Impressions Of Television :: essays research papers fc

Impressions of Television SOME AMERICANS COMPLAIN THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH VIOLENCE IN TELEVISION, PARTICULARLY IN AN ACTION SERIES OR CARTOONS. THEY ARE AFRAID THAT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, WILL SEE THESE SHOWS AND THINK THAT THE ONLY WAY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS IS THROUGH VIOLENT ACTS. I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS OTHER THAN TELEVISION THAT EFFECTS PEOPLE. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE YOU SAW IT ON TELEVISION? I'M SURE THAT ALL OF US HAVE DONE THAT AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. TELEVISION SHOWS THAT ARE VIOLENT CAN HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE WAY THAT CHILDREN ACT. TELEVISION HAS EMBEDDED ITSELF WITHIN THE LIFE OF THE TYPICAL AMERICAN PERSON. ACCORDING TO THE ENCARTA 96 CD ROM ENCYCLOPEDIA THEY CLAIM THAT, "BETWEEN THE AGES OF 2 AND 65 THE AVERAGE AMERICAN WILL WATCH 72,000 HOURS OF TELEVISION—AT 24 HOURS A DAY, A TOTAL OF 8 FULL YEARS. THE DAILY AVERAGE IS ABOUT 4 HOURS. THE HEAVIEST VIEWERS ARE HOUSEWIVES AND SENIOR CITIZENS. CHILDREN WATCH THE SAME AMOUNT OF TELEVISION AS DO ADULTS; TEENAGERS WATCH ABOUT AN HOUR LESS PER DAY." "EARLY EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCHERS COMPARED THE PLAY OF CHILDREN WHO HAD SEEN AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR ON TELEVISION WITH THE PLAY OF A CONTROL GROUP OF CHILDREN WHO HAD WATCHED NONVIOLENT PROGRAMS. CONCERN WAS INTENSIFIED BY FINDINGS THAT INDICATED A HIGHER LEVEL OF AGGRESSIVE PLAY IN THE VIOLENT- TELEVISION GROUP"(ENCARTA). ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SURF SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS TO SEE THE VIOLENCE. THE NINJA TURTLES ARE A PHENOMENON THAT HAS CAPTURED THE IMAGINATIONS OF MOVIE, COMIC, AND EVEN CARTOON FANS ACROSS SEVERAL GENERATIONS. A GROUP OF YOUNG, TEENAGE TURTLES WHO USE KUNG-FU AGAINST A GROUP OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CREATURES. THIS SHOW ANIMATES EXPLICITLY HOW THEY BATTLE THESE CREATURES TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY. THEY LIVE IN THE SEWERS WITH THEIR TEACHER WHO IS A RAT, USING AN ASSORTMENT OF WEAPONS SUCH AS THE SWORD, NUMCHUCKS, NINJA FORKS, AND A NINJA STICK TO FIGHT FOES. IT SEEMS TO ME WHEN I LOOK OUTSIDE TO SEE THE CHILDREN PLAYING, THEY MIMIC THE NINJA TURTLES, PRETENDING THAT THEY ARE KILLING KRANG OR SHREDDER. IT NEVER FAILS IT ALWAYS SEEMS THAT THERE IS ONE CHILD THAT COMES IN CRYING BECAUSE ANOTHER KID (WHO THOUGHT HE WAS DONATELLO) WAS HITTING HIM WITH A STICK THAT HE USED FOR A SWORD. ALARMINGLY THIS PROBLEM SOMETIMES ESCALATES WHEN THE CHILD GETS OLDER AND THE CHILD IS SUBJECT TO MORE IDEAS BROUGHT ACROSS ON TELEVISION. NOT TOO FAR AWAY IN THE CHANNELS OF THE TELEVISION YOU HAVE MTV. IT IS A MUSIC BASED CHANNEL THAT PLAYS ALL TYPES OF MUSIC VIDEOS AND AN OCCASIONAL

Over-consumption = More Waste :: Essays Papers

Over-consumption = More Waste The single most important environmental issue today is over-consumerism, which leads to excess waste. We buy too much. We think we always need new and better stuff. Will we ever be satisfied? There will always be something better or cooler on the market. Because we live in a capitalistic consumer culture, we have absorbed things like: â€Å"Get it while the getting’s good,† â€Å"Offer ends soon, buy while it lasts,† â€Å"For great deals, come on down†¦Sunday Sunday Sunday!† We, kids from 1 to 92, have become saturated with commercials like: Obey your thirst. How much of our consumption is compulsive buying, merely obeying our momentary thirst? Do we actually need all that we buy? Could we survive efficiently, even happily, without making so many shopping center runs? Once after I made a Target run with mom, I noticed that most of the bulkiness within my plastic bags with red targets symbols on them was made up of the products’ packaging. I t hen thought about all the bags that were piled on the floor near us†¦all of the bags piled on the floors of many homes throughout America daily. There are realistic solutions that we should look into in order to curb this detrimental trend. Because we can do quick little time-saver runs to the nearest mega-store, we really have lost the need and, in some cases, the ability to be creative or resourceful. Instead of contributing to consumerism by buying new clothes and household goods, we can try finding and using things that were already purchased and perhaps slightly used. (Obviously not toiletries, food, or undergarments.) There are oodles of resale shops and rummage sales that contain great products for almost always half the price or even cheaper. By not shopping at such places as Goodwill, Salvation Army, and the like, we just keep adding more and more to the already vast amount of products that are already out there and not in use. It is wise to not contribute anymore to consumerism and waste-increase by buying used items. Perhaps we should only buy new things to supplement our needs. It is unrealistic to advocate that e veryone in America stop buying new things altogether. We should buy them in moderation, but there are things we can do before and after purchasing these things. Three simple solutions are pre-cycling, re-cycling, and re-using. Pre-cycling is used to prevent as much waste as possible by simply seeking out products with little, less, or no packaging.

Bicycle Helmets Mandatory? :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Bicycle Helmets Mandatory? Should bicycle helmets be made mandatory for all cyclist? That is what two elementary students asked for from their city council, an ordinance enforcing the use of Bicycle Safety helmets for children under 12. So on April 25, 2002, in Richardson, Texas, the city council had decided against an ordinance requiring bicycle helmets for children under 12. Of course they had their reasons for not passing the request made by two young girls. If they would have taken a serious look at the issue, they may have viewed it differently. Assistant City Manager Mike Wanchick said, "A helmet seems to give a false sense of security to the cyclist, who feel less vulnerable and may ride less cautiously," He then went on to add. "As a result, riders wearing a helmet are more likely to have an accident." (Post) Now, the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI) statistics show four states accounted for 40 percent of bicycle deaths in 2000, With Texas as one of them. Yet, Wanchick says that "our basic position is that bicycle safety is a parents' primary obligation," adding " What hurts kids are cars and we need to be working the traffic citations out there* people who are licensed to drive cars, not kids learning to ride bicycles." (Post) Even though 10 of the largest cities in Texas have bicycle-helmet ordinances including Dallas and Fort Worth. But, Richardson Texas choose to not act on this issue, but turn a blind eye to one of the silent injuries and the prevention of it by wearing a simple helmet. The BHSI say s the statistics show about 800 bicyclists die in the US every year. Plus another one in eight of the cyclists injured has a brain injury. The city also cited U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data reports that the number of head injuries to cyclists has increased by 10% percent since 1991, even with the rise in helmet use. Cyclist has declined at the same time, the data indicated, increasing the rate of head injuries per active cyclist though the decade by 51% percent. The commission's data also shows a substantial reduction in cycling where helmet laws are in effect.

Formal Letter in the Public services Essay

This is a formal letter used to send information out to external parties. This specific letter is used to engage students in an exciting opportunity and potential career option. Letters are used by all in the public services and this letter that I have has been given is used by someone in the armed forces as they need to tell the headteachers about an excellent challenge for their students. Letters like this are used to inform someone about a meeting that will be happing at a certain time and day and where it will be at. In the RAF this would be a normal form of communication that they would use to inform one another of important dates coming up, but in the normal day an e-mail would suffice. Firstly on this letter the name of the Sergeant sending it is highlighted in bold this is so it will get the reader’s attention straight away and the reader will want to continue to read it, it will also show who they need to respond to in order to get the day out for their students and then underneath it states that it is from the RAF so this is letting the person know where the letter has come from and who they are, and then underneath this there is other information about where the letter will be sent off to and who will be getting the letter, this information will let the person that is delivering it know where it has to go to as it has the street name and the post code. Secondly they have information about the person that it has been sent to they use lines to split it up so that they page looks better and the information will be easier to read, Tony splits it up because he does not want the reader to think that there will be lots of information to read through which often puts readers off reading it as they think it is going to be too much, and too much effort. This also would get the readers to view the letter as the reader will think it is important and will want to know the information that he has written in on the letter. Thirdly the information they have put in the other side of the split up box is about if the person would like to write back to them, so if they need more information or just want to ask them something about what they have written in the letter they can contact them on the provided details and use the reference so Tony knows immediately what they are talking about. This information is also given because they will need to reply to say that they would.

Wise Travel Tips And Tricks From Frequent Travelers

Frequent Travelers Many people have vacation horror stories to tell. Usually, poor planning is the reason behind such negative talk. The tips listed here will help you to have an enjoyable vacation experience. Leave your valuables at home. If you decide to bring valuables, you could lose them, or they could even be stolen. Air travel requires a bit of planning. If an airport Is In a major city, It can be quite difficult to get to, especially during rush hour when traffic is at its heaviest. Pack what you can the night before our flight so you are sure to be ready to leave the next day.Dont walt until the last minute to prepare for your flight. There is little else that could be worse than not making your flight. Anytime you are going to be driving to a different city before going on a cruise, check to see if there is a hotel that has fee parking, and get there the night before. You may want to contact the hotel administration about potential deals that they offer on parking even if i t doesn't look like any are available. Prior to flying, make a quick trip to the gym. Being on a flight for a long period of time can be iresome.Your legs and back can cramp up from sitting a long time. Working out prior to a long flight can relax your body and reduce uncomfortable feelings in your body due to the flight. Always go out of your way to tip any bell station and housekeeper appropriately. The typical tip is a dollar per bag of luggage and anywhere from two to five dollars per day for housekeeping. Doing so will ensure that you have a nice relationship with both during your hotel stay. Stores tend to overcharge for these Items, and the space saved Is minimal, so save the money.Try olding your clothes in innovative ways that will take up less space. Following these tips can help you find even more room In your bags. Taking sleeping pills will help you get through a long flight. This can help you to sleep in a situation that many are uncomfortable In, on board an airplane Take a mild sleeping pill to get you through the flight. Nothing too strong, but enough to make you drowsy. Refrain from taking sleeping medication before you actually take off. If your flight Is delayed, you will likely need to remain wide awake to make other arrangements.Make sure that your assports are valid. Different areas of the world have different rules regarding passports. Most countries will not permit you to enter with an expired passport if it is within a given time frame. These periods usually range anywhere from a year to three months. The reason for some of the worst stories about traveling happen because the traveler didnt think ahead and plan correctly. You now have the advice needed to take the worry from your vacation and find the relaxation that you deserve. Wise Travel Tips And Tricks From Frequent Travelers By bassantbadr planning.If an airport is in a major city, it can be quite difficult to get to, especially your flight so you are sure to be ready to leave t he next day. Don't wait until the last overcharge for these items, and the space saved is minimal, so save the money. Try tips can help you find even more room in your bags. Taking sleeping pills will help uncomfortable in, on board an airplane. Take a mild sleeping pill to get you through sleeping medication before you actually take off. If your flight is delayed, you will because the traveler didn't think ahead and plan correctly. You now have the advice

Wal Mart Case

http://www. economist. com/node/2593089 http://www. authorstream. com/Presentation/akmohideen-193472-wal-mart-case-study-education-ppt-powerpoint/ How Could Wal Mart Continue Its Extraordinary Growth Management Essay Introduction The history of Wal-Mart started in 1962 with the opening of its first store in Arkansas, USA. The store stared as a retailer in the United States, but grew to reach extraordinary levels in the years to come. Wal-Mart grew rapidly, and used several methods to accomplish this growth. They opened their own stores as well as acquiring existing stores and chains to facilitate their entry to the new markets.The growth was not limited to the number of stores that the company opened, but it extended to the areas of operation for the store. For example, Wal-Mart entered new areas of business as it grew like pharmacies and jewelries. Wal-Mart followed an aggressive expansion strategy that was the model for their business for years, redefining concepts as they grew. Bu t what is Wal-Mart. The store can be described as the following. It is chain of discount department stores that operate with the purpose of reducing prices, and focusing on the volume of sales.The company’s growth is extraordinary in every sense; Wal-Mart is currently the world’s largest company by sales. Wal-Mart has recorded $260 billion in sales in 2005. The company manages over 5000 stores worldwide, 3200 of the stores located in the US, 900 in the Americas, 350 in Europe, and 440 in Asia. Wal-Mart employs a very large workforce, it has over 2 million employees, and the number is gradually increasing. Wal-Mart has adopted advance mean of technology to help it run its operations, this methods helped the growth of the company. But can Wal-Mart continue with the same level of growth.A company needs to maintain growth, and to Wal-Mart a reduction in the level of growth would be a cause of concern for the company’s stakeholders, because growth has a competitive a dvantage for Wal-Mart ever since it started. But in the saturated business of retail can Wal-Mart sustain the levels of growth anymore. SWOT Analysis Can Wal-Mart maintain the level of growth it has seen any longer? The company has made a reputation on the bases of their growth can they keep it up, to answer that we need to conduct an analysis of the company and see elements that could determine this.A SWOT analysis would give us the needed insight. Strengths Wal-Mart is the largest company in the world; it has large volume of sales and operates over 500 stores worldwide, with 100 million clients a week. Wal-Mart has a great standing in the domestic market based on the low pricing methods they have used. Wal-Mart can change their formula to fit the market. (stores, supercenters, sam’s club, and neighborhood markets) Wal-Mart utilizes the latest technologies in inventory management to control their large inventory, and they have a wide range of products reaching over 100,000 i tems.Weaknesses Wal-Mart has faced criticism regarding their management of human resources, including accusation of the use of child labor, low pay for employees by industry standards, lack of benefit like health care, and reliance on temporary workers to lower their cost. The huge size of the company causes issues, like in the case of acquiring international ventures and integrating then in the Wal-Mart system. Despite its size it has a week presence and brand image in the international market. OpportunitiesWal-Mart has a competitive advantage over its rivals; their incorporation of the latest technologies in their daily operation increases the efficiency of these operations and saves them some money while trying to enter new markets. So they would have an easier time that their rivals. Wal-Mart can further expand into Europe and Asia, both huge markets that Wal-Mart have not began to fully pursue. Wal-Mart can use their adaptability and introduce cultural clusters products. For ex ample utilize the model that worked in Mexico in Latin America. ThreatsThe market is saturated, and Wal-Mart faces intense competition in both domestic and international market. Also they face competition from specialty stores. Wal-Mart faces different laws by different countries that force it to change it methods. For example being forced to unionize the workers in china under pressure from the government. Summary Wal-Mart faces several challenges in order to sustain the levels of growth it has experienced. But it is possible Wal-Mart to grow further. The company has to use the opportunities that are present to it.They can pursue international markets more aggressively, expand in under developed markets, and continue to incorporate technology to increase efficiency and reduce costs and delays. Wal-Mart could also begin appealing to the niche markets by introducing and focusing on some special products. Question 2- What would be the limits of that growth? Introduction Growth is an e ssential an essential aspect of every successful corporation, and Wal-Mart in particular has made it their trademark. The rapid growth and expansion has been a competitive edge for Wal-Mart since the beginning of its operation.However, as previously mentioned, for how long can the company maintain this level of growth? Wal-Mart’s domestic market in the United States is already saturated and they face heavy competition as well, therefore, it is logical to assume that Wal-Mart’s options lies in its international ventures. The company has started to successfully dominate several foreign markets, especially in Mexico, Canada, and to some degree, the United Kingdom, at the same time, it remains absent from other regional markets in Europe and Asia.These unused markets would be the next step for Wal-Marts’ expansion, and their ability to cultivate those opportunities would be the key factor that would determine the limit of their growth. When a company ventures into i nternational markets and unfamiliar cultures, they could face challenges that exist in adapting and changing to fit the culture. In addition, there are always external forces that would affect the growth potential of a corporation, and these factors are usually beyond the corporations’ control.So in order to determine the limit of Wal-Marts growth, we have to first analyze the external environments that would affect it, the analysis is named the PESTLE analysis of external forces. PESTLE Analysis The PESTLE analysis is a tool, used to examine the external forces that could affect a company or a corporation. This analysis tool would focus on six aspects which are the political forces, the economical factors, social elements, technological innovations, legal issues, and environmental considerations.Political Forces The political orders and systems differ from one country to another; they vary depending on the region you target. A company would be under the mercy of the politica l forces in each country it tries to enter; this will be a huge burden on companies and especially Wal-Mart. Since Wal-Mart prefers standardization methods, it would be a deviation from their successful methods of operation if they have to cater and change in every country they enter.To further elaborate, if Wal-Mart had to change in every country they entered, they would have to create different processes for every time they penetrate a new market, including, administration, training, and management. When it comes to growth, those factors could very well limit the growth of Wal-Mart in a new market or make it too expensive to be economically feasible. Economic Factors The economic cycle would obviously have a great effect on all aspects of any corporation. The economic booms encourage companies to expand, while the economic downturns force them to retreat.The effects of an economical downturn would limit or end the growth of a corporation, when a company plans to venture into new m arkets; they would have to take into consideration the type of economy they enter or the forecasted performance of said economy. Wal-Mart could expand into a market and be faced with an unexpected situation that would force it to cease operation, thus incurring a loss. Wal-Mart is in a constant state of expansion, so, suffering a loss in any of its fronts would reduce the profitability of the company and would damage future international expansion plans. Social ElementsSocieties differ from one country to another, the differences could be unimportant to a multinational corporation like Wal-Mart, or they could be severe enough that Wal-Marts would not be able to operate in that market. For example, Wal-Marts retail chain depends on low prices with low profit margins, but large volume of sales. That method could very well not work in other countries in which the society has different purchasing habits. The inability of a company to adapt to the social characteristics of a new country would severely limit their clients’ base in that country, or it could end their operations completely.Technological Innovations Wal-Mart has always utilized state of the art technology to gain a competitive edge, they have an integrated system of inventories that controls and monitors replenishing the stock in every store, this aspect dramatically increases the companys’ efficiency. Furthermore, the company is always looking for new technological ways to cut costs and increase efficiency. In the case of expansion into foreign markets, this vital aspect of Wal-Marts operation would be threatened.If a certain country does not have the infrastructure to support this kind of technology, Wal-Mart would lose that competitive edge in that market. As a result, the Wal-Mart model would not be fully usable in that market, which would decrease profitability and eventually limit the organizations growth. Legal Issues Laws that are different from one country to another could very w ell limit the growth of a company, by restricting certain aspects and eliminating others; they disturb the work flow of a company. These limitations forced by foreign laws are a major concern for an international company.Environmental Considerations The environment and the quest to maintain it has a great effect on major international corporations. Wal-Mart in specific, have had their run-ins with this certain issue, they have faced criticism and limitations in several countries due to a wide range of basis. Issues such as building stores on historic sites, or selling products that used wood from protected forests are issues that have more than once halted the expansion of Wal-Mart. Summary As seen, the company has no choice but to seek new markets to keep expanding, the growth rate could not be sustained in the US retail market.The limit of the Wal-Marts growth would be their abilities in penetrating international markets, and how they deal with the barriers that those external for ces push them into. Ultimately, it would come down to flexibility and willingness to change from the companies’ part. On the other hand, Wal-Mart can recreate its amazing growth performance in its domestic market by fully analyzing all the possible external forces that could have a hand in limiting their growth and formulating the strategic plans that would allow them to carry the essence of their successful model into new markets, even if it was in a new form.Question 3- Did Asia and Europe offer Wal-Mart real opportunities for international market dominance? Introduction One of the major aims of any company is growth; they seek to expand their market share or client base or any of the several elements. Eventually, the growth is their goal, due to that fact that when a company stops growing it gives the image of trouble to its stakeholders. Companies will at some point have to consider exploring new markets, these markets would most likely be outside the companys home countr y.Expansion into a foreign market offers many advantages to companies and is very appealing to most of them, however, it is important that all corporations carefully analyze the environments that they are about to enter. In these foreign markets, there could be forces that if ignored could cost a company greatly. Wal-Mart is not new to international expansion and they already operate in several countries. Despite that fact, Wal-Marts performance in some international markets did not match their extraordinary domestic growth.To better understand those reasons, we have to analyze the environments that Wal-Mart ventured into, as well as the forces they faced. Porters Five Forces The Porter Five Forces is a tool used to analyze the competitive environment in any industry in order to determine the level of threats that the company faces. Porter categorized the threats into five headings. Threat of new entry Wal-Mart is in the retail business and more specifically the discount retail indu stry, the threat of new entry is low to medium.Wal-Mart is a well established company that has mastered the processes and has set up highly efficient operations, especially their distribution networks. Threats on this level is low due to the barriers that a new competitor would face in order to compete against Wal-Mart. This point is at its strongest in Wal-Marts domestic market, the situation is different when Wal-Mart ventured abroad where Wal-Marts lesser presence acts against it, but even then, Wal-Mart could enter the market and use its pricing methods to successfully obtain a share in the new market. Threat of RivalryThis threat is medium to high; Wal-Mart has a lot of competitors in both domestic and international markets and as a result of Wal-Marts nature, it has a large number of competitors. Wal-Mart faces intense competition from organizations such as Target and Best Buy, each of those companies are a threat to Wal-Marts dominance in the market. In the international fiel d, Wal-Mart faces competition from well established multinational corporations like Carrefour, the level of competition that Wal-Mart faces abroad is significantly higher due to their weaker presence in those markets. The bargaining power of customersThe bargaining power of customers is how much of an effect can the reaction and interaction of customers have on the strategies that companies use. This force is medium, while it is true that customers would have a wide range of choices and options to choose from other than Wal-Mart, the company possesses the characteristics that attracted people to it in the first place, that aspect being convenience. A single individual/customer would have no bargaining power if he/she sought the convenience of having everything in one place; however, customers that have specific needs would simply go to another store for their purchases.The bargaining power suppliers Wal-Mart sells general items in addition to some of its own product lines; they are a dominant force in the domestic US market, which means that suppliers have very little bargaining power over them. As a dominating force, Wal-Mart can move from one supplier to the other very easily, and with the massive variety they have, they can afford to remove some products. Larger companies that deal with Wal-Mart have somewhat more bargaining power, but in general, Wal-Mart is safe from this threat. Threat of substitutesThis threat could be viewed from two different perspectives, if you consider that Wal-Mart has been selling general products, then it is easily changeable, however, if we look at it and view that the convenience of having everything in one place combined with low prices is Wal-Marts main product, then this threat is very low. There are very few places that could even offer a similar level of convenience. Summary Wal-Mart has different situations in Europe and Asia. In Europe, Wal-Marts methods were successful in the UK, but less so in other parts of the conti nent.They faced stiff competition and the unfamiliarity of some of those markets played a role in limiting their dominance. In Asia, their situation is rather different; many of the Asian countries are ones that have developing economies. Wal-Marts low price strategy and their ability to function with low profit margins will enable them to establish themselves in those markets. Question 4- How could the company take advantage of its global reach to propel itself through the years to come? IntroductionFew companies can successfully expand to the extent that Wal-Mart has; the companys growth has been extraordinary to say the least, however, taking into consideration the companys size, Wal-Mart has a weak international presence. It is true that Wal-Mart has hundreds of stores operating outside its domestic market, which gives it a certain level of international reach. By strengthening their presence in foreign markets, they are lowering their risks and also increasing their profitabili ty.When a company operates in many different markets, the risk of an economic downturn is less severe since the company would not depend on only one market for its profitability. Moreover, foreign markets are opportunities for growth and untapped potential. Wal-Mart could use their presence in foreign markets to grow and penetrate other close by regions. By going international, the company guarantees their presence in several markets. Companies need a strategic plan for the future, without it they have no hope of maintaining any success they might have had. Strategic PlanningStrategic planning is a process in which every company plans what to do for the future; the process requires that the company have clear goals and understanding of themselves. Wal-Mart is a company that has been well aware of this process, the organization has built its name by focusing on providing items at low prices, in technical terms, and they are following the generic strategy of cost leadership. Wal-Mart aimed to be the competitor that attracts clients on the basis of low cost, despite having a wide range of products, Wal-Mart appeals to its clients’ base with their low prices.After going international, Wal-Mart attempted to immolate the formula that led to its success. However, they were faced with difficulties stemming from the cultural and social differences between its domestic market and the foreign market. Wal-Mart partially overcame that obstacle by abandoning the strategy of standardization, and adapting a flexible mean of market penetration, they have on several occasions changed their store formula to fit the local image.Wal-Marts success overseas could almost entirely be attributed to its ability to formulate their stores around local concepts by partnering up or buying out well established local chains, thus, not forcing a clash with the American image of Wal-Mart. Summary Wal-Mart has a dominating presence in their domestic market and a strong presence in several other countries. The company can use that global reach to sustain its growth for many more years to come by using the strategies that made it succeed in the first place and applying them to those new markets.This feature backed up by the companys ability to adapt to differences from one country to another would help make the penetration of the new markets run smoothly. Moreover, the global reach would allow it to make use of the ideas and resources of their partners in those markets, the ideas could benefit Wal-Mart in the fact that they could transfer it to other markets without the need of creating entirely new models. Read more:Â  http://www. ukessays. com/essays/management/how-could-wal-mart-continue-its-extraordinary-growth-management-essay. php#ixzz2NFqxWBIn

Marketing Plan for Sony Xpreia Essay

The following report is a marketing plan for Sony Ericson Mobile in Australia for the 2012-2013 financial year. The Sony Ericson brand continues to grow in unpopularity after several years of underperformance. This has occurred due to Sony Ericson trying desperately to hold onto its premium brand image that comes with a high cost and not focusing its resources on finding the right target market that suites its technology and innovation. The marketing plan will focus on the mobile market and critically analyse this market in Australia. Also analysing Sony Ericson as a company, as well as its competitors, customers and SWOT analysis. Sony Ericson has missed a critical market that its innovative technology would fit perfectly with. This report will argue that by incorporating the tween market through this marketing plan Sony Ericson will be able to stop the growth in unpopularity that it has created over the last few years. Introduction In this report the Sony xperaplay smart phone will be critically analysed in terms of its market segmentation, current objectives, the market it targets, Sony occupies an irreplaceable position in the gaming world, and its subsidiary, Sony Ericsson, also has strong competitiveness in the mobile phone industry. Sony combined mobile techniques with their own gaming technology, which created the Sony Ericson Xperia Play. Xperia Play is a mobile phone with incredible game function which is targeted at young adults and gamers, and has a good reputation within the customers. The marketing strategy that was implemented has directly targeted a specific market, young adults. As a result of this it has made the product have a fairly subjective target market which Sony can seek to increase potential target market by repositioning the Xpera Play phone towards a younger audience. This campaign will reposition it to focus on tweens. Situational Analysis Sony Ericson currently targets older teenagers through to young adults for its mobile phone. But it seems that the mobile phone is lost within this market as the market share the xperiaplay holds compared to many other smart phones in this market is very small, Even thou Sony Ericson is a well known and well respected brand. The drop is caused due to the fact that Sony have been targeting the wrong market. Company Analysis The marketing decision makers for Sony Ericson are the Senior Brand Marketing Manager. Sony Ericson has not been consistent in promotional activities for its mobile phones. Mostly the brand focuses on trying to hold its premium image with marketing mostly focusing on its premium range of smart phones. This has reflected in its sales, it has made consecutive losses since 2010. The most likely reason for its lack of successful campaigns is the lack of resources dedicated to designing and implementing campaigns to attract the right target audience, which is why the company continues to make losses and lose market share. PESTL Analysis Political Proposed legislation such as the carbon tax which will raise prices of shipping. Many businesses have had to raise the cost of their products to make a profit. Also this tax affects outlet stores in terms of electricity charges, which will again raise the prices of mobile phones as business tend to pass on the cost to consumers rather than bearing it themselves. Economic While the global financial crisis has affected a plethora of industries, The Australian economy has remained relatively strong with per capita households spending an average of $40000 (CIA 2010). Despite this consumers have cut back on spending, specifically on items such as food, entertainment, clothing, cars and mobile phones. Ergo the economy is slowing down because consumers are not spending enough money; This affects the sales of mobile phones majority because consumers are not spending enough money on replacing or updating their mobile phones or on entertainment. Also another economic factor is the high Aussie dollar causes imports to be cheaper because countries such as china which manufacture the product have a low rate currency. This means that the companies are able to import more products for a lower price. Socio-cultural Recent consumer trends within the gaming product market are driving a new theme of product innovation. Today’s society tends to be busy and on-the-move and want to increase their leisure time at their own discretion. To meet the needs of consumers, companies are innovating gaming products making it more mobile. In addition the functionality of the multiplayer platform has created a whole new range of social aspects where consumers are able to interact with each other. Technology Technology can be utilized as an advantage within the industry as it provides the ability to design and create new products and expand or promote to specific target markets via interacting with consumers on an online basis. Technology has allowed the ability of online shopping as consumers are leaning towards this option as the most popular option of shopping. The internet has opened up a whole new market with the use of social media networks and websites companies can easily target a global target market. As the rate of technology is increasing consumers are able to communicate with each other on a social multiplayer platform where content may be purchased online and downloaded straight to their device. Legal Sony company has always been one of the main victims of the piracy in game industry. The characteristics of this phone are powerful game function, but it also made it easy to create pirating games. Compared with Sony’s genuine products, pirated products have a huge price advantage, the fact that they are mostly free, and this does attract a lot of people try to obtain these game products illegally, and that is the reason Sony has to use the Copyright law to protect their game products, so their game products can make a maximum profit Rating System for games is required, Users are able to download a lot of games to this phone through the network, according to the Rating System, which these games have to limit the players from downloading content not suited to their age. This is needed to protect kids from Violence and pornography. SWOT Analysis Strengths Remains as a one of the kind device that could become a big hit Not many phones competing in the same category Tactile buttons provide more immersive gaming experience Delivering console quality games Designed portable gaming in mind Include a game pad with input controls and interface recognizable to hardcore gamers. Multi touch gadget powered by Android Gingerbread is one of best versions of Android OS†¦ Weakness’s Release of two more phones from the Xperia line during the same time Not many people buy just for gaming purposes Touch screen gaming controls are not as responsive and precise Suffer key hardware limitations Lacks 4G LTE, HDMI port Touch sensitive circle are not as responsive and don’t replace the precision of actual joysticks Touch sensitive circles are just not as responsive as we would like, and do not replace actual joysticks. Android games don’t support the controller buttons No backups for downloaded games/ purchased games CPU AND GUP not the best Display has poor viewing angles No smart dialing and shutter key†¦ Opportunities A new open market Parent company Sony owns EA and many other gaming companies games can be adapted to be able to be played on the xperia Can earn a lot of revenue from game purchases and applications Better quality Games compared to other phones Exceptional online experience to grow a customer base Strong customer demand High percentage of young adult market High disposable income in rising market Threats Chain stores not wanting to stock a new niche mobile phone independent stores not wanting to store Sony Ericsson phones Retail stores wanting bigger discounts to sell phone because of popularity of competitors models Competitor products such as iphone, htc, Motorola Aussie dollar going back down Retail stores having preferred suppliers or contracted with particular suppliers and having a non compete Competitors copying the innovation of PSP phone and supplying at a cheaper price Fully fledged gaming devices such as DS Objectives Mission Statement Sony Ericson mission statement: â€Å"To provide quality end to end communications services to both retail and small to medium corporate customers† and â€Å"To give them the most help we ever can in the most professional way†. Market Objectives Maintain and increase sales in specific target market. Advance and open up new market for kids and teenagers. Increase the brand awareness among the target market; to measure this objective, the organization will conduct interviewer-led surveys in shopping centers or on the street every three months. Increase the brand share by 1% within two years, which will be confirmed by periodically checking the brand share chart for growth indication. Establish multi-channel retail practice, especially focusing on internet retail, to expand sales. Adapt and respond to the wide consumer needs of products. Sales objectives Increase sales by 15% in first year. Increase sales by 30% over three years. Increase market share to 20% of the total target market segment within three years. Communication objectives Set up feedback section for Xplay on website Increasing Feedback questionnaire response rates Competition There are 100’s of companies which make thousands of mobiles phones. Which break down further into smart phones and non smart phones. This makes the mobile phone market very competitive. The average price of mobile phones in Australia range between $300 and $800. Sony Ericson phones tend to price in the premium range with their mobile phones ranging from 700 – 900 AUD, Which limits the retail segment for Sony Ericson even further. The main competitor for Sony Ericson is the Iphone, as it has the largest share market of any phone. A selection of the primary target market competitors is found in table 1. A secondary group of target can be found in figure 1.They are secondary only because of they are not as used as the primary competitors and others do not compete in the mobile phone market but in the game market. These are still considered competitors due to the type of phones Sony Ericson make which has a heavy focus on gaming. Primary Secondary Iphone Alcatel Samsung Blackberry Nokia Amoi HTC Sonim LG Playstation Portable Motorola Nintendo DS Competitive Advantage Sony Ericson currently is the only brand that is making a mobile phone combined with a portable gaming device. Sony Ericson mobile phones are made by Sony which is a multinational company owning many companies in many areas. Including gaming, Sony owns EA, one of the leading gaming brands in the world. Sony Ericson is one of the most well known mobile phone brands in the world. Sony Ericson has innovative designs and materials, which is appealing to the target market. Customer Analysis Even though the product is a smart phone, price is a major factor for the Australian consumer. The primary consumer is primarily young in age, and they demand value for money at a competitive price. The product must also fulfil their everyday needs. The other factors that are important to the consumer are quality, comfort, function, style, design, speed, image, status, power, and functionality, variety of apps and games and durability. Target market Segmentation and Positioning Profile market segments Geographic segmentation People can purchase the Xperia play anywhere in the world. Entire Australia will be the target market for this product, but mainly focuses on the three biggest cities, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Demographic segmentation Xperica Play targets this product for Tweens age between 12 to 15. Generally young people do not have a high income they may have to persuade parents to purchase this product. Psychographic segmentation These days’ young people are experiencing a rapid lifestyle which leads them to save time including spending time to play games. The sales potential for this specific product is high as little kids enjoy playing video games and interact with their school friends. Targeting Tweens (12 – 15) The sales potential for this specific market is high as little kids enjoy playing video games and with this product they are able to interact with their school friends. Tweens will be able use the ability of pester power to allow their parents to purchase the Xperia Play for them. There for the price of the product may be moderate as they consumers parents have the income to pay for the expenses. There is also a large market share as tweens receive their first phone and they will be influenced by the video game functions. Young Adults (16 – 25) The sales potential is for this specific market is high as the age group has a moderate income and will be likely paying for their own expenses therefore they will be able to make their own decisions on what product to purchase. The cost structure can be moderate as they will have sufficient funds to pay for the Xperia Play. The Market share for this market is high as the consumers are able to purchase their own applications at their discretion. Other 26+ The sales potential for this specific market is fairly low as the age group has inadequate time to pursue the leisure activity of gaming. Although this market may have greater income the phone may not have the functionality that this market is looking for. The competitive situation is not that good as this market may be looking for a product that provides better communication functions opposed to video game functions. Select Target Segments Tweens of the ages of 12 – 15 tend to have a large amount of leisure time; the large majority enjoys new technology. The specific Target market locations will be in Australian located in the major cities. The use of Pester Power amongst tweens may persuade parents to purchase this product increasing total sales. Tweens tend to be more social, opposed to older generations because they have more free time available, Tweens have the opportunity to react with each other, and this can be an opportunity to allow the consumers to utilize the multiplayer functions leading to multiple purchases by peers increasing the total revenue. Xperia play will attract the target market with the phones functionalities, lower price range as the target may have lower income, social benefits and essentially the video games. After careful analysis and evaluation, the target market segment chosen will offer the greatest potential for the product and consumers. It provides maximum sales potential increasing the sales revenue and total market share, and will have a competitive advantage within the young audience. Positioning The Sony Xperia play will undertake a market positioning strategy where the target market will perceive a valuable offering in relation to competitors. The experience that the Xperia can provide is of a fun nature opposed to a professional business nature as a fundamental aspect is the slide out gaming functionality. The phone has a very innovative design and functions; the price of the phone will be of a moderate price as the target market chosen tend to go for the cheaper options. Although the price of the mobile phone may not be expensive, a high quality must be met as customer generated media can play a vital role in the decision making process of consumers. The service that will be provided is comprehensive; it has a specific market where owners of an Xperia Play are able to purchase and download various games and applications which will be of high convenience in regards to the user’s discretion. Following these set of attributes will help position the Xperia play to the assigned target market and provide a competitive advantage in relation to other products. The target market segments will perceive this product as the dominant offering. Product Xperia Play is a gaming mobile phone with incredible function which is targeted at young adults (age 12 to 15) and gamers. The phone has a very innovative design and functions; the price of the phone will be of a moderate price as the target market chosen tend to go for the cheaper options. Brand name highly impact on the target market due to the variety of good quality related with technology. Sony’s slogan is meant to make people smile, so it tried to design mobiles like Xperia Play to deliver the Sony’s purpose. Sony encourages their customers to buy this mobile phone by giving guarantee for their high quality products. Place Mobile phones will be sold through online retail stores, big Australian retail stores such as JB HIFI, etc, as well as smaller retail stores, Telco’s such as Telstra, Optus etc online store as well as retail stores, Stores specializing in mobile phones such as crazy johns, all phones etc, Sony Ericson’s own retail stores and its online website, department stores and Technology stores. The opportunity exists to expand the distribution network in all areas listed. However the main outlets to target are Telco’s as this is the first stop where consumers go to buy mobile phones, the second would be bigger retail stores such as JB HIFI as they have a larger customer base and the ability to attract more customers, the third main outlet to target would be specialized mobile phone stores such as crazy johns and all phones as they constantly are advertising and attracting new customers as their main focus is mobile devices, these outlets must be targeted throughout Australia. A selection distribution policy will be undertaken for the Sony Ericson mobile phone range, the main focus will be on customers mainly tweens who have not owned a smart phone before and are upgrading to one, but the priority will remain with tweens who enjoy gaming. Price The Sony Xperia play phone ensures that a high standard of quality is present whilst having an appropriate selling price that is both beneficial for the company and contains a positive perceived value towards the customers. The mobile phone will be introduced through mobile phone service companies and their plans with additional costs, such as Telstra, Vodafone, Optus etc, and will provide a range of packages and discounts to create a satisfying option for the consumers. As consumers are aware of various other phones and deals that are arising within the market a mid-to-low price range that is competitive in relation to other phones will be evident, as it also relates to the target market of tweens. In addition various pricing policies will be needed according to different functionality of the device such as memory which can relate to a variety of customer’s needs. The price that is chosen will allow the company to maximize their benefits as well as customer satisfaction, the price may be reduced to allow for a competitive advantage and the revenue will be received through the use of the phones applications and video games designed specifically for the phone that may be purchased on the online market. Promotion The phone appears on Sony Ericsson’s official website as well as some mobile phone retailers’ Web sites, so re-set up a special introduction is necessary, set up some special entertainment features on the official website of the Xperia play, such as virtual phone system experience, the online game demos, in order to improve user interaction. Television Xperia play will spend $100,000 on television advertisements during peak times where tweens would be watching TV, this is justified as tweens spend on average about 35% of their time watching television, The time that is most suitable is before and after school, on such television channels featuring cartoons and such television shows such as The Shak, Total Girl, Toasted TV etc. The advertisement will be relative to the target market as they are presented during the specific time. Printed Media Xperia play will be promoted through magazines considering that tweens are the second largest market for magazines having a market share of 50%. Magazines such as K-zone, total girl, KIDS, M.A.D. will be sold with vouchers for the Play station network. When purchasing these particular style of magazines usually they customer will receive promotional items, therefore there will be available game demos within the magazine. Public Transport Various imagery of posters will be placed on public transport on specific bus routes located around the streets of primary schools. This will allow maximum awareness throughout the target market of tweens as they will be exposed to the media on buses trains and bus stops. Official website and Forums Gaming forums are popular amongst tweens due to the fact that they can provide information regarding the video games such as hints, cheats and walkthrough guides. The Xperia Play will be implemented throughout these particular websites containing imagery and videos related to the xperia play and contain various reviews. Consumers will be able to gain information about the xperia play and its applications, registered accounts will also receive weekly emails offering a range of discounts and download vouchers Evaluation and Control – Campaign evaluation is a critical component of the plan as is the justification for the overall effectiveness of the campaign in the core areas. There are a range of factors that can determine the effectiveness of a marketing plan as shown in figure 3, such as: ï‚ · Brand awareness – this will be achieved through surveys of the awareness of mobile phone brands on consumers ï‚ · Consumer attitudes – this can be achieved through surveys done on the general public in regards to Sony Ericson and if they’re brand is a good or bad brand. ï‚ · Test promotion activities – this can be achieved through evaluating if sales are on an upward trend as well as brand awareness since the launch of the plan ï‚ · Review marketing mix – this can be achieved through evaluating sales and profit to see if they have gone up, it means the marketing mix is effective ï‚ · Sales review – this can be achieved through evaluating sales to see if they have gone up, it means the marketing mix is effective ï‚ · Profit review – this can be achieved through evaluating profit to see if they have gone up, it means the marketing mix is effective ï‚ · Review company objectives reviews – this can be achieved through evaluating the entire marketing plan to see if it has been effective in achieving the original objective if not it has to be altered. ï‚ · Market share – this will be achieved through surveys on websites such as Facebook etc. of what brand of mobile phone individuals own. Figure 3 The marketing team will approach various kids’ magazines and the Sunday mail. Websites The Management team will contact various gaming websites in order to promote the product throughout their sites The website development team will edit the website to allow consumers to gain relative information. Public Transport The Marketing team will contact Translink in order to allow the approval of promotional items suitable posters will be placed at public transport areas Television advertisement The Marketing team will gather various information on the most appropriate times to view advertisements for the specific product, it will allow maximum brand awareness to the target market Bundle Pack The Management team will contact various mobile phone service companies and give acknowledgement of specific offers In store Testing The Management team will ship out testing devices to mobile phone service companies so that consumers are able to experience the device Evaluate campaign The main managers and CEO will go through intense analysis of the situation to evaluation every aspect of the marketing plan in order to provide additional help where needed to ensure that the objectives are met by the deadline. Conclusion/ Recommendation This report set outs the marketing plan for the Sony Xperia play mobile phone in Australia. As outlined in the report, the target market consists of the target market of tweens that are aged from 12 to 15. The sales objective was to increase sales by 15% within the first year and 30% within three years and increases the market share by 20% over three years. The main marketing objectives are to main and increase sales within the specific target market of tweens and increase the total brand awareness. Essentially the Xperia play will be reposition to adapt and respond to a wide consumer need of products. Promotion activities will include magazine, newspaper, websites, Public Transport areas, Television advertisements and mobile phone bundle packs References ^ The Definition of Marketing. American Marketing Association.http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Pages/DefinitionofMarketing.aspx. Retrieved 2011-04-04. 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