (2ndEdition) (Oxford, Butterworth Heinemann: 2003) Egan, C (1997) Creating Organisational Advantage (3rd Edition)(Oxford, Butterworth Heinemann: 1997) Grant, R (1992) Contemporary Strategy Analysis (2nd Edition)(Cambridge Massachusetts, Blackwell Publishers: 1992) Gummesson, E (1998) Implementation Requires a Relationship Marketing ParadigmJournal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Vol.26, No.3, pages 242 249 Johnson, G. Scholes, K (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy (6th edition) (Harlow, Financial Times, Prentice Hall: 2002) Kotler, P (1997) Marketing Management Analysis, Planning, Implementationand Control) (9th Edition) (New Jersey, Prentice Hall: 1997) Lynch, R (2003) Corporate Strategy 3rd edition. (London, Financial Times Pitman: 2003) Porter, M (1985) Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance (New York, Free Press: 1985) Whittington, R (1997) What is Strategy and does it Matter? (London, InternationalThompson Business Press: 1997) www.bbc.co.uk www.hsa.co.uk www.nhs.uk

Bill Gates :: William H. Gates III Biography Essays

Bill Gates Bill Gates, cofounder of the Microsoft corporation, holds 30.7 percent of its stock making him one of the richest people in the United States. He was the marketing and sales strategist behind many of Microsoft's software deals. Their software became the industry standard in the early 1980s and has just increased in distribution as the company has grown, so much that the Federal government is suggesting that Microsoft has violated Sherman and Clayton antitrust acts. Bill Gates' first interest in computers began at Lakeside, a private school in Seattle that Gates attended. There he wrote his "first software program when I was thirteen years old. It was for playing tic-tac-toe"(Gates 1). It was at Lakeside that Gates met Paul Allen, who later became cofounder with Gates of Microsoft. There they became friends and "began to mess around with the computer"(Gates 2). Back in the sixties and early seventies computer time was expensive. "This is what drove me to the commercial side of the software business"(Gates 12). Gates, Allen and a few others from Lakeside got entry-level software programming jobs. One of Gates early programs that he likes to brag about was written at this time. It was a program that scheduled classes for students. "I surreptitiously added a few instructions and found myself nearly the only guy in a class full of girls"(Gates 12). In 1972 Intel released their first microprocessor chip: the 8008. Gates attempted to write a version of BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) for the new Intel chip, but the chip did not contain enough transistors to handle it. Gates and Allen found a way to use the 8008 and "started Traf-O-Data, a computer traffic analysis company"(Clayton 452) It worked well however, marketing their new machine proved to be impossible. "No one actually wanted to buy the machine, at least not from a couple teenagers"(Gates 14). Gates and Allen had more less successful endeavors in starting a software company. In 1974 Intel announced their new chip: the 8080. The two college students sent off letters "to all the big computer companies, offering to write them a version of BASIC for the new Intel chip. We got no takers"(Gates 15). While at Harvard, the cool thing to do was to slack off on classes for most of the semester and try and see how well the student could do at the end. Steve Ballmer and Gates "took a tough graduate- level economics course together- Economics 2010.

Buying Happiness: The Depressing Reality of Materialism, written by Peter Dobson

In the article â€Å" Buying Happiness: The Depressing Reality of Materialism, written by Peter Dobson, he analyses the causes of depression as well as the potential cure. Dodson makes clear what he believes to be the root of depression for people in society. Dodson’s arguments are clear throughout his article and with the statistical data used, it seems to be the best possible to strengthen. His article is not specific to any one group of people but actually to everyone who is a consumer. Dodson is very persuasive in his argument and he is successful at dong so because of his supporting evidence. It is made easy for the readers to understand and relate to his arguments. Dodson’s argues that one of the major reasons many are depressed is due to the many activities people participate in that actually does not result in much emotional, physical or mental benefit. Dobson was persuasive in this argument because many can relate to the experience of feeling empty even after participating in a number if activities. This is because there are always new things to buy, new sites to surf which can only hold out attention for so long and keep us excited or happy for even less. Those who consume themselves in these activities frequently tend to be more materialistic, who replace the void of happiness with many useless things. Dodson is quite persuasive when he analyses this because he references the feelings that a person may encounter as well as the effect it has on the relationships with others around them and the world they now feel secluded in. Dodson makes his readers think about their own experiences, which many will be able to relate to his arguments. Dodson gets in to the minds of his reader’s by analyzing what people do compared to what they should be doing. He is successfully persuasive in how he presents his arguments because the reader’s may already know that with lack of interaction and socialization comes the feeling of depression. Dodson observes trends in Canadians and uses statistical data published by the Washington post in 2006 to help argue that Americans spend less time with their families and more time at work. Dodson’s argument is persuasive once again. He makes a strong correlation between working and the time spent with family. Less time with family equals more time eating along and less human contact, which is needed for the growth of humans and maintaining mental health. Less time with family can leas to depression because more time is taken consumed in work you would rather not do. Dodson is persuasive because he takes a sensitive topic such as family and he breaks it down to show how family is one of the strongest and significant structure needed in anyone’s life. He proves that without much of a family structure or the necessary time spent with family, people tend to feel more isolated and less supported. Dobson makes clear that without one another, especially those who mean a lot to you then we don’t have much to build happiness from. With all the trends and repetitive behavior Dodson put into perspective, the readers are easily persuaded to believe that we as people and as a society are moving down a path with a dead end. We tend to assume that those with high standards of living should automatically be happy. Dodson makes clear with facts that material goods can only allow people to live comfortably but in no way does this guarantee happiness. Dodson is persuasive because he states facts that are easily agreed with. People in society can understand what it takes to be happy and understand that having wealth and material things can possibly harm us rather than do us any good because it simply doesn’t fulfill our deepest desires. It actually suppresses it causing more of a void and desire to be happy. Having to buy the latest fashion and keep up with trends while losing more sleep can all lead to stress. The thought alone is tiresome. This is what Dodson tries to get his readers to understand and relate to. He paints a picture to his readers about how easy it is for these activities to lead to lowered self esteem and reduced sense of well being, which is nothing close to rewarding. This alone is a huge trigger for depression. Dodson uses his own analysis and it is successfully used to persuade his readers that there is a certain lifestyle to be lived by for regular people. He makes clear on what leads to depression and what we should be doing to cure this illness. The supporting evidence used helps the readers to understand the point of view and put themselves in relatable situations. Dodson persuades his readers that we are not on the correct path and are actually steered away from what the true meaning of happiness is. Dodson Summary In the article â€Å"Buying Happiness: The Depressing Reality Of Materialism†, by Peter Dodson, he analyses the causes of depression in society as well as potential cures. He argues that society is on a dead path to happiness and that levels of depression are actually at all time high. Money buys happiness† is one of the notions our society abides by which is actually hindering and the leading cause of depression. We are nowhere near happiness because we are misguided by what we believe true happiness to be. The author addresses the issues and correlation between money and material goods. He addresses the assumption that people who have high standards of living are believed to be happy, which is fal se. Money and material goods only provide a comfortable lifestyle but in no way does it guarantee happiness. Studies have actually shown that in addiction to this, intense pursuit of wealth and material goods can actually lead a person to become ill. Dodson argues that people are more prone to depression when they embrace materialism. Materialistic people tend to participate in activities, which actually provide them with no physical, mental or emotional benefits. They are only provided with short-term satisfaction but nothing to truly fulfill their deepest desires. Engaging in these activities also leads to lack of social interaction and doing things that are better for their well being. Dodson also addresses the fact that more people are working more thus leading to less time spent with family, which is an important part of growth. We require interaction with others and the less this is being done the more depressed people become. More time is spent doing activities alone such as: eating, watching tv and none to discuss personal problems with. With the many different trends Dodson proves how we are moving in the wrong direction and need to change a lot of our activities and mindset in order to move away from depression and towards happiness.

cinderella the musical Essay Example

cinderella the musical Essay Example cinderella the musical Essay cinderella the musical Essay cinderella the musical BY 10021991 Walt Disneys 1950 animated feature film Cinderella, which was based on the fairy tale Cendrillon by Charles Perrault and the Grimms Fairy Tales. Everyone knows the story, and the animated film is a beloved classic. The challenge then for Resorts World Manilas production of Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella is to measure up to such high standards. Just an aside: Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella is a 1957 musical written for television, starring no less than Julie Andrews. Its been remade for television twice, ith one version featuring Brandy Norwood, Whitney Houston, Bernadette Peters, and our very own Paolo Montalban. Its also been adapted for the stage numerous times. Most recently, Lea Salonga played the title role. Stepping into the glass slippers this time is Karylle Tatlonghari, with Christian Bautista playing Prince Charming (or rather, as his character is named, Prince Christopher). The chemistry between the romantic leads is crucial, and Karylle and Christian have it in spades. Having partnered up before in West Side Story, Rama Hart, and Kitchen Musical, its obvious they are naturally at ease with one another, hich helps them portray the breathless exhilaration of falling in love without appearing corny (perfect casting for a telenovela! ) And their stellar vocal chops allow them to hit the difficult high notes of the songs. Rodgers and Hammersteins songs are very pleasant and hummable, with organic lyrics that are essential to narrating the story. Standout songs include In My Own Little Corner, Impossible/lts Possible, and the haunting Do I Love You Because Youre Beautiful? Playing Cinderellas stepmother, Sweet Plantado chews the scenery (but in a good ay) and steals the show with every lip curl and cutting one-liner. The two bickering stepsisters (Gianina Ocampo and Maronne Cruz) display a flair for physical comedy and slapstick. The comic relief provided by the villains is a nice antidote to all the sweetness. Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, the glamorous fairy godmother, appears at a critical time and in grand fashion, landing from the sky. Cinderella wishes she could go to the Princes ball, along with all the young ladies in the land. Applying reverse psychology, the fairy godmother gently chides her for fixating on wishes and dreams and ncourages her to be responsible for her own destiny. Cinderella starts to form a plan. What if she hitched a ride along the next carriage, or fixed the dress that her stepmother had callously ripped? But before she can fgure out a plan, the fairy message of female empowerment is not pushed far enough, unlike in, say, Ever After. One wonders how the story would turn out if Cinderella had taken control of the situation. But then we would have missed the magic. With the aid of smoke and fog, a bit of pyrotechnics, and a super-quick costume change, the mice are transformed into orsemen, a white carriage arrives (but alas, no pumpkin! ) and Cinderella gets a makeover, changing from peasant to princess. These transformations were much appreciated by the audience, who clapped with every dramatic presto change-o. Aside from the performances, the shows winning formula is the fantastic stage design by Andrew Botha. How do you measure up to Walt Disneys Cinderella? With the clever use of animation, of course, the stage scenery includes a massive video wall that shows flat and 3D animated illustrations of the different locations, from the town, to Cinderellas house, to the palace. This presents endless possibilities for setting and scene changes. The quaint illustrations, similar to that of a storybook, are jazzed up with layers, motion, and precise transitions, creating an immersive world. There are also video screens flanking the stage, providing a live feed of the action onstage, as well as close-ups. The more traditional set design includes a grand staircase and an enormous fireplace. The songs, performance, and multi-media stage design all come together to bring the fairy tale to life. It may not achieve the perfection of the Walt Disney animated film, but it holds its own.

Freuds psychodynamic theory essays

Freud's psychodynamic theory essays Sigmund Freud believed that people have three levels of awareness, which are the conscious, preconscious, and the unconscious. Freud developed a detailed theory on how our own thoughts and feelings affect our actions. It is known as Freuds Psychodynamic Theory. The words psyche or mind and dynamo meaning power are derived from the Greek language. He believed that we can infer the existence of the unconscious through slips of the tongue and dreams. Years later this theory is still prevalent in todays psychology. Today, many therapists use psychodynamic psychotherapy, which tries to get the patient to bring to the surface their true feelings, so that they can experience them and understand them. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy uses the basic assumption that everyone has an unconscious mind, and that feelings held in the unconscious mind are often too painful to be faced. So people come up with defenses to protect themselves from knowing about these painful feelings. An example of one of these defenses is called denial. Psychodynamic therapy assumes that these defenses have gone wrong and are causing more harm than good that is why the person needed to seek help. It tries to unravel them, as once again, it is assumed that once you are aware of what is really going on in your mind the feelings will not be as painful. Psychodynamic theories are attempts to explain a portion of the human condition. Psychodynamic concepts-including the concepts of transference, countertransference, and splitting-rest in the belief that present behavior is influenced by past behavior which may or may not be in the awareness of the participant. All interactions are affected to a lesser or greater degree by past behaviors. (Bonniver, 1992) Freud also had developed the idea of psychoanalysis. It is very similar to psychodynamic therapy. In Psychoanalysis, the therapist attempts to get access t...

Brand Development Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Brand Development Plan - Essay Example Table of Contents Introduction 5 Assumptions 5 Position Strategy 6 Target Market 7 Competitor Analysis 8 Point of Difference 10 Point of Parity 10 Building Brand Equity 11 Brand Awareness 11 Selection and Justification of Brand Elements 12 Brand Image 12 Communication Strategy 13 Measuring Brand Equity 13 Recommendation 14 Conclusion 14 References 15 Introduction Last Chance is a diversified corporation based in Australia that produces and sells products of different kinds. The company now does not have any product in the beverage industry. It has, therefore, decided to make an entry into the Australian market for soft drinks. The company intends to develop a new product for the beverage market. In order to launch the brand successfully in the market, the company has to conduct a research on the existing brands in the market and their performance. ...A proposal has been presented in this article on how the brand can effectively manage its functionalities so as to yield positive and e ncouraging outcomes. The paper provides insights into strategic positioning of the brand, the target customers, potential and incumbent firms, strategies of developing brand equity and building the brand’s communication strategy on the basis of evaluation of the various factors that have been identified to make probable effects on the brand’s image. Assumptions Last Chance is planning to penetrate into a new market. It is important to note that this market has a number of established players. Hence in order to develop its brand image and retain it in the minds of the customers for a long period of time, Dew Fresh has to make certain reasonable assumptions about the characteristics of the market in which it is venturing. The most important assumptions are mentioned below: 1. The prime customer group for Dew fresh is the young population belonging to the age group of 12 to 30 years. The people of this generation are young, active and enthusiastic. 2. Trends in the soft d rink industry show that the majority of customers belong to the above mentioned age group. They are open to new ideas and are willing to experiment with the products that they use in their daily lives. 3. There are various kinds of beverages in the Australian market. However, any kind of herbal energy drink has not been yet developed. Hence this new kind of soft drink is expected to gain a comfortably big customer base.

Womens Traditional Roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Womens Traditional Roles - Essay Example Women have played a major role in shaping and developing the society. They have demonstrated that without their influence a society cannot reach anywhere. They are vital to the development of the family and have important roles and responsibilities to fulfil. In the essay â€Å"I want a Wife†, Judy Brady tries to analyse the role of the women of the 1970’s and the responsibilities towards their husbands. This essay shall give out a brief of that writing as well as the author’s own opinions on the role and the duties of women towards their husbands as well as their families. In the essay the writer talks about how important it is for the woman to satisfy the sexual needs of the husband. It is of extreme concern that woman should be able to satisfy the sensual as well as the sexual wants and needs of the husband. The man expects his wife to be ready for making love at any time of the day, as he expects his wife to make him happy through these things. While the husb and is busy earning for the family being the bread earner, the role of the woman is more confined to the house and towards her husband and her children. The importance of wife as a cook who feeds her husband has been played out in the essay. Wife is indeed the source through which the husband gets his daily meals, and therefore her inputs are considered to be very important. She is the one who makes tasty meals so that her husband can have a good time eating meals and enjoy his food. She tries to satisfy the hunger of her husband by cooking delicious meals in order to win his heart as well.