Marketing Mix for the Holden Commodore Case Study

Marketing Mix for the Holden Commodore - Case Study Example The car has been produced with a different target in the market but it has remained a family car. But the Holden Commodore VE Ute which was released in 2007 has a new target to individual users. It is small compared to the others but is has the appearance that makers Commodore in the market. The Holden Commodore Sport wagon which was released in 2007 is also a family car and is larger. This shows that the company has been responding to the changing need of the market and has therefore been producing models that go with the market. There are also some models that have been targeted for the upper market. Although most of the models have been selling at a constant price, there are some models like Commodore VE that has been produced target the higher income market. the company has been pressure to lower the price of the VE model as the demanding the market falls due to low sales attributed to the its exorbitant prices. (Edger, 2002) Since it was produced the primary target market for commodore has been the family. It has bee produced targeting the family market and therefore the model have been made larger in a way that they can carry the whole family. The company has been producing medium sized cars that are usually important for family travels and other means. Therefore the family has been the primary target market for the cars. ... The company has been producing cars which are meant for private use. All the models produced are personal cars which are mainly aimed for the family. The features that are produced with each successful model show that the car is for the family market. They produce medium sized cars which are safer and durable. However in the recent past there have also been productions of other models that are aimed for the secondary market. These include the sportive VE Ute which is aimed at individual travelers. But this can only be considered as the secondary market since there are not many productions that have been made on this model. Generally the company has produced cars that are primary made to meet the needs of family travelers but the trend in the market has forced it to produce other models which specifically target the individual travelers as well. The company has been improving its models since it was produced in order to put in place some futures that are meant to position it as a contented in the target market. With new models entering the otherwise competitive market, Commodore has been retaining large sales owing to the way it ha s been changing features of its cars to meet the demands of the target market. The design and the price of the cars have been well planned in order to fit the status of the target market. (Kenwrite, 2004) Positioning When the first car was produced the level of competition in the market was low compared to what it is right now. By then there were not many models that were targeted to the family target market but with time there have been new entrants in the same market that have increased the level of competition. The main competitor of the Commodore model has been the Ford Falcon, Honda CV, Toyotas Camry, Mitsubishi

The sound and the fury by William Faulkner Essay Example for Free

The sound and the fury by William Faulkner Essay The sound and the fury by William Faulkner Introduction            The Sound and the Fury is an intransigently notorious and difficult novel that has received much acclaim and criticism in equal measure globally. Indeed, this is understandable of a book that literally transients the callous southern American tradition of slavery and racial profiling. Besides, the books depiction of a family that descents from acclaim to desolation and finally live in shadows of its past is one that most people would not love to read. Most importantly, the book traces the deterioration of an intelligent southern adolescent who, living by the traditions of the south, carries along racial conventions to his final plunge in water where he commits suicide. This paper trails Quentin along with his racism to Harvard, his new insights into racism and his family’s contribution towards his racist believes.            Indeed, Quentin Compson is the eldest of the Compson offspring. As thus, he feels inordinately obliged to carry on the family’s responsibilities and suffice its traditions of prestige and greatness. Quentin is first encountered in Chapter 2 where is currently pursuing studies at the Harvard, Massachusetts. It is through his prose that the reader develops an attitude towards him and the Compsons. Quentin is crucial because he presents the Compsons traditions and through him, the reader understands the racial profiling in the South. Interestingly, Quentin carried along the southern traditions with him to the university in the north. He, therefore, encountered feelings of abashed shame, hateful or blase. However, the university in the north is potential crucial because, through his encounters with other southern, he learns insightful details about the race.            Spoade represents one of the southerners at the university who taught Quentin on race. He was a senior student at the university and saw pride for â€Å"never [running] for chapel†. Besides, he is proud because he never wore a shirt till noon. Therefore, he did not fall into the traditions of the â€Å"Northern University†. In so doing, Spoade adhered to the mythological grace and slowness characteristic of the Southern life. Interestingly, Spoade had â€Å"five names that also bore the current English ducal house† indicating that he was a detached and self assured person. Spoade boasts in being a gentleman causing jitters of shame into Quentin because the latter lacked sexual experiences. Perhaps, this is meant to infer that Quentin was possibly a gay. Indeed, â€Å"Spoade, [called] Shreve my husband.† Shreve was Quentin’s roommate at Harvard University.            Other than Spoade, racial sense was taught into Quentin at the North by the Blands. This was an ostensibly wealthy family from Kentucky, in the south. Considering that this family shunned joining the confederacy, it distanced them from the â€Å"Lost Cause† idea. An assessment of this family’s lifestyle reveals that they are extremely arrogant and ungracious, perhaps worse than Spoade. Firstly, the she in the family is a dotty seeking her son. Mrs. Bland took an apartment at Harvard on rent to be close to her son. Her motives are questionable as she goes to great lengths to fancy her son. For instance, she sources his clothes from New York.            In addition, Mrs. Bland takes pride in the â€Å"Gerald’s niggers and Gerald’s horses and Gerald’s women†. According to her, Gerald reflected the splendid specimen that was a replica of the Old South Plantation boss. She is extremely snobbish and overly hateful and valueless to â€Å"these ignorant low class Yankees†. She shows some value only to the Southern Whites. It is through Mrs. Bland that Quentin learns of the disdain characters in Gerald, another white. Gerald features as a dashing handsome young brute who also turns out to be a virile womanizer. Gerald uses his physique to lure white women into his lair. It emerges that he is a viciously rudimental schemer who has no respect for women.            Quentin initiated a fist fight with him absentmindedly, and he ended up thrashing Quentin. This portrays Gerald in a bad light as an ungentle and respectful man as is Quentin. This is because he materialistically exploited his women rather than keep them safe and protected. Mrs. Bland inspires Quentin to think on issues of race. Her extreme obtrusiveness and condescending attitude disqualify her as a Southern lady. Quentin also questions the source of the bulk of wealth that the Blands have. Spoade’s mild hatred for the family coupled with their showiness reflects an upstart family in the guise of the Old South. Quentin is emphatic that Spoade’s image of the aristocratic family effectively concealed his mercenary and aggression Yankee antitype. Moreover, Quentin observes the imminent difference between Spoade and his ancestors who were parvenus.            Quentin takes racial insights on the insensitiveness of the Blands and Spoade. Each of them appears shallow, unkind and unsympathetic towards each other. For instance, the white Blands are detached from a fellow white, Quentin, and only the Yankee, Shreve shows sympathy, friendship and concern towards him. Interestingly, Quentin is from the South just like the Blands and only Shreve the Yankee from Canada showed interest. However, it is observable that Quentin secretly envies the Bland and Spoade for their masculinity and nonchalance. Quentin is attached to their opinions and envies their free sense of self. Therefore, he feels awkward and ashamed in their presence.            Quentin’s encounters with the blacks at the Northern University was seldom but impactful. For instance, he encountered the Deacon who was acquainted with the South’s social customs. According to Quentin, the, â€Å"Deacon could easily identify a Southerner at a glance†. Quentin expresses the dexterous skill that the Deacon had by continuing that, â€Å"once he heard one speak, the Deacon could identify your state.† This reveals that the Deacon probably resided in the South. Quentin is emphatic â€Å"de old nigger† sufficed their expectations by casting the slave role accurately and just perfect. Quentin believes that the Deacon managed to fool the inexperienced freshmen, but he had realized of his duplicity although he could not resist condescending him, although curiously. Quentin’s admiration for the black â€Å"old nigger† is evident because he searched him out and donated an old suit although he claimed to dislik e him.            In the street car, Quentin sat next to a black man who wore â€Å"a derby and shinning shoes†. He â€Å"[held] a dead cigar stub† replica to a normal, autonomous citizen. His passive demeanor of Quentin, the white, seated next to him brings Quentin to appreciating the equality between the whites and the black. It is until he is about to alight that he acknowledges Quentin by politely signaling request to pass. The incident retracts Quentin to an earlier episode in which he called a black man on a mule, in Virginia â€Å"uncle’. Quentin gladly offered a gift to him, and he humbly accepted. The two incidences with the black are a learning experience for Quentin on race issues. It irks him that he questions the stereotyping of the blacks whereby he realizes that the Northerner’s expectations influenced him. Therefore, his acquired insights were not natural but rather learned.            Quentin’s family played a major role in his build up to committing suicide. Quentin spent his early years in prestige and wealth. His family owned huge and expansive property, the plantation. He grew up observing the southern doctrines and traditions, and he became indoctrinated into them. He held the doctrines close to his heart, idealizing nebulous and abstract concepts of virtue, honor and feminine purity. The south traditions enunciated strict code of conducts and Quentin grew into these same codes. Therefore, he was stereotypic of the southern perception of the blacks.            As a Compson, Quentin thrived in the lives of commoners who owned lands and maintained plantations as well as several black servants. The commoners were aptly affluent and elite. For instance, Mr. Compson held a law degree and had an office in town. However, the Compson family degrades, deteriorates and their wealth reduces as Quentin grows into adolescence. His father had to sell off part of their plantation in order to raise money for the young Quentin to school at Harvard.            Quentin is absorbed by his sister Caddy. He is affectionate towards her and is willing to cover up for her mistakes. Quentin is thrown into disarray when he realizes the promiscuity that her sister has been exercising. He is disparaged when she turns out to be pregnant. He is infuriated and disappointed by her acts because it tarnished the family’s name. His absorption with sanctifying the family in line with the southern traditions leads him to claiming incest. He tells his father that he and Caddy committed incest, therefore, resulting to the offspring.            On realizing her sister’s promiscuity, Quentin turns to his father, Mr. Compson for guidance. However, this is a tragic because; the man who instilled the virtues of the south disregards the very pedestals that he raised him. Quentin, therefore, feels betrayed and cheated by both his father and his sister for failing to uphold the codes of the south. This torments him coupled with the deteriorated family statue. On his return to campus, he is a thoughtful, troubled and mentally ill person. He starts having disdained thoughts such as committing suicide. He thinks of eloping with his sister to indulge her into his suicide plan. His hatred and obsession with Caddy’s promiscuity made him draw a knife and lung for her throat ,sometimes when they quarreled. Worse stills, he was obsessed with Candy and the thought of Caddy sharing sexual intimacy with another man gnawed him overtly. He had occasionally threatened to kill her. His lover for her is disastrous as he draws a man into a conquest and he is willing to fight for her. Therefore, her forsaking of the south traditions by her promiscuity and out of wedlock pregnancy were unacceptable to Quentin drawing him into despondency and, finally committing suicide. References Faulkner, William. The sound and the fury. Modern Library ed. New York: Modern Library, 1992. Print. Source document

Religious Themes in Oryx and Crake Essay -- World Literature Religion

Religious Themes in Oryx and Crake It is in these representations of Snowman that I believe Atwood is making a definitive statement as to whether God created man or whether man creates God. Undoubtedly Atwood is suggesting that man inevitably, despite of himself, creates God, with or without outside assistance. It seems that throughout the novel there is an extended metaphor of Snowman as various figures from the Christian bible. The first figure that Snowman can be said to represent is that of Adam, the first man, though the similarities between the two characters do not follow the same chronology. Just as Adam is given the animals as companions to look over, similarly Crake has ensured that the Crakers and Jimmy are both left in the newly re-created world as companions. Another strong resemblance and play on words can be observed in the Christian story of original sin and Crake's mass destruction of humanity. In Genesis, God sets aside one fruit tree and commands Adam not to touch or eat from it, as a result of Adam's betrayal, God casts him out of paradise, and forces hardship on him for the rest of his days. Likewise, Jimmy is fully cognizant the first time he meets Oryx that she is off limits to him, yet his betrayal of Crake ultimately results in his leaving Paradice and forces various hardships on him. Lastly, in the Snowman-as-Adam device, there is a realization that the companions which have been assigned by a higher power are insufficient, and the following desperate need for companions that are closer on the evolutionary chain. For Adam, this companion was Eve. Throughout Atwood's novel Snowman is absolutely desperate for some companion, someone more understanding than the Crakers, or better than his ow... ...t this leads to a rather interesting debate: whether or not the Crakers would have eventually created religion or at the very least art themselves, regardless of Snowman`s interference. I believe that Atwood is commenting on the fact that it is man's nature to be existential, to wonder where he came from, and who created creation, and that it is natural to invent possible answers to these questions when none are evident. For example, as Snowman returns after his foray back into the Compound he finds that the Crakers have created an idol of him and are chanting his name in a way which sounds like `Amen', "next they'd be inventing idols, and funerals, and grave goods, and the afterlife, and sin..."(361). Either way you look at Snowman, as a religious patriarch or a representation of the biblical serpent, he is still corrupting the Crakers with his false dogma.

Bob marley :Light a Fire Essay -- essays research papers fc

Light a Fire "The reservoir of music he has left behind is like an encyclopedia," says Judy Mowatt of the I-Threes (Bob Marley’s backup singers). "When you need to refer to a certain situation or crisis, their will always be a Bob Marley song that will relate to it. Bob was a musical prophet.† (bobmarley.com). To most people in this world Bob Marley was just a singer from the tiny island of Jamaica, but to any person who has felt the true soul of his music they know that he was no musician, but a spiritual messenger through music. Bob Marley created many fans through his music but may have sparked a few enemies through his believes, his story tells the truth behind the prophet. Robert Nesta Marley was born on February 6, 1945 from a poor 18-year-old black young woman named Cedella Booker and a white 50-year-old Captain Noval Marley. His father’s military position provided financial support for the family but his constant absence for the British West Indian Regiment left Bob unattended during his early years. Bob’s life in Jamaica was not at all of greatness. On the outskirts of Kingston, the small village of Trench town is where Bob sprouted his roots. Bob’s curious and open mind led him to music at a young age; he quit school to learn all he could about music. His young spirit was like a seed yearning for the nutrients to grow into a fruitful plant. When he heard musical influences from American radio stations he mind was set to become a future influence for generations to come (bobmarley.com). Bob Marley’s popularity had spread all though Jamaica. His music was always on the top of the charts and his lyrics were always on the top of Jamaican minds. Bob’s musical influence had seamed together with the political turmoil of the time, and his songs told a truthful account about everyday life living in an unsteady government. Bob Marley and his two best friends from the ghetto, Neville â€Å"Bunny† Livingston and Peter Tosh, had now become the most popular thing out of Jamaica. The Wailers had taken what every voice in Jamaica wanted to cry out over the political anarchy-taking place. The Wailer’s impact on their Jamaican culture set ablaze their popularity across America and eventually the world. Once the Wailers became nationa... ...d over to his family. â€Å" Maddah, don' cry," he said afterward to Ciddy as she stood at his bedside, clutching his hand, "I'll be all right. I'm gwan ta prepare a place." He died just before noon on May 11, 1981, only forty hours after he left Germany.† (bobmarley.com) The world may forget how a poor, lonely child made a song for what is right and gave the people an olive leaf when the were asking for a knife, but we may also remember a similar story of a man who created peace in the world with only his words to fight with, Christ. Works Cited www.bobmarley.com 2000. King, Stephen A. â€Å"International Reggae, Democratic Socialism, and the Secularization of the Rastafarian Movement, 1972-1980.† Popular Music and Society Fall 1998. McCullough, Courtney. â€Å"Bob Marley: Do You Have a Complete Picture?† http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m2822/3_22/59117064/p6/article.jhtml?term= 20 November 1999. Ultimate Albums: Bob Marley Legend. VH1. 2002. www.vh1.com 2002. White, Timothy. Catch a Fire: The life of Bob Marley. New York: Holt, 1996.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

The title of the poem Is metaphorical which, makes comparisons to the young and youth. Gold represents value and wealth. Therefore when it says â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† it simply that nothing precious or of great value in the materialistic sense can stay forever. Gold symbolizes materialism, it would not last for long and it will give a false sense of security and happiness. Gold, which is money based, can take years to accumulate but can be washed away in a millisecond.On the other hand, things that have emotional and sentimental value cannot be bought with Gold and therefore will main throughout one's entire life. Nature represents the flirts Instance of gold. â€Å"Green is Gold† represents the natural world that is the New England forests Frost loved for most of his life. The color of money is green may also indicative of lifespan of the person in comparison to the seasons. The spring is when everything is new, Green the summer youth hot and passionate, the fall change various emotions, the winter dying death and cold.The birth of the baby Is stunning, their skin is soft they are fragile to hold, they grow so fast, their beauty, and the purity they have Inside Is ere fresh and clean. I remember when I was a kid I would ask my parents questions about everything I saw. All nature was seen too, however as time passed it became normal. As I grew older I gained more knowledge and memory was no longer green. Example, when I was a baby I don't know how to lie to my parents, to anybody, but growing older learn how to lie and purity was not found again.When you are young, things are great and perfect, nothing to worry about but it Is Impossible to keep that sense of security all the time. It Is a flower that grows from seed, blooms, grows, and after a while it dies. We can also refer to green as it relates to the creation of the world. Everything created by God is green in nature. The green is the symbol of life and prosperity, for example money is green and when nature is described green typically comes to mind.In fact, when you look the green nature, it is pleasing to the eyes. However, due to man's greed they only see Gold. This Gold Is the first green because all humans care about Is Gold and as a result they are giving It greater importance than nature, our source of life. Being that nature supplied the earth with Gold, man take advantage of it. Then the nature loses its beauty and importance like it does in the morning! Then it turns to the hot, muggy afternoon. â€Å"Her early leafs a flower but only so an hour†.It reminds us of how happy the first human creation of God living in the garden. The new life is so precious like a bud that turns to a beautiful flower, perfumed by Its natural essence yet a certain distraction ruins everything. The word â€Å"Gold† either suggests the early leaf, which lacks sufficient pigment to be completely green, or perhaps a gold as in a golden age, a reality time n one's l ife, even gold relating to money, stating the physical component of things, which as the end of the poem suggests, â€Å"Cannot Stay†.The nature of human life begins at a point of greatness in which all potentials represented by the flower's bud have been met In the open blossom. This point In the lifetimes of all Miming things lasts only at the most an hour. Eden represents the pure world before man was created to name everything, to tend to the animals and to the earth, before he and his wife disobeyed the divine by eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge, thus aiming mortality and opening the doorway into death upon the earth. Eden represents all beginnings, before there was knowledge of decay.Frost uses this element to visualize his idea that all things in nature, including the lives of people, reach a new height before they sink to grief. The poet uses nature as a person which a commonly used term as â€Å"Mother Nature†, and I think the hidden meaning behind this is that the poem he has written carries the same message that has been preached for years, yet no one bothers to follow or listen to. Frost is not being entirely peoples in his poem; he is saying only that it is the â€Å"Gold† in things which cannot last, their brightest.The reality of a human life is only met once and not met again. Purity is lost when knowledge is gained. I think the poem lends a powerful warning to all of us. Recognize what is really important in life, embrace it, and discards everything else. Appreciate every year, month, day, and minute. It is fleeting and we don't get a do over. Love your fellow man right now, friends, and family. Don't wait until tomorrow because it may never come. Spend life in the present, not in the past or the future. Nothing Gold Can Stay The title of the poem Is metaphorical which, makes comparisons to the young and youth. Gold represents value and wealth. Therefore when it says â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† it simply that nothing precious or of great value in the materialistic sense can stay forever. Gold symbolizes materialism, it would not last for long and it will give a false sense of security and happiness. Gold, which is money based, can take years to accumulate but can be washed away in a millisecond.On the other hand, things that have emotional and sentimental value cannot be bought with Gold and therefore will main throughout one's entire life. Nature represents the flirts Instance of gold. â€Å"Green is Gold† represents the natural world that is the New England forests Frost loved for most of his life. The color of money is green may also indicative of lifespan of the person in comparison to the seasons. The spring is when everything is new, Green the summer youth hot and passionate, the fall change various emotions, the winter dying death and cold.The birth of the baby Is stunning, their skin is soft they are fragile to hold, they grow so fast, their beauty, and the purity they have Inside Is ere fresh and clean. I remember when I was a kid I would ask my parents questions about everything I saw. All nature was seen too, however as time passed it became normal. As I grew older I gained more knowledge and memory was no longer green. Example, when I was a baby I don't know how to lie to my parents, to anybody, but growing older learn how to lie and purity was not found again.When you are young, things are great and perfect, nothing to worry about but it Is Impossible to keep that sense of security all the time. It Is a flower that grows from seed, blooms, grows, and after a while it dies. We can also refer to green as it relates to the creation of the world. Everything created by God is green in nature. The green is the symbol of life and prosperity, for example money is green and when nature is described green typically comes to mind.In fact, when you look the green nature, it is pleasing to the eyes. However, due to man's greed they only see Gold. This Gold Is the first green because all humans care about Is Gold and as a result they are giving It greater importance than nature, our source of life. Being that nature supplied the earth with Gold, man take advantage of it. Then the nature loses its beauty and importance like it does in the morning! Then it turns to the hot, muggy afternoon. â€Å"Her early leafs a flower but only so an hour†.It reminds us of how happy the first human creation of God living in the garden. The new life is so precious like a bud that turns to a beautiful flower, perfumed by Its natural essence yet a certain distraction ruins everything. The word â€Å"Gold† either suggests the early leaf, which lacks sufficient pigment to be completely green, or perhaps a gold as in a golden age, a reality time n one's l ife, even gold relating to money, stating the physical component of things, which as the end of the poem suggests, â€Å"Cannot Stay†.The nature of human life begins at a point of greatness in which all potentials represented by the flower's bud have been met In the open blossom. This point In the lifetimes of all Miming things lasts only at the most an hour. Eden represents the pure world before man was created to name everything, to tend to the animals and to the earth, before he and his wife disobeyed the divine by eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge, thus aiming mortality and opening the doorway into death upon the earth. Eden represents all beginnings, before there was knowledge of decay.Frost uses this element to visualize his idea that all things in nature, including the lives of people, reach a new height before they sink to grief. The poet uses nature as a person which a commonly used term as â€Å"Mother Nature†, and I think the hidden meaning behind this is that the poem he has written carries the same message that has been preached for years, yet no one bothers to follow or listen to. Frost is not being entirely peoples in his poem; he is saying only that it is the â€Å"Gold† in things which cannot last, their brightest.The reality of a human life is only met once and not met again. Purity is lost when knowledge is gained. I think the poem lends a powerful warning to all of us. Recognize what is really important in life, embrace it, and discards everything else. Appreciate every year, month, day, and minute. It is fleeting and we don't get a do over. Love your fellow man right now, friends, and family. Don't wait until tomorrow because it may never come. Spend life in the present, not in the past or the future.

Free Essays on Traffic Jams

Rodeo Traffic Have you ever been driving on a Houston highway when traffic slows to a crawl? You inch along for many minutes while waiting to see the accident, which must have caused the jam, but the jam is over and there was no accident. Traffic has been the highlight of the Rodeo this year. Rodeo traffic has been caused by over population of vehicles, construction, and mind wandering drivers. Over crowded highways has always been a problem in Houston, and since the Rodeo was recently in town there seemed to be even more automobiles on the road. Newcomers and Rodeo fans heading into Houston at an all time high this year. This year they decided to have no parking at the Rodeo everyone had to park and rides at destination Metro Park and ride locations. It was reported that commuters had two and three hour bus rides just to be dropped of miles away from the Rodeo entrance. The Metro Park and ride was definitely ineffective in decreasing traffic. The constructing of new roads to decrease traffic actually caused more traffic than before restructuring of new highways. There are over thirty-five major road construction sites in Houston, which only increased the traffic congestion. With construction in progress in Houston it created road blockage therefore drivers had to take long detours to get to their destinations. Although, overcrowded highways and freeway construction are the two main bases for traffic build up during the Rodeo season reckless drivers must also take the blame for traffic jams. Careless drivers should take the majority of the blame for traffic delay because they are always preoccupied while driving. They always focus on everything but driving, like chatting on their cell phone, piling on make up, indulging them selves with food, or deeply into the conversation with the passengers. Rodeo traffic problems were caused by overpopulation of drivers, many people commuting to Houston to enjoy the Rodeo, various con... Free Essays on Traffic Jams Free Essays on Traffic Jams Rodeo Traffic Have you ever been driving on a Houston highway when traffic slows to a crawl? You inch along for many minutes while waiting to see the accident, which must have caused the jam, but the jam is over and there was no accident. Traffic has been the highlight of the Rodeo this year. Rodeo traffic has been caused by over population of vehicles, construction, and mind wandering drivers. Over crowded highways has always been a problem in Houston, and since the Rodeo was recently in town there seemed to be even more automobiles on the road. Newcomers and Rodeo fans heading into Houston at an all time high this year. This year they decided to have no parking at the Rodeo everyone had to park and rides at destination Metro Park and ride locations. It was reported that commuters had two and three hour bus rides just to be dropped of miles away from the Rodeo entrance. The Metro Park and ride was definitely ineffective in decreasing traffic. The constructing of new roads to decrease traffic actually caused more traffic than before restructuring of new highways. There are over thirty-five major road construction sites in Houston, which only increased the traffic congestion. With construction in progress in Houston it created road blockage therefore drivers had to take long detours to get to their destinations. Although, overcrowded highways and freeway construction are the two main bases for traffic build up during the Rodeo season reckless drivers must also take the blame for traffic jams. Careless drivers should take the majority of the blame for traffic delay because they are always preoccupied while driving. They always focus on everything but driving, like chatting on their cell phone, piling on make up, indulging them selves with food, or deeply into the conversation with the passengers. Rodeo traffic problems were caused by overpopulation of drivers, many people commuting to Houston to enjoy the Rodeo, various con...

Sharp Corporation Essay Example

Sharp Corporation Essay Example Sharp Corporation Essay Sharp Corporation Essay [emailprotected] CORPORATION: BEYOND JAPAN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT . 3 . 8 TABLE OF CONTENT PROBLEM STATEMENT ANALYSIS DISCUSSION OF ALTERNATIVES RECOMMENDATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CITATIONS EXHIBITS 3 5 Sharp Corporation needs a major overhaul of its business model. Sharps previous model of make in Japan, sell overseas has been successful until recently. Currently, with the increased mobility in engineering talent and technology transfer, companies from new emerging markets such as South Korea and Taiwan are gaining the competitive advantage over Sharps outdated business model that no longer fit with he firms strategy or the business environment. Sharps previous president, Katsuhiko Machida, adhered to the principles of keeping manufacturing in Japan. 3 Following this principle had some advantages in the domestic market but had major disadvantages for fulfilling demand in the international market. Sharp is becoming popular in the international market with significant increases in foreign sales revenue (Exhibit 1). Due to the fact that all of its products were manufactured in Japan, Sharp were unable to keep up with the international demand for its product. With more than 54% accounting for nternational demand, implementing an effective supply medium to deliver its product is imperative for Sharps success2 (Exhibit 4). Some products lost as much as 10% of its value, in the shipment time duration it required to reach its target market. With Sharps products not flowing to the target market smoothly, competitors including South Korean and Taiwanese companies were gaining a competitive edge. Sharps inability to supply their product efficiently to the international market correlates to the negative effect on the domestic market as excessive company resources were being channelled elsewhere (Exhibit 2). The negative effect may also have been caused by the foreign exchange rate. With the majority of its inventory being sold abroad, Sharp now faced a new issue which was beyond its control. The foreign exchange rate was susceptible to an array of different environments and varied consistently through time (Exhibit 3). The increase in the value of the US dollar meant operating income for Sharp was relatively lower as well. This is mostly notable in year 2009, when the Japanese Yen devalued the most against the US dollar $, which aided in the operating loss of millionl . No significant financial rovisions were taken in order to mitigate foreign exchange losses by Sharp. Sharp has been continuously investing large amounts in production facilities in Japan and then exporting key devices to be assembled in foreign countries. 4 Basing most of its operation in Japan, Sharp had the disadvantages of paying higher tax rates and costly infrastructure in comparison to its competitors who based their core businesses in key strategic locations with minimum tax implications and low infrastructure costs. 6 Also, due to excessive domestic investments, Japanese plants had turned into high alue added knowledge, while overseas plant lacked any of this traits which is detrimental for any overseas expansion strategy. Using the black-box approach Sharp has been secretive about its production and was unable to reap any benefits that might be possible through effectively engaging in value chain integration to suit their needs; while its competitors were readily exchanging and integrating industry knowledge. Sharps emphasis on combining knowledge and capabilities in ways other firms could not imitate is not feasible in the age of Globalization where satellite and internet communication is readily available to everyone. The increased mobility of crucial talent and technology transfer within the industry is something Sharp had not experienced 5 10 years ago. Sharps intellectual property is limited to the core operations of the company itself. 4 Due to this, Sharp were confined to the industry knowledge within their company and had limited access to RD from different companies within their value chain. Sharp did not have a stringent plan to remain as an industry leader in its LCD division as well. Most of the competitive advantage it gained is through using its proprietary LCD technology Four Primary Colour and by increasing the sizes of the TV. Sharps business outlook in the LCD market to gain competitive advantage by increasing the sizes of the TV, is not farfetched as the company is now beginning to realise that the customers had a threshold point on the sizes of TV they wanted. The new president of Sharp Mr. Katayama had a Globalization attitude to the companys business model. Sharp is in the verge of creating a new identity for itself. It is a major player in the industry and could not operate in an also ran basis that it used to in the past. It needed new alternatives to remain on the top and gain competitive advantages over its competitors. Starting production in an international market seemed unlikely in the previous business model which followed the make in Japan, sell overseas principles. With recent losses in the companys financial statements, and worsening economic conditions it is imperative for Sharp to overcome this limitation. Starting production in major markets and developing specialized knowledge internationally would divert the focus of heavy investment in Japanese plants/infrastructure. Access to lower-cost workers, technical expertise, lower transportation costs and productions inputs are a Just a few benefits Sharp ould be able to realize with the new business model. However, there were many risks associated with expanding production to a foreign country. Thorough investigation on the feasibility of this option needs to be scrutinized accordingly. Changing operating model from vertical integration to horizontal integration for the companys production technologies and manufacturing capabilities will give it a better standing in the competitive market. Forming alliances with local companies in major markets such as China, to establish a value chain would maximize efficiency and cash flow (Exhibit 5). Up until recently Sharp has been building plants in Japan for front-end processes with their own resources5. With its knowledge centres and infrastructure located solely in Japan, Sharp could benefit from it by bolstering cutting edge production technologies/manufacturing capabilities nationally and extending its technologies gradually to global sites. Aiming to create a value chain in the consumption area/maJor markets, encompassing each step from procuring materials through manufacturing and sales; an internal company concept known as local production for local consumption, would allow Sharp to receive a return on its roprietary technologies and technology assistance fees such as initial payments, royalties, dividends and revenues from Joint ventures. This serves to reduce risks involved in foreign exchange rates and the recovery of capital expenditurtes4. Sharp has already started this initiative with its Solar Cell product division, forming alliances with Italian power company Enel SpA3. This trend n other product divisions as well. s to follow suit for its Starting a new manufacturing plant outside Japan would be capital and labour intensive. It would also expose the company to various risks such as financial, olitical, environmental, and legal risks. Alternatively, integration through value chain approach would allow Sharp to mitigate some of the risks involved compared to starting a new plant and would not require intensive capital investment. Forming value chains would allow Sharp to access the benefits from well established businesses which are already firmly integrated in the local business environment. It would also allow Sharp to access and understand potential opportunity for future markets for its products as the current markets gets saturated. Integration with arious international value chain means Sharp would adapt an International Firm Management technique in the global business environment. Up until now, Sharp had minimum production technologies/manufacturing operations internationally and operated its production plants predominantly in a national level. Despite the potential benefits of global markets, Sharp must constantly monitor the match between the firms product and new markets to not overlook the needs of the buyers. Sometimes, the benefits of serving customers with an adapted product may outweigh the benefit of a standardized product5. The value chain will allow Sharp to perform distinctive, speedy and efficient R using open innovations and cooperation with partners to gain expertise in fields of technology that are new to Sharp8. However, while operating in foreign markets it should protect its intellectual property and industrial properties through various mediums of patent, trademarks and copyrights. Sharps previous model make in Japan, sell overseas has not been successful recently because the market has changed dramatically. Its operating model had not historically emphasized co-operations with other firms. With increased mobility in ngineering talent and technology transfer, companies from new emerging markets has made its previous business model obsolete. If Sharp wanted to remain as an industry leader it had to change its operation model to suit the Globalization environment. Integration with the international value chain to provide production technologies and manufacturing capabilities beyond national borders would allow Sharp to mitigate expensive legal risks, political risks, shipment cost, infrastructure cost (home/abroad) and foreign exchange fluctuations. It also opens an opportunity to new markets for Sharp as current markets gets saturated. While adapting to a new operating model, Sharp should always consider the risks implications such as global market trends, business partners, intellectual property rights, litigations, and technological innovations which may have significant effect on the financial statements. SHARP Corp. (2009) Opening New Frontier Annual Report, Consolidated Statement of Operations (p. 44) 2 SHARP Corp. (2009) Opening New Frontier Annual Report, Financial summary (p. 36) 3 SHARP Corp. (2009) Opening New Frontier Annual Report, New Business Model (p. 8) 4 SHARP corp. (2009) opening New Frontier Annual Report, Introducing a New Business Model (p. ) 5 John, J. W, Kenneth. L. W, (2012). International Business: The challenges of Globalization, Sixth Edition. Pearson Hall 6 Lehmberg, D. (2011). Sharp Corporation: Beyond Japan. Richard Ivey School of Business Exhibit 1: Various Equipment type sales in 2009 for Sharp Corporation Equipment type Audio Visual/ Communication 2 Health/Environmental Informatio n 4 LCDS Solar cells 6 Other Electronic Devices Exhibit 2: International Sales Vs Domestic Sales for SharpCorporation Exhibit 3: Foreign Exchange US $ vs Japanese (2007 2009) Exhibit 4: Sales by Region, Sharp Corporation Exhibit 5: Sharp Corporation (2009) Annual Report

Essay Distinctive Ideas Witness Assessment

Essay Distinctive Ideas Witness Assessment Essay Distinctive Ideas Witness Assessment â€Å"Witness† distinctive ideas essay Introduction: - The movie thriller, ‘Witness’, directed by Peter Weir and staring John Book, a character rendered by the actor Harrison Ford, depicts the ideal American police detective endeavoring to safeguard the life of a young Amish boy, after he falls â€Å"witness† to a murder. - Theme: - Nature of Man: Good vs Evil: the idea that every person has both good and bad bestowed upon them, however, it is in their nature to utilise the good or bad in different situations. - Although not used as an overall stand out theme, it is subtly inserted into the characters and the worlds they live in. Paragraph 1: - SCENE 1: Book’s gun - Samuel finds the gun, Rachel finds out, and Eli speaks to Samuel - GOOD: - John’s nature to react the way he did when he saw Samuel with the gun - Rachel (mother’s) instinct to respond to the scenario that way she did - represents the good in the Amish people â€Å"while you’re in this house, I insist that you respect our ways† - The nature of Samuel - tell Eli that he would only use the gun to kill bad people - â€Å"I would only kill the bad man† - Eli educates Samuel on what is right from wrong. - EVIL: - John Book’s influence over Samuel, which sees Samuel curious to try and handle the gun. - Catalyst for violence. - Eli â€Å"unclean thing† - Eli implies that Book is amoral by bringing the gun into the house. - TECHNIQUES: - Camera angles - close up shots (places emphasis on emotions/reactions and subject matter with little or no reference to the background), medium shots (waist upwards, observing facial expressions and body language, surroundings and environment) - Lighting - natural lighting (however light is coming from behind which portrays negativity - Book and Samuel scene), artificial light (dim light showing night-time - Sound effects (dialogue - voices) Paragraph 2: - SCENE 3: Book goes to town and finds out about the death of Carter (work partner) - GOOD: - Amish people don’t fight back with tourists - possible members of Western world - Daniel does not retaliate to the actions of the tourists - represented as the bigger person/ from the better community - â€Å"It’s not our way† - Eli - John’s nature to react to the tourists in order to protect the Amish - he understands the good in them and that they should not be treated in such a manner. - EVIL: - Makes a comparison to the western world being bad by making fun of the Amish. - Portrayal of the true western word - all of John’s actions - not totally adapted to the Amish society as of yet - After making contact with the Western World, John becomes aggravated after finding out about the death of Carter and so, this influences him to retaliate to the actions of the tourists. - Although Eli tells Book that its not their way to fight back, John says - â€Å"It’s my way† - TECHNIQUES: - Camera angles - dolly shot (keeps up with the subject/characters by means of a track), wide shots (shows the environment that the characters are in and then focuses on main subjects), close ups (shows the details of the characters, reactions and emotions) - Lighting - natural lighting (enhances the effect of the

With reference to at least one work written by Emile Durheim, asses Essay

With reference to at least one work written by Emile Durheim, asses his perspective on rituals. You may also discuss Durkheims view on the relationship between - Essay Example As Durkheim was a sociologist, it is unsurprising that he chose to see religion in terms of its effects upon the social order. â€Å"God is society, writ large†, as he suggests, or: He sees the people’s conceptions of ideas such as the religious and supernatural worlds as directly related to their social order. The purpose of rituals, the main focus of his work, is to divide the supernatural or sacred world from the mundane or profane one. In considering how Durkheim connected an inner religious life to an outer social life, it is necessary to explore his understanding of ritual, and the role of this in creating a social order. This essay will examine Durkheim’s theory of ritual, beginning with an explanation of the two forms of Social Phenomena which he described as acting within religion; symbol and ritual. This will then extend into a closer consideration of the three systems of ritual which Durkheim considered important: positive rites, negative rites, and rites of Expiation. After a brief examination of the differences between Marx, Weber and Durkheim, an example of ritual which helps to illustrate Durkheim’s point will be discussed, followed by a conclusion in which all the separate parts of the essay are drawn together to provide a complete explanation of his perspective on ritual, and modern applications of Durkheim’s theory is also considered. As described above, these two kinds of social phenomena directly relate to the process of ritual; other forms of social phenomena are not included here. While these two social phenomena are described separately, they are, of course, intimately connected, both in religious terms and also in the wider sphere of social relations. No matter how the terms relate to each other or the environment, Durkheim’s ideas of their importance helped to create his theory of ritual and social connection. Durkheim considered religion to consist of three elements; belief

Managed Care Overview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Managed Care Overview - Assignment Example The members can change the providers by filling the form and submitting it to the HMO. IPA, on the contrary, provides assistance to HMO by way to legally contracting with physicians to provide their services to its members. PPO provides a network of physicians that is accessible to the HMOs or IPAs to connect with and charge a fee for it. POS is an upgraded plan that has elements of each of HMO, IPA and PPO. However, it is flexible as the members are allowed to use the services or move to another choice of service. PFFS is a combination of managed care and health insurance. They include a large number of physicians and hospitals and they are all paid for their services. The member however, has to choose the plan they want depending upon their needs and budget. HMO is more traditional and has set rules as it is based on Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973. IPA and PPO both work as network providers to HMO members. POS and PFFS both are flexible plans in terms of budget plans to its members. The managed indemnity plan also now includes managed care in the shape of certifications to the admissions in non-emergency situations as well as utilization reviews. The patient can take a second opinion in case of doubt by informing the provider and making a formal request for it if it is included in the grievance policy (‘USAMCO’, 2013). The insurance card requires particulars of the applicant, any licenses or previous attachment with any provider, health related certifications and identity proofs through mail. In case a provider wants to quit the service of providing access to managed care to the members, it can under the HMO Act, 1973 file the related form and request for closing the provision of service (‘FAQ’, 2013). In PFFS, the providers make payment to physicians once the service has been provided. A formal letter detailing the problem that provider is not accepting the guidelines or

Art History since 1945 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Art History since 1945 - Essay Example This study will evaluate two art pieces; Bed, by Robert Rauschenberg and Wall Drawing 17, by Sol Lewitt, to show how visual rhetoric can structure and convey ideas and pass on messages through sight. In addition, it will discuss how to classify and evaluate between two art pieces and correctly placing them in different contexts depending on the attributes they present. One graphic artist and painter, Robert Rauschenberg, an American who lived from nineteen twenty-five to two thousand and eight, created this art piece. He is famous for his unique art works called â€Å"combines† in which he would employ non-traditional objects and materials in creating rather interesting and rare art pieces. He also featured in other disciplines such as photography, painting, papermaking, printmaking and as a performer as well. He lived his entire life in America where he resided in New York until he died. His piece of focus, Bed was created back in nineteen fifty-five and is currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art. It is an Oil and Pencil on pillow, quilt, and sheet held on wood supports. It measures 191.1. X 80x 20.3 centimeters. In its construction, Rauschenberg used a pillow together with a quilt and sheet framed in wood, paint and a pencil to create it1. From a distant view, the art piece looks like an actual bed because in addition to its fram e, Rauschenberg combined the other â€Å"beddings† so well, similar to a neatly-spread bed. At what should be the headrest, he folds upwards to expose layers of cloth resembling the beddings. They are cast aside, allowing one to see what should be the mattress. In addition, there are splashes of paint in some specific areas, which seemingly help in merging the â€Å"sheets† to the underlying mattress and bed. When it comes to the historical context to which it fits into, the Bed may fit perfectly in the Dadaism Art

Response to Manuscript Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Response to Manuscript Review - Essay Example Response to Manuscript Review The two sentences that end the second last paragraph in the introduction, beginning with ‘However, in 2007/2008, Arab†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ are examples of difficult expression and grammar. As an example of good practice please redraft these two sentences to improve clarity of expression and sentence structure. I totally agree with this interpretation, the two sentences indeed are examples of difficult expression and grammar. I have redrafted this two sentences in order to improve the clarity of expression and sentence structure. In order to emphasize this, the two sentences have been modified and now reds as follows: â€Å"However, in 2007/2008, Arab countries were force to bring back agriculture development to center of national strategic consideration. In fact, Iraqi government in their 2013-2017 NDP, they have emphasized on the role of agriculture by presenting concrete goals and associated investment.† â€Å"However, in 2007/2008, Arab countries were forced to revive agricultural development to center national strategic considerations. In 2013-2017 NDP, the Iraq government decided to emphasize on the role of agriculture by presenting concrete goals and associated investment.† â€Å"The process is done in accordance to the law regulating examinations of seeds developed by international union. This sentence has been modified and it now reads, â€Å"The process is done in accordance to the laws regulating examinations of seeds developed by international union of new varieties of plants.

Finance - Securities Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance - Securities Analysis - Essay Example www.facebook.com and a home page will appear to request you to put in your credentials that are if you have an account in. Alternatively if, one does not have an account you can still register for one by following basic steps. Simply I can invest in facebook. This is because facebook can guarantee you a triple income of what you invested. By selling a single share at $38 facebook has a returning market cap of $104 billion. Just for the record, at the time of the actual IPO opening when NASDAQ was printing shares one could see them post at the Etrade Market Depth tab. Mind you, trade had actually not yet begun, and so what Etrade staff told me was "these were trades being entered". I believed that. The share prices ranged from ask and bid at 45 to 60, then jumped to 100, then 150 and finally 200. The asking price for FB at about 11:20 to 11:30 was 200 bucks. At some point this morning the SEC stopped trade because of short sellers. But whats getting missed is that many buyers, some of them had to be institutional, were willing to pay as much as 200 bucks a share on the IPO offering time. Why do I know this? Both the Market Depth tab and also NASDAQs staff member confirmed, this is "what customers were will ing to offer". NOW then, whats Facebooks valuation? The short sellers were trying to get the stock to below 30 dollars IMHO when SEC stepped in today the 21st. That indicates their willingness to resort to whatever means are necessary. This climate of criminality and greed is working against not only stock investors but also the USA itself. Holding 200 shares for a recovery, (NOT acquired the enormous price btw) and may buy more if they go down again tomorrow. On the 21st shares dropped to 33.00. They may fall more, but the markets too are in a moment of volatility regardless of the one Monday up to date. This was bank stimulated, and when the terrible news seeps back from across the pond again, right back to square

Response to Manuscript Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Response to Manuscript Review - Essay Example Response to Manuscript Review The two sentences that end the second last paragraph in the introduction, beginning with ‘However, in 2007/2008, Arab†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ are examples of difficult expression and grammar. As an example of good practice please redraft these two sentences to improve clarity of expression and sentence structure. I totally agree with this interpretation, the two sentences indeed are examples of difficult expression and grammar. I have redrafted this two sentences in order to improve the clarity of expression and sentence structure. In order to emphasize this, the two sentences have been modified and now reds as follows: â€Å"However, in 2007/2008, Arab countries were force to bring back agriculture development to center of national strategic consideration. In fact, Iraqi government in their 2013-2017 NDP, they have emphasized on the role of agriculture by presenting concrete goals and associated investment.† â€Å"However, in 2007/2008, Arab countries were forced to revive agricultural development to center national strategic considerations. In 2013-2017 NDP, the Iraq government decided to emphasize on the role of agriculture by presenting concrete goals and associated investment.† â€Å"The process is done in accordance to the law regulating examinations of seeds developed by international union. This sentence has been modified and it now reads, â€Å"The process is done in accordance to the laws regulating examinations of seeds developed by international union of new varieties of plants.

The Impact of Prejudice and Discrimination Research Paper

The Impact of Prejudice and Discrimination - Research Paper Example prejudgment or wrong perceptions and a tendency to generalize everyone belonging to that particular group as having a personal trait, characteristic, behavior, or feature that is indicative of the minority group. People can sometimes be blind to the truth even if actual observation belies their mis-perceptions due to a consistent refusal to see that some people can be very different from what they make them out to be in real life. Slavery in America during its early years is a good example of how prejudice or discrimination can have long-lasting consequences if perpetrated by a larger group. Racism arising from ignorance, bias, prejudice, and discrimination results in exclusion of a minority group from the political, economic, and social spheres of society. Its effects usually are negative especially if racism is committed systematically and embedded in the psyche of the general population which in turn helps to perpetuate the wrong ideas and wrong perceptions of a minority group such that it becomes almost a permanent feature of a society, carried from one generation to the next generation. Its ill effects can be felt or seen in lower incomes for the group and exclusion from opportunities usually accorded to members of the general population. Biased treatment of minority groups also reflect badly on the whole society because it is indicative of its own intolerance and inflexibility towards other people who many not share the same beliefs. There were cases in the past in which discrimination was well documented because it was made official policy and there are also recent cases in which discrimination is not so blatant or overt but still results in the systematic exclusion of a minority group. All cases have negative impacts on the minority people discriminated against. It is the aim of this brief paper to discuss one event of discrimination and prejudice in the past and then discuss a more recent similar event in contemporary times. Both events (past and

Fried Green Tomatoes Essay Example for Free

Fried Green Tomatoes Essay I chose to critique the film Fried Green Tomatoes. I wanted to show that this film is about two friendships between four women that prove that when you find that person that is your best friend, you find the best in yourself. This film was released in 1991. It was based on the book, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fanny Flagg. Ms. Flagg was also the one who wrote the screenplay as well. The movie is filmed in the present, which would have been 1990-ish, where we meet Evelyn Couch who is visiting a nursing home with her husband, Ed. She meets a lonely old woman Cleo Threadgoode, whom everyone calls Ninny, and they begin talking. Ninny shares a story with Evelyn about Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison, taking place in the 1920’s and the 1930’s. We see dual storylines here. The first in the present with Evelyn and Ninny and then the story of Idgie and Ruth in the past, both of them being told chronologically but at different periods of time. In the first, or establishing shot, we hear a train whistle and the camera pans over a ghost town and eventually stopping at a run-down building that says The Whistle Stop Cafe. Watching this movie, I found myself laughing, then crying and then laughing and feeling happy. I found myself relating to the characters, most of them in one way or another which was a good feeling. I saw the insecurity in Evelyn, the way that she is so passive and shy. She is very naive. She is trying to get her husband to pay attention to something other than sports on television. He comes home from work, picks up his dinner that has been set on the table, grabs a beer and then he sits in his chair and ignores her. The stubbornness of Idgie, she is one that does what she wants, when she wants and won’t follow the rules, even if they are in her best interest. The quiet strength of Ruth, she can be the most kind and ladylike woman, but when it comes to her child or her best friend, she is willing to do anything to keep them safe. The carefree Ninny, who does not seem to have ever met a stranger, may be old, but is very direct and lovable. I think that through the movie we see that within each set of friends, that in the beginning there is one that is shy and passive and then other is outspoken and extroverted. As their friendships grow, they balance each other out. Evelyn becomes more self-confident and assertive, with her husband for example. Ninny learns that you are never too old to find your best friend. Idgie learns how to let people into her heart, and teaches Ruth how to think for herself and gives her courage to leave her abusive husband. Ruth tries to tame Idgie’s wild ways and Idgie discovers that she has someone that she can be herself with. All of these things are so very important. The protagonists in this film; Evelyn, Ninny, Idgie, and Ruth each face their own form of enemy or antagonist. For Evelyn, it is her poor self-image. For Ninny, it is her longing to go home. Idgie in this particular point in time is facing the court that is trying her for murder. Ruth faces her abusive husband. All of these things each threaten to hold each of these women back. This film falls into two different genres; drama and comedy. There is no love story, no fight scenes, nothing explodes. It is the story of friendship and with that you have tears and laughter, like in real life. The film is set in the fictional town of Whistle Stop, Alabama and in Valdosta, Georgia. You can hear the southern twang in the accents of the characters that would suggest the southern descent. The score contains several southern gospel, blues, and then some soft pop ballads, but throughout the movie the sound of a train whistle is prevalent both in the presence of a train and without. The use of a train is vital to the film. The train is where Idgie and Ruth have their first â€Å"adventure† stowing away in a train car containing food and throwing that food to needy families along the track. The train is present during the important moments in the film; when we first see Evelyn, Buddy’s death, the birth of Ruth’s son, Frank Bennett’s murder, when we are told of Ruth’s cancer. There is voice over from Ninny when we go from the present to the past. We hear her talk about the past and then there is a fade out and then in. These are often used at the beginning and/or end of a scene or sequence as a sort of punctuation mark, fading into a shot from a black screen or fading to black at the end, like bringing the lights up or down during a stage play (Goodykoontz 2011). Other sounds in the movie are used to let audience be aware of the character’s surroundings. For example, when Idgie goes to the stump to get the honey, we hear the buzzing of bees, or scenes from the cafe you can hear things sizzling and cooking. The four main actors in this film are; Kathy Bates/Evelyn, Jessica Tandy/Ninny, Mary Stuart Masterson/Idgie, and Mary Louise Parker/Ruth. Imdb1991) They are all wild card actors, which made this film enjoyable to watch. With no one typecast into any certain role, you could not predict how one was going to act or do. It made it easier to picture these actors in the roles that they played here. Each actor was well chosen to play each role. The personalities of the actors fit with the persona lities of the character of the story. When I read the book now, I see Kathy Bates when I read about Evelyn and Mary Louise Parker when I read about Ruth. It makes the story more enjoyable, I think when I can read it and watch along in my head. The clothing worn depicts the time period very well. We know that it is warm by the way that people are dressed; light flowing dresses and simple pants and shirts with the sleeves rolled up. The hairstyles also compliment the time; hair up and pinned or put up softly so that some curls flow for the women and the men had very short and well kept hair. Those men who had hair kept it slicked back or in a traditional curl. Everyone in the past storyline seems to constantly wear a gleam of sweat if they appear outdoors. Only in the present-day storyline are we able to measure time, and that done here with holidays. In the beginning we see Evelyn bringing a basket of candy to her husband’s aunt. Then we see different decorations in the nursing home, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. The past is different because Ninny is telling the story so she says when things happen so we are not left to guess for ourselves. The lighting in this film is tied to the mood of the particular scene. The sun shines when things are good and happy. When Frank comes to take the baby away, it is a tense scene and is shown with dark lighting and lots of shadows. It gives a menacing tone. When there are deaths, the lighting is dull and sorrowful, and even the weather is a factor. During the more somber scenes, it is cloudy and rainy which gives a sense of sadness to the already dismal part of the storyline. A normal lens was used to shoot this movie as the scenes are shot as if one was seeing them with their own eyes. The effect that this film has on society is that it presents a realistic and classic view of friendship that people can in some way relate to. It has a great deal of fiction in regards to the storyline. But there are some parts that have a bit of truth to them. The matter of racism, given the time period, is portrayed as it has been documented in history books. The presence of the Ku Klux Klan is another piece of our nation’s history. Not a great one, but still a true one. The film is directed, produced, and written by Jon Avnet, who is credited with such films as The War and Up Close and Personal. Mr. Avnet worked with author Fannie Flagg to write the screenplay. This story may have â€Å"chick flick† written all over it but one should not be fooled, there is more to this film than just four chicks laughing and crying together. There is, of course, the story of friendship, but there is mystery, there is a bit of our dark history, there’s a murder and then there is food. Fried green tomatoes and the best barbeque you ever had†¦the secret’s in the sauce.

Nikes Marketing Principles

Nikes Marketing Principles Blessed from the mighty heavens by the Greek Goddess of Strength, Power and Victory read Nike; the brand has always captured ones imagination and strengthened its position among the upper echelons of marketing icons. Nikes marketing strategy draws your attention by interrupting you, attracting you, ensnaring you and finally and most importantly satisfying you. In a recent conference, Paul Knight , the charismatic founder and ex- CEO of Nike chose a divergent outlook to most other speakers on the subject of choosing Nike over competition. He asked people who run to rise from the comfort of their seats. He then asked those who run three or more times a week to keep standing. He looked on and exquisitely announced -We are for you. When you get up at 5 oclock in the morning to go for a run, even if its cold and wet out, you go. And when you get to mile 4, were the one standing under the lamp post, out there in the cold and wet with you, cheering you on. Were the inner athlete. Were the i nner champion. Just Do It is more than a tag line, its a motto. Its a cheer. Its a rallying cry. A sublime demonstration which augmentsmarket segmentation, fortifies positioning, empowersbrand building, and exemplifies relationship management in a snapshot, slowly and yet subtly hitting the sweet spot. The Story So Far More than 25 years ago, Co-founder Bill Bowerman used a waffle iron to conjure up a new sole for a pair of running shoes. Nike hasnt looked back since. Innovation has been the mainspring for a company exalting in its enduring success. With insufficient funds to indulge in advertising, Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman took to the streets, selling shoes at local athletic meets from the backs of their trucks. The word-of-foot gripped the sporting fraternity and marked the beginning of Nikes success on track. Then came the late 80s and with it the pain of losing out on sales to Reebok who introduced training shoes, tailor made for a growing breed health conscious women. In a bid to regain market share, Nike played to their strength and countered punched with new models of shoes designed for various sports. This was the phase when Knight and Bowman realized the importance of aggressive marketing coupled with product innovation and began to invest a princely part of corporate revenues toward s marketing and advertising. By the early 90s, Nike was ranked as one of the best advertisers in the world, soulfully striking ones emotional chords rather than the rationale ones. The Marketing Mix One of the key ingredients of the perfect marketing recipe comes by way of blending in the marketing mix. The key elements of the marketing mix are a set of interrelated entities which are set in unison with one another. (Proctor, 2000: 212). The marketing mix is a combination of the 4 Ps Product, Price, Place and Promotion for any business venture. Adapted from Exploring Business (Karen Collins) We shall evaluate the positive and negative impact of Nikes marketing mix in more detail. Product: Product is the companys offering via goods or services to the customer. A product can be viewed at three different levels: Adapted from Selling and Sales Management (David Jobber) Core Product It is the main benefit that the product offers to the customer. In the case of footwear, it is meant to protect and comfort the human foot whilst it is on the move Total Product (adding value) The chief aim is to ensure that customers purchase your brand. Nike has been a dominant player in the footwear market over the years. Their well-crafted design, innovative products, marketing and brand building activities have helped them gain a differential advantage over their rivals. Their packaging and labelling has been state of the art over generations. Augmented Product(Extended Product) The non-tangible benefits that the product can offer. This encapsulates customer service, after sales and warranty. Nike prides itself on excellent customer services with faulty products instantly replaced without any flutter. Nike warranty time is standard to current markets. Today, Nikes products are manufactured in more than 700 factories, employing over 500,000 workers in 51 countries. The company, through its Footwear segment, offers footwear products for men, women and children. Through its Apparel segment, it is engaged in selling sports apparel and other accessories designed for specific purposes. Under the Equipment segment, the company offers a range of performance equipment such as bags, socks, timepieces, sport balls, electronic devices. Other segment offerings are brands such as Cole Haan, Converse, Hurley, NIKE Golf and Umbro. Over the years, Nike has changed the way the game is played with its wide range of products. Nikes offerings have been in the ascendancy with the sales of 175 different styles of shoes in the 1980s springing to almost 772 different styles in the 1990s collections to a remarkable 1200 different styles showcased in the 2000 collection. Nike Air Max was the first line of shoes introduced in 1987 with frequent additions in the same product line over the years. The Air Jordan XX3 was its marquee shoe product designed for basketball with the contemporary issue of environment consciousness in mind. The Ansoff Matrix The Ansoff Matrix is a marketing tool developed to help marketers figure out the best way to grow their business via new and existing products and new and existing markets. The four strategies involved comprise of: (Kotler, 2006:48) Market Penetration Product Development Market Development Diversification Adapted from Marketing Management (Philip Kotler) Market Penetration Market penetration is built around marketing existing products to existing markets. Some of the techniques involved to increase revenue are promoting the product, professing brand loyalty etc. Nike has invested heavily in drawing up an elevated level of brand awareness to its omnipresent customer base by way of sponsorships, advertising and promotional activities. The company have significantly revamped their supply chain system which in the past has hampered their quest to meet global customer demands. They have also driven their retail based sales strategy to maintain their shelf space with enticing incentives. Market Development Market development focuses on marketing existing products to new markets. Some of the methods involved in capturing a new audience are exporting products, targeting a new market segment etc. Nike has effectively been able to expand geographically with their multifarious product offerings. They pulled off a masterstroke in 2003 signing up Liu Xiang, Chinas first gold medallist at the Olympics .This was followed by an advertisement showcasing his muscle and that of a nation with the trademark Swoosh on his shoulder. The result a walloping 66% rise in sales of its core products in China in what was the start of an intangible treasure hunt. Product Development Product development talks about marketing new products to existing markets. The capabilities here involve innovating new products to replace already existing ones. Nike has constantly been on the run with its technically advanced shoes time and again. The classic example is that of the Air Jordan Lines. There have been a staggering 25 major models of the product released over the past 25 years with variable designs and signature performance re-layers. Diversification Diversification thrives on marketing new products to new markets. It can be classified as related and unrelated. Related means remaining in the same market one is familiar with. Unrelated is delving into a new industry with no marketing experience. Nike has followed related diversification. The Prime example: adding the clothing line to its existing shoe operations. Nike has introduced a 3D soccer game available for download from their website which advertises their key products. This is targeted on a global scale at youngsters who gradually get associated with the product catch them young they say! BCG Matrix The Boston Consulting Group matrix is a chart designed to help companies analyse the performance of their business units. The market growth and market share dimensions provide a handy evaluation for the company on how to prioritize their product portfolio. Adapted from Perspectives on Strategy (Carl W Stern/George Stalk) Cash cows earn a lot of revenue and the onus is on stability strategies. In Nikes case, a vintage example is that of the Air Jordan sneakers. They exhibit low growth but already have a dominant market share. Stars are fledging businesses that thrive on accelerated growth of market share. Companies tend to reinvest their profits back into the business hoping to gain enough market-share to envisage themselves as cash cows. Nike has recently announced quadrupling their investments in apparel innovation and trends citing it as their biggest opportunity in the next five years. Nike has also developed its Nike+ products combining the best of both worlds superior products and technology. Question marks are new businesses whereby companies delve into expanding markets albeit with a low market share. Companies use share profits from other businesses to try converting a question mark into a star. Fitting example of a question mark in Nikes case are their recent watches and electronic products designed to capture more market share. Dogs yield low returns in a low growing market. Companies tend to employ turnaround and retrenchment strategies for their dogs or even dispose them off if they dont foresee a measurable future. The Nike brass decided to sell Bauer Hockey in 2008 in the event of tight margins in hard goods and a flat hockey market. Product Life Cycle Product life cycle explains the history of a product and the stages which it went through. It can be divided into the following stages: Introduction Growth Maturity Decline Introduction Stage: When a product is introduced, sales are going to be low till the customers become aware of the product and its benefits. During this stage, the companies will try to establish a market and build a demand for the product. Growth Stage: The growth stage is a period of quick revenue growth. Sales start increasing as customers start getting to know the product and its benefits .Sales will increase further as retailers express their interest in shelving the product. Maturity Stage: Maturity stage is the most profitable phase. Advertising expenditure will be reduced. Competition by other firms on similar products will be foreseen. The primary objective at this stage is defending market share whilst going hell for leather with profit making. Decline Stage: Sales gradually begin to decline because of a potential variance in customer tastes. The market reaches its threshold for the particular product. Decrease in sales leads to either less or no profit at all. Example Air Jordan Air Jordan, also simply as Jordans are a brand of shoes and athletic apparel produced by Nike originally designed for a very well known professional NBA basketball player Michael Jordan. The Air Jordan line is now sold by the Jordan Brand subsidiary of Nike. Since its first release in 1985, there have been new designs of the shoe released each year and have been making decent profits even after Michael Jordan retired from the NBA. Below is the Life cycle for this product. Life cycle curve of Air Jordan SALES Introduction Growth Maturity Decline TIME Nike introduced the first series of Air Jordan shoes in 1985, there were a multiple series released till date. The above graph illustrates the stages this product went through in product life cycle, which was introduced in 1985. It had a decent introduction, it reached the next stage i.e growth by 1992 and made a good amount of profit and reached a maturity state by 1998 and has maintained stability in this stage till date. Nike Hockey Sticks In 1994, the year Nike bought Montreals Canstar Sports, maker of the popular Bauer skates and other equipment, it then manufactured the series of hockey sticks between 2004 -06 in china. Random testing by health have found the lead in the sticks far exceeds the acceptable tolerance and because the sticks are used by youths, lead is especially harmfull. Approximately 100,000 sticks have been found to have dangerous levels of lead. Nike Bauer has issued a recall that takes the sticks out of the hands of youth and junior players. Below is the product life cycle for this product: Nike Hockey Sticks Introduction Decline SALES TIME The above graph illustrates the sudden decline of a product. Nike introduced different models of Hockey sticks for respective customers in American region in the year of 2008. This product has not gone through the stages which comes before the decline stage, since, quite before the product would start growing, it started to decline since the sticks were found harmful to be played with. Positive Impact: Nikes gift to the world lies in the comfort of mankinds happy feet. Creativity has always been Nikes forte and it comes as no surprise that they have toyed with the idea of customers designing their own shoes. Watching over the process of production of their creation adds to customer satisfaction and gives them a sign of belonging. Keeping abreast with technology, Nike has collaborated with Apple Inc. to produce the Nike+ product used to monitor a runners performance through a radio device in the shoe linked to the iPod Nano. . The cricketing fraternity has largely benefitted from the Air Zoom Yorker, devised to be 30% lighter than competitor shoes. Athletes have found the Nike Free edition to be a major boon with the design allowing foot muscles to gain strength by way of less constriction mechanism. Basketball players found the Nike Hyper dunk to be quite useful with its superior shock absorption techniques minimizing the impact of stress on the muscles. Customer satisfaction can be directly mapped to the success of the company. Nikes capture of market share with its diversified product range has seen its revenue shoot through the roof in recent years. Negative Impact Nike also had its fair share of brickbats with respect to its products. Its futuristic-looking hockey skates bombed in the markets during the late 1990s. The failure was deduced to be a result of rushing the product into the market before fully straightening out the probable design problems. A good 13 years after acquiring Bauer, and arrogantly making promises that it would revolutionize the business of hockey, Nike eventually sold its Nike Bauer unit to investors Roustan Inc. and Kohlberg Co on February 2008, an unassuming fall from grace for one of the worlds powerful brands. Though Nike Bauer was a market leader, it was predicted that the company would find it hard to recover even half the $395 million amount it paid for Canstar Sports, Bauers Montreal-based parent, in December 1994 mainly due to the stagnant hockey market. Nike as a company was built on the assertion that low cost and high quality running shoes could be imported from cheap Asian markets like Japan and sold in th e US. Nike felt the negative tremors as allegations were rife that they underpaid factory workers in Indonesia they sold shoes for around about $150 and paid the person making them a meagre 50 cents!.Along came the by-products of child labour in Cambodia and Pakistan and unsatisfactory working conditions in China and Vietnam during production. Recently, Nike has brought about winds of change towards its irrelevant practices and is also dedicating its efforts towards environmentally responsible business operations Price Price is one the key component which more or less decides the fate of a company. It is a return on efforts poured into manufacturing and marketing a product. Listed below are the various components of an effective pricing strategy (Proth and Dolgui, 2010: 101) Market- Skimming The process of Price Skimming involves setting high price for new products. The objective is to skim the revenues layer by layer from the customers who are willing to pay more to have the product sooner. Market- Penetration This involves setting low prices for new products in order to attract and penetrate the market in the initial stage of the launch of the product Competitive Pricing Prices in this strategy are set lower than that offered by the competitors or same price with the added incentives to attract customers. Premium Pricing Prices are always set high for a product or service to emphasize its exclusiveness. Economy Pricing This is a no frills low down price technique, since the manufacture and marketing costs are kept at a minimum. Psychological Pricing This approach is manifested when marketers wants the customers to feel that they are paying less. Prices are often expressed as odd prices, for example 99.99 cents not 100 dollars. Product Line Pricing This approach is mostly used by the marketer who has a wide range of products or services offered. The price is reflective of the benefits of parts of the range. Optional Product Pricing Companies offer to sell option or accessory products along with their main product. Captive Product Pricing This is the practice where the prices of a basic product are kept low to attract customers and the price of a companion product without which the basic product cannot be used is kept high. Product Bundle Pricing In this approach different products are put in the same package and sell them for discount. This helps the sellers to move old stocks. Promotional Pricing This approach is mainly used by the sellers who want to promote their product by attracting attention to the business. Typical example is that of a buy one get one free scheme. Geographical Pricing Geographical pricing is considered for different variations in prices in different parts of the world. Value Pricing Prices of a product will be based on the value it creates for the customer. This is usually the most profitable form of pricing, if it can be achieved. Nikes Pricing Strategies Nikes pricing strategy all comes down to understanding the products, competition, marketing the product and most importantly determining which price point is the best for their product .Needless to say, it is very rare that an organization makes use of all the above permutations and combinations in pricing techniques. Nike is no different with its pricing strategy revolving around penetration pricing, premium pricing, value pricing, skimming pricing and psychological pricing. Penetration Pricing Nike initially started out on the principle of penetration pricing so as to capture market share and then gradually increased prices. Premium Pricing As Nike exclusive products developed; it became recognizable to consumers in that marketplace. This drove its perceived value to a higher level especially with the limited editions of the Air Jordans. Value pricing Nike went about setting the price to the degree at which consumers place their value on the product. It is at this very point that customers associated themselves with Nike and paid the extra penny, as long as their products remained state of the art and exhibited the cutting edge. Psychological pricing Nike has priced their products to $99.99 (for example). After all in ones mind, a .99 is always cheaper than a .00. Skimming pricing This approach dwells on skimming market profits layer by layer. Nike has used this to good effect in setting high initial prices for the new design they bring into the market. This is then tailgated by a gradual decline in price as the design has been in the market for a while and a new product is on its way. Adapted from Principles and Practice of Marketing (David Jobber) Nike employs a rapid skimming strategy of setting high prices as well as investing heavily in advertising the new product. Generally, Nike shoes current season last for a period between 3 to 6 months where they are sold at peak prices. After that season, comes a process called closeout where prices are gradually reduced. The final stage is that of the inventory cleanout where a take all basis strategy is employed to sales. Nikes quality is directly proportional to its commitment of excellence. Excellence comes at a premium and fittingly so. This places Nike in the upper rightmost quadrant of the Price vs. Quality matrix. Nikes products are well worth their weight in gold. Positive Impact Nikes dominance in the market through its vehement promotional strategy coupled with a smart pricing function makes the market as a whole unattractive for competitors. In most cases, it has identified the precise price points across its range of products. The impact of Nikes pricing strategies can be seen in its overwhelming sales and profit margins (on a single pair of shoes!!!) as depicted below. Negative Impact Nikes pricing strategy has not always been quaint. The Air Jordan brand shoes were premium priced, released once every year in order to keep the value of the shoe as high as possible and make it a collectors item. However, this has prompted this line of shoe to be highly duplicated or imitated which has become a major headache for Nike with the virus spreading to the other products just as well. In 2003, the overpriced Air Jordans at $200 were biting the dust on store shelves as consumers shifted base to Sketchers (SKX ), K-Swiss (KSWS ), and New Balance shoes who slowly began nibbling away at Nikes heels. Nike has not utilised all the strategies of pricing. Each and every pricing strategy has its own advantages and disadvantages. Nike can venture into approaches like promotional pricing as an attraction tool for the customer by mentioning the word FREE. Nike can also utilize product bundle pricing by combining products (with a high and low demand) and selling them at a discounted price. Place (Distribution) Place pin points to effective distribution of products or services to the end customers. It is paramount for the organization to correctly estimate the needs and wants of the customers to meet its marketing objectives. Adapted from Principles of Marketing (David Jobber) Channel 1: Direct Marketing (No intermediaries) The direct marketing channel has no intermediaries. The company sells straight to the customers. Channel 2: Indirect Marketing (One intermediary) The first level of indirect marketing involves one intermediary. The company sells its goods to large retailers who in turn line them up for customers. Channel 3: Indirect Marketing (Two intermediaries) The second level of indirect marketing involves two intermediaries. The company sells its goods to wholesalers who buy in bulk and sell them to smaller retailers. Channel 4: Indirect Marketing (Three intermediaries) The third level of indirect marketing involves three intermediaries. The company sells its goods to agents who contact wholesalers who further sell to retailers. From the view of the producers, more number of levels leads to higher complexity and much less control. Nike employs the first two channels to good effect. Heres how: Nike -Direct Marketing By 1999, NIKE had opened 13 of their privately owned NIKE Town superstores located in high traffic upmarket surroundings. The first of those was a posh store in Portland which was soon bettered by a larger than life outlet in downtown Chicago. Nike also operated 53 outlet locations focussed on liquidating overstocked and outdated inventory. NIKE redesigned and overhauled their website incorporated with e-commerce functionality. A variety of products were put up for sale at full retail prices. Nike Indirect Marketing (Retailers) Nike operates 338 retail stores in the US and 336 stores worldwide. Retail stores in the US Retail stores Worldwide Nikes store formats include a mix of departmental stores, footwear stores, goods stores, tennis, skate and golf shops, and as well as retail accounts. Nike store are centrally located and easily accessible. The company operates three significant distribution centres located at Memphis, Tennessee and Wilsonville, Oregon in the US. Then, there are the leased distribution facilities which operate on a comparatively smaller scale in the home country. Nike also runs 14 distribution centres worldwide with Japan and Belgium among their prime locations. Subsidiaries NIKE also has global presence through several of its subsidiaries. The wholly owned subsidiaries include Cole Haan, Converse, Umbro and Hurley. Converse is engaged in designing, distributing and licensing of athletic and casual footwear, apparels and accessories. Cole Haan designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats. Umbro is engaged in the designing, distributing and licensing of athletic and casual footwear, apparel and equipment for soccer under Umbro brand. Hurley designs and distributes sports apparel relates to surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding. Nike is developing high calibre information systems, logistics and a much improved supply-chain management system. In the good old days production was based on instinct. Nike used to take a guess as to the number of pairs of shoes to churn out and hoped to cram them on retailers shelves. Nike has revamped its supply chain management systems since the disaster to ensure the right amount of sneaker s find their way across the world more quickly. Positive impacts As Nikes market share grew, it buoyed merchants who carried their products. This helped Nike negotiate terms with retailers on location, display and inventory levels all of which contributed to the overall customer experience. NIKE Towns in Portland and Chicago became an instant hit with customers flocking in to witness the two-story wall painting of Michael Jordan and trying out shoes in the mini basketball courts. Souvenirs and other rarities were a showcase for the latest Nike had to offer and helped in brand building activities. The 53 stores opened up for liquidation served as a handy means for getting rid of excess inventory whilst maintaining control of the brand. Nikes re- launched website keying in on inspirational content as well as innovative products was met with a phenomenal amount of success. Negative impacts In the early days, Nike suffered from retailer inconsistencies. Imperfect information was received on inventory levels leading to stock outs and misallocations .The infamous i2 fiasco was a rap on the knuckles for Nikes brand image. It was made an example of as a company that botched up its supply chain unit. It was a deemed to be software glitch and the repercussions cost Nike more than $100 million in lost sales, leading to a depressed stock price by about 20%, which further went on to trigger a flurry of class-action lawsuits. Succinctly, the i2 demand-planning engine ordered for a surplus of thousand Air Garnett sneakers than the market had called for and a thousand fewer Air Jordans than were actually in demand. Nike looked at various operational workarounds but at best it was a classic case of damage limitation. The opening of the NIKE Towns and e-commerce applications was a cause of concern for Nikes traditional retailers initially as it would eat into their business. Nike all ayed fears by positioning their direct marketing strategies differently to the retail markets but doubts were still casted on the anomalies of this move. Promotion Compelling promotions and captivating advertisements are the cornerstones of a successful product in contemporary times. Listed below are the various components of an effective promotional mix. Advertising Nikes legend with television commercials dates back to October 1982 with the first advertisement broadcast during the New York Marathon. Wieden and Kennedy were the creators in chief back then and not surprisingly their partnership with Nike still holds fort to this day and age. Nike advertisements are very appealing and leave a long lasting imprint in the viewers minds. Public Relations Public relation is an entity that focuses on both brand building as well as defending. Nike has recently employed the green public relations strategy. This has been a powerful weapon in the corporate social responsibility aspect with environmental issues the subject of concern in contemporary times. Personal Selling Nike endorses the personal selling technique to good effect. Customer assistants in Nike retail stores have direct contact and constant interaction with the buyers of their merchandise. Nike representatives often train customer assistants on the latest in technology and merchandize. Sales Promotions Sales Promotions are driven around the accelerated purchase of products. Nike entices its customers with discounts, rebates and gift coupons. Direct Mail In the direct mail method, publicity material is sent to a customer within the targeted segment. Nikes concentrated efforts in recent times towards publishing its customer catalogues has been met with open arms a staggering 200,000 responses to the catalogue e-mail in 60 days. Internet Marketing The dot com industry has been an emerging trendsetter in ever growing and evolving marketing strategies. Nike has given volumes of ad space to its armada of products via a network of sites. Nike is accelerating Internet marketing campaigns to diversify extensively on the web. The impact of these promotional strategies can again be traced back to the profits at which Nike operates on. Sponsorship has been a key strategy in Nikes promotional activities. Nike endorses a galaxy of celebrity athletes across all sports. Michael Jordan was an absolute superstar for them in terms of publicity and sales. A whole array of national teams including the Indian National Cricket Team is under sponsorship contracts with Nike. News has just come in of Nikes win as the official uniform sponsor of the National Football League (NFL) for a deal worth a whopping $500 million. The Communication Model Adapted from Marketing Management Philip Kotler Nike has efficiently translated all the key factors in efficient communication. Through their marketing strategies, they have reached out to a plethora of audiences and gained a profitable response. They have encoded their ideas, coated them with creativity and pushed them through to be easily decoded by the receivers (custo