Reality Television Does More Harm Than Good Essay

1. Economy Reality TV stimulates the economy The Reality TV industry produces a stimulus for the economy. â€Å"If I pay a reality star 1/50 of what I’d pay Johnny Depp, my return is going to come back much quicker,† said Mark Young, a professor at USC’s Marshall School of Business. Judge, this is obviously a huge good that come out of reality TV. CNN reports that reality TV decreases unemployment rates in the US. â€Å"Career Makeover, a new series that promises to tap into the frustrating low points of millions of today’s out-of-work and underemployed Americans. The show will give viewers something that’s perhaps more telling than the government’s eagerly-awaited monthly employment report.† According to Washington Post, winning big on a reality television cooking show has helped catapult the careers of even established chefs. As Geoffrey Zakarin, a food network iron chef, stated â€Å"TV is the gigantic tide that lifts all boats† Advertising is also a huge factor since Tens of Millions of people watch reality TV- TIME Advertising†¦.as most know occurs during the show in the middle of small breaks between the show. Heres the twist. Reality TV has advertising inside the show. New York Times—->It is typically easier to weave a product into an episode of a reality show like â€Å"American Idol† or â€Å"Survivor† than into a scripted series like â€Å"Grey’s Anatomy† or â€Å"Two and a Half Men.† Lets give an example. Lets say there is a family in a reality tv show using a vacuum cleaner. The actors in the reality tv show would compliment the cleanliness of the vacuum cleaner and this is a form of advertising. Oregon State University—-> 23 million tuned in â€Å"Multi-Millionaire† and 51 million watched the finale of â€Å"Survivor†. This was an advertisers dream. This is why we see advertisers paying $2.1 million for sponsorship on â€Å"The Mole† The initial â€Å"Survivor† sponsors paid $4 million but â€Å"Survivor 2† price tag jumped to $12 million (Friedman, Harsh ‘Reality,’ 2000:4 & Grover, Off the Island, 2000: 48). How do the networks benefit? CBS collected about $52 million in advertising for the initial â€Å"Survivor† (Grover, Off the Island, 2000: 48). ABC’s â€Å"Millionaire† brought up it’s operating income by 33% (Lacter, â€Å"Blair Witch TV, 2000:64). The impact is that reality TV not only creates jobs and boosts employment rates, but it also boosts the economy and businesses through advertising. 2. It helps society Reality TV is an easy way to make money and stimulate the economy. It costs very little to run and It is cheap. It gives oppurtunities for many of the unemployed. As we said in our 1st contention, Career Makeover is giving oppurtunities. We have to take advantage. These shows teach others how to do different things. For example, Yankee Workshop teaches about building and constructing. American Idol and America’s Got talent shows the love of music. The Impact is that If you lose, you got an opportunity and if you win, you win an oppurtunity. According to Martha Airth-Kindree, executive director of  the Mile Bluff Medical Center Foundation, â€Å"Scores of people have been inspired by â€Å"The Biggest Loser†. † The popular reality television show is the inspiration for a new weight-loss program in Juneau County According to an article written by Dr. Michelle Golland, a mental health professional, she believes that reality tv can be a good thing. As she states in her article, the shows â€Å"Intervention† and â€Å"Obsessed† bring us into the lives of people suffering with mental health problems, drug and alcohol addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. â€Å"Intervention† helps treat people who seek help on the show and also pays for their treatment, which many of them may otherwise be unable to afford. It also allows us to witness the damage inflicted on every person in an addict’s life and the devastating impact on them. This show can help those who view it to realize they need help, or encourage a family member to stage their own intervention with the help of a professional, which they may never have had the courage to do until watching it on TV. â€Å"Obsessed† is a painful display of people who have severe anxieties and are seeking treatment for them. The impact is that Reality TV helps society by helping the economy, teaching different things, inspiration for better health, and showing the world the lives of those with health problems. i accept your definitions and weighing mechanism so i will start with my contentions Contention 1: The sheer number of reality programmes is now driving TV producers to create filthier, more corrupt reality shows. Reality TV is actually getting worse as the audience becomes more and more used to the genre. In a search for ratings and media coverage, shows are becoming ever more vulgar and offensive, trying to find new ways to shock. When the British Big Brother was struggling for viewers in 2003, its producers responded by attempting to shock the audience that little bit more. â€Å"Big Brother† programmes have also shown men and women having sex on live TV, all in a desperate grab for ratings to justify their continued existence. Others have involved fights and racist bullying. Do we let things continue until  someone has to die on TV to boost the ratings? Contention 2: Reality TV encourages people to pursue celebrity status, and discourages the value of hard work and an education. Reality shows send a bad message and help to create a cult of instant celebrity. They are typically built about shameless self-promotion, based on humiliating others and harming relationships for the entertainment of each other and the viewers at home. These programmes suggest that anyone can become famous just by getting on TV and â€Å"being themselves†, without working hard or having any particular talent. Kids who watch these shows will get the idea that they don’t need to study hard in school, or train hard for a regular job. As John Humphrys points out, ‘we tell kids what matters is being a celebrity and we wonder why some behave the way they do. As American lawyer Lisa Bloom fears, ‘addiction to celebrity culture is creating a generation of dumbed-down women. Reality shows encourage such addictions and promote the generally m isguided belief that they should aspire to be the reality stars they watch on their televisions. Contention 3: Reality shows make for bad, lazy and corrupting television, encouraging such behaviour in society. They mostly show ordinary people with no special talents doing very little. If they have to sing or dance, then they do it badly – which doesn’t make for good entertainment. They rely on humiliation and conflict to create excitement. Joe Millionaire, where a group of women competed for the affections of a construction worker who they were told was a millionaire, was simply cruel. The emotions of the contestants were considered expendable for the sake of making viewers laugh at their ignorance. Furthermore, the programmes are full of swearing, crying and argument, and often violence, drunkenness and sex. This sends a message to people that this is normal behaviour and helps to create a crude, selfish society. One American reality show, â€Å"Are You Hot?†, in which competitors submit to a panel of judges for ‘appearance-rating’, was blamed by eating disorder experts as encouraging the notion that ‘appearance is the most important. Contention 4: Reality TV is dishonest – it pretends to show â€Å"reality† but it  actually distorts the truth to suit the programme makers. The shows are not really â€Å"real† – they are carefully cast to get a mix of â€Å"characters† who are not at all typical. Mostly they show a bunch of young, good-looking self-publicists, who will do anything to get on TV. Usually the programme makers try to ensure excitement by picking people who are likely to clash with each other. They then place them in unnatural situations, such as the Big Brother house or the Survivor island, and give them strange challenges in order to provoke them into behaving oddly. In The Bachelor, where a group of women compete for the affections of an eligible male, the ‘intimate dates’ they go on are filmed in front of any number of camera; that is not reality (Poniewozik, 2003). Finally the makers film their victims for hundreds of hours from all angles, but only show the most dramatic parts. Selective editing may be used to create â€Å"storylines† and so further manipulate the truth of what happened.

Demerits of Advertising Essay

Advertising is a form of communication used to encourage or persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to continue or take some new action. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common. The purpose of advertising may also be to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful. Advertising messages are usually paid for by sponsors and viewed via various traditional media; including mass media such as newspaper, magazines, television commercial, radio advertisement, outdoor advertising or direct mail; or new media such as websites and text messagesModern advertising developed with the rise of mass production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Type Demerits1 Demerits of Advertising (Objections) Various objections against it may be listed as follows: 1. Economic Objections a) Advertising is not productive. It is true that it does not produce any tangible goods. It is said to involve wasteful expenditure. b) It forces people to desire and buy goods, which, in fact, are not within their means.  c) It increases the cost of goods. Advertising charges are included in the price, which the consumer has to pay. d) Advertising results in monopoly. The consumer becomes a slave to a particular brand. 2. Social Objections a) Most of the advertisements contain tall claims and the consumers do not enjoy the benefits advertisement in full. They are shortlived only. b) The press is influenced by the advertisers because they provide major revenue for the existence of newspapers. 3. Ethical Objections a) Advertising appeals make people to use such articles, which may affect their health. For example alcoholic drinks and cigarettes. b) People with less purchasing power cannot afford to buy articles even though advertisements create a strong need in them. Thus a section of society remains discontented. Whatever may be said against advertising, it is increasingly used almost in every branch of business to promote sales. It is not merely a means of sales promotion but today it has become a science equivalent to any other social science. Type Demerits 2 These are the disadvantages of advertising: Increases the cost: It increases the cost of goods. The cost of the advertisement is included in the price and is ultimately borne by the customers. Misleads the public: It misleads the public by giving false statements about the product. (It may be true in some cases but majority of advertisers know the value of honest statements.) Creates a dissatisfaction: It creates tastes and desires for some people whose income may not allow them to buy. Such people feel dissatisfied. Creates a monopoly: It increases monopolistic trend. Due to advertisement some manufacturers create monopoly in industry and thus reduce healthy competition. It becomes difficult for new firms to enter the field. Creates the confusion: It creates the possibility of wrong purchases. Being impressed by the advertisement, in some cases, a person is not able to purchase the commodity, which he actually wants to purchase. Encourages luxury: This encourages luxury. Mostly the commodities related to comforts and luxuries are advertised, for example, cigarettes, cosmetic goods and etc. due to advertisement of cigarettes several persons start smoking cigarettes, which becomes habit. Reduces cleanliness: It reduces cleanliness. Large number of posters and writings on the walls are used for advertisement. This makes the roads and the walls of the houses look dirty. Thus, it reduces the natural beauty. Causes wastage: It is a cause of wastage of natural resources. As a results of advertisement, style and fashion change quickly. It makes the goods out of fashion.

Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Death Penalty - Essay Example The crimes that were punishable by death at this time were numerous unlike in the modern society, which has first degree murder as the major crime punishable by death. Under Hammurabi code, crimes such as adultery, petty robbery cases, wrongful accusation of individuals among others were regarded as capital offenses. This paper is a critical evaluation of death penalty as a component of criminal justice. Death Penalty Death penalty is a punishment in the criminal justice system, which has continued to attract criticism and support from various quarters such as human rights activists, religious groups as well as the society at large. As stated earlier, it is not a new phenomenon unique to the contemporary society as even the ancient societies applied it even though with little regard to human life. In this context, the manner in which it was applied especially in the Babylonian society under King Hammurabi showed that there was little will on the part of the authorities to offer convi cted criminals the chance to redeem themselves and reintegrate with the society (Brians, 1999). However, the contemporary society has tried to rectify this by limiting the punishable crimes to those of high gravity such as murder, genocide, treason among others. On the other hand, some of the countries around the world have decided, through legislation, to ban the death penalty altogether while others have remained adamant and still use it to date. Some of the countries that has banned it include and not limited to Argentina, Spain and Australia while those where it is still considered legal include and not limited to the US, China, Korea, Egypt, Japan among others. In total, it is believed that more than 139 countries worldwide have banned its use. The most conventional methods of execution to date include and not limited to; hanging, being shot by firing squad, electric chair, gas chamber among others (Bedau, 2004). This is in contrast with the ancient methods of execution, which can be termed as primitive, inhumane as they were more bent towards making the convicted criminal experience pain and humiliation. In fact, some sources indicate that such societies believed in the ‘tit for tat’ and the ‘an eye for an eye’ principles. Convicts were either beaten to death, burned alive, crucifixion while others were drowned in water (Brians, 1999). Recidivism is a major concern for proponents of death penalty (McCafferty, 2009). This is the habit of convicted criminals returning into crime once they are released from prison after completing their jail terms. It is for this reason that death penalty is perceived as a permanent way of incapacitating the criminals from ever committing other felonies. Opponents on the other hand claim that instead of killing the culprits, they should be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. However this may sound convincing, it does not escape the minds of the proponents that jailing a criminal only lim its his or her rights to freedom but this does not mean that they lose contact with the outside world. In this context, it is true to say that the criminals can still plan with the help of accomplices especially where criminal gangs are involved. This may turn out to

The United States of America should legalize marijuana Research Paper

The United States of America should legalize marijuana - Research Paper Example Legalizing marijuana will contribute enormously to the economic growth of the US (Ingraham 3). The money generated from marijuana in most of the states in the US not taxed since it is considered illegal. Legalizing marijuana will make it taxable and, therefore, its contribution to the economy will be felt. In addition, money paid to officers by marijuana peddlers as bribes will be channeled to useful government projects. In essence, legalization of marijuana will aid in fighting corruption in the police force since all dealing in marijuana will be known to the government. Actually, Illegalization of marijuana is some states has resulted in the increase of black market activities. Marijuana peddlers earn enormous profits and it is almost impossible for them to stop the trade despite limitations by law. Apparently, the black market is harmful to the economy since there exist no apparatus to measure its revenue generation and benefits to the traders (Ostrowsk 12). Some people have criticized the legalization of marijuana by the federal government arguing that it will encourage the use of other drugs. Such kind of thoughts are fallacious and misleading. Through legalization, the government will have control of the use of marijuana. In addition, the government will have control over the quality of production. In this regard, the federal government should consider legalizing marijuana in order to have control over its use and production. In essence, legalizing marijuana can be very helpful in reducing overproduction and abuse by the young people. Sometimes people tend to engage in drug abuse to be against the law. In this case, legalizing marijuana will aid in making such people stop the practice since it would not appear illegal. Eventually, the use of marijuana will be reduced by a significant percentage. The number of

Biological Cloning and Nuclear Transplantation Essay

Biological Cloning and Nuclear Transplantation - Essay Example Burnett states about the scientific concept, â€Å"Scientists will take the nucleus of a somatic, or nonreproductive, cell from Alcalde and insert it into an egg cell from a cow, from which the nucleus has been removed. The resulting embryo will be grown in an incubator and then implanted in a cow to develop† (2008, p.1). In lay language, the concept involves the desire to produce animals with superior qualities that cannot be achieved through normal reproduction. The process involves nuclear transplantation, in which the genetic material from a given cell is inserted into the host. In this case, the host is an unfertilized egg whose genetic material has been removed through enucleation process. The biological process of nuclear transplantation is whereby scientists derive a cell from an adult animal they wish to clone. The genome of the animal is contained in the nucleus of this derived cell. Genome is the DNA that has instructions to create a new individual. The next stage i n this process is taking an unfertilized egg from the female of the same species, and removing its nucleus (Mann, 2003, p.1). The scientists then put the nucleus into the egg; thus, basically replacing the DNA of the egg with that of the cloning animal. The nucleus derived from the donor cell is fused with the egg with the help of a smell electric current passed through the cell. Adding a series of chemicals into the egg tricks it into believing that fertilization is taking place. At this stage, the outcome may be successful or unsuccessful.

Critical Analysis Of The Great Rulers' Reign Assignment

Critical Analysis Of The Great Rulers' Reign - Assignment Example The reason can be deemed as the aggressive and the strict decisions that they had taken in order to maintain law and order during their reign. As the approach was rough and rude, it often generated rebels from his countrymen. The same case was with Martin Luther King who was a clergyman, humanitarian, activist and the great leader of the African-American Civil Rights. He is famous for the role that he played in the development of civil rights by use of nonviolent civil disobedience. Thus by his works he has become a renowned national icon in the history of American progressivism (Bruns, 2006). During his reign, he was faced with many allegations and conspiracies which had acted as barriers in the course of his leadership. He had encountered surveillance by the FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover who had intended to weaken the power of King as a civic leader. The National Security Agency had monitored the communication of King so as to take account of the steps that are being taken by the a ctivists. Since King was penetrating deep into communism, the FBI conspired to discredit him through some revelations of his personal life in form of candid information about his many supposed extramarital affairs. Thus, it can be stated from the above situations that he had faced many obstructions during his reign (Gosman, 2011). Question 1 a. Early Life of King (born, society in which he grew up) Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929, and has taken his last breath on April 4, 1968. The King’s initial name was Michael but it was later changed to Martin. His grandfather had begun his career as the pastor in the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where he has served the nation from 1914 to 1931. Thereafter, his father has served until his death and in the year 1960, Martin Luther became the co-pastor (Gosman, 2011). In his early days, King used to attend a segregated public school in Georgia.

Assignment based on a book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment based on a book - Essay Example In the pursuit of a multicultural and tolerant Canada, it is really important. There are now increased numbers of attempts to study on and assimilate with aboriginal peoples both socially and culturally. Consequently, we must understand that why the aboriginal populations in the country declined and are still declining. Investigations are going on to understand this. In the present paper, we will enumerate some most important factors that are responsible of the decline in the population of aboriginal peoples in Canada with special focus on British Columbia. Discussion The first and most important factor of that contributed to the decline of the aboriginal populations in Canada is European colonization. British Columbia was no exception to this. Europeans not only extended their socio-cultural influence in this region located in western Canada but also they brought their regional rivalries with them. The most prominent example of violence and imperialism can be noted as the Nookta Cri sis. Nookta Crisis started in the 1790s when British and Spanish imperialists confronted each other in the region. Both the parties sought to capture the fur trade of the region. The western coasts of Canada constituted an important trading corridor (Crump 2010). Regardless of local culture and aboriginal people, the imperialist and colonist forces started a sequence of conflicts and battles. After driving out the Spanish from this area, the British colonists now focused their attention on the aboriginal peoples in the region. Now in order to clear hunting grounds and establishing trade centers for fur trade, colonists started to take away land and property of the aboriginal peoples either through treaties or by wars. Evidently due to these wars, several local aboriginal chiefs were disgraced and many of aboriginal fighting men were killed. Consequently, like rest of Canada, aboriginal populations of British Columbia too had to face systematic â€Å"cultural oppression and social m arginalization through the actions of European colonizers and their institutions† (Healing Traditions: The Mental Health of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada 2009, p. 7). The second most important factor was the enactment of the Indian Act (1876). This Act is in force even today (of course with minor amendments). The Act systematically restricted free movement of the aboriginal peoples. Participation in cultural festivals like Sun Dance was prohibited. Numerous techniques were implemented to Europeanize the natives. â€Å"For example, until quite recently, the patrilineal descent recognized by the Indian Act resulted in the removal of Indian status from many First Nations women (and their children) who married non-First Nations men† (Healing Traditions: The Mental Health of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada 2009, p. 11). In the above quotation, the term First Nations denotes aboriginal peoples. Furthermore, different social strata were created to provide different facilities to t he different groups of Native Indians in the country. Although the Indian Act (1876) puts emphasis on the fact that the wellbeing of aboriginal people rests with the government of the country, the Act has been often utilized to disunite and

Analysis of the Moto X Advert in the New York Times Essay

Analysis of the Moto X Advert in the New York Times - Essay Example The messages spread have had different effects on society with some having devastating results in the form of many disfigured minds. A villain who spreads this phenomenon is punishable by law, and deserves to be apprehended. However, this is not possible as it cannot be touched and therefore apprehended. This is because the villain guilty of these charges is the advertising for different products that exists in various forms of media. From our child years to the adulthood stage of life, the advertising that is everywhere like the air we breathe, spreads ideas that our minds feed on flooding them with fuzzy perception towards life. The common depthless idea portrayed in advertising images of today is the perception that perfection in life and happiness goals shared by individuals are easily attainable through the use of the products depicted in the images used in the adverts. Generally, advertisers use this technique to market their products through maintaining a grip on the consumers ’ minds by keeping them coveting the lives in the adverts (Beasley and Marcel 15). This happens at the expense of consumers losing their focus on the more meaningful aspects of life. This principle is behind many print adverts in many magazines as in the Moto X Smartphone adverts. In the Wednesday July 3rd issue of the New York Times, advertisers posted a splitting image to advertise the new Smartphone that suggests the phone to be in the leagues of new generation innovative Smartphone available in the market through the use of various imaging techniques. Using imagery that attests to social and economic desires, special effects, color use, text and advert general layout as well as its placement, Motorola X Smartphone advertisers are making a statement that owning the phones makes one a part of a young urban generation, which has an affinity for technology innovations and economic mobility. Core arguments The adverts core argument lies in the statement â€Å"The first Smartp hone you can design yourself† ("Moto X" 6). This portrays the Moto X’s customability to as one that focuses on the needs of the consumer. The argument thus argues that the phone is specifically designed to address the needs of the American population, as it is â€Å"as unique as you are†. The statement, â€Å"Designed by you. Assembled in the USA† is used as the claim for the advert carrying the whole idea used in the marketing of the product ("Moto X" 6). This statement claims that one should be able to design his or her own Smartphone. The ad emphasizes the fact that unlike most Smartphone in the American market, the Moto X is assembled in the United States and is therefore designed for the American people. This claim may be harmful to the markets of the United States as it may incite the resistance against products produced in foreign countries especially Asian countries that where most consumer electronics are based. Target market The target market of the advertisement can be looked at from two directions. First, the advert simply targets the American people. The claims that the phone is the first Smartphone assembled in the United States specifically targets the American population as it seeks to distinguish the production of the phone from the production processes of the other Smartphones in the market. The portrayal of the product a one that is local seeks to bring a sway of the American people based on their patriotism. The other target market view is based on the phone’s customability. The ad states that the Moto X is the first Smartphone that allows one to design him or herself ("Moto X" 6). As such, the advert seeks to portray the phone as one that allows the consumer to customize it to suit his needs. The main aim

The impact of technology on society(electrification(electricity)) Research Paper

The impact of technology on society(electrification(electricity)) - Research Paper Example Since the evolution of electricity is a complex phenomenon, its makeover is done by various personalities at various span of time at different stages. If we look at who identified electricity in an elaborate way, then the credit can be given to Benjamin Franklin who recognized electricity by flying kite on the occasion of lightning. It was in 1752, June 15th that Benjamin Franklin propagated that lightning is the pure form of electricity. He founded through experiment that electricity could pass through metals and this gave way to the great discovery of many electrical appliances and gadgets. 2.1.1 The Phenomenon of Electricity Surprisingly, the electricity as a scientific phenomenon did not gain recognition until the last quarter of eighteenth century. The early civilization to probe in to the discovery of electricity was the Greek personalities. The word electricity itself is connected to the Greek word â€Å"Elektron† or amber as rubbing of amber with cloth produced electri city. The electricity which was once a frightening element of nature, changed in to the most beneficial gift of nature as man discovered its immense potentiality and usability in his daily life. Electricity being a secondary form of energy source is obtained by converting primary sources of energies like coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power and other natural sources. The electricity consists of electrons which are tiny particles of energy and are the smallest unit of energy. These electrons which are energy particle, when passed through metals like copper and iron aids in use of electricity in electrical appliances. However the production and supply of electricity is the most perplexing procedure and capital intensive program, which the industrial sector has ever experienced. The electricity is produced in extensive power plants with the help of huge turning turbines. Here the turbines are turned with the help of steam produced by coal. However, if electricity is produced by water then the rushing of water moves the turbine. The voltage of electricity is increase with the help of transformers which is later passed to the electrical equipments for use. 2.2 The status of pre- electricity period. 2.2.1 Quality of life The quality of life before the invention of electricity was considerably dull and dark. The period prior to the last quarter of 18th century was a duration of strive and struggle due to the absence of electricity. The life during those times was murky and was entirely depended on the dim light of the candle. Unlike 21st century, the age before electricity was limited in luxury and amenities. People were not in a position to take maximum benefit of natural resources and had to struggle hard to conduct their daily life. Moreover, the night life of people were less exciting because as the night fell, people resorted to their homes keeping in mind their personal security and safety. During those times, people depended on bee wax, cow dung and animal fa t to illuminate their houses and other personal and public spaces. 2.2.2. Performing task Before the invention of electricity, all the house hold chores and productive works were outcome of manual labor. People like poets and

Organizational Structure Essay Example for Free

Organizational Structure Essay In this paper, I will analyze the elements of a job analysis and discuss its significance to the hiring and employee development aspects of human resource management. I will describe the importance of a PAQ, proposing two ways the results can be used to redesign a customer service job for efficiency. I will develop two strategies that HR professionals can in the selection for a customer service position using a Fleishman Job Analysis System. I will examine the challenges for designing this job for efficiency and suggest two ways to redesign it. Finally, I will propose three ways a HR manager can use the information from a job analysis to measure the performance of customer service representatives. One of the most important aspects of human resources is recruiting. In order to recruit the best applicants, job recruiters have to be knowledgeable in all aspects of the position. The best source of information about a position comes from a job analysis. A job analysis is the process of getting detailed information about jobs. A job analysis helps recruiters to match job requirements with the best applicants. It is also essential in employee development, performance appraisals and compensation. A job analysis includes many steps but only three elements. Those elements are the sources of job information, the job specification and the job description. The first element of the job analysis is the source of information used. In doing the analysis, human resource professionals gather information about jobs through interviewing employees, observing performance of certain tasks, asking employees to fill out questionnaires and worksheets, and collecting information about a job from secondary sources. Other sources within the company include existing job descriptions and supervisors. Some of those  secondary sources include existing job analysis information from a competitor and O*NET. Next, the job specification includes the tasks that make up the job, the conditions under which the job is performed and what the job requires in terms of aptitude, knowledge, skills and abilities (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014). This will provide a lot of data. It measures the amount of time the employee spends on major duties. It provides a description of the major duties in order of importance. It determines whether any licensures, certificates or security clearances are needed to perform the job, as well as the physical, environmental and mental demands of a position. This information is essential in creating a job description. The last element is the job description. â€Å"A job description is a list the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that a job entails (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† A well-written job description can sell jobs to perspective employees and develop training programs as a job position evolves. Sometimes the needs of business changes and therefore some duties may change within a position. â€Å"For the employer, the job description is often used as a recruiting tool and by supervisors to outline position expectations. The job description may be used to indicate salary or reporting structure and as a reference during performance evaluations (Richards, 2014).† Once all the information has been assembled for a job analysis, it can be further analyzed by using a position analysis questionnaire (PAQ). â€Å"A PAQ is a standardized job analysis questionnaire containing 194 questions about work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† The purpose of the questionnaire is to measure the job characteristics and its relation to the human characteristics. The PAQ can be used for a few different things. Common uses include developing a compensation model, selection criteria for a specific job and to study the nature of work (PAQ.com, 2014). A PAQ can be used to redesign a customer service job to be more efficient and improve quality. â€Å"Using the PAQ provides an organization with information that helps in comparing jobs, even when they are dissimilar (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† In making those comparisons, analyzers might find ways to be more efficient. The collected data from this approach helps in developing or revising a job description. In the customer service business the needs of each customer can vary. Therefore, responsibilities of a customer service representative can vary to meet those needs. Those things might not be listed in the job description but will need to be added in order to keep the job description updated. Furthermore, information learned from the PAQ helps in evaluating the position for appropriate classification. A good source to use for worker requirements is the Fleishman Job Analysis system. The Fleishman Job Analysis system (F-JAS) is a job analysis technique that asks subject-matter experts to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform the job (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† Because the results of a F-JAS, provides a picture of the ability requirements of a job, than recruiters know what abilities to scan for when reviewing resumes. Typing skills might be a skill that is important in a customer service position. The F-JAS can give us an idea of just how important typing is to a job so that we would be able to make reasonable accommodations for an applicant with disabilities. Human resource professionals can also use F-JAS to update job descriptions. As processes change the need for some abilities change as things may become automated, therefore job responsibilities change. â€Å"Kannisto adds, â€Å"With the compliance environment and legal implicati ons, the stakes are a lot higher for job descriptions to be crystal clear with essential responsibilities. If you have a measure of performance that doesn’t appear on the job description and you have a case brought against you, depending on the agency [involved], there could be punishment,† he explains (Tyler, 2013).† When considering the job of a customer service representative (CSR) who handles consumer inquiries for a company that sells items online and by catalog, a few challenges of designing this job for efficiency, come to  mind. The first challenge that comes to mind is monotony. Over time, employees will be bored of doing the same job over and over. Even more so if the job is divided into departments, such as sales, returns and customer service, employees will lose interest. A suggestion for redesigning the customer service representative position is job enlargement. Employees might find the job more engaging if all the calls came through on department. We could cross-train employees to be able to handle all the calls that come through the queue. Another suggestion is job rotation. Maybe every week, we could rotate the tasks. We could also make some customer services responses automated for customers. So if a customer wanted to check status on an order, we could generate a system automa ted response so that those calls don’t come into the call center. Another challenge for designing a customer service representative job is defining authority. Sometimes, customer service requires problem solving and quick decisions. Waiting to speak to a manager can be frustrating for the customer and it makes the employee look incompetent, because it increases hold time. The employee probably feels impotent having to get permission to make a decision, especially when they know what to do. A suggestion for redesigning the CSR’s position is job enrichment. CSR’s need a certain amount of authority when it comes to resolving customer service issues. This is a way to raise productivity levels and employee satisfaction from a sense of personal achievement in taking ownership of problems and meeting the challenge of increased responsibility. A human resource manager (HRM) can use the information obtained from job analysis to measure the performance of a customer service representative. Job analysis is a set of procedures or methods for determining what workers actually do on the job and for describing which aspects of worker knowledge, skill, ability, and other characteristics are needed for job performance. This process defines a productive employee and gives human resource managers a place to start for measuring performance. One way HRM can use this information is in making personnel decisions. This tool can help determine whether an employee should receive a promotion, transfer, pay increase or be fired. It can also be used for employee development. A performance  appraisal will determine the strengths and weaknesses of employees. This is key to helping our CSR’s grow, because we can create training programs to increase their skills levels. Taking the time to strengthen their weaknesses will make them perform better, which is great for the company. Finally, the performance appraisal can be used as documentation to protect a company from lawsuits, because it is used as the basis for personnel decisions. In conclusion, the job analysis is the foundation of most human resource functions. With its use, job descriptions are created and updated which standardizes recruiting. It is a perfect outline for measuring performance of new and existing employees. Job analysis provides training and employee growth opportunities. Personnel decisions are also validated by job analysis, because it creates a system of checks and balances for hiring, performance appraisals, promotion and demotion and/or firing. Works Cited Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 103). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 107). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 108). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. PAQ.com. (2014). The paq program. Retrieved from http://www.paq.com/?FuseAction=Main.PAQProgram Richards, F. (2014). Key parts to job descriptions. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/key-parts-job-descriptions-12366.html Tyler, K. (2013, Jan. 01). Job worth doing: Update descriptions. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/publications/hrmagazine/editorialcontent/2013/0113/pages/0113-job-descriptions.aspx

History Of Working At Height Regulation Construction Essay

History Of Working At Height Regulation Construction Essay The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that over 4,000 employees suffered a major injury because of a fall from height in 2008/09. The majority of injuries were caused by low falls www.hse.gov (see attached appendix) This figure is still far too high when we consider the working at height regulation2005 (WHAR) was passed into law almost six years ago. The reason WHAR became law was the alarming concern across Europe of fatalities and serious injury. The European parliaments passed the directive, wanted all members to implement, and have on their statute books by 2004. consultation started in the uk in 2001 .there was concerns raised over changes to be made to the 2meter rule, industry claimed they needed this kept as it would not be cost effective and jobs would be lost and certain contracts would not be worth tendering on if this rule was not kept . Before the regulation, there was various regulations that covered working at height with different rules one of the rules was the 2 meter rule this allowed working up to 2 meters height without any controls accidents. The majority of major injuries were caused by low falls. Again, a significant proportion of these were falls from ladders. www.hse.gov RIDDOR data It is now recognised in the duty that injury can occur from a fall of any height, not just from above say 2 metres. In addition, falling objects can cause injury from below a drop distance of 2 metres. Therefore guardrails and toe boards etc should be considered based on a suitable and sufficient risk assessment been made Elizabeth Gibby, Head of the Health and Safety Executives (HSEs) Injuries Reduction Programme, said: In 2003/4 falls from height accounted for 67 fatal accidents at work and nearly 4,000 major injuries. They remain the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the biggest causes of major injury. Preventing falls from height is a central part of HSEs Injuries Reduction Programme and these Regulations will provide the cornerstone for this programme to improve standards for work at height and thereby reduce deaths and injuries. These Regulations set out a simple hierarchy for managing and selecting equipment for work at height. She added: The Regulations cover a wide range of industries and activities but we have developed some simple messages which we want to communicate to all industries. Our key messages are: those following good practice for work at height now should already be doing enough to comply with these Regulations; follow the risk assessments you have carried out for work at height activities and make sure all work at height is planned, organized and carried out by competent persons; follow the hierarchy for managing risks from work at height take steps to avoid, prevent or reduce risks; and choose the right work equipment and select collective measures to prevent falls (such as guardrails and working platforms) before other measures which may only mitigate the distance and consequences of a fall (such as nets or airbags) or which may only provide personal protection from a fall. Falls from height are the biggest work place killer. There were 35 fatalities in 2008/09. A significant proportion of these were falls from ladders. www.hse.gov Traditionally falls make up the second biggest cause of major accidents. There were over 4500 in 2008/09. The majority of major injuries were caused by low falls. Again, a significant proportion of these were falls from ladders. www.hse.gov RIDDOR data The Regulations were consulted upon during 2004 including a focused consultation on retaining the requirements for particular precautions for construction work at or above 2mtrs. (I have explained this rule further in legislation section) Working at Height is now governed by the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR). These regulations revoked the earlier construction regulations, which specified the 2 metre rule. We therefore do not have this threshold. The WAHR place a duty on the duty holder to avoid work at height where it is reasonably practicable to carry out this work safely otherwise than at height. Where work has to be carried out at height, then the duty holder shall take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury. It is recognised in the duty that injury can occur from a fall of any height, not just from above say 2 metres. In addition, falling objects can cause injury from below a drop distance of 2 metres. Therefore guardrails and toe boards etc should be considered based on a suitable and sufficient risk assessment been made There is no recommended height now. The Regulations have a series of schedules that set out requirements for specific circumstances and schedule two sets out the requirements for guardrails, toe-boards, barriers, and similar collective means of protection. A link to the regulations is here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/regulations.htm All forms of work access equipment for working at height come under the Regulations, which includes hop-ups. More information can be obtained from hse web site on construction and various platforms http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm There was no transitional period as the regulations consolidate what should be existing good practice. However it is understood that industry need to familiarise themselves with the regulations and ensure that what they do is sufficient to comply. Also time to make sure companies do not over react, I have witnessed companies having simply refused stepladders coming on site with the claim HSE has banned them! This is totally UN true and led to total confusion within industry. Still does today. There is Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) produced for the Regulations and hse have produced INGD 401 and other literature for further guidance. Free download, is available from www.hse.gov.uk . In addition, working at height comes under other regulations i.e. Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HASAWA) Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR) Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98) Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998(LOLER HSE took a different approach to communicate the Regulations. This was based on A Brief Guide to the Regulations and promoting sector specific guidance. The hse ran media awareness campaigns to highlight the introduction of the new regulation and to make people aware that a fall from any height can be fatal this was called shattered lives this can be viewed on line www.hse.gov.uk I have examined statistics correlated by the health and safety executive reporting of injuries diseases dangerous occurrences (RIDDOR). Who have compiled a large amount of data on falls from height and it lays out the different types of falls and there consequences on the individual both physically and on their future employment within the industry. The full report is Attached (see appendix 2) but I have bullet pointed the main aspects concerning my report High falls (a fall from a height of at least 2 meters) (Low falls a fall from a height below 2 meters) (Unspecified height) The pie charts below show the breakdown of fatal, major, and over-3-day fall injuries by height of fall and whether the injured person fell from a ladder or something else. Typically, more than 70% of fatal fall injuries are from a height of more than two metres compared with 23% of major fall injuries and just 10% of over-3-day fall injuries. In each category, between 20% and 30% of the accidents reported are normally from ladders. In 2008/09, the proportion of injuries attributable to high falls fell to 15% of major fall injuries and just 5% of over-3-day fall injuries. This is because of the significant increase in the proportion of low and unspecified falls due to the reclassification of slips and trips on stairs as falls. Source (Injury analysis priority programmes: falls from height RIDDOR) www.hse.gov Fatal fall injuries to workers, 2008/09p Major fall injuries to workers, 2008/09p Over 3 day fall injuries to workers, 2008/09p Source www.hse.gov.uk

the taliban :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As I started to think about what aspect of terrorism I wanted to write a paper on, it occurred to me that I didn’t really know much about the Taliban group. Which is one of the major terrorist groups in today’s society. So I am going to try and explain this group the best that I can. In couple different aspects, one is what their rules are, two how they treat women, and three what types of terrorist acts they have committed. The Taliban group is a group of men who formed in 1994 in the country of Kandahar by Islamic students who took a radical approach to interpreting Islam. The Group also believes in strict Islamic rules. According to them the men must have beards four fingers in length, there shall be no music, Nintendo, and women should not be allowed to do anything other than stay home and watch the children and clean the house. This Taliban group when first started had about twenty to thirty thousand men i nvolved. The group now controls about 80% or two thirds of Afghanistan land. Prior to the war no one other than the NMA (Northern Military Alliance) has really put up a fight or even thought about taking down the Taliban. The only thing that has challenged the Taliban group is the Northern Military Alliance and the only positive gain they have had was to keep their one-third part of Afghanistan. The only thing left to do for the Afghan people is either to give in to the dominating Taliban group or turn to the NMA and help get their country back to the pre-Communist era that it was before the Taliban group took over.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Taliban beliefs are strict and to the point. If you get caught committing a crime you are likely to get the extreme punishment for your crime. The Taliban is not afraid to show off their force when dealing with people that commit crimes. The Taliban regime has turned soccer stadiums into viewing grounds of executions. Men are running around the stadium with amputated hands as others cheer. The Taliban regime is not to be reckoned with. If a woman is out with out her veil her home will be marked and her husband will face punishment. The regime believes that a man must have a long beard and may not have his hair beatle-ly or he will have his head shaved along with being arrested.

Global Strategies for the Multinational Corporation Essay -- Globaliza

Global expansion has developed a tactical imperative for nearly all large organizations and multinational corporation (MNC) managers have a great deal on their hands in developing, monitoring and changing these strategies. Becoming international is an important factor in assisting organizations in becoming globally competitive. As we know, trading and bartering have been around since primordial times and trading has become global. As described by Cateora, Gilly, and Graham (2013), â€Å"a huge portion of all consumer products – from automobiles to dinnerware – sold in the United States is foreign made† (p. 7). In addition, many U.S. corporations sell goods overseas to our foreign nations. The development of global markets was established by the needs of the consumer. If a domestic nation cannot supply what the consumer wants, this gives opportunity to the nations with the supply of the goods desired. Could our nation produce all the goods required for domestic consumer demand? Between 1970 and 2005, the value of U.S. merchandise imports has grown far more rapidly than domestic output. These imports increasingly originate in the developing world. Indeed, over the last thirty years, the share of total US imports from developing economies increased from 8% to nearly 40%. (as cited by Kemeny & Rigby, 2012, p. 1-2). Gaining a competitive advantage They are several actions to take to gain a competitive advantage. Productivity plays a major role on a nation’s ability to trade globally. The more production produced in a less amount of time from one nation versus another gives the country the comparative advantage. Competitive moves can also create a competitive advantage. An example is when Komatsu started manufacturing h... ...nce to end Samsung ‘rule’. The Economic Times. Retrieved from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-30/news/38930222_1_sony-india-panasonic-india-samsung Nike unethical business practices. (2011). Retrieved from http://entrepreneurawards.org/2011/12/nike-unethical-business-practices.html Serban, E. (2012). The strategic alternatives for emerging markets entry strategies of multinational companies and their main investments in Romania. Revista de Management Comparat International, 13(2), 337-347. Tangen, K. (2011). Outbound travel of business students in China and India: Enriching the experience not only for students but also for the international communities. Journal of Management Policy and Practice, 12(2), 120-133. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/docview/876865204/fulltextPDF/141848A793F73C00C0D/7?accountid=28180 Global Strategies for the Multinational Corporation Essay -- Globaliza Global expansion has developed a tactical imperative for nearly all large organizations and multinational corporation (MNC) managers have a great deal on their hands in developing, monitoring and changing these strategies. Becoming international is an important factor in assisting organizations in becoming globally competitive. As we know, trading and bartering have been around since primordial times and trading has become global. As described by Cateora, Gilly, and Graham (2013), â€Å"a huge portion of all consumer products – from automobiles to dinnerware – sold in the United States is foreign made† (p. 7). In addition, many U.S. corporations sell goods overseas to our foreign nations. The development of global markets was established by the needs of the consumer. If a domestic nation cannot supply what the consumer wants, this gives opportunity to the nations with the supply of the goods desired. Could our nation produce all the goods required for domestic consumer demand? Between 1970 and 2005, the value of U.S. merchandise imports has grown far more rapidly than domestic output. These imports increasingly originate in the developing world. Indeed, over the last thirty years, the share of total US imports from developing economies increased from 8% to nearly 40%. (as cited by Kemeny & Rigby, 2012, p. 1-2). Gaining a competitive advantage They are several actions to take to gain a competitive advantage. Productivity plays a major role on a nation’s ability to trade globally. The more production produced in a less amount of time from one nation versus another gives the country the comparative advantage. Competitive moves can also create a competitive advantage. An example is when Komatsu started manufacturing h... ...nce to end Samsung ‘rule’. The Economic Times. Retrieved from http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-30/news/38930222_1_sony-india-panasonic-india-samsung Nike unethical business practices. (2011). Retrieved from http://entrepreneurawards.org/2011/12/nike-unethical-business-practices.html Serban, E. (2012). The strategic alternatives for emerging markets entry strategies of multinational companies and their main investments in Romania. Revista de Management Comparat International, 13(2), 337-347. Tangen, K. (2011). Outbound travel of business students in China and India: Enriching the experience not only for students but also for the international communities. Journal of Management Policy and Practice, 12(2), 120-133. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/docview/876865204/fulltextPDF/141848A793F73C00C0D/7?accountid=28180

Martin Luther Kings Leadership :: MLK Leaders History Essays

Martin Luther King's Leadership One of the world’s best known advocates of non-violent social change strategies, Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK), synthesized ideals drawn from many different cultural traditions. Recent studies of him emphasize the extent to which his ideals were rooted in African-American religious traditions which were then shaped by his education. The image of a social activist and leader was the result of extensive formal education, strong personal values and licit ethics. This excellence in leadership can be traced to his character which is shaped by his moral values and personality. We look at MLK and these traits to reveal the rationalization of his rise to transracial leadership in our society. Through studying the life and example of Martin Luther King, Jr., we learn that his moral values of integrity, love, truth, fairness, caring, non-violence, achievement and peace were what motivated him. King is not great because he is well known, he is great because he served as the cause of peace and justice for all humans. King is remembered for his humanity, leadership and his love of his fellow man regardless of skin color. This presence of strong moral values developed King’s character which enabled him to become one of the most influential leaders of our time. Integrity is a central value in a leader’s character and it is through integrity that King had vision of the truth. The truth that one day this nation would live up to the creed, "all men are created equal". No man contributed more to the great progress of blacks during the 1950’s and 1960’s than Martin Luther King, Jr. He was brought up believing "one man can make a difference", and this is just what he did. Integrity has a large effect on what we think, say and do, it is through King’s thoughts and actions that enabled so many people to have trust and faith in him. Through King’s integrity he believed that America, the most powerful and richest nation in the world will lead the way to a revolution of values. This revolution will change the way society views itself, shifting from a "thing-orientated" society to a "person-orientated" society. When this occurs, King believed that racism will be capable of being conquered and this nation will be "Free at last." King’s unconditional love for all humans was another value that strongly influenced his character and allowed him to have such excellent leadership ability.

How Does F. Scott Fitzgerald Portray Daisy and Tom in the First Chapter

The Buchanans have been stereotypically introduced by Fitzgerald as the typical representation of the â€Å"Lost Generation† (Gertrude Stein). Tom and Daisy Buchanan inhabit qualities of America during the era after WW1 – people were intolerant, materialistic and lacked spiritualism. They live in the East Egg and are the representations of the love for a Romantic lifestyle and the desperation to seek new ideas (generally from Europe) and accept them. The Buchanans have spent a year in France in pursuit of pleasure, not (like Nick) on war service and Fitzgerald describes them as wealthy drifters who â€Å"drifted here and there unrestfully†.They are part of a community who were â€Å"rich together† and this implies a questionable significance of their lives, whether existing was the only objective. Further on in the novel, it can be seen that Tom and Daisy’s aimless way of life establishes a contrast with the disciplined schedule drawn up by young Ja mes Gatz, which is displayed, following Gatsby’s death, proudly by his father. The Buchanans live in a â€Å"Georgian Colonial mansion† which instantly places them amongst the elite and patrician.The irony of the description, â€Å"cheerful† is that despite the attempt of trying to create a perfect life and trying to ensure everyone is notified of how rich they were, Fitzgerald shows throughout the novel that the reality of the Buchanans’ were nowhere near as â€Å"cheerful† as it initially seems. The colours used to describe Buchanan’s place are rich, â€Å"gold† having the double implication of wealth and sunshine. The decor of the house harks to the European influences showing the eagerness to flaunt their â€Å"french windows†, again in attempt to emphasise how the American upper class had their privileges based on their wealth.However, Tom seems to be uncomfortable in his own surroundings, at one point his eyes begin †Å"flashing about restlessly† – he is desperate to be perfect, desperate to be stronger and more of a man† than Nick is. Tom Buchanan is displayed as a domineering, self centred character, with traditionalist views. He had reached â€Å"an acute limited excellence† despite being in the same generation as Nick. This supports the idea of the purposeless life led by Tom, as afterwards would only be the â€Å"savours of anti-climax†. Fitzgerald describes Tom with â€Å"shining arrogant eyes† who had â€Å"established dominance†.He is a well built, sturdy man living in a life of luxuries such as football and riding. The description of Tom â€Å"standing with his legs apart on the front porch† portrays a forceful dictatorial presence. He had a â€Å"cruel body†, one which was â€Å"capable of enormous leverage† – perhaps Nick’s view that Tom being the social superior would instantly mean he would inhabit this staggering ability to accomplish anything. Tom is commanding and Fitzgerald shows this by describing the way Nick is â€Å"compelled† from room to room as Tom wishes, using brute force to wedge his arm â€Å"imperatively† under Nick’s.Further into chapter one, Daisy refers to the â€Å"great, big, hulking physical specimen† which is Tom – he is brutalised by his selfishness and arrogance and does not consider the consequences of his actions. Despite being a man of power (bother physical and socially) and wealth there were men who â€Å"hated his guts†, Nick says he has a trace of â€Å"paternal contempt† which may have inspired this hatred from his peers; this also implies discreet disapproval between citizens of the East Egg, and on a wider scale, the superiors of the social hierarchy.Fitzgerald shows, through racist comments of Tom Buchanan, an American reality of social division by race and gender. He accuses â€Å"other racesâ⠂¬  of threatening the â€Å"Nordic race† making references to a book, â€Å"The Rise of the Coloured Empires by his man Goddard†. He attempts to put across intelligent views and opinions but it becomes apparent that this is definitely not the case. His view of white people being the â€Å"dominant race† demonstrates his simplistic, ignorant and racist values especially considering his northern European ancestry a one way ticket to social superiority.However, America has a motto of â€Å"e pluribus unum† which means â€Å"one from many†, this phrase signifying that America has grown through the mix of different cultures, particularly through immigration. He tries to enforce his views by claiming it is scientifically proved. The nativist group, the Klu Klux Klan at the time of the novel, tried to use â€Å"scientific proof†, however it was later revealed they used eugenics to prove the â€Å"inferiority† of Asians and immigrants from Europeans – this indicating how Tom’s claims are very much in the wrong.Tom sees Daisy as the inferior in their relationship and does make an effort to hide this from Nick. He openly ignores Daisy when listing the â€Å"Nordics†, hesitating before including Daisy with a â€Å"slight nod†. He criticizes how Jordan Baker should not be allowed to â€Å"run around the country† showing his traditional, old fashioned views of a woman’s role and showing disapproval of the amount of freedom and success Jordan has been given. Daisy Buchanan is introduced as an absolute contrast to her husband. Some traits revealed throughout the process of chapter one is that she is frail and diminutive, touching on the edge of being shallow.The overly exaggerated opening to Daisy, as described by Fitzgerald through Nick, shows her being â€Å"p-paralysed with happiness†. This stutter and the use of the verb â€Å"paralysed† implies a fake impression th at Daisy puts on to fool others, as the reader finds out later in the chapter. The constant reference to Daisy’s â€Å"thrilling† laughter and voice is used to represent Daisy herself; the â€Å"charming little laugh† is the synecdoche for Daisy’s character, this compulsive power of her voice of Daisy used by Fitzgerald in Chapter 2, where Tom’s mistress tries to imitate the life of Daisy’s.Nick describes Daisy’s â€Å"singing compulsion†; her voice also ceases to â€Å"compel† his attention. Such use of language attributes to her the powerful enchantment of the siren on the rocks, who drew passing sailors to their doom; this pays tribute to the sexual allure. The scene where Daisy’s little finger is injured, Daisy seems to lose maturity altogether and revert to being a spoilt young girl, dramatically accusing Tom. She, like Tom, is also corrupted by her immense wealth.She and Jordan are dressed in white when Nick arrives, and she mentions that they spent a â€Å"white girl-hood† together; the ostensible purity of Daisy and Jordan stands in ironic contrast to their actual decadence and this can be ambiguous in meaning in that Daisy had meant it in a racist manner. Daisy is blinded by the self interest and wealth, becoming ecstatic at the idea of being missed, to the extent that the baby she has becomes irrelevant. â€Å"The baby† seems to be a prop in the life of Daisy, a symbol of being Tom’s wife, something which makes this marriage agreement official.The top and foremost layer, of which everyone is familiar with in the character of Daisy, hides a more â€Å"sophisticated† Daisy. Hints throughout the chapter indicate problems within the Buchanan relationship. Daisy’s face was â€Å"sad† and when she had injured herself, she attempted to call out for help and attention seeking, in that she was hurting and suffering in this relationship. Daisy confid es in Nick about the truths of the life of being Mrs Buchanan.After giving birth, she felt â€Å"utterly abandoned†, implying the fragility of Tom and Daisy’s relationship, despite later on in the novel, the Buchanans realise how much they value each other. Unlike the typical Daisy, Fitzgerald allows Daisy to make a crucial criticism while confiding in Nick; when being notified of having a daughter she states that the best thing a girl can be in the world is a â€Å"beautiful little fool†. This criticizes the social position of women and the limits that are imposed on them.Thus, this shows a more intelligent side of Daisy, she feels like she has to put on a ditzy act in order to do the best she can in society – a complete contrast to the role of Jordan Baker. However, Daisy does not hesitate to accept the pride of being â€Å"sophisticated† and â€Å"rather like Tom† has been blinded by the likes of self interest. Furthermore the lives of th e Buchanans have been deadened; â€Å"impersonal eyes† show the lack of spirituality and a meaningless life. Nick here suggests that life in the West is more alive than the bore of the daily routine in the riches of the East.

Marketing Activities by Redbull

Course: International Marketing Date: 29. 04. 2008 â€Å"If we don’t create the market, it doesn’t exist. We don’t bring the product to the consumer; we bring consumers to the product. † Red Bull Co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz Executive Summary This paper is an analytical look into the external and internal marketing activities conducted by Red Bull in the United Kingdom and in Thailand. Through comparing Red Bull’s position within these two nations we intend to define the differences in the marketing and branding strategy of the product within the European and Asian markets. Factors which will be studied include the differences in UK and Thai marketing activities, DEPEST factors of both nations, market analysis’, and a look into the companies micro environment. First a look into the DEPEST factors of both nations will identify the playing field Red Bull has to work with in each region. The Thai market is an emerging economy with and unstable political environment yet persistently strives for westernization, growth, and technological improvements. The United Kingdom is a world power with a strong matured first world economy that wields strong political strength, technological advancement, and consumer sophistication. Through looking at the Ruscon model, MaBa model, and Porters Five Forces we tie their theories to Red Bull’s corporate practices and role within each respective region. A Meso-Analysis of Red Bull is then undertaken to understand who the company is with a look into the history, general market information, market behavior, size and segmentation, and competitors that Red Bull is continually faced with in the market. Next we look into the Micro-environment surrounding Red Bull and analyze their mission and vision of becoming the most accessible and recognizable energy Beverage Company in the world. We observe their regional profitability and position within the markets. In the UK there is more liberal and innovative product placement, while in Thailand the products maintain a more traditional and conventional placement method. Then we approach Red Bull’s regional strategy. We will answer how the company intends to maximize sales of its product within each region. Key strategic tools that will be used to identify the strategy include Porter and T&W, looking at segments and positioning, branding, and targeting. In order to determine what Red Bull’s key strengths are we look at its industry leadership as a sustainable competitive advantage in the UK and Thailand. Its innovative beverage formula and strong marketing techniques are then assessed as being the core competencies within its strategic plan. A final look at the marketing mix via the product, price, place, promotion, and personnel will focus on the entire package that Red Bull delivers and look at all the elements that have lead to its success. A SWOT analysis is then used to summarize the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that are currently facing Red Bull internally and externally. Finally we conclude with a list of recommendations for Red Bull. Our recommendations are shaped to prevent consumers from getting bored with Red Bull. They focus on the company taking advantage of its strong position and expanding their product line and riding the wave of consumer loyalty by introducing a wide array of health / energy based product lines. Contents | | | | | |Executive Summary | | | | | |Introduction |7 | | | | |1. DEPEST-factors |8 | |1. 1 Thailand |8 | |1. 1. 1 Demographic |8 | |1. 1. 2 Economic |8 | |1. 1. 3 Political/ Regulatory |9 | |1. 1. 4 Ecological/ Ethical |9 | |1. . 5 Socio-cultural |9 | |1. 1. 6 Technological |9 | |1. 2 United Kingdom |9 | |1. 2. 1 Demographic |9 | |1. 2. Economic |10 | |1. 2. 3 Political/ Regulatory |10 | |1. 2. 4 Ecological/ Ethical |10 | |1. 2. 5 Socio-cultural |10 | |1. 2. Technological |10 | |1. 3 DEPEST – Differences and Conclusions |10 | | | | |2. Ruscon Model |12 | | | | |3. MaBa Model |13 | | | | |4. Porter’s Five Forces |14 | | | | |5. MESO- Analysis |15 | |5. General Marketing Information |15 | |5. 1. 1 Market Behavior |15 | |5. 1. 2 Size and Segmentation |16 | |5. 2 Competitors |17 | |5. 2. Indirect Competitors |18 | | | | |6. Micro-Environment |19 | |6. 1 Mission and Vision |19 | |6. 2 Market Position and Profitability |19 | |6. Strategy |20 | |6. 3. 1 Porter and T&W |21 | |6. 3. 2 Segments and Positioning |21 | |6. 3. 3 Branding |21 | |6. 3. 4 Targeting |22 | |6. SCA and CC |22 | |6. 4. 1 Sustainable Competitive Advantage |22 | |6. 4. 2 Core Competencies |22 | |6. 5 Marketing Mix |22 | |6. 5. 1 Product |23 | |6. . 2 Price |24 | |6. 5. 3 Place |24 | |6. 5. 4 Promotion |24 | |6. 5. 5 Personnel |26 | |6. 6 SWOT-Analysis |27 | | | | |7. Future Recommendations |28 | | | | |Conclusion |29 | | | | |References |30 | |Appendices |31 | | | | |A1. DEPEST Factor Chart |31 | Introduction Red Bull energy drink has taken the international energy drink market by storm. As the first of its kind within the western world it has created a market, demand, and a position as the market leader and most recognizable brand within the industry. The purpose of this paper is to look at the extreme success of this company and compare its marketing strategies within the UK and Thailand. It is designed to focus on the micro methods employed by the company while also consider the Meso and external factors which affect tactics. This paper is focused towards individuals interested in the energy beverage market. It looks into the different approaches and considerations necessary when on the international playing field. It is also applicable for potential market entrants and competitors who require more information on Red Bull and what considerations must be taken when planning the marketing strategy. Red Bull was chosen for this study because of it strong reputation, global presence, and intensive yet simple marketing strategies. Its focus on bringing the beverage to the consumer has made it the leader and innovator in marketing energy beverages. Thailand was as a basis of study because it is the country of origin for the beverage. Before Red Bull adopted its current western image and taste it existed for decades within Thailand. The United Kingdom was chosen as the basis of comparison as its consumer markets are the most influential and critical within the western European market. The report begins by giving you insight into the Red Bull brand and its history. The product is then described with its core products and augmented products. Next macro elements of each market are observed. These conclusions then progress to defining the micro elements of the product and the marketing plan. Through analyzing the product on an all inclusive scale we are then able to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats which will lead us into recommendations for the company and conclusions. . 1. DEPEST-factors 1. 2 Thailand 1. 1. 2Demographics Thailand, natively known as Ratcha Anachak Thai, has a population of 65,068,149 people. The population is growing with a rate of 0. 663% a year. This is an average grow rate for a country of this size. However, due to the influences of various diseases, such as AIDS, which plague the nation, the population average remains lower with high mortality rates. The population is mostly of Buddhist faith; almost 95% national support. Within the south of Thailand there are areas of strong Muslim influence. The population is almost evenly divided between women and men. There are 49% male and 51% female. These females and males make a certain number of households; 8. 8 million in total. The birthrate within the population and family is 13. 73 births per 1,000 people. And with a death rate of 7. 1 deaths per 1,000 people the death rate is therefore less than the birthrate, etting infants bring the population back up. The average age of the Population is now 32. 4 years old. This is also decreasing as the birthrate is increasing. 1. 1. 2 Economic With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand appears to have fully recovered from the 1997-1998 Asian Financial Crises. The country was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04. Boosted by strong export growth, the Thai economy grew 4. 5% in 2007. [1] The unemployment rate is 1. 9% which appears to be a low amount, but it should be taken into consideration that there are a lot of people working in bad conditions, even children are working. Economic growth is the increase in value of the goods and services produced by an economy. The economic Growth of Thailand is 4% in the year 2007. This means that there are 4% more goods produced than in the year 2006. The total GDP, in 2007, was an astonishing $585. 9 Billion. Internationally Thailand is ranked #26 in the worlds largest GDP’s. With the historical background and current economy this ranking Thailand is suitable. However when comparing this to other countries, such as the United states it appears very low. Inflation is rising in the general level of prices over time. It is also referred to a rise in the prices of specific sets of goods and services. It is measured as the percentage rate of change of a price index. In Thailand the inflation Rate was 2. 2% in 2007. The income per capita stayed the same however; 9,100. 1. 1. 3Political/Regulatory Thailand is a constitutional monarchy based on the civil law system. The sales Tax Rate was 7% in 2007. On every product 7% taxes are included. Individual taxes due are dependent on the salary received and the amount of taxes that are paid. There are differences in scales and they vary from 5% to 35% income tax. 1. 1. 4Ecological/Ethical Thailand has signed the Kyoto agreement which means they have agreed to reduce carbon emissions and various other greenhouse gasses (or engage in emissions trading). 1. 1. 5Socio-cultural Thailand has a high Power Distance (PDI) which is indicative of a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the society. This condition is not necessarily forced upon the population, but rather accepted by the society as a part of their cultural heritage. The ranking of 64 is slightly lower than the Asian average of 71. [2] 1. 1. 6Technological Thailand has been a country struggling for a long time to move forward. It was a country where it was cheap to produce, but not very likely to invest in. This has changed over the years and it has become a ‘High Technological Area’. This means that there are more investors and the country can look forward to a growing future. 1. 2United Kingdom 1. 2. Demographics The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted after two World Wars and the Irish republic withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous E uropean nation. Now the United Kingdom has a population of 60,587,300 people in total. The population is growing about 0. 275% a year; this was an estimate of 2006 to 2007. In the UK the female to male ratio is about the same. The population is 46% male and 54% female; there is a slight upper hand for females. The number of families living together is 2,648,025. 1. 2. 2Economic The unemployment rate in the UK is 5,4 % which means that of all the people who are eligible to work 5,4% can not get a job, but usually this rate is higher since people are not registered as looking for a job. The economic growth is 3,1% which means that the GDP of $2,270 trillion went up in 2007 with 3,1%. At number 8 on the world ranking scale it is very strong with international trading. The income per person of a citizen of the United Kingdom makes $ 37,328. This did not change in the year 2007 even though the inflation rate was 2,3%. 1. 2. 3Political/Regulatory As in Thailand the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy based on common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences. The sales tax rate is 17,5% and the income tax is directly based on income. In England the scale is between 10% and 45%. 1. 2. 4 Ecological/Ethical England is working on different ways to fight global warming. It is assigned to the Kyoto protocol. The UK has, in 2005, reduced the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed in landfill sites to 85% of the 1998 levels. It has also recycled and/or composted at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015. 1. 2. 5Socio-cultural The power distance in the UK is not as big as in Thailand but it is still considerably high. The individualism of the people in the United Kingdom is however a lot higher than in Thailand. 1. 2. 6Technological The United Kingdom is a country that was always been at the forefront of technical development. In recent years however this has fallen behind to just normal technical development; its is no long leading the way. 1. 3 DEPEST- Differences and Conclusions The main differences are in the economical factors and in the cultural background. The countries differ a lot when it comes to income and GDP. The United Kingdom is much stronger and developed then Thailand. Thailand is a developing nation while the UK is a first world international power that is well into a maturing phase of its growth. The cultural differences are handy to know when doing business, as it is extremely important to know who you are targeting. A marketing strategy must be catered to the region as they have different needs, desires, and characteristics. It shows Red Bull what it can and cannot do. In the UK an advertisement can be a success and generate a lot of sales; however in Thailand the advertising campaign can be a complete failure and ruin the good reputation of Red Bull. Both countries have a strong environmental focus. Technologically Thailand is building itself from the ground up and the UK is currently renewing its technical structure. This is a benefit for both countries as it indicates the ability to remain competitive internationally. Legally the two countries also differ. Thailand is based on a civil law system and the United Kingdom is common law system. 2. Ruscon Model Involvement Red Bull is low in customer involvement. The drink is a convenience product that most people just buy when they get to the store. The consumer does not need to involve themselves when they buy the product. Brand equity Red Bull has very strong brand equity. It was the first energy drink to penetrate the European market and has developed into a brand that is available and involved internationally. With this there come advantages for Red Bull. Their awareness in the market is enormous. Customers are loyal to the brand. Other brands are regarded as imitators; while no other company has as strong a reputation and the same taste. Often consumers are only aware of Red Bull because of its involvement in extreme sports. Attitude To buy a Red bull can is an emotional choice. You go into the store and you chose to buy it. There is no need to think very much about it which means it is low in involvement and also short buying behavior. Motivation After looking at the model it was clear that Red bull has a strong transformational motivation, but low involvement. Red Bull is a product that is supposed to energize and revitalize the user. It is a product that the buyer needs a positive and functional reason to buy. 3. Maba Model The main difference for Red Bull in the Thai and United Kingdom markets is the size. In view of the market growth, competition, price sensitivity or the entry barriers there are some slight differences in these two countries. People look at Red Bull differently in Thailand then they do in the United Kingdom. Therefore the market share is larger in United Kingdom then in Thailand. There is more competition for Red Bull in the United Kingdom then it is in Thailand. Red Bull is over all more developed in the United Kingdom then it is in Thailand. They come out quite alike on the Mada Model, but United Kingdom still comes out stronger. 4. Porter’s 5 forces Figure 4: Porter’s 5 forces model of Red Bull Porter’s 5 Forces[3] is an external analysis of Red Bull’s competitive environment. As we can see from the model there are 4 main threats consisting of: Threat of new entrants This is the largest threat for Red Bull. In today’s society imitator companies are being created every day. And one of these can actually be better at what they do then Red Bull. This is something Red Bull needs to look after to be sure that they stay ahead of competition. Bargaining power of buyers The consumers in this market have a great deal of buying power. They can choose which brand and taste they want. Therefore Red Bull must be diligent in making sure it differentiates itself from the competitors and keeps its value offered high in the eyes of the consumer. Threat of substitute products Threat of substitute products is the second largest threat after new entrants. This is because Red Bull only has two different products which do not differ so much. They only offer regular and sugar-free varieties. Therefore Red Bull needs to extend their product line. This way they can ensure that they stay a step ahead of the competitors. Rivalry among existing firms There are numerous competitors to Red Bull, but as the market leader Red Bull’s market share as not been greatly affected by these late comers. The competitors are targeting Red Bull but as long as they can maintain their brand strength and image then Red Bull will consistently stay out of reach. 5. MESO-Analysis 5. 1 General Market Information The history of Red Bull is a two part evolutionary process. TC pharmaceuticals in Thailand developed Krating Daeng (Thai word for Red bull) in the 1970’s and throughout the 70’s and 80’s sold large quantities of the beverage throughout Asia. In 1982, Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian marketing director for a German toothpaste company worked with TC Pharmaceuticals to cater the product for European consumers. In 1987 Mateschitz and TC Pharmaceutical owner Chaleo Yoovidhya founded Red Bull Gmbh. Mateschitz retained 49% ownership and has full control of marketing and branding outside of Asia. Yoovidhya holds 49% ownership, and his son controls the remaining 2%. Together they control Red Bull (Krating Daeng) branding and marketing of the original recipe within Thailand via TC Pharmaceuticals. The original Thai Recipe is a non-carbonated sweeter formula, which resembles syrup and is sold in a small medicine bottle. The modified European recipe is not as sweet and is carbonated. Since being released in Europe the modified formula has risen to become the most successful and aggressively marketed energy beverages. Mateschitz aligned the brand image with trending aggressive sports, and placed the product in the middle of popular culture within arms length of all consumers. 5. 1. 1Market behavior Brand building To build a strong successful brand a number of aspects are needed for the public to be interested in the product. Red Bull made a large effort to become a good brand and it succeeded in its work, but why is that? Quality The quality of a product is very important, especially for a product where there was no market before it was created, such as Red Bull. The quality needs to be consistent and it needs to be delivered flawlessly every time. In contrast to the competitors, Red Bull’s name and logo is a strong branding advantage. It is well known and therefore helps ensure a higher market share, as consumers tend to lean towards larger names and industry leaders. Communications Communication of Red Bull to the public is through various aspects of the media. There are intensive advertisements in magazines, commercials on TV, websites on the internet, street promotional teams in Red Bull cars, and intensive sponsoring of sporting events (I. e. Red Bull sponsors Thai Kickboxing, and Owns a Formula 1 Team). The amount and direct approach will take slightly different form within each country. First-mover advantage Because Red Bull was fully created by the owners themselves they decided not to make different products next to Red Bull. Sticking to one product was a smart idea because it prevents the consumers and the company’s focus from getting distracted between products. The only exception has been the creation of Sugar Free Red Bull which is responding to the western consumer desire for products with less sugar. This was a smart move since it helped to increase sales even more and increase the advantage over competitors. Long-term perspective Long-term Perspectives lead to important factors in brand-building: the need to invest in the brand over the long-term, building customer awareness, communicating the brand’s message, and creating customer loyalty. It requires that Red Bull continually reinvest profits back into their own brand. Red Bull enjoys short term sales but is determined to find long term costumers. This takes time and is not something done over night. When a good relationship is built then the customers always come back. And it is easier and cheaper to keep current customers than to go out and find new ones. Internal marketing Finally, management should ensure that the brand is marketed internally as well as externally. By this it is meant that the whole business should understand the brand values and positioning. This is particularly important in service businesses where a critical part of the brand value is the type and quality of service that a customer receives. International distribution Red Bull is now sold worldwide in over 50 countries. Unfortunately the drink is not sold in countries among France, Denmark and Norway for example because these countries believe that Red Bull contains to much caffeine for their health restrictions. Distribution of the western formula has not spread into Asia yet, as it currently maintains the original non-carbonated brand. Distribution is as aggressive in Thailand as it is in the UK. 5. 1. 2Size and segmentation Red Bull follows the psychographic segmentation, based on behavior and personality. It is important for the consumer to feel invigorated, energized, cool, and young while drinking a Red Bull. It is also these people that Red Bull wants to sell their product to. With doing this segmentation Red Bull can get as many as possible to buy their drink. It no longer is marketed to only truck drivers and low income workers but is targeting to everyone that lives and active lifestyle. Red Bull is a non-alcoholic energy drink and therefore falls under the category of soft drinks. Soft drinks can be divided into sub-segments and one of these segments is energy and sports drinks. These can be divided again into three different categories: †¢ Glucose energy drinks †¢ Sport drinks †¢ High energy stimulation drinks Since 1996 the market of soft drinks has grown by 5% and by 1997 it reached a total amount of ? 6. 896bn, which is an equivalent of 10bn liters. Moreover it can say that the segment of energy and sports drinks represents 2. 6% or ? 177m of the overall soft drink market. Since 1992 an increase of 64% in volume sales can be found within this very young market of energy and sports drinks[4]. The main differences of the mentioned sub-segments of soft drinks are as followed: Glucose Energy Drinks These drinks provide physical energy through glucose or a mixture of sugars, originating from the Lucozade brand. These drinks do not contain any other substantial ingredients such as Lucozade Energy, Lucozade NRJ or Red Card. In 1927 they were originally positioned as a convalescence drink. Sports drinks These are also known as isotonic drinks, which replace body fluids after sport activities or exercises. Sport drinks help to re-energize and re-hydrate the body and can be taken before, during, or after exercises. These drinks require you to drink large amounts quickly. Examples for this kind of drinks are Gatorade, Isostar and Dexters. High-energy Stimulation Drinks These drinks have ingredients such as caffeine and taurin, which help to increase concentration, endurance, alertness and reactions. This kind of drink is not only designed for athletes, but can also be used for everyone who wants to get stimulated and energized in the mind and body. Red Bull belongs to the category of high-energy stimulation drinks. Red Bull created this international sector in 1987 and the later segment makes up ? 14m or 8% of the value sales of the energy and sport drink market. Glucose energy drinks represent the majority of the volume sales with ? 126m or 70%. Sports drinks represent ? 39m or 22%. [5] 2. Competitors Energy Drinks have become very famous in the last decade. During the last ten years, hundreds of them have been established around the world. All of them are marketed as energy spending and as very suitable mixer with alcohol, whereas Red Bull has never formally been associated or condoned for consumption with alcohol. Direct Competitors Within the market there have only been very moderate developments in the energy drink market. There are only very few serious competitors of Red Bull in the world. These include: Purdey’s Gold High EnergyIndigo Price:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ? 1. 03Price:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ? 0. 79 Lipovitan B3Lucozade Energy Price:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ? 0. 99Price:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ? 0. 49 In the Netherlands the main competition that Red Bull had was a brand called Bullit. This energy drink tasted basically the same, but it was a lot cheaper, like a quarter of the taste. When Red Bull saw this, they solved it with buying the company. Therefore Bullit is not seen as a competitor for Red Bull any more. 5. 2. 1 Indirect Competitors Indirect competitors are those from the glucose or conventional energy drink family. The largest distributor of those drinks in England is Lucozade with a wide product range in terms of flavor. Lucozade owns approximately 90% of the market share of sports drinks which probably is the result of high media spending and the tradition of the company (1927). Another indirect competitor are juices because some consumers prefer beverages with less sugar content, that are natural and better for you. 6. Micro-environment 1. Mission and Vision Mission statement The mission statement of Red Bull is to provide a product that helps energize and revitalize its users. Therefore Red Bull invented the slogan† Red Bull gives you wings†. It strives to provide consumers with a product that will be beneficial to them while still tasting good and being cheap. Vision The vision of the Red Bull beverage is to maintain its position as the original and primary energy drink in the world. Red Bull wants to reach out to as many people as possible and to help these people in their everyday life and with whatever they do. Red Bull says they want to stimulate the body and soul of their consumers[6]. Mateschitz wants it to be something that people can use and enjoy. The company wants to make their product accessible to the entire world, enabling anyone to reap the benefits of the drink. 2. Market Position and Profitability Market Position It is very important for a company to position itself in the right market for people to recognise it. This also goes for the energy drink industry. Red Bull is often called the â€Å"Porsche† of energy drinks. This is because they are positioned at the top as the best product in the market. Red Bull is perceived as a premium/high margin brand product. There is no other energy drink company to this date that comes close to Red bull’s strong position. Because of Red Bull’s industry strength they have the possibility to command premium prices from their consumers, as there are few other brands to compare prices with. It offers something few other brands do. Another example of this is the I Pod in relation to the rest of the mp3 Market. In the UK the average price of a Red Bull can is 1. 05 which is clearly above its competitor’s average price of 1. 03. [7] The price expresses the superiority of Red Bull and further on it proves that there are no substitutes. The positioning policy of Red Bull is: premium product, premium price and premium profitability. Positioning is about the position a brand occupies in a market in the minds of consumers. Strong brands have a clear, often unique position in the target market[8]. Red Bull is known by its consumers as a drink that can rejuvenate the user and ‘give them wings’. Specifically for students and athletes it is a drink that provides needed strength and energy. Red Bull also sponsors a lot of events dealing with sports. This gives the public something to relate to and enjoy other than just drinking the drink. It will give the company more recognition and the people more awareness of Red Bull. Repositioning Before Red Bull became really well known the brand had a lot of myths it needed to fight. There were rumors that Red Bull was made of the balls of the bull, or that it is unhealthy, and addictive. The company does not want these myths associated with the Red Bull drink, and therefore Red Bull needed to reposition itself in the market. Red Bull started new marketing campaigns, and to avoid high costs students were hired. These students went around towns in a Red Bull car and passed out samples. This method of bringing the product to the consumer is constantly combined with entertaining advertising campaigns. For example, Red Bull launched animated commercial campaigns with the slogan â€Å"Red Bull ‘gives you wings†. These methods stimulate the creativity, freedom and inspiration of the consumers. Profitability Red Bull is now standing as the marked leader when it comes to energy drinks. This again says that their profitability is very good. Last year (2007) Red Bull hit an all time high with standing on a 65 % marked share world wide. This made them pull in sales for over $ 1 billion. Other competition does not come near this at all. 3. Strategy Through investing a large amount of money into marketing and promotion, Red Bull has become the company it is today. Mateschitz wanted to make fuzz about the brand because there were no Energy drinks before Red Bull so he was standing in an open market without any brand awareness from his target consumers. Red Bull is currently sponsoring over 500 athletes all over the world[9]. Instead of choosing well known super stars as Coca Cola does they chose to use more youthful and edgy people. For example: BMX riders, skateboarders, and Formula 1 Drivers. Red Bull is also sponsoring a lot of surfers all around the world. After managing to create the brand fuzz, he looked at the packaging. It was essential for him to make a package that the consumer recognized and also made them want the product. This can be seen today as very successful as the can is very recognizable. Nowadays wherever you turn you can see Red Bull. Numerous television commercials rely on humor appeals to attract consumers. On festivals they have big tents were you can only buy Red Bull and then sit down and relax. One strategy that Red Bull goes for is that if Red Bull is sold at a club or bar, no other energy drink is allowed to be sold on the same place. This makes the choice of the consumer easier, but it also makes competition far less. The strategy all along was to make people aware of the product and have it available for as many people as possible to buy it. 1. Porter and T&W Promotional Strategy Red Bull utilizes a â€Å"push† promotional strategy in combination with extensive advertising, public relations, and positive publicity all over the world. Advertising of the product takes place in Thailand in the form of television, print media, urban advertisements, and radio media. The energy drink market in the world is becoming more saturated with competition and is therefore requiring more intensive investments into advertising. Public relations and positive publicity have carried Red Bull over the past 30 plus years. As a well know company world wide it takes part in assisting its people and promoting sporting events and active lifestyles of most people. The Red Bull logo has also built such a reputation that it is widely reproduced illegally on t-shirts and clothing on Asian markets. Regardless of the legality it has been a great means of integrating the product into a symbol of the nation. Marketing Strategy Red Bull approaches the world market as a market leader. Being the pioneer of energy drinks it has developed the largest reputation as the market leader. By differentiating their product as the original they also follow a growth plan of integration. Business is expanded and maintained through direct marketing. Red Bull has greatly utilized sales representatives and sales offices to facilitate in the transfer of their products. Customer value strategy When deciding what to buy, the consumer makes an evaluation of the benefits of the product; a safe home, a roof over your head. This also includes the costs of the product; money, loss of savings, and possible mortgage. The difference between the benefits and the costs is the perceived value. These days the producer needs to be careful how to market the product since the customer needs to think the product is worth more than purchase price. This is a complicated challenge for the producer of Red Bull since a lot of potential customers think that it is only a drink. So how does Red Bull market their product to make the customer thinks they are receiving great value? In the beginning the product was rather unknown and had a relatively bad name. At its website (Red Bull. com), an enormous amount of content is dedicated to dispelling (unpleasant) myths and criticisms associated with its product. Questions, such as who has examined Red Bull? Is Red Bull addictive? , Is Red Bull a doping substance? , are on the website. Red Bull was also linked with alcohol drinks and some parties where there were unfortunate medical accidents[10]. When Red Bull came to understand these questions they informed the public the best they could through the website. This eased the consumers and they bought more and more Red Bull. In 1997 the sales went from 1 million cans to 300 million cans world wide in 1998. Red Bull became known as a good brand because of the smart marketing strategies of the founder of Red Bull; Dietrich Mateschitz. In order to reach the consumers without spending millions on advertising he resorted to buzz marketing to stimulate sales. He hired students to drive around in cars with Red Bull cans on the back and hand out free samples at parties and events[11]. This gave the brand a cool, younger image and that is still standing today. Now that Red Bull chased the assumptions away by good information on their website and created a cool brand more and more consumers come and purchase the product. But still the question remains why people buy Red Bull over the cheaper versions of the Competitor? The reason for this is because Red Bull built a good brand name. The brand is reliable and well known by a lot of people. There are no hidden ingredients since they are all written on the outside of the can and therefore there are no secrets anymore. Red Bull also gives back to the world by hosting big popular events and supports creativity. It sponsors a lot of sports and it is seen a lot on for instance skate boards, sail boats, race cars, motor cycles and surf boards. It is a cool drink associated with sports, creativity, fun and freedom. 2. Segments and Positioning For now Red Bull segments themselves in the Soft drink category within the UK, and more as a pharmaceutical energy substance within Asia. Both stores are widely available in grocery stores, convenience stores, and gas stations. 3. Branding Red Bull is one of the bigger companies in the world when it comes to branding. Red Bull is no longer only an energy drink that you can buy in a store. It is now a big brand name affiliated with more things. Nowadays you can see Red bull sponsoring even Formula 1 with their own car and team. Other places where you can see Red bull is in the Red Bull Air Race which is held in London every year. What Red Bull is doing which few other brands do is trying to keep the brand exclusive in the consumers mind. Both air planes and formula 1 are seen as exclusive to most people in the world. Last year Red Bull worldwide used $600 million, or 30% of revenue, on marketing to make their branding better. [12] 4. Targeting The target group for the energy drink is everyone who likes to drink energy drinks. And this is mainly the way Red bull wants it to be in both the UK and Thailand. They want to target everyone that they can possibly target. There is an age restriction on the drink which is from 0 – 16 years old. Anyone younger then this age should not be able to buy the drinks anywhere. Therefore Red bull is targeted to everybody over the age of 16 that is active. Though in the UK there is said to be three main stereotyped users that can be identified. The Athlete: Physically active individuals that use the beverage to regain energy and maximize athletic performance. The Worker: Within the UK this term is general covering managers to construction workers. Within Thailand this maintains to be the primary target market. Thai workers have multiple jobs and drink Red Bull to keep them productive. The Clubber: This category is fairly new. In recent years consumers began to mix Red Bull with alcohol. Red Bull sells now 34% of its units within bars and clubs. It is almost impossible to find the right target group, the reason for that is because of the various applications of Red Bull. Hence a clear cut categorization in age groups and socio-economics groupings is not feasible. But what we can be sure of is that the typical Red Bull drinker is dynamic and active, the gender does not play any role at all. But it is more likely that more less younger people who really like to go out fall for Red Bull. 4. SCA and CC 1. Sustainable Competitive advantage The sustainable competitive advantage that Red Bull has is it brand awareness and recognition. Red Bull was the first energy drink on the marked. This is a large advantage for Red bull because they could get recognition for their product before anybody else could. Their brand name has become so large that a lot of newcomers struggle to manage through the first year because Red bull has such a large marked share. 2. Core competencies The core competence of a Red Bull drink is that it makes you work a bit harder, and your brain becomes a bit clearer for a while. 5. Marketing Mix 1. Product Red bull has recently released one new product which is a Red Bull cola which is a mixture of Red Bull and coca cola. The other new product they have is Red Bull Vodka, which is a mixture of modified Red Bull and Vodka. Neither of these products is discussed in this report because they just are being released and therefore information is very limited. Core product Picture 1: Red Bull cans Red Bull’s effects are appreciated throughout the world by top athletes, busy professionals, active students and drivers on long journeys[13]. † This raises the question; what is the buyer actually buying? This question directly refers to the core product. What d raw people to Red Bull all over the world is the special ingredient that keeps you alert and awake when drinking it. Red Bull raises concentration and reaction speed. It will also increase vigilance after drinking. This means that the herbs in the drink make you more alert than you were before. Red Bull has a lot of advantages and the speeding of the body’s metabolism is one of them. Red Bull  ® Energy Drink supplies tired minds and exhausted bodies with lost substances and reduces harmful substances. It provides immediate energy and vitamins[14]. † Actual product Red Bull’s actual product is a canned or bottled energy drink that gives the consumer more energy and is also enriched with vitamins to create the perception of healthy qualities. The packaging is clearly identifiable as Red Bull based on the packaging. Within the UK the colors of Red Bull make it clear that it is indeed the ‘real’ Red Bull, but also the distinctive Red Bull bulls on the side and the Red Bull name on the drink are obviously present on the container. The outside of the can has is a dark blue color mixed with grey/silver. The intensity of the blue can vary depending on whether or not the can is Red bull light version, or the original Red Bull. Within Thailand the beverage is still labeled as Krating Daeng (Red Bull in Thai) but is sold in a gold can or a brown medicine bottle with the blue and silver label. The gold can with more substance is more appealing to Asian consumers based on color and quantity preference. Augmented product Red Bull has no special after-sale service but it does claim that if for what ever reason a customer is not 100% happy with its purchase then it will respond to their complaint. 2. Price The price of a Red Bull can varies from country to country. This is because they realized that 4 euros in Thailand is expensive, while rather cheap in UK for example. Therefore Red Bull goes into every country and checks out their economy to come with the appropriate price for the product. However Red Bull is said to be a bit expensive. This is because (Explained earlier in the report) they see themselves are a premium brand and likes to set their price up to those standards. In the United Kingdom the price of a Red Bull can is about 1, 5 pounds, this equals to around â‚ ¬ 2, 5. In Thailand the drink can be bought for a quarter of this price, but is called Krating Daeng. It can be questioned why people still buy Red Bull at this price. There are other options out there that are just as good as Red Bull, but people still buy it. This is because Red Bull has managed to put up a brand name of its own. In the UK people are willing and able to pay more to get the â€Å"real† product. Red Bull is consistently referred to as the best quality so for good results it is the best option. In Thailand it is marketed to the lower and middle classes as a productivity enhancer rather than an everyday beverage. Therefore they keep it cheap to maintain high sales and create dependency for the product within the working class. 3. Place The strategy that Red Bull uses for distribution is an intense distribution strategy. This means that they want the product to reach as many people as possible. Therefore you can find a Red Bull can in as many places as possible. This varies from normal super markets, clubs, bars, night shops, cafe’s, sport centers etc. They hope to reach a larger target group with doing this. In both UK and Thailand they depend on extensive sales representatives and distribution offices to ensure that every vendor possible is distributing the product. What makes Red Bull so special is that they often have stands at events were you can only buy Red Bull. This is because they know a lot of people that go to different events actually drink Red Bull. If a night club sells Red Bull, then they are not allowed to sell any other energy drink brand. This narrows the possibility for the consumer and it makes it easier to choose. Promotion Red Bull is said to have one of the most amazing marketing and promotions budgets in the world which is where the majority of money is reinvested in. And they are very successful with it. Their promotion strategy can be put into three bars. These are Media Advertising, Sports and event sponsoring and sampling. Media Advertising Red Bull uses all the available media channels, including cinema, TV, radio, press and the internet. In other words the company focuses on the media most often used by younger more active individuals. Therefore they advertise in TV shows like T. F. I. Friday and in magazines like Time Out and Men’s Health. Their advertisements in the different media channels are very successful. They allow the consumers to interpret the product and the moments of use themselves. Red Bull achieves this by a humorous and witty cartoon campaign, transferring the message that this energy drink helps you to escape by `giving you wings ?. The idea of communicating with the consumer in form of a simple cartoon is easy to understand. People do not only enjoy the campaigns they even remember what the product is called and what it delivers, which is the most important characteristic for a successful campaign. Sports-and Event-Sponsoring The company also implements sponsoring in their marketing mix strategy. Sponsoring supports the image, the credibility and the visibility of the product. On the one hand Red Bull sponsors the athlete target market in extreme sports such as free climbing, paragliding and motor sports. As previously stated it is heavily involved in Formula 1 and has invested millions in building a competitive team. Within Thailand its reputation exploded through it becoming the primary sponsor of the countries national sport, Thai Kickboxing. Every fighter in Thailand wants to wear shorts that have the Red Bulls on the side. This strategy contributes to Red Bull that the brand appears (logos and stickers) and that the product ? s target market is more precisely defined. On the other hand Red Bull does event sponsoring. The company either creates its own events (i. e. Red Bull Music Academy) where the whole events are promoted by Red Bull or they promote other events (i. e. Speed Ski World Championship). Event sponsoring attracts people’s attention towards the product and connects them to the corporate vision. Sampling Sampling is another very important part of the three pillar marketing system. The methods used are well tested and proven in other markets. The major purpose of Red Bull is to energize, the company offers samples at the right place at the right time, where it can find its exact target market. Examples of usage are driving, studying, working night shifts and sports. Red Bull is following the basic sampling rules consisting of: †¢ never impose the product †¢ always explain the benefits of the product drink always a full can( 250 ml) †¢ It must always be chilled †¢ Always be cautious about whom your are giving the sample to This year 8 teams will sample 400,000 consumers across the UK. Because of its 30 years of existence within Thailand samples are no longer utilized. 4. Personnel In regards to personnel it is ess ential that they are work as hard as possible to make the product a success. With Red Bull this starts with the owners Dietrich Mateschitz, and Chaleo Yoovidhya. Each is in charge of operations within their respective regions. Both are extremely devoted men and have invested a great deal of time to improve on Yoovidhya’s original recipe. It was Mateschitz vision taking the product international through the aggressive use of young energetic sales teams that turned it into the massive beast it is today. Within both nations working for Red Bull reflects a sense of pride. More in Thailand though because it was created there. Working for Red Bull has a lot of advantages. For example every account manager at Red Bull is driving a large Red Bull hummer. Other advantages are extra vacation days, 13 months pay, freebies, work trips, free tickets for several events etc. Red Bull wants their employees to enjoy what they are doing because they believe this will affect the way the employees are working. They find it very important to properly represent their company. It is said that Red Bull is one of the hardest companies to be hired to because they set high standards for their employees. They want every employee to be a perfect fit. Red Bull is getting larger and larger for every day that passes by. 6. SWOT Analysis Figure 3: SWOT Analysis | | | |Strengths |Weaknesses | |Primary Market Entrant / defined the industry |Limited product line | |Large brand recognition No flexibility with formula | |Over 30 years of experience |Matured brand image | |Control of pricing |High price | |Strong reputation | | |Marketing strategy and large reach | | | | | |Opportunities |Threats | |New design |Increasing competition | |New product line |Health trends might urge users to not rely on energy drinks | |Can offer new flavors and versions of the product |European formula of Red Bull may taint the reputation, image, and| |Can pursue African markets and introduce European formula into |popularity of Thai formula | |Asia |Bad press in regards to medical symptoms of the drink | | |People lose interest in the flavor | 7. Future Recommendations Through analyzing Red Bull’s business operations we have developed several recommendations for the company. The greatest threat within both markets is the company’s complacency in evolving its product line. As strong as Red Bull is today once the maturity phase sets in the public will become bored. We suggest that Red Bull expand their line of energy drinks potentially venturing into the herbal iced green tea energy drinks. Red Bull energy bars to associate with working out may be another means of increasing the company’s visibility. We currently see Red Bull at the fore front of active living beverages. Therefore within the UK they should try to offer the entire package ranging from nutritional supplements, protein shakes, to energetic meal options. We feel that their website is underdeveloped and can incorporate more interactive content including fitness/ nutrition advice, sport tips, and active living testimonials. These suggestions fit for both markets as they will resolve each regions weakness. Within Thailand extra emphasis needs to be put on online media as there currently is no link from the company to the consumer. Conclusion Because Red Bull started created the energy beverage industry on the international scale it is now a very successful and powerful brand. Red Bull is well known in United Kingdom as well as Thailand. It made smart moves considering promotions and marketing to make the brand stay ahead of the fierce and increasing competition. In the countries that are analyzed it has become clear that Red Bull is an unbeaten brand. In both the countries the drink is perceived differently. In Thailand the drink is more linked to a pharmaceutical purpose whereas in the UK the drink is more used for recreational purposes. In both of the countries and for Red Bull in general there are threats and opportunities. To stay ahead of the competition Red Bull can change the image of the brand; make it a more stylish product than it is now. The brand has not changed its packaging in years and changing it can make a difference in sales. In Thailand the brand is also well known and has large sales, but here there are also more competitors making their way into the market. One of the main strong points of Red Bull is the original recipe, but at the same time new flavors and additional features of the drink can contribute to increasing sales and more customers. 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Red Bull. com/#page=ProductPage. Benefits Website of Red Bull (2008) visited 16. 03. 2008; http://www. redbull. com/images/historysection/pdf/1/Selling_Power_DM_Sept. pdf Website of Red Bull (2008) visited 16. 03. 2008; http://tutor2u. net/business/marketing/brands_building_brands. asp Website of Wikipedia (2008) visited 30. 03. 2008 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis Appendices DEPEST- Factors chart DEPEST- Factors |UK |Thailand | |Demographic Developments |Population: 60,587,300 |Population: 64,631,595 | | |Male/Female Ratio: 46%:54% |Male/Female Ratio: 49%:51% | | |Number of Households: 21,263,035 |Number of Households: | | |Family households: 2,648,025 |Family households: 8. 8 million | | |Average age of the Population: |Average age of the Population: 32. 4 | | |39,0 (Increasing) |(increasing) | | | | | |Economic Developments |Unemployment rate: 5,4 % |Unemployment rate: 1. % | | |Economic Growth: 3. 1 % |Economic Growth: 4% | | |GDP: $2. 270 trillion   |GDP: $585. 9 Billion | | |Per Capita Income: $37,328 |Per Capita Income: 9,100 | | |In flation Rate 2,3 % |Inflation Rate 2. 2% | |Political (Law) Developments |Sales Tax Rate: 17,5 % |Sales Tax Rate: 7% | |Income Tax: 10– 45 % |Income Tax: 5-35% | |Ecological/ Ethical Developments |Kyoto agreements |Kyoto agreements | |Socio-Cultural Developments |Consumer Behavior |Consumer Behavior | | |Hofstedes cultural Dimensions |Hofstedes cultural Dimensions | |Technological Developments |High Technological Area |High Technological Area | ———————– [1] https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/th. html [2] http://www. geert-hofstede. com/hofstede_thailand. shtml [3] Website of Wikipedia (2008) visited 30. 03. 2008, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis [4] Website of Findarticles (2008) visited 17. 03. 8, http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_22_42/ai_75286777/pg_1 [5] Website of marketingweek (2008) visited 17. 03. 08, http://www. marketingweek. co. uk/cgi-bin/it em. cgi? id=57354&u=pg_dtl_art_news&m=pg_hdr_art [6] Website of ecandy (2008), visited 19. 03. 08, http://www. ecandy. com/ecandyfiles/SOTIC2006_Grabner(summary). pdf [7] Website of Drawert (2008) ,visited 19. 03. 08,http://www. drawert. com/red_bull_2. php [8] Website of Red Bull (2008) visited 16. 03. 2008, http://tutor2u. net/business/marketing/brands_building_brands. asp [9] Website of fastcompany (2008), visited 17. 03. 08 , http://www. fastcompany. com/articles/2001/10/redbull. html 10] Website of Brand Cameo (2008) visited 16. 03. 2008, http://brandcameo. org/features_profile. asp? pr_id=44 [11] Website of Red Bull (2008) visited 16. 03. 2008, http://www. redbull. com/images/historysection/pdf/1/Selling_Power_DM_Sept. pdf [12] Website of BBC (2008) visited 17. 03. 08, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/uk/1437154. stm [13] Website of Red Bull (2008) visited on 12. 03. 2008, http://www. Red Bull. com/#page=ProductPage. Benefits [14] Website of Red Bull (2008) visited on 12. 03. 200 8, http://www. Red Bull. com/#page=ProductPage. Benefits ———————– Figure 1: Ruscon Model Table 1: Maba Model Figure 2: Maba Model Picture 2: Thai Red Bull Can