Web 2.0 †Simplifying the Complicated Essay Example for Free

Web 2.0 – Simplifying the Complicated Essay Ever since its birth, Web 2. 0 has become a tempting topic of small talk everywhere technology is discussed. In most cases, those small talks can lead to lengthy discussions, and even debates. The word, to begin with, took time before settling with a definitive description. The processes and characteristics are also repeatedly debated about. If there is anything more intriguing with Web 2. 0, it is the power that it gives website visitors. It empowers web users to become part of the creation of a site, to associate themselves with a specific brand or service, or even with mere ideas. It creates a pool of knowledge which fosters collective intelligence, which becomes useful for all users. It also creates new uses for old applications, enabling them to be recreated and popularized. Introduction Except with enough interest on technology, Web 2. 0 is more of a jargon than a utility for many. What majority of internet users do not realize is that they are already using it even without them knowing. Web 2. 0 has suddenly taken over the whole computing industry. The takeover was so sudden that even experts agree that this has become the way computing today should be—or will be. The confusion is forgivable. For many, Web 2. 0 is a complicated thing. The more experts try to simplify it, the more complicated it becomes. To begin with, it is extremely difficult to at least define the term. There is also a lot of confusion as to where the Web 2. 0 begins; and where Web 1. 0 ends. Moreover, there is the question if the latter ends where the former begins. To better understand the word, it takes an analysis of the bits and pieces that make it up. We begin with the internet. (MacManus, 2005; Ding, 2007) The internet is designed to share and give out information. It began as an avenue for data creators and owners to send their information to others, often specific recipients. In review, it has become effective to what it is aimed at. The internet has become a way to make information available for others. The whole point of this information process is the need for knowledge. 55% of richness all over the world comes from knowledge. Peter Druker even said that the most production increase happens with the increase of knowledge. Today, communication has become more than just a one-on-one process. With information coming from sources of all directions, intelligence has become collective. The internet is one viable process of communication that cannot be underestimated. Without any initial help from bigger companies, the internet reaches one billion users. It should be noted that information is different from knowledge—and knowledge is different from intelligence. Information only becomes knowledge when a user processes it. In the same way, intelligence is a collection of knowledge. Thus, a single piece of information is not knowledge until used, while a single piece of knowledge cannot be called intelligence unless other knowledge is grouped with it. (Idehen, 2004; Bates, 2005) Communication enabled a big shift for knowledge. Where before knowledge is from one point to another (1 to 1), with communication it has become one point to several receiving points (1 to n). Thus, it can be said that there is an increase in the efficiency of knowledge sharing through communication. Yet, the web age has also contributed more to this. Thus, the Web 1. 0 and Web 2. 0. In Web 1. 0, everybody is creating information (n to n). In response, everybody can access information too (n to n). Instead of a linear process, there is a cycle of information sharing happening to all involved—the senders and receivers of information who are also receivers and senders in their respective rights. Web 1. 0 became an alternative way to communicate because of this efficiency that it offered everybody. (Barefoot, 2006) It does not only get information, it also gives information in return. Web 2. 0 – Simplifying the Complicated aims to present how Web 2. 0 works. It creates a bird’s eye view of the definitions. It also consults the processes of how Web 2. 0 is taking the web and its users. Effects, both good and bad, will also be analyzed. In the end, there is an attempt to conclude: is Web 2. 0 hype or a formation that is here to stay? Literature Review The word Web 2. 0 was coined by Dale Dougherty in 2004. (Anderson, 2007) Since then, it has become a widely-used word. Experts are talking about Web 2. 0 as if it is a new revolution. Indeed, it is. The word Web 2. 0 has been used and abused by many. Singel (2005) quoted Tim O’Reilly who defined the term as the framework of participation for the purpose of information. Schindler (2007) agreed to this statement, defining Web 2. 0 as the collaborative internet. However, Boutin (2006) claimed that definitions to the word may change, depending on who is using the term. Thus, no single definition can be associated with it. Almost every netizen is already using the Web 2. 0 in one way or another. Anderson (2007) identified that the Web 2. 0 is the use of collective information, where data is the chief element, among others. Thus, blogging, forums, tagging, and all other forms of publishing over the internet for public use may be regarded as Web 2. 0. Without one knowing it, Web 2. 0 is right before their very eyes. There have been questions, thus, if Web 2. 0 is hype, or a fad that will soon pass. Singel (2005) stated that the first conference held for Web 2. 0 was sold out despite the steep price tag. Schonfeld (2006) dismissed the idea of it being a publicity spin off. In fact, he claimed that the Web 2. 0 is the current name of the internet game. Despite the arguments, Web 2. 0 definitely has its positive effects. Companies view it as a way to save on marketing costs and improve customer relations. Businesses agree that the Web 2. 0 will impact their operations positively. These benefits, however, have corresponding detriments. (Serious business: Web 2. 0 goes corporate 2007) Keen (2006) stated that the Web 2. 0 setup enables users to publish just about anything within the limits, and so it can give way to anyone who wants to be a writer or performer. Thus, the entertainment industry may be threatened. Singel (2005) dismissed this. He quoted John Batelle who affirmed that despite the openness of Web 2. 0 for a new breed of entertainers, talent is one question that separates the real from the web-based. On the other hand, Harris (2006) expressed concerns to the loss of privacy because of the limitless sharing through Web 2. 0. Even mere personal files that get inside the Web 2. 0 is shared in a way, and he activities of users included, proving that privacy may in fact be sacrificed. Kantor (2006), however, stressed that copyright and limits will still be enforced, so that there is no need to worry about privacy. Despite the different views on Web 2. 0, it has become a fact that it is the way computing is currently being done. Internet users are getting the benefits, and are more than willing to participate. Internet companies are making waves for new Web 2. 0 applications and services. Businesses are turning their keys to include Web 2. 0 in their online presence. All these show that Web 2. 0 is definitely an issue worth discussing.

Russian Standard Vodka Strategies For Global Markets

Russian Standard Vodka Strategies For Global Markets Introduction Roustam Tariko, founder of the Roust Holdings planned to establish a brand that will set up new standards of world class quality for new breed of global Russian brands. Tariko focused on setting up the standards by a product which is distinctive because of its Russian Heritage so that Russians can take pride in it, and to fulfill this requirement vodka was the obvious option as it is developed in Russia and strongly associated with the country. Tariko launched the vodka and by 2002, Russian Standard was outselling all other brands achieving the top position in the vodka market. This success of the Russian brand was attributed because of its consistent product quality, packaging, and merchandising and of course because of its strong depiction of Russian heritage. Encouraged by its success, Tarikos management launched the Russian Standard in the European countries aiming to make it the best vodka globally. Russian Standard vodka was making business in around 10 European countries, the company wishes to enlarge the business by further crossing the boundaries by entering into the US Market. Vodka is very famous in the US; it has a huge market, largest around the globe and there are many best selling companies which offer premium quality vodka. Launching Russian Standard vodka in US would mean high competition with the already existing brands that are quite popular among customers. The Russian Standards also expanded the list as Tariko decided to launch a new type of bank which will serve foreign trade companies, small business and individual customers. The challenge faced by the Russian Brands team was to make the two diverse businesses compatible with each other while maintaining the standards of the Russian Brand. The report presents a brief overview of the brand equity concept of the Russian Standards and the reasons behind its success story, discusses the horizontal brand diffusion in terms, and also debates over the possibility of launching Russian Standard in US and whether it needs to change its strategies to attract the customers. Brand equity is considered to be a crucial source for profitability. A firm with strong brand equity can have a significant edge in the market as compared to its competitor. It can be able to charge higher prices with its brand image backing it up. The firm can also enjoy a larger market share, a possibility of further product extensions and even draw more investment into the existing business. This is the reason why in the present world, branding or brand image has become a very important strategic issue for businesses. Businesses such as Pepsi, Coca Cola, Ralph Lauren, Nestle etc have very strong brand equities, because of which they are able to enjoy huge market shares as well as the ability to price their products higher than what they would have if they did not have their respective brand names. Brand equity is the value of a company which is only because of its name. As observed by Dr. Ramachandran (2010) brand equity is the outcome which is attributed to the products brand name as compared to the same product without a brand name. Due to the benefits strong brand equity can provide, every corporate entity works their utmost to excel others in the retail sector. However the question arises that what makes a brands equity stronger than it is? According to Kellers (2003) brand equity pyramid, there are mainly four steps and six building blocks which establish a consumer based brand equity for a firm, namely; Salience (identity), Performance and Imagery (meaning), Judgments and Feelings (Response) and finally Resonance (relationship) (Appendix 1). These are the steps at which the consumer asks respective questions related to the firm, and each step leads onto the next until the consumer places complete confidence in the firm, and thus the firm is able to acquire strong brand equity. This model by Keller (2003) can be used to explain how the Russian Standard brand was able to establish strong brand equity and how this brand equity helped the company to gain commendable success in Russia. Brand Salience The very first step in the pyramid is that of Salience, or identity. This is the step where the consumers ask the firm or product, who are you. This means that when a firm is introduced in the market, the firm establishes distinct identity. It establishes its association to a particular product class, i.e. consumers consider the firm/product according to this distinct identity. Brand salience can be defined as to how often and easily the brand is evoked under various situations and circumstances? (Keller, 2001) The beginning of the Russian Standard brand was with a mindset that its products were to be established in such a way which would be able to gain long lasting consumer association. The objective was to establish an exclusive product, which focused on Russian traditions. The brand identity established by Tariko was such that the Russian Standard brand was identified as the standard for Russians. The aim was to reach for the emotional aspect of consumers while they can relate themselves to the brand and claim pride in owning it. As the case study points out that the Russian Standard Vodka is identified as a traditional Russian souvenir, like matryoshka wooden dolls, Red Army captain watches, and lacquer boxes from Palekh (Grigorian, 2000). The intricate details taken into account in establishing the brand salience for the Russian Standard Vodka can be largely attributed to the brand equity that it enjoys today. Keeping the brand equity in order to build and protect the equity a brand positioned as a premium brand has to keep up with the expectancy by the consumers. For a premium brand the customer expectancy is not only from the quality of the product but it starts from the manufacturing to the pricing to packaging to delivering as well as to promotion (NetMBA). In all these levels a premium level of quality is expected. Russian standard has been careful in keeping quality at the utmost level while carrying out the four Ps. The product was produced with quality ingredients. The packaging was outlining quality in every aspect including meticulous details like design, labels, bottle caps and cases. The pricing was done to put the product in the premium to super premium category and the distribution was carefully laid out to acquire shelf spaces in fancy restaurants and night clubs and even in the highly perceived supermarkets. Brand Meaning Moving onto the next step of the Kellers pyramid, Performance and Imagery are what gives a brand its meaning in the minds of the consumers. The performance block includes all the principal characteristics of the brand, i.e. how well is the brand able to conform to the consumers psychological and functional requirements. This portion of the pyramid basically includes the basic features of the product, pricing, design, durability etc. Whereas, the brand imagery portion of the pyramid includes all the characteristics that are connected to the product, i.e. the products user profile, the values and history that the product reflect along with the distributional structure of the product(Keller, 2003). The Russian Standard brand was known for its quality, packaging and strong distribution channels. It was designed to be the first domestic brand to create a rich mosaic of imagery. It focused not only on quality but also on the price, packaging, merchandizing and communication. The Russian brand emphasized on depicting the Russian heritage to connect to the Russian customer and also achieve and ensure product quality that will attract the customers and make them loyal to the brand. The Russian major scientific institute which specialized on food research, in 1990s, along with Mendleev formulated a formula for vodka, this was patented to be exclusively Russian, it was considered a symbol of quality. The quality based on Mendeleevs recommendations of the vodka was of utmost importance to Tariko, which was then communicated to the people through extensive advertisement promotion, the designed bottle of vodka showed Mendeleves signature so that the customer will felt secure about the qua lity of the product. By establishing this strong connection of vodka with the Russian heritage, Traiko developed a certain sense of meaning and understanding among his customers that they were attracted emotionally and physiologically towards the Russian Brand vodka, and this sense of owning and connecting to the product not only attracted as many locals but also ensured their loyalty towards the product. Other than this, the Russian Brand also priced the product in a very appropriate way; the price was in support of its image as an exclusive brand. The vodka was priced more than other local brands, while still it was less expensive than the imported brands. This helped the Russian Standard Vodka to be recognized as an elite brand, in league with the imported brands; whilst at the same time it helped in gaining profits for the firm as well (Appendix 3) (Anselmsson, 2007). It mainly targeted the connoisseurs and strivers who preferred high quality products and prestigious brands. Moreover, the packaging of the Russian Standard Vodka was unique and fashionable. The exclusivity of the product and its other brand values was reflected by its packing. Attention was paid to every little detail of packaging of the vodka bottle; from bottle case to its cap and more importantly the shape of the bottle all were designed to emphasize on Tarikos objective of depiction of the Russian heritage and also ensure class and quality to the customers requirement and satisfaction. The packaging was designed by one of the top most design house, so that it would reflect the brands quality. The act of focusing on the packaging of a product was in itself something new for a business in Russia. Quality used to be the sole source of focus for a product, leaving the focus from pricing, packaging or the distribution channel, whereas, in modern marketing techniques, product, price, place, packaging and promotion make up the marketing mix for any product. Therefore, packaging was another on e of the major reasons for the Russian Standard vodka to acquire its brand meaning in the eyes of the consumers. Furthermore, the nostalgic touch to the packaging which reflected the value of the brand increased the brand meaning. The shape of the bottle resembled that of the traditional Russian orthodox churches, and there was a historical signature on the packaging as well.. This helped the consumers in establishing distinct brand imagery for the Russian Standard brand and relate to it. On the other hand, the strong distribution channel of the Russian Standard Brand also helped to setup its brand imagery. The Tarikos import business before the Russian Standard brand helped the new vodka to acquire advantaged shelf space as opposed to what it would have had in case Tariko had no prior reputation. Therefore, the beginning for the Russian Standard Vodkas placement in the market was privileged with supermarket promotions, access to prominent restaurants, clubs and bars. Brand Response The judgment and feelings of the consumers are the next building block. . This is basically the feelings and perceptions of the consumers about the brand (Keller, 2008). The brand judgment includes the brand quality, credibility, and differentiation. The quality includes the value or satisfaction the brand provides the consumers. The Russian Standard Vodka was trusted by the consumers for its quality. The advertised quality was supported by the actual quality of the product. The appropriate marketing mix helped the consumers to relate to the product. The idea of the campaign was to show a transformation from the previous Russian standards and the new ones. It was meant to create a modernized image in the minds of the consumers. However, this was not perceived as desired by many consumers. Most of the people thought of it as disrespectful to degrade Russian traditions no matter which era they belonged to and the message could not transfer to most people as well. So the campaign failed to communicate the intended premium image. It was designed for the international market but the response from the Russian market stopped it from being used abroad. It was not portraying the embracing the past and inspiring progress mantra the company was following. The feeling that was called upon by the advertisement within the consumers was such that they preferred using the Russian Standard Vodka as opposed to the imported brands. The brand acquired more appeal through its unique packaging and quality. The on-premise promotion on the other hand worked better for the company. It was promoted as a prestigious brand in restaurants and night clubs. The off-premise promotion was also carefully planned to portray its elegance by acquiring quality displays and shelves in the supermarkets. Brand Resonance The consumers in the modern times demand much more than just the functional benefits from a product. They demand intangible benefits such as image, status, personality, lifestyle, success and other factors that they can strongly relate to (Aziz and Yasin, 2010). The Russian Standard brand was one of the very first brands in Russia which used all these aspects into account when introducing its products in the market. Prior to this, quality and the product was the only consideration for the businesses. They believed in the supply making its own demand style of selling as opposed to the making a product in accordance to the demand of the people. However, the Russian Standard brand changed the traditional style of marketing and therefore was able to hugely benefit from rapid success in Russia. The Russian Standard brand used all the five Ps of the marketing mix to powerfully introduce itself in the market. From there onwards, it maintained its quality and built a solid name for itself by being consistent and innovative in promotion. The Russian Standard brand was able to establish a reputation which appealed to the consumers nationalistic sense. The idea was to create a strong consumer-brand relationship. Brand resonance can only be healthy if the consumers feel that they are in synchronization with the brands identity and values. Because of its patriotic look the brand was able to delve into the Russian market well. It was in complete harmony with the traditions of the Russian people. Therefore, from the analysis above, it can be said that the rapid success of the Russian Standard brand was not only because of the strong product quality they offered but also due to its right choice of marketing mix and most importantly its uphold with the Russian Identity. As the Roust Organization has already developed strong merchandizing and communication skills and relationships with the both kind of trades that is on-trade and off-trade, it was easy for the Russian Standards to be introduced to the consumers, but it was the Russian Standards strong conviction towards the brand equity that they become increasingly popular with the people and establish a certain kind of bond with them. It can be rightfully said that the success story of Russian Brand vodka emphasizes on all the aspects of the brand equity i.e. to establish brand salience and keep themselves intact with brand meaning to strengthen the bond with the customers keep counter check on the brand response and improve i ncase of any negativity and maintain the high standards, and last but not the least to provide brand resonance to the customers so they can feel pride in using the Russian Brand vodka. Thus it enjoyed rapid success and managed to maintain its position at the top, with these brand equity concepts followed it is today thought as to be one of the traditional Russian Souvenirs. Diversification Horizontal brand extension is one of the diversification strategies for the businesses. As can be seen in the Ansoffs matrix in appendix 2, when a firm increases its business into new products and markets, it is said to be diversifying its business. The benefits from diversification include, profitability, growth, reaping economies of scale if the diversification is within the same product range, avoiding dependence on a single product etc. Capitalizing on the equity of existing brands can produce many benefits for the company (Strach and Everret, 2006) even enhance the perception for the core brand (Aaker, 1991). There are two types of diversification strategies; concentric diversification or conglomerate diversification. Concentric diversification is the one where the product class remains the same. This strategy is to add related products or markets from that of the current line of business. On the other hand, conglomerate diversification is where the firm diversifies into areas that are unrelated to the current product range. Synergy Synergy is the ability of two or more instruments to work together to create something more than what they would have created separately. In a firms case, a synergy would be the extra benefit acquired by two different organizations working together, as opposed to what they would have acquired if they worked separately (Ellwood, 2002). In the Russian Standard brands case, the banking industry and the vodka industry are two unrelated industries. However, the Russian Standard brands aim to establish both these businesses under a single brand name could have been to benefit from synergies. This is possible if the bank and the vodka business together can give a stronger brand equity or profitability as opposed to their working as separate businesses under two different brand names (Aaker, 1991). Conglomerate Diversification: Benefits and Problems The possible motivations for conglomerate diversification include profitability, reducing firm specific risk, and limited growth in the current business along with other benefits of diversification in general. As observed by Martin and Sayrak (2001), the diversified organization may benefit from a larger tax liability than the initial business. Moreover, there may be other benefits from diversification such as risk from suppliers can be reduced, overhead costs can be distributed amongst a larger business (economies of scales), and the debt capacity may increase as well (Lewellen, 1971 as cited in Martin and Sayrak, 2001). Furthermore, the additional business can become a source of internal financing for the combined brand, which can considerably reduce the firms financing costs. This can be done by the management of the combined organization, by redistributing resources within the organization, where a larger amount of funds can be placed in the areas where there is potential of a hi gher gain than some other department (Stein, 1997 as cited in Martin and Sayrak, 2001). On the other hand, conglomerate diversification may create a number of problems for the existing firm. There are chances of administrative problems arising with an increase in the scale of operations (VanAuken, 2011). There can be managerial issues, i.e. an intensification of the principle-agent problem in an organization. Along with this, there can be an inadequate level of experience for the existing firm in the new industry. There may be requirements of the new industry that the current management is completely unaware of. New marketing mix, technical equipment, personnel and a lot more will be required for the new business which the current management may not be able to obtain. Support for and against Conglomerate Diversification In conglomerate diversification there are cases where the diversification has been extremely successful as well as cases where diversification was a source of loss in shareholders value in the initial business (Martin and Sayrak, 2001). Maksimovic and Philips (2002) in their research found out that conglomerate diversification reduces shareholder value, whereas in Martin and Sayraks (2001) work they have given a wide range of supporting as well as opposing arguments, without a significant conclusion as to whether conglomerate diversification is beneficial for the initial firm or it actually dilutes its initial shareholder value. However, it has to be noted that most of this literature is on merging or acquiring conglomerate businesses and not establishing a new business like the Russian Standard brand did. In case of the Russian Standard brand, (Grigorian, 2000) the bank was met with immediate success. Therefore, the success of the bank could be attributed to the existing brand name of the Russian Standard Vodka, but even if it was not because of that then there was definitely no dilution of the brand because of the conglomerate diversification. However, it may be difficult to measure in the Russian Standard brands case whether the success of the bank was because of the credibility of the brand or the right marketing mix for the bank itself. It can be the case that the bank may still have had the same success without the Russian Standard brands name associated to it, because the strategies to establish the bank were appropriate and the marketing mix was correct for the respective environment. This may be very much possible considering the fact that most of the people did not associate the Vodka and the Bank even with the same brand name; few customers made a clear link between the two businesses (Grigorian, 2000). Another aspect in this situation could also be the fact that the owner of the company, Roustam Tariko, had established much credibility for himself as well by being successful very early. His sense of strategic business thinking made him successful in creating a brand image of Russian Standard. The aim to meet international quality standards and improve the image of his country reflected well in his branding strategies. The Russian standard vodka and bank, though both were quite different in terms of relativity but as both were being run by Roust their relativity was somehow subsided by the credibility of the parent company (Ellwood, 2002). Both the brands were leveraging on the Russian Standards image. So the brand could very well diversify instead of considering to be diluted. Therefore, it can be said that even when the banking and vodka businesses are not compatible and few modern businesses actually go for conglomerate diversification, the Russian Standard brand was able to handle the two businesses well. As reputation (Ali, 2008) is one of the main factors that can affect the results of brand extension, the Russian Standard brand had a strong brand equity because of its vodka business which could very well afford to withstand any brand extension. Market Extension Another diversification strategy is to extend ones existing business into new markets. As can be seen in the Ansoff matrix (appendix 2), the market extension (Jewell, 2000) is when the existing product is introduced in some new market. This is another extension strategy that the Russian Standard brand was taking into consideration, i.e. extending its vodka into the US market. The benefits of market extension include profitability, an opportunity to reap economies of scale as the basic product will remain the same and growth of business and operations (VanAuken, 2011). Whereas, the market extension process may cause difficulties for the existing firm, because the new market may be completely different from what the firm has been working in initially. An in depth analysis of the potential market, information of the competitors and consumers, legal regulations, economic and social environment, all are required before the extension may be made. An entirely new marketing mix is required f or the same product for it to be introduced in a new market. If the product is launched in the new market with the same marketing mix, then the probability of its success may be reduced considerably. This is because, consumers in each market have distinct requirements and the social, economic and legal situation is also different from the existing market. Moreover, the potential market may already be saturated with competition, as is the case with the US market for Vodka (Sahani, 2008). The US market already has a number of well positioned, distinct local and foreign brands. Each of the brands available in the market is distinct in its own way, i.e. each has a specific segment of the market that it is very well catering to. Therefore, it can be said that introducing the Russian Standard Vodka in the US market is a difficult task, however with the quality product that it has, it may as well be successful to grasp a section of the market. In order to do this, a new marketing mix will be required for the Russian Standard Vodka to be successful in the US. The Russian Standard Vodka in the US market The Russian Standard Vodka was hugely successful in Russia not just because of its quality, but also its appeal to the nationalist sense in Russia along with its privileged distributional channels. These are the attributes of the Russian Standard Vodka that may not be present when the vodka is introduced in the US market. The US market which is todays largest consumer of vodka, is already very saturated in terms of premium vodka brands. The consumers will not be attracted to the brand merely because of its Russian origin, nor will the brand be able to acquire advantaged distribution channels (Sahani, 2008). Also considering the fact that the relationship between the two countries have always been on a verge of disagreements (Graham, 2008), this can act as creating a certain biasness for the origin of the brand. Based on the market analysis the super premium to premium segment already includes a lot of imported brands. For Russian Standard to create its space the super premium segment will have a benefit in terms of no competition from local brands, since the super premium segment only includes the imported variety. So if Russian Standard vodka changes its market strategy they can be noticeable in the US market. Change in the strategy will have to be emphasized in new and creative ideas of marketing and advertising, for this purpose it is very essential for the Russian Standard management to carefully study the US market, understand what the customers need and want, and what does the other vodka brands offer them, whether is there any loopholes or any gap between the customer requirement and brands offers and if Russian Standard vodka can overcome that gap. The American market is completely different from the Russian market, therefore Russian standard faces a great challenge in first capturing the attention of the American and consumers and then providing them with a better vodka than its competitors. The Russian Standard vodka can be launched in US market, but for a successful launching a lot of literature review and planning is required. From the discussion above it can be said easily that the Russian Standard will have to adapt to the US market to make their space. Many aspects of the Russian Standard vodka advertising and management campaign will plays vital role, among which pricing is the most crucial of all. The price should be appropriate enough to capture the attention of the Americans and maintain class as well. The quality of the Russian Brand vodka will ensure brand loyalty from the customers, but the real challenge is faced in actually making space in already so brand crowded market of the vodka in the US. The Russian Standard Vodka marketing mix for the US market will have to have a significant media campaign as well. This is because, all other competing brands in US have noteworthy amounts of money spent on advertisement, and are using user profiling (associating celebrities to add value to the brand) to their advantage. This is one place, where the Russian Standard Vodka will have to focus to establish a brand image that will appeal to the respective consumers. With the current scenario going pretty well for Russian Standard at home a global impact will add to the equity of the brand. As far as the image and global inconsistency is concerned in order to venture into a foreign market the characteristics must be understood. Since the US is a big market and the people are very accustomed to freedom and rationality Russian Standard will have to adapt to the culture in order to create the brand image (Deresky, 2006). This might impact global consistency of the brand but in order for it t o be associated exclusively to Russia the Russian Standard brand has to be put up as a brand for the elite. One the brand recognition will be spontaneous and second it will enjoy cost effective global positioning (Sahani, 2008). As the current situation of the brand is leading in the Russian Market the intervention in the US market will not be a wrong decision. Another aspect in consideration with the adaptation to the US market involves the brand name Russian standard itself (Deresky, 2006). This can have a positive as well as a negative impact while branding in US. The word Russian associates the Russian traditions with the brand. This can impact in the unique positioning in imported vodkas market. The name will give the product a Russian trait and the market does consist of people inspired more by brands with foreign attribute associated to them. However, the market also consists of people who can be biased in terms of foreign associations. Since Russia has been on major disagreement terms with US in history, some sort of biasness or stereotyping might result in the undermining of the brand (Graham, 2008). Launching Russian Standard Brand vodka in the United State would be challenging but not entirely an impossible job. With change in strategies and with new concepts of brand equity that will be according to the US markets, the Russian Standard Brand may be able to make their space in the strong world of vodka in the United States. Conclusion Therefore keeping these aspects in mind the venture into the US market can be risky at some points since it is the largest vodka market in the world. On the other hand it can also provide Russian Standard the global position it is looking for. It will add to the equity at home and in other markets it plans to venture into. The loyalty will increase and so will the company reap economies of scale by pricing it in the super premium market. References Aaker, A., David 1991, Managing brand equity: capitalizing on the value of brand name, New York, Maxwell Macmillan International. Ali, T. 2008, How Do Consumers Evaluate Brand- Extensions: A Five-Factor Approach, Routledge. Anselmsson, J., 2007, Understanding price premium for products: a conceptual model of customer based brand equity, Journal of Product Brand management, volume 16, issue 6, pp. 401-414, Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. Aziz, N. A., and Yasin, N. M., 2010, International Journal of Marketing Studies, volume 2, issue 2, Deresky, H., 2006, International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures, 5th Edition, Pearson Education Ltd. Ellwood, I., 2002, The essential brand book: over 100 techniques to increase brand value, Biddles Ltd. Graham, T., 2008, US-Russia Relations: Finding Reality Pragmatically, CSIS, Washington D.C. Grigorian, V., 2000. Russian Standard Vodka: Strategies for Global Branding and Expansion into the US Market INSEAD. Available at: [27 February 2011]. Jewell, B. R. 2000 An Integrated Approach to Business Studies, Pearson Education Limited. Keller, Lane K., 2008, Strategic Brand Management, third edition, Pearson Education Ltd. pp. 246-260. Maksimovic, V. and Phillips, G. 2002, Do Conglomerate Firms Allocate Resources Inefficiently Across Industries?

Public Schools then And Now Education Essay

Public Schools then And Now Education Essay Desegregation of the nations public schools was mandated by the Supreme Court on May 17, 1954 with the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling. Nine years later, racial tensions related to segregation reached a critical point. Early in 1963, the Alabama Governor George Wallace kicked off his reign by stating segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever (Elliot, 2003). Later that year, Wallace would stand in the doors of the University of Alabama in an attempt to physically prevent African-American students form enrolling. Civil rights leaders championed Wallaces failures as a victory for school desegregation and proof that the movement was progressing. Wallaces failed attempts did not kick start the movement as most civil rights leaders had hoped, however. In 1975, Marian Wright Edelman (1975) of the Childrens Defense Fund in Washington, DC, wrote: The current status of school desegregation is complex. Twenty-one years after Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, school desegregation is caught in a crossfire of opposition. There are those who have always opposed it; those who say they are for it but eschew the means to achieve it; those who feel the costs of achieving it are not worthwhile because the early experiences have not produced instant brotherhood or IQ gains; and those who, after twenty years of resistance, struggle, and mixed progress, pronounce it irrelevant and a failure because three hundred years of slavery and segregation have not died by decree. Edelman went on to conclude that if school desegregation continued to progress t the same pace as housing desegregation in the 1960s, then America would see schools desegregated in about twenty-five decades. While the ruling most often regarded as the foundation for school desegregation is Brown v. Board of Education, not much changed in public schools following the Supreme Court decision. A full decade following Brown saw less than one percent of black students in the south begin attending previously all white schools. It was not until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed that desegregation began transforming the face of public schools, especially in the south. While the broad language of the legislation gave minorities the right to file suits forcing desegregation, Title VI of the Act allowed the federal government to withhold funding for any programs that discriminated against students based solely race. By the end of 1968, the percentage of black students in the south enrolled in previously all white students had climbed to twelve percent. By 1973, these numbers had climbed from less than one percent in 1964 to over forty-six percent (Edelman, 1975). While the desegregation movement has hit stumbling blocks along the way, the policy has long been instituted in the nations public schools. What have been the results? Some would argue that todays public schools are more segregated than schools prior to Brown. Much of the discussion about school reform in the United States in the past two decades has been about racial inequality. While goals of the No Child Left Behind Act and institution of high stakes testing in high schools have been to end a perceived low-expectation from all students, especially minority students, a disproportionate number of the schools being officially labeled as failures have been segregated minority schools. Inner-city school systems are making major efforts to break large segregated, high-poverty high schools into small schools. This is being done in an attempt to create schools better equipped to reduce inequality. Some argue that charter schools and private schools could substantially reduce racial inequa lities, even though both of these settings often create more segregated schools than traditional public schools. Additionally, Harvard University researchers have found no evidence to support claims for either of these school settings (Orfield Lee, 2005). Even so, court orders and plans for equal opportunity and desegregated schools are being challenged in court and sometimes terminated. Leaders of the small number of high achieving segregated schools in some inner-cities are being heralded as proof-positive we can have educational success within the context of existing segregation (Thernstrom, 2003). It appears that the new movement champions the idea that separate schools can be equal. In fact, since the 1980s, there has been increasing segregation among both African-American and Latino students. A common misconception over the issue of re-segregation of schools is that many people view segregation as a simple change in the skin color of the students in a school. If skin color were the only variable and other issues associated with inequality were not linked to varying skin tones, then skin color would be of little or no significance to social policy, including educational policy. In our society, however, no issue is so simple. Race is linked to many other issues in society. Like some experts, I take the position that schools today are more segregated than schools of yesterday, but not necessarily by race. Instead, it is socioeconomic status of families and students that have led to segregation by income in many cases. Socioeconomic segregation multidimensional and causes much of the educational inequality in todays society. Our nations schools contain less Caucasian students than ever. Forty-one percent of all students are not white and the great majority of the nonwhite students attend schools which show substantial signs of socioeconomic segregation (Orfield Lee, 2004). Achievement scores are strongly linked to school racial composition the presence of highly qualified and experienced teachers (Schellenberg, 1999). The high level of poverty among children, together with many housing policies and practices which exclude poor people from most communities, force families living in poverty into inner-city neighborhoods with housing projects or low-value property. This geographical isolation of low-income families mean that students in inner-city schools face isolation not only from more prolific community members, usually white families, and from middle class schools. With only access to poverty-st ricken schools, children from poverty have limited access to resources that will help break the poverty cycle. Because of this, minority children are far more likely than whites to grow up in persistent poverty. Another reason for the apparent re-segregation of schools is immigration. African-American students are no longer the most prolific minority. As the number of black students grew slowly during the last 15 years, the number of Latinos and Asian students exploded. Proportionally speaking, white enrollment continuously declined. The total number of white students did not decrease, but the percentage of white enrollments compared to minority enrollments has continued to fall. Latinos are now the largest minority group at 18 percent, closely followed by black students at 17 percent. Together, these two groups are now more than a third of the total student population (Orfield Lee, 2005). African-American and Latino students comprise at least 30 percent of the student population in most of the states. Asians now outnumber black students in some regions of the West while Latinos are the most prevalent minority in the Northeast. With the decrease in white students and the increase in minority presence in education, one may conclude that segregation should be a non-issue. It is important to understand that segregation was never just a black-white problem. It was never just a Southern problem and most definitely not just a racial problem. By the time Dr. Martin Luther King organized his last movement, the Poor Peoples Campaign, his approach was openly multiracial, emphasizing poverty as well as racial discrimination. Just a few days before his assassination, Dr. King addressed this issue directly by saying that it was absolutely necessary now to deal massively and militantly with the economic problemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. So the grave problem facing us is the problem of economic deprivation, with the syndrome of bad housing and poor education and improper health facilities all surrounding this basic problem (Washington, 1986). This raises some intriguing questions. What would have happened if Dr. King had not died s o abruptly? Would the relationship between racial and economic isolation have been brought to the forefront of American politics? Would desegregation of public schools actually have addressed the issue at the heart of student performance, socioeconomic status not race? In the purest sense of the words, the civil rights movement was never about blacks sitting next to whites on busses or in restaurants. It was about equalizing opportunities. Opportunities for education are of the utmost importance. If high poverty schools are systematically unequal and segregated minority schools are almost always high poverty schools, it is much easier to understand how schools segregated on the basis of socioeconomic status do not provide the same equal access to educational opportunities as non-segregated schools. Plans must be enacted to addresses what some educators and sociologists have long known to be the greatest barrier to equal educational opportunity: poverty. We must recognize that separate schools for rich and poor are, by design, unequal. Consideration of socioeconomic status also makes sense in the broader context of school desegregation. While it is inappropriate for todays educational leaders to say that predominantly black schools are inherently in ferior or that blacks need to sit next to whites in order to learn, it needs to be understood that if we educate rich and poor students in separate schools, the high-poverty schools will undoubtedly be of lower quality. It is important to understand that regardless of ethnic makeup, research has found that a student of low-socio-economic status will perform worse academically at a low-income school than if that same student attends a predominantly middle-class school. In fact, the converse has been found to be true as well. Students from middle and upper-class families perform worse at high-poverty schools as well (Kahlenberg, 1999). Critics of these findings suggest that steps be taken to supplement high-poverty schools rather than desegregation by socioeconomic status. Some have said to simply provide more funding to supplement needs or to raise standards if the curriculum is watered down. If teachers in such schools are not qualified or unprepared, simply improve teacher training . While each of these ideas may be worthy of consideration, could we not achieve more sense of equality by addressing the underlying cause of school inequality, economic segregation. High-poverty schools, even with extra funding, are problematic. A good school fosters a student culture that values learning. Students learn from one another. For instance, students expand their vocabularies when exposed to classmates who know more words than they do. Often students have a broader vocabulary that comes from experiences outside of the school that are often missing in low-income students lives. Instead, poor practices and misconceptions are often reinforced by peers because actions are accepted as the norm. Some experts point to this phenomenon as the root cause for the developing ebonics dialect among students from some inner-city schools. Rather than encouraging advancement, peers may actively denigrate achievement in high-poverty schools. The extra needs poor students often bring to school can effectively overwhelm schools with large numbers of needy kids. How do we address these issues as a nation? What is the next step? San Francisco officials have implemented a unique approach to school zoning that attempts to address the issue of socioeconomic segregation. Historically, in San Francisco and other cities across the country, policy has not attacked poverty concentrations. Instead, policy has focused solely on racial desegregation, in part because the 14th Amendment has been read to address segregation by race but not by class. Today, school districts are beginning to turn directly to the socioeconomic factors in determining a schools quality. This has led leaders to work to redraw school zones based on socioeconomic considerations. San Francisco is considering many socioeconomic factors in developing school zones, including parental education, income, and geographical location. Children with parents who did not attend college and children who receive free or reduced-price lunch, live in public housing, or live in high-poverty neighborhoods will be integrated with more-affluent students. Goal of the redistricting is to distribute the citys wealth throughout the school system so that no one school is wealthier than another. Likewise, no one school will have a higher percentage of low-income students than another (Kahlenberg, 1999). While this seems like a novel concept, San Francisco has set in motion a plan that, if enacted correctly, will sufficiently desegregate city schools in a manner consistent with the goals of the civil rights movement. The concept is not new. Reaching back to Horace Manns concept of common schools, the plan will provide all students equal access and opportunity to a quality education regardless of socioeconomic status. While the concept may be foreign to many in the education field, this concept, is adopted nationally, is the best process for once again making public schools engines for social mobility.

classroom management Essay -- essays research papers

There are many different ways to run a successful and effective classroom. Numerous people have tried to give me the best advice for making things work, but ultimately it will be my choice to decide what works best for me. By assessing the students' needs, I will be able to provide a curriculum and classroom environment that will hopefully motivate their learning. In assessing my own needs, I can make the proper actions necessary to make sure that those needs are met. Rules and consequences fall under both the needs of the student and the teacher, so those are essential as well. In the following, I will discuss what I find to be the needs of the student, the needs of the teacher, and how my philosophy on rules, consequences, and discipline play into these needs. According to several educational psychologists and theorists, there are many different needs of a student. I agree particularly with Glasser, who states that students have a need for belonging, "fun", freedom, and a warm environment with a meaningful and engaging curriculum. Linda Albert contributes more by theorizing that the student needs to feel accepted (by being who they are, without judgment), and that student needs attention and affection (Devito, 2004). These, in my own opinion, are some of the most important needs that a teacher might face, especially when teaching adolescents. While all students have different needs, these are a few that are shared by most. Often times, as a teacher you are the most influential adult figure in a child's life. By creating a warm environment where the student not only feels comfortable, but is eager to come to, you have created the beginning of a successful learning environment. Once you have the student in class, who is ready to learn, the need for an interesting and stimulating curriculum is a must. One cannot teach a student who is disengaged and bored, so as a teacher it is necessary to understand the need for exploring topics of interest. Not only do students have the needs as listed above, but according to Kohn, they also have the need to be treated as individuals (Devito, Spring 2004). Democratically speaking, Glasser says they also need a sense of power in addition to their need to be treated as individuals (Devito, Spring... ...tor, not an acquaintance. Disciplining a student isn’t the highlight of my career path, but it is essential to maintaining the organized classroom I need and it will be done. In order to learn, students need discipline with dignity. They need to know that misbehavior is not okay, and that there are rules and standards to live by in the classroom, just like there is in the â€Å"real world†. Students, when given a routine and are treated with structure, generally perform better. By instilling discipline in the classroom, I hope to provide a more stable and more effective learning environment for all. Above all, my educational philosophy in discipline focuses on consistency. I have learned through all theorists, Ms. Devito, all my other professors, and by my own experience that this is a must in the classroom. It is important to be impeccable with our word as teachers because often times, it is the only leverage that we have over the students. As humans alone, it is the most powerful tool that we possess. If a teacher makes false promises and empty threats, then inevitably, their word becomes worthless and their credibility is ruined. This is somewhere no teacher wants to go.

Motivation Essay -- Motivation Leadership Management

What is Motivation? Motivation is the force that makes us do things: this is a result of our individual needs being satisfied (or met) so that we have inspiration to complete the task. These needs vary from person to person as everybody has their individual needs to motivate themselves. Depending on how motivated we are, it may further determine the effort we put into our work and therefore increase the standard of the output. When we suggest factors (or needs) that determine the motivation of employees in the workplace, almost everyone would immediately think of a high salary. This answer is correct for the reason that some employees will be motivated by money, but mostly wrong for the reason that it does not satisfy others (to a lasting degree). This supports the statement that human motivation is a personal characteristic, and not a one fits all option. The Importance of Motivation Motivation can have an effect on the output of your business and concerns both quantity and quality. See it this way: your business relies heavily on the efficiency of your production staff to make sure that products are manufactured in numbers that meet demand for the week. If these employees lack the motivation to produce completed products to meet the demand, then you face a problem leading to disastrous consequences. The number of scenarios is extreme but you get the general picture. Your employees are your greatest asset and no matter how efficient your technology and equipment may be, it is no match for the effectiveness and efficiency of your staff. Motivational Theory: Herzberg's Two Factor Theory Motivation has been studied for many years stretching beyond the 19th century. As a result, a number of theo... ...hough frequently used, the least effective method of motivating a worker is with a negative consequence, such as a verbal dressing-down, suspension, or the loss of the job. Punishment may achieve immediate results, but it does not accomplish internal motivation for several reasons. First, adults are not inclined to remain in employment where they are threatened and intimidated. Second, workers who are backed by a strong union may dissolve the threat with a higher level of authority. Third, scares and intimidation can create animosity toward a superior and employees may respond with hostility and subversion. Another problem with the fear strategy is that it creates a punitive climate in which individuals are afraid of being different from or of offending others. This particular situation has a tendency to diminish creativity and lead to intellectual stagnation.

Anne Hutchinson versus Massachusetts

Anne Hutchinson was a church going woman at the least. She moved to Massachusetts in 1634 with her husband and thirteen children. She was expecting her fourteenth when they arrived. Her main influence to migrate to the Americas was Reverend John Cotton. He was a minister to her while they lived in England and she could hear prayers from anyone else but him. Anne was a true believer of the Puritan faith and keeping up the traditions and worship. She believed in speech of â€Å"covenant of grace† not a â€Å"covenant of works†. Basically she wants people to worship what god says and what he has laid down for them to pray upon. She opposes many ministers who she believes that speaks of words that people have laid out over the years and of a man named John Calvin. He was a famous Pastor whose works are called Calvinism. This is what gets her into a big heap of trouble. While in America Anne has these meetings with people around her area and she preaches what she thinks is right and who all she believes can teach the religion the right way. Well people found out and she was put on trial among her peers to be tried for â€Å"troubling the peace and commonwealth of the churches here.† She had spoken something to a group of ministers about her beliefs and they were there to testify against her. She exclaims,† what law have I broken† thinking to herself what she did was right. Some of the men said she said it and some said she didn’t say all that she was accused of but overall the jury believed she said it. Reverend Cotton almost gets her out of it but she rambles about her beliefs again and convinces everyone that she should be prosecuted. The jury and the judges find her guilt of â€Å"troubling the peace and commonwealth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and she is convicted and banished after she is â€Å"uncommunicative† with the outside people she knows. She stays a few months in a house in â€Å"Roxbury† then goes back to court. She then receives her final conviction which is banishment, also John Cotton now hates her for what she has done and talks down to her in the court and says she shall go to hell. She can’t ever come back to that town. She then moves to what is now â€Å"Portsmouth, New Jersey â€Å"with some of her followers. When her baby was due is was a â€Å"still baby† and people thought it was a sign of the evil she had done and called it the â€Å"devil child.† She later gets murdered with five of her kids by Indians after moving to New Netherlands.

Marketing Principles Essay

1.1 Explain the various elements of the marketing process. Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offers that have value for customer, clients, partners and society at large. (Williams, 2013) Marketing Process: Situation analysis focuses more on the possible opportunities that will satisfy a customer’s need. This depends on how the product can influence the a specific environment and how the product can control you a specific group you want to target. It is being familiar with the SWOT forces. Marketing strategies is a process that specifies the information of the market to obtain its effectiveness.   Segmentation involves dividing the market into groups, where individuals have similar needs and wants for services and products. It could also be a segmentation of people on the basis of behavior, culture and economic status. (Rajeev, 2012) Targeting also known as the target market is the potential consumers of a product/service. Targeting helps tap the subset of the customer population most likely to purchase and use the product to effectively achieve maximum sales and profits. (Johnson, 2012) Positioning is how you want to be perceived in the minds of prospects versus your competition. It is also creating a positive image in the minds of the target market. Value Proposition pertains on how you want your consumers distinguish you from your competitors and make it obvious you are the best available choice. This marketing strategy summarizes what makes your product/service unique as it relates to addressing specific customer decision making criteria. It must be all about what’s important to them – your prospects. (Core Marketing Strategies, 2013) Market mix decision is a general phrase used to describe the different kinds of choices organizations have to make in the whole process of bringing a product or service to market. The 4 Ps is the best known way of defining marketing mix: (P.1) Product refers to any services or conveniences that are part of the offering. (P.2) Pricing should take into account profit margins and the probable pricing response of competitors. (P-3) Place is associated with channels of distribution that serve as the means for getting the product to the target consumers. (P-4) Promotions are those related to communicating and selling to the potential consumers. This includes advertising, public relations, media types, etc. (Internet Center for Management and Business Administration, Inc., 1999-2010) 1.2 Evaluate the benefits and costs of marketing orientation for a selected organization. Jollibee is our chosen food organization. It is the largest fast food chain in the Philippines, operating a nationwide network of over 750 stores. It is a dominant market leader in the Philippines. It is a family oriented work environment, the brand’s values also reflect on their advertising and marketing. Jollibee knows their target audience very well: the traditional family and all communication materials focus on the importance of family values. Jollibee is so well-loved every time a new store opens, especially overseas. It is a stronghold of heritage and monument of Filipino pride. (Jollibee Foods Corporation, 2013) The primary target market of Jollibee are Filipino kids ages 3-10y/o, teens ranging 11-21y/o can either be male or female; Filipino families even the senior citizen. Social classes C, D and E; and those looking for budget-friendly quick meals. In comparison from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, eating in a fast-food chain w/o asking for money makes an individual happy, falls under self-actualization needs. Eating in Jollibee with family and friends makes people feel loved and accepted. That is a social need or feeling the sense of belongingness and love. Lastly, the need to satisfy ones hunger and in order to survive, it is the physiological need on an individual. The target market prefers Jollibee because the food are unique and has an appealing taste, foods can be easily served, foods are affordable, there a lots of variants the people can choose from, the mileau is very homey, the customer service is very family-oriented, and families, friends and colleagues can enjoy this together. Being the pioneer in fast-food industry, Jollibee had the majority in the marketing opportunity. Jollibee was able to capture 65% of the market share in hamburger market in the Philippines. The JFC reported 82 billion pesos by the end of 2011. Based on the annual report of JFC, Jollibee earned 50 billion pesos revenue on 2011. (Esberto, 2012) The product offered by Jollibee appeals to the Filipinos taste for spicy burgers. By concentrating its resources on satisfying the Filipino palate, Jollibee has been able to serve localized dishes that are unlikely found in other fast-food chains in the Philippines. In addition to that, offering the usual French fries that accompany the meals found in McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and so forth. Jollibee also serves rice or spaghetti, Filipino style Even the burgers are cooked exactly as Filipinos want them done- sweeter and with more seasonings, often likened to what a Filipino mother would cook at home. It even incorporated recipes from employees to truly capture local tastes. The company’s phenomenal growth owes much to its strict and committed adherence to high standards as symbolized by â€Å"F.S.C†: Food (F) served to the public must meet the company’s excellence standards or it will not be served at all; the Service (S) must be fast and courteous; and Cleanliness  ©, from kitchen to utensils, must always be maintained. As for pricing, it is closely related to customer satisfaction. Thus, JFC provides its high quality fast-food products at a relatively cheaper price. According to its commitment to serve each and every Filipino, Jollibee keeps things affordable at all. The â€Å"DLSU SSURVEY† shows that, 94% of Jollibee’s customers think it’s affordable or cheaper. Figure [ 1 ]: Benefit Positioning vs. Brand Matrix The location of outlet is of key importance to the marketing strategy of Jollibee. It has established a large number of outlets to state that they care about the accessibility of fast-food outlet and 72% is satisfied that Jollibee maintained it very well. Overseas, the outlet in Hong Kong is located at Central where a large number of Filipinos gather. It is an example of Jollibee’s good placing strategy. Recently, to capture more share from their customer’s wallet, Jollibee introduced home service. Loyal customers, for some reason who can’t get out of home but want to have a bite of Jollibee, can now avail their products via phone call. They also provide drive-thru’s for their customers who are in a rush and can’t get out of their car and line-up. Jollibee management carefully selects their franchisors to make sure they can meet its standard. To be a franchisee of Jollibee, one has to invest 15-30 million pesos. Brands in local market are strong contenders and not to be underestimated. Jollibee often have the advantage of intimate knowledge of consumer tastes and consumer preference through local pride. Jollibee used the wave of nationalist pride to promote a Filipino brand of hamburger. This strategy met with great success. Investing in socio-civic programs designed to serve its host communities further secured Jollibee’s position as a Filipino company for the Filipinos. Advocacy campaigns such as the early Christmas drive â€Å"ma-Aga ang pasko sa Jollibee†, again endorsed by Aga Muhlach, the poverty housing project with habitat. For humanity, the â€Å"Kaya Mo Yan Kid Campaign†, it encourages kids to show their potentials that will contribute to the company’s overall success, not only with its customers but with all its stakeholders. Family is a key component for Jollibee’s promotion. They just simply don’t want to cater food and service but they wanted to be a part of every Filipino family. Its quality customer service of being family-oriented is one key to their success. While McDonald’s promotion focuses on the empowerment of young adults to enjoy life by means of eating their products. Jollibee’s rapid growth is due to its superior menu line-up, creative marketing programs, and efficient manufacturing and logistics facilities. It is made possible by well-trained teams that work in a culture of integrity and humility, fun and family-like environment. As a corporate citizen, Jollibee is also committed to give back to its host communities through meaningful and lasting socio-civic projects. (Sakib, 2011) Jollibee was able to attain a competitive advantage in the Philippines over McDonald’s by doing following things: Jollibee was the first to enter the market. It was able to retain tight control over operations management, which allowed it to price below its competitor. And, it had the flexibility to cater to the tastes of its local consumers. From the very beginning Jollibee Foods Corporation had focused on delivering quality food and service at an affordable cost to the customers. This had been possible only due to excellent operational control. Jollibee enjoyed a dominant position in the fast food market in Philippines until McDonalds entered the market. They focused on their main asset, their knowledge of taste and preferences of the local population. [ (Andrew, 2011) ] 2.1 Show macro and micro environmental factors which influence marketing decisions. The marketing environment consists of all the actors and forces outside marketing that affect the marketing management’s ability to develop and maintain successful relationships with its target customers. Though these factors and forces may vary depending on the specific company and industrial group, they can generally be divided into broad micro environmental and macro environmental components. Micro environmental components are: Company-top management is responsible for setting the company’s mission, objectives, broad strategies, and policies. Marketing managers must make decisions within the parameters established by top management. Marketing managers must also work closely with other company departments. Areas such as finance, R & D, purchasing, manufacturing, and accounting all produce better results when aligned by common objectives and goals. All departments must â€Å"think consumer† if the firm is to be successful. The goal is to provide superior customer value and satisfaction. Suppliers-are firms and individuals that provide the resources needed by the company and its competitors to produce goods and services. They are an important link in the company’s overall customer â€Å"value delivery system.† Marketing channel firms (intermediaries)-firms that help the company to promote, sell, and distribute its goods to final buyer. Customer markets-consumer markets, individuals and households that buy goods and services for personal consumption. Business markets, those who buy goods and services for further processing or for use in their production process. Reseller markets, those who buy goods and services in order to resell them at a profit. Government markets, agencies that buy goods and services in order to produce public services or transfer them to those that need them. International markets, buyers of all types in foreign countries Competitors-A company must secure a strategic advantage over competitors by positioning their offerings to be successful in the marketplace. No single competitive strategy is best for all company. Publics – Any group that has an actual or potential interest in or impact on an organization’s ability to achieve its objectives. A company should prepare a marketing plan for all of their major publics as well as their customer markets. Macro environmental components are thought to be: Demographic-the study of human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, sex, race occupation, and other statistics. It is of major interest to marketers because it involves people and people make up markets. Demographic trends are constantly changing Economic-those factors that affect consumer purchasing power and spending patterns. Natural-natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities Technological-forces that create new technologies, creating new product and market opportunities Political-laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence and limit various organizations and individuals in a given society. Various forms of legislation regulate business Cultural forces-institutions and other forces that affect society’s basic values, perceptions, preferences, and behaviors. Certain cultural characteristics can affect marketing decision-making The wise marketing manager knows that he or she cannot always affect environmental forces. However, smart managers can take a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to the marketing environment. (Kotler, 2012) 2.2 Propose segmentation criteria to be used for products in different markets. To ensure that the market segments that have been constructed by the firm, they must meet the basic requirements and guidelines, which will make them usable segments and potential target markets. (Market Segmentation Study Guide, 2012) An ideal market segment meets all of the following criteria: (1) It is possible to measure, (2) it must be large enough to earn profit, (3) it must be stable enough that it does not vanish after some time, (4) it is possible to reach potential customers via the organization’s promotion and distribution channel, (5) it is internally homogeneous (potential customers in the same segment prefer the same product qualities, (6) it is externally heterogeneous, that is, potential customers from different segments have different quality preferences, (7) it responds consistently to a given market stimulus, (8) it can be reached by market intervention in a cost-effective manner and (9) it is useful in deciding on the marketing mix. (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2013) 2.3 Choose a targeting strategy for a selected product or service. Kitchner had the goal of making Jollibee one of the world’s top ten fast food brands by the year 2000. In his plan to increase international expansion, he implemented two strategies, â€Å"targeting expats† and â€Å"planting the flag†. His plan of â€Å"targeting expats† allows the company transition into an unfamiliar market much easier because expatriate Filipinos working in other countries could relate to Jollibee’s. Though there is a huge risk of targeting a narrow segment, Jollibee’s local success allows for momentum to generate the expansion and growth of the company. However, Kitchner quickly found out that this market was limited and that not all the overseas Filipinos were potential customers. (Paul, 2011) On the other hand, Kitchner’s decision to â€Å"plant the flag† is to leverage Jollibee’s competitive advantage by entering new geographic market, his rapid expansion strategy was unfocused and poorly executed. He also neglected to consider the large transaction costs associated with establishing markets in new countries. Kitchner’s desire to be first-mover in a number of small, undeveloped markets would not have brought the prestige needed to win the firm better partners. â€Å"Planting the flag† only showed that Jollibee knew how to repeat its success. In order to compete on the level with multinationals, Jollibee would have to take its performance to the next step and prove that it could continue to build its competitive advantage. (Tran, 2005) 2.4 Demonstrate how buyer behavior affects marketing activities in different buying situations. Buying behavior is made up of the internal and external factors that explain why consumers buy and use certain products or services. This type of behavior can affect the marketing strategy that a business employs to promote its products, and when this behavior is analyzed, it can guide a business toward better marketing strategies and methods that it might not have originally used. Supply and Demand is one of the basic economic theories that drive marketing of which consists of a ratio between the amounts of supply versus the amount of demand for that supply. Two supply and demand situations can majorly affect the type of marketing you employ for your goods. These situations include when a product or service is in abundant supply and demand is scarce or when a product or service is scarce and there is increased demand for it. Routine buying behavior is the programmed response that consumers may have to certain types of products. Usually these products are not expensive, such as cars or computers, and can include anything that is commonly bought on a week-to-week basis. Complex Decision-Making is another type of buyer behavior which is usually associated with high-end, expensive or scarce products such as diamonds, fine wine or automobiles. This behavior often comes with high involvement on the consumer’s part in that he will generally want to thoroughly research the product and differences between brands before he makes a decision on which one to buy. Internal Factors that marketers need to be aware of can also affect a consumer’s buying process. These elements — personal, psychological and social — guide buying behaviors and consumption patterns and can be a valuable tool to creating better marketing strategies on the seller’s side. For example, a consumer may opt for a specific brand of cola because of provocative advertising that may make that consumer feel â€Å"sexy† for drinking it, versus buying another brand of cola that uses nonsexual advertising. Delivering the feeling you want experienced when a consumer uses your product is imperative to a good marketing mix of strategies. (Vogt, 1999-2013) 2.5 Positioning selected product/service. Ensuring high traffic needs an emphasis on store location and positioning Jollibee in the minds of the consumers as a place where they can enjoy eating fast food. This entails proper branding and positioning of the services/products offered. Jollibee Foods Corporation brought to everyone’s lips the promise of LANGHAP SARAP (smells so good so it must taste good) Jollibee also projected itself as a world-class brand by expanding its market overseas. Its nationalist view is a key fact. Personnel at Jollibee communicate with customers in local language rather than English unlike to its competitor such as McDonald’s. It provides more homely environment than competitors with tailored food menu to meet the local people’s needs. Jollibee is a super place for children that has ever been. Children can come with their parents and play here while being served with special items made for them. Also, Jollibee facilitates party arrangements for its consumers. 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