Thursday, October 31, 2019

540 team paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

540 team paper - Essay Example That is, when both the companies announced their plans to merge, the financial issue that impeded the progress of the actualization of merger is the view, that, large stock transactions between HP and Compaq appear to be statistically more risky. So, immediately after the announcement, â€Å"H-Ps stock closed at $18.87, down sharply from $23.21 the previous trading day. On May 3, 2002, when the deal was officially consummated, the stock ended the day at $17.44† (Knowledge@Wharton, 2004). But, this skepticism and the initial problems were overcome by the HP management by looking at the positive aspects of the merger. That is, the HP management wished that through large stock transactions (which were considered risky in the first place), HP will be able to â€Å"achieve annual cost savings of $2.5 billion, which will add $5 to $9 to each HP share; and at the same time will increase earnings per share by 13% during the first year following the merger† (cybermedia India Onl ine, 2003). This positive response or strategy worked in favor of the merger in 2002. So, the outcome of the company’s positive response to the financial issue, and the resultant merger, is HP was able to dominate the sector of desktops, laptops, and servers in various world markets. But, on the other side, even after the merger, there was opposition from the scions of HP founders. That is, both Walter Hewlett, son of HP founder William Hewlett and David Woodley Packard, son of co-founder David Packard opposed the merger for various reasons including the risks caused by large scale transactions. But, now the merged entity is functioning smoothly without any major hindrances. Like in the Lester scenario, in which the merger plans between Lester Electronics and Shwang-wa does not actualize due to the financial issues, the merger plans between French companies, Gaz de France and Suez O. K. also gets

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Surreal vs. Real Life Essay Example for Free

Surreal vs. Real Life Essay Every normal human at one point in their life wishes and dreams of, and even craves the existence of a utopia, a surreal life. All (all as in reference to human beings, with a mature level of thinking) want a life that offers more of an upward stability compared to a current state of being, which in some aspect may be lacking. Where an ideal life may not include any troubles found today, and offers the cliche of clouds with a silver lining, real life includes not only troubles but also so much more, which provides many nameable contrasts between the two. In one world there is sunshine all year round, in the other a grossly challenging variety, often not wanting to be faced. In the perfect life, there is happiness and freedom from worry and hardships. Heaven on earth, long thought over and sought by many, a truly tempting mouth watering alteration of our existence that is so wanted, yet completely out of reach. Everyones daydream is comforting to dream, take them to this imaginary place where every home is of equal value, every car is built by the same manufacturer, and every family has the same number of children, and includes pets. This is where it never rains on game day, or on anyones parade. Its also the seemingly perfect place, sound economically as well as politically. A dream come true, for most, with an almost euphoric peace of mind. A world where it is safe to unlock your doors, take the bars off your windows, never fears that your car parked on the street will in some way be damaged, and go a walk well after dark. Children can play outside without fear of being viscously attacked, even by the neighbors dog. Where everything that does happens, happens for a reason, but is always beneficial. Everything is just as it should be, because another way would be unknown. All living things are never without, never wanting, never needy. There would be no competition to out do one another; no two people standing in opposite corners waiting to battle over who has greater stamina, or more power; everyone is equal. People are courteous and respectful, and have no reason for malice or greed. Grief and suffering over the loss of something, of someone, would never come, for in a utopia, there is no death, or even days filled with gloom. As a matter of fact there is nothing, and life such  as this is typical for this world from our point of view, but expected, and appreciated. Now the dream crushing normalcy, or life as we know it. Without a shadow of a doubt, life is not perfect no matter how outward appearances may seem. What is shown on the outside may be a shield to hide the turmoil within. Actors or actresses, singers, millionaires and even royalty encounter problems that they must face, and conquer just the same as the middle and lower class. Real life offers two extremes; overwhelming joy such as the birth of a baby; a marriage; a gathering of loved ones for a special celebration, and horrendous sorrow like death, loss of love, or any other unforeseen tragedy. With low-lying mediums where the day isnt any better, or isnt any worse then the preceding or possibly the following. Life brings trials and tribulations, which assist us in snapping back into the harsh reality of every day. Even the short spurts of good luck granted to us, the lost souls, are more of a burden then a pleasure, for we all know that one day all good things must come to an end. Happiness, the only comparison between real and the surreal, is merely a rock compared to the mountain of pain. Terrorist attacks, death, famine, destruction, starvation, murder, drug abuse, suicide, broken homes, just to name a few, would be a fictional horror stories told by campfire, and would never occur in the utopian world, which is why they are so different. Contrasting the surreal and the norm is like contrasting night and day. Think about it. In a utopian world everybody would literally be free of the shackles of normal life. Whereas in our lives, people are imprisoned for violent crimes committed and the masses are in a constant state of fear. Now not to be completely one sided, a surreal life and our everyday life have in common, a handful of things. We are not here to discuss the likeness, but the enormous range of differences that make a fairly tale life so desirable. Life grants everyone opportunities, but in return we must give up something, i.e., friends, family, that special someone, ECT, so either way we are, in a sense, constantly unhappiness. In a utopia we could have both. Actually we could have it all. This brings me to a question. Who would want to live in a world where everything is perfect, in a constant state of contentment? There  would never be any excitement; from a natural perspective life would be dull; boring. One must admit if given the choice to live in a perfect world described as a black and white movie or a fiction novel, or to live in a world filled with color, the choice would be carefully thought and not made in haste, and all pros and cons would be heavily weighed. Why, because the decision to live within or on a flat plane with no peaks and valleys, versus the spice if you will of reality would be difficult for some, for even though the challenge may be unwanted, there would be curiosity as to what will happen, and that is exciting. Given all aspects, most would choose to live in the world we currently inhabit, despite the drama, devastation, or glory we are never sure as to what we are going hear, of whiteness, from one day to the next, whether it is good or bad and with that we truly experience life. While it may not always be taken accordingly, it is fulfilling in all ways.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Changing Pattern of Consumer Behaviour

Changing Pattern of Consumer Behaviour Today organizations need a deep insight into consumer behaviour and its changing patterns in order to survive in the market place. Large organizations have highly trained individuals recruited to collect information about the consumers constantly changing needs and trends so that they can get focused on what is required by consumer; so that they can cater those needs as accurately and efficiently as possible . Harrods is one of the worlds most well-known department stores situated on Brampton Road in Knightsbridge, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England; It was established in 1849 as a small grocery store with only two helpers. Today, it offers its customers with everything from food to fashion, furniture to sportswear plus 20 in-store restaurants serving every kind of cuisine imaginable from pizza to sushi. Services range from piano tuning to fitting saddles. Must-see sights include the Food Halls, the Egyptian Hall and the Pet Department. (Visit London) Harrods after tenure of great success has lately seen a falling trend in its sales. Harrods, therefore, has further studied the behaviour of its consumers more closely in order to know the reasons of this unfortunate decline in sales. This report contains an analysis of this study, external influences and how they can be used positively to augment the sales; It mentions the strategies Harrods can use in order to get the same honourable and prestigious position back in the marketplace. Task 1: Impact of External Influences An insight into the behaviour of consumers at Harrods Harrods is a high end departmental store which offers a great range of products and services. Once opened as a small grocery shop has now matured to become a good example for posh and glamorous shopping, complementing itself on its motto Omnia Omnibus Ubique which means that All things, for all people, everywhere. It is famous about Harrods that you can buy anything you can name at Harrods, from a hair pin to furniture. (go there guide) Consumer behaviour is a study of when, how and where people buy or do not buy certain products or services. When buying a product, consumers usually go through several stages which can be named as need recognition, information search, evaluation of different purchase options, purchase decision and post purchase behaviour e.g. a need arise when you see your current television set is out dated and pretty old fashion or may be its broken. You decide that you want a new television and then start looking for different options transferring yourself to the next stage and you start looking for which television to buy and from which place; this is the stage when Harrods should come in the mind of a consumer. Then a consumer evaluates between different available options which Harrods has advantage of providing consumer all under one roof and then finally he buys a product. (East, 2008) Harrods is considered a glamorous shopping place. Though nearly everything is available at Harrods but the target market segment that Harrods focuses on is the upper class. This is the market segment the management at Harrods keeps in mind while carrying out its marketing activities. People visiting Harrods may belong to any age group but majority of them belong to the social class A and expect a service that is up to the mark. They expect that the product available at Harrods would belong to the highest of the qualities available. Marketers define four types of buying behaviours and it is based on the type of products that the consumer intends to buy. All four types of buying behaviors can be witnessed in the consumers at Harrods as a vast range of products are available at Harrods. Complex buying behaviour This where the person purchases a high value brand and inquires about a lot of information before the purchase is made. This may be when a consumer is buying a very expensive outfit of Paul Smith Black at Harrods Habitual buying behaviour This is when somebody purchases a product out of routine e.g. a daily newspaper, sugar or salt. This is applicable for a consumer buying grocery from the grocery section Variety seeking buying behaviour It is when the person likes to shop around and try out with different products. Some consumers at Harrods do not have the particular brand in mind beforehand when they shop for any product so they experiment different brands. Dissonance reducing buying behaviour This is the type of behaviour when buyer is extremely concerned with the purchase of the product, because the purchase is expensive or occasional. An example could be buying expensive furniture at Harrods. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) The management at Harrods needs to keep all these consumer behaviour theories like what makes consumer buy a product, what kind of behaviours can they adopt while shopping at Harrods in mind and factors can cause a change in consumer buying patterns in mind while they take their management decisions. They specially need to be aware of the expectations of their consumers and what exactly they want from Harrods in order to improve and find the loop holes which might be leading to a fall in sales. External Factors may influence Buying Behaviour Consumer behaviour can be affected by various factors that may be highly uncontrollable by marketers. These external factors may include the opinion of your friends, the values and the way you are brought up, the media, the culture, certain groups you interact with etc. All of these external factors are mentioned in details with respect to the consumers of Harrods as follows: Culture Culture does influence consumer behaviour; culture is defined as our attitudes and beliefs. The point that we need to know here is the way these attitudes and beliefs are developed. As a person matures, a child is influenced by his parents, siblings and other family members who may educate them about rights and wrongs. They learn about their religion and culture, which helps them develop these opinions, attitudes and beliefs.. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) Geographical Culture Harrods needs to understand the culture of people living in London. The way they are brought up and what their values are. Do people living in London like to go to glamorous shopping places like Harrods? Are they comfortable shopping at such high end places? What are their buying trends and do they prefer large shopping places over small ones? Can people living there afford to buy expensive or do they usually spend this much on average? All these questions need to be answered in order understand the psyche of consumers living in London and cater them according to their needs. If we go back into history, UK is a class based society and some remains of such behaviour are still existent. People who belong to a high class do like to show off and go to high end places but as time is passing this frame of mind is changing. This change of mind may be one of the factors leading to fall in demand for Harrods. Subculture Subcultures can be defined as members that possess beliefs, values and customs that set them apart from other members of the same society. There can be nationality, ethnic, racial, geographical or religious sub cultures. People belonging to various parts of the world and belonging to various sets of beliefs and norms live in London, which leads a complex set of people who may have different beliefs and norms mixed up. Understanding and catering to all of them is not very realistic but Harrods needs have knowledge regarding major subcultures so that its products are designed according to it and their do not hurt anyones beliefs and norms. (Leon G Schiffman, 1997) Global Culture In order to make sure that the products it is offering is in line with the Global culture, Harrods needs to study the global trends of buying behaviour as well. Generally people around the globe have started preferring large shopping malls over small specific buying areas. This facilitates a consumer in a way that all the products are available under one roof. As people are getting more and busier with their work lives, this saves time. Moreover the world is also moving towards better quality products and services. Designer clothes and fashion apparel are getting popular. Brands are getting global. This trend of customers goes in favour of Harrods. Multinationals have the brought the consumer base to one platform which in a way has helped marketers to understand complex behaviours. (my library) Reference Groups Reference group is an actual or imaginary individual or group concealed of having significant relevance upon an individuals evaluations, aspirations and behaviour. Marketers have seen that reference groups can strongly influence buying behaviours. Reference groups are particular set of people some people may look up towards to that have an impact on consumer behaviour. So they can be only a band like the Savage Garden or your direct family members. Marketers have grouped reference groups into classes to comprehend the way the influence more clearly. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) Types of Reference Groups Normative: Some group and individuals are more powerful than others and affect a broader range of consumption decisions. A very good example would be family. Your upbringing really has a strong influence on your likes and dislikes, definitions of right and wrong. Family values and practices usually do not change and develop basic standards of behavior. If a family is used shop from department stores rather than individuals outlets or it may be particularly Harrods then this practice may be passed on to further generations as well and this how the cycle goes on. (M.Khan, 2007) Comparative: These are the people you compare yourself to and can relate to e.g. friends, neighbors or a club you are a member of. Some of these may be ones you aspire and want to imitate. A person may start shopping from Harrods because a friend of his shops from Harrods and he likes it very much and recommended him as well. (M.Khan, 2007) Reference groups can further be divided into direct and indirect reference groups: direct are the ones you have contact in person with and indirect may be the ones you may not have direct contact with such as celebrities. (Balythe, 2008) Marketers cannot directly manipulate your direct reference groups or use them for their benefits but indirect reference groups can easily be used by marketers. Harrods needs to study about its consumers reference groups and use them in its favour. If Harrods serves its existing consumers really well they will automatically prove to be a resourceful reference group for some potential consumers. They can also use celebrity endorsements referent powers. (Wagner, 2003) Opinion leader Opinion leaders are the people who have greater knowledge about a certain thing than a lay man so you respect their views and that may influence consumer behaviour. Most of the times it would really affect the behaviour if the thing to buy is a highly technological product, may be a hi-tech computer and the opinion leader in that case may be a computer expert. (CL Tyagi, 2004) Economic Environment Economic environment has a great influence on buying behaviour. People usually spend more during good economic times and during an economic boom and likewise less during recessions. Lately aggregate demand around the globe felt due to global recession. People were out of jobs and businesses were heading towards a downfall which left people with less disposable incomes on hand to spend. This may also be one of the factors leading to Harrods reduced sales. (Angus Deaton, 1980) Competition Competition is another factor which influences the consumer behavior. This provides consumers with more options available so they start comparing between the available options and selects the one which benefits them the most. Harrods has a few potential competitors mentioned below: Selfridges There is store called Selfridges Co. It is also one of the largest areas in the world with 540,000 sq.ft of selling area. It is located on the Oxford Street which is a prime posh location. Like Harrods, it is also famous among consumers for providing a large range of products and services. The difference between Harrods and Selfridges could be that Selfridges is more focused towards entertainment as it has 15 bars, cafes and restaurants inside the area. It has two more smaller department stores, one in Manchester and the other in (business week) Marks and Spencer Another strong competition would be Marks and Spencer (MS). It is a British retail chain and it has 330 department stores and over 340 food location all over UK. It does not operate in UK only but has over 300 locations in countries including Indonesia, South Korea, India and China. The factor that differentiates M S from Harrods is that it core range consists of mid-priced household items, fashion apparel and other products whereas Harrods is designed for the best or may be for everything rather a narrowed specific price range. M S has been in this market for more than 100 years and has been ranked as the no. 1 supplier of women wear. Moreover, the company makes 90% of its sales in its home country which certainly is UK. It can give Harrods a tough competition if Harrods get even a little bit lenient in its services (business week) Fortnum Mason This is 300 year old department store. It is very famous for its food which includes jams, teas, and sauces. It also supplies Queen with annual Christmas puddings. It has five restaurants and though it generates most of its sales from food but it also sells gifts, luggage, household products, cosmetics etc. Though its product range and the area of focus are not exactly same as Harrods but it can be counted as a competition and was mentioned by a number of consumers at Harrods. (business week) Task 2: Recommended Positioning Strategy Perception A study of human perception can also help marketers to understand the consumer behaviour. Perception is the process by which people select, organize and interpret their sensations; where sensation is how are sensory receptors (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, fingers) to basic stimuli such as light, colour, sound, odor and texture. Like a computer system human mind also processes the information in order to perceive things. (Martin E Evans, 2009) This is the age of sensory marketing. Marketers make use of impact of sensations on consumers product experiences. They use vision, hearing, touch and taste in order to create an image of the brand in the minds of the consumer to create a competitive advantage. Marketers try and create brands unique association with the sensation. (Hawyer, 2008) Harrods may use a certain trade dress which is colour combination an organization uses so frequently that consumers start associating that brand with that colour combination. Whenever they see that colour combination around their mind recalls the brand in sub-consciousness. This is how marketers create an image that can last very long in the minds of the consumers through our sensations; as consumers start associating those brands to different things. Consumers perception about the brand consists of both its functional attributes as well as the symbolic attitudes. Functional attitudes may include its price; its features etc. and symbolic may include its image. Marketers have discovered that consumers evaluation of a certain product is more dependent on what it means rather than what it does. This meaning has more to do with products market position and it may be more to do with our expectations of the product as communicated by its colour, packaging and styling rather than the product itself. (Kathy Niel, 2007) Therefore, Harrods should use these tools of sensation in order to create an image of Harrods that consumers cannot forget; an image that stays in the minds. It should create a certain sensation so that consumers can associate the brand with that sensation. This automatically attracts a consumer towards a brand as it creates a certain impact in the minds of the consumers that lasts for very longer periods of time. Attitude Attitude is actually a learned behaviour. They may be favourable and unfavourable attitude for a product or a service. Marketers say that attitudes have the quality of motivation, they can lead consumer towards certain behaviour or can even stop him from doing so. Harrods should try and develop a positive attitude about itself in the minds of the consumers. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) Harrods have had certain issues which may lead to a negative attitude. Harrods in order to maintain its glamorous image threw a lady out from the store. Eilene Kadden, from California, was ejected from the store because she did not have the right image; she was too fat. Such kinds of incidents adversely affect the image of the brand and such incidents can lead to negative attitudes for the brand in the minds of the consumers. Harrods should respect its customers irrespective of race, colour, ethnicity and physical attributes of a person. Tri-Component Attitude Model According to this model attitude consists of three components which are cognitive, affective and conative components. (Micheal.R.Solomon, 2005) The cognitive component consists of persons cognitions i.e. his knowledge and perception about the brand. This may be formed by a combination direct exposure and from other sources. Harrods should create a positive impression in the minds of the consumers through its image, service and behaviour. The affective component is more about the feeling of the consumer. How related and emotionally attached he is to the brand. A family might be shopping from Harrods from last three generations and may develop an emotional attachment to the store. These emotions can further affect the actions of the consumers. They van be negative as well. The Conative component deals with the actual behaviour of the consumer, it is also called the consumers intention to buy. This model can help Harrods to develop a positive attitude among its current and targeted consumers. Harrods should try to factually as well emotionally create a positive feeling about the brand. Self Self-concept is the beliefs that customer holds about himself. It can be positive as well as negative. At times you feel that a part of you is more positive. People buy products which they can relate to themselves. What is the reason that social class A is the major consumer at Harrods? It is that all the products are designed keeping the social class as a target market segment and so they can relate to it. Positioning Strategy This is the way a brand portrays itself and places itself in the minds of the consumers. Positioning a brand is a very crucial task. This is what can either make a brand or break a brand. When a marketer targets a certain market segments, it intends to different itself from the other brands through its competitive advantage. How to Position When a brand is to position itself, the very first step when a business decides to enter the market to describe the market in which the brand is to enter and to struggle. The market where Harrods is to compete is London. It is posh area where people spend money to avail highest quality products and services. The next step would be to collect information from the relevant consumers about what perception do they have regarding the competing brands in the market. Harrods needs to understand what attributes regarding the shopping stores are most favourable in the minds of the consumers. It needs a complete knowledge about the likes, dislikes, preferences and frame of mind of the relevant consumers it intends to target. It needs to determine the share of mind of all the competing brands which are mentioned above including Selfridges, Marks and Spencer, Fortnum and Masom. It needs to rank the competitors and the attributes which would be hard to compete. At the end it needs to position its elf using the combination of the preferable attributes and attributes of the brand itself to capture a territory in the minds of the consumer. Era of Marketing This is the age of Marketing. Marketing a brand is becoming more important than the product itself. The Marketers study the market in detail, segment the market into different segments based on demographics and psychographics and then select the most profitable segment as the targeted segment. All the products and services are then designed keeping that particular segment in mind. All the decisions are also taken in accordance to that particular targeted segment. (Gerit Antonides, 1998) Harrods instead of taking decsions keeping the products and services in mind, needs to take decisions keeping the preferences of targeted consumers in mind. If a certain brand in preffered and renowned in US but people in UK prefer other brands over it which may even be of slightly lower quality, opting for that brand of better quality would not be sensible decision. Harrods has taken some bad decesions in the past to save its glamorous image; it has kept a range of brands which are not even liked by most of the people in London which is a failure for Harrods to understand the psyche of its consumers. Suitable Positiong Strategy for Harrods The three major positioning concepts known among the marketers and they are functional, symbolic and experiential position. Functional position is when the firm shows itself as the solution to problems. It promotes the benefits that can provide and gain a favourable position. Symbolic postioning is when a organization uses its image, belongingness and egoistic image which provides the comsumers with social meaningfulness. This is the kind of positioning suitable for an organization like Harrods and this is what it has been doing in the past as well but a certain change is needed to make this symbolic position better. These changings would be mentioned further in the report. Experiential position is when an oraganization makes use of the consumers sensory and cognitive stimulation and the concepts of perception to create an image in the minds of the consumers that consumers can relate to. Harrods Current Positioning Harrods has positioned itself as a high-end, glamorous, luxurious and high end department store. It has not positioned itself as a department store but as an unforgettable experience. Harrods has a reputation for excellence and a motto Everything for Everybody Everywhere. Consumers know it as a place where you can buy everything. From sugar and potatoes to luxurious cars, everything is available at the Harrods. The major component or competitive advantage that Harrods has used is its grand image and variety. Repositioning Harrods Some of the Harrods policies to maintain its high end image has in turn adversely affecting its reputation. The incidents of forcing people out due to their physical appearance and strict dress code rules make customers inconvenient and lead to a negative impression. Harrods need to add a component of humbleness in its positioning statement. The feeling that one gets when he hears about Harrods is of arrogance and attitude. A tinge of humbleness needs to be added to the image in order to create a positive impression. Harrods should try and create an image of an environment friendly organization. People once protested against Harrods selling animal fur. Such kind of incidents would not happen if you have you have a complete knowledge about youre the culture and values of targeted consumers and people around. Harrods should encourage the brands operating inside the store to promote green environment and produce as many environment friendly products as they can and take steps for protecting the environment from every kind of pollution. This will lead to a responsible image about in Harrods in the minds of the consumers which will definitely in turn improve the sales. Online and Offline Positioning Messages As mentioned under the heading of repositioning Harrods, Harrods needs to promote a tinge of humbleness with its glamorous image. The current motto used by Harrods is Everything for Everybody Everywhere and All things, for all people, everywhere which portrays that literally everything is available at Harrods. Messages like Everything that you need because we care! would promote an image of care and responsibility on part of the organization. This would portray that the organization is not selfish about its own benefits only. The attitude of the employees in the store will automatically depict the position and set a mark in the minds of the consumers. Moreover for offline positioning, Harrods can launch campaigns for environment protection. It can sponsor such activities in order to create an impact and show that it actually cares and contributing towards the society. Conclusion Harrods is a very famous and well known brand. It has successfully achieved its targets and continuously improved and expanded over the years. Its management worked efficiently to satisfy the needs of its consumers. It was clear and focused on the segment it was targeting and therefore tailored its products accordingly. Due to some external factors and some of the bad decisions that Harrods took declined its sales. The image that Harrods was enjoying is slightly damaged but its not late to make for the mistakes in the past. Moreover, every firm needs to innovate and re-position itself according to changing environment. Harrods in order to earn its position back needs to make slight changes in its positioning. It should get more humble towards its customers and promote environmentally friendly products. Task 3: Individual Critical Reflection on Learning Outcomes Critical Reflection on Learning Outcomes Before the start of the module, I was not sure of whether it will further enhance my learning or not. The theories I was to expected to apply in the module were the ones I had already studied several times so I was not looking forward to any further new learning and experience. As I started working on the module and started gathering information about Harrods, I realized that my perception about the module was entirely wrong. Though I didn.t learn anything new in the module but it gave me an opportunity to apply what I have learned in a real life situation. All the concepts and course material that I studied in the course was practically applied to solve the given problem of reduced sales. Moreover, while I was studying for the course I had an impression that most of the concepts mentioned in the course books are only for theoretical purposes and are not used or helpful to the firms in real life situations. My opinion was proven wrong while I working on the module as I saw that firms do use these concepts and they do help them in understanding the behaviour of consumers which is critical for their success. This module was a great experience. Though collecting information and analysis was a little tough and tiresome but it was worth it. The data collection on the external factors influencing the consumer behavior was really difficult; classifying it and coming up with useful results and conclusions was even more troublesome. This module specifically enhanced my analytical skills and improved my confidence of practically applying theoretical knowledge. References Angus Deaton, J. M. (1980). Economics and consumer behaviour. Balythe, J. (2008). Consumer Behaviour. business week. (n.d.). Retrieved august 27, 2010, from business week: http://investing.businessweek.com/research CL Tyagi, A. K. (2004). Consumer Behaviour. East, R. (2008). Consumer Behaviour. Gerit Antonides, W. F. (1998). Consumer Behaviour. go there guide. (n.d.). Retrieved august 2010, 28, from go there guide: http://www.gothereguide.com Hawyer, W. D. (2008). Consumer Behaviour. Kathy Niel, S. P. (2007). Consumer Behaviour Implications for marketing strategy. Leon G Schiffman, H. H. (1997). consumer behaviour. M.Khan. (2007). Consumer Behaviour. Martin E Evans, G. F. (2009). Consumer Behaviour . Micheal.R.Solomon. (2005). Consumer Behaviour: buying, having, being (8th ed.). my library. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2010, from my library: http://www.accessmylibrary.com Visit London. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2010, from Visit London: http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/ Wagner, S. (2003). Understanding Green Consumer Behaviour.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Technology and Diabetes :: Diabetics Medical Health Essays

Technology and Diabetes Imagine not being able to have a snack or candy whenever you want to in a day. Many people have to watch what they eat, especially diabetics because of lack of insulin in their bodies. They have to watch their sugar intake daily and also keep up with insulin shots. Diabetes is a life long disease which isn’t easy to have without new technological advancements. The rapid growth of technology has made health care more successful, specifically in the advancements for the cure and treatments of diabetes. Diabetes Mellitus is a disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body’s tissues absorb glucose which is sugar, so it can be used as a source of energy. Glucose levels build up in the blood and urine which causes excessive urination, thirst, hunger, and problems with fat and protein metabolism in a diabetic person. Diabetes is very common in the United States; it is the seventh leading cause of all deaths. Women have been diagnosed with diabetes more than men. There are two forms of diabetes, Type one and Type two diabetes. Type one diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin or produces it in very small quantities. This usually occurs in younger people under twenty years of age, mostly around puberty. Type two diabetes is when the body’s balance between insulin production and the ability of cells to use insulin doesn’t work properly. This is more common than type one; about 90-95% people in th e United States have it. There are no cures for diabetes now but there are many researchers investigating factors through new technologies to cure them. Meanwhile, technological advancements are being made to keep glucose at a good level for diabetes. When someone has diabetes it takes a lot of education to learn to live with it and to control blood sugar levels each and every day. An advancement that was tested in a survey in Jan. of 2002 is the telehomecare technology. This device allows diabetic patients to communicate with the nurses at home through a computer and video equipment that transmits voice, objective data, and video over ordinary telephone lines. This device was made to help health status, quality of life for the patients, and convenient costs along with satisfaction.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Early Racism in Disney Movies Essay

Disney’s early work has always had a hint of racism in them, I recently watched Disney’s Fantasia released in 1942 was edited and remade because of a very racist scene. I watched a scene where there are many colorful centaurs, male and female; they are frolicking through like a forest. When the lady centaurs notice the males there are little baby cupids that come down and are getting them all dolled up for the male centaurs. Every male is matched up with their matching color centaurs the scene ends with every centaur and their mate flirting and having a ball. The part that was cut out was one little black centaur a girl with barrettes in her hair. She was wiping the hooves of the other centaurs and brushing their hair while the little baby cupids, she had no mate she was just a little servant.(Cite here) We all know the story of Pocahontas; a lot of people only know the Disney version. The movie does have some truth to it but is definitely racist. John Smith a colonist coming to find the new world, a very stunning, kind young man. (Cite #4) traveling with his men and of course Governor Radcliff, with his ugly little pug and very opinionated, a man who is not afraid to share his morals to the world. He was probably the most racist character referring to Native American Americans as savages and uncivilized, and the only reason he is coming to the new world is because he wants gold and to become wealthy. (cite #4) now this part of history is dead on, the settlers did not want to make friends and start a new life in a new place, they wanted gold and land, and they didn’t care for native Americans to much. (Cite here) There is even a song called â€Å"Savages† a very very racist song about natives. Like it wasn’t enough to call them savages they go on to say things like â€Å"They’re not like you and me. Which means they must be evil We must sound the drums of war!† because natives did not speak or dress like the settlers; but that’s not all they call them â€Å"Redskin Devils† and say â€Å"they’re barely even human† with Radcliff saying things like â€Å"What can you expect. From filthy little heathens? Here’s what you get when races are diverse (That’s right). Their skin’s a hellish red. They’re only good when dead. They’re vermin, as I said.† (Cite #4) this song is a song I sang as kid never knowing what I was singing, like it was so wrong for a culture to be different, is this what Disney is teaching our children? That anything that is different cannot be trusted or even given a chance. Disney movies have always had racism in their movies but the one movie that had the most obvious racism would have to be Disney’s Song of the South. The Song of the South, one of Disney’s most controversial movies ever made, racism, stereotyping, and ignorance galore. The Song of the South was aired at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia in 1946, over 64 years ago. (Cite #1)Walt Disney’s animation empire wasn’t doing so good finically and decided he wanted to a movie based on a childhood book he read as a kid. (Cite #2) a story about an old Negro, who tells stories to a young white boy the stories of uncle Remus (Cite #2).The animation was based on stories told by an old African American man, Uncle Remus about a Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox, the same plot, as the book with very similar characters, and the same message. The message that a lot of people got was that slavery was being glorified. The angriest was the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) they were the most offended. They had many concerns with the entire film; they didn’t want people thinking that this how slavery wa s. (Cite #3) In this movie Uncle Remus, played by James Baskett (cite #1) was an old Negro who lives in Georgia on a plantation. He is not like normal slaves, he comes and goes as he pleases, and he loves his life on the plantation. He sings songs like Let the Rain Pour Down with lyrics like â€Å"Let the rain pour down, let the cold wind blow Gonna stay right here in the home I know (Trouble fly away fly away). When you’re achin’ with the mis’ry, and you’re old and gray, (headin’, headin’) Then you’d better be thankful that He let you stay;† which means that even though they made us come here and do this hard work we still should be thankful for what they do actually let us have, like a place to stay. (Cite #1) to add even more fuel to the fire Disney thought it would be a good idea to premier this movie in Atlanta, a very segregated city at the time, the stars of the movie James Brackett, uncle Remus and Hattie McDaniel his wife Aunty Tempy would not even be allowed to sit in the same seats as the white dignitaries. Their own Governor made statements like â€Å"I was raised among niggers and I understand them. I want to see them treated fairly and I want them to have justice in the courts. But I want to deal with the nigger this way: he must come to my back door, take off his hat and say, ‘Yes, sir'† (Bernstein 233). (Cite #2) even still  Disney claims they were not in a racist state of mind. (Cite #2) this movie will go down in history as probably the most blantaly racist movie Disney has ever made. Disney does not have anything to say about theses animations, they have become one of those things people just don’t talk about anymore. Even though a lot of these racist movies are still popular today, and are being remade and rereleased. Disney is still very successful business even with these very rough patches in the beginning and majority of children and parents in the world really do enjoy Disney, but does that mean we should just disregard their mistakes and stereotypical movies, should we just pretend that these movies have offended and will continue to offending races without any concern for people they offend?

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

American Culture and Childhood

American Culture and Childhood Introduction Action figures, dolls and cartoons are an ubiquitous part of the childhood of most people within the U.S., with various individuals owning/ watching some variation of these aspects of popular culture in one form or another. Based on various studies of childhood development children actually looked up to and tried to emulate the attitudes and characteristics of the cartoons they saw on television.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on American Culture and Childhood specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When examining past and current trends in cartoons, action figures and dolls a rather strange phenomenon was noticed wherein over the years since the 1980s action figures and cartoon heroes took on greater degrees of musculature and size resulting in almost freakishly large heroes as compared to their counterparts prior to the 1980s. Even dolls for girls took on greater degrees of overtly sexual characteristics with e mphasis being placed on looks, sexuality and fashion. Behavioral Development While most individuals merely categorized this as a changing trend which was a direct result of the shifting nature of popular culture it must be noted that such changes had a distinct impact on the mannerisms, attitudes and manner in which children believed they should act and mature into. Studies examining the resulting developmental characteristics of children who grew up prior to the overly muscular and sexual trend of the 1980s showed nearly opposite developmental beliefs compared to children who grew up during and after the 1980s trend. It was noted that male children who grew up during and after the trend developed the notion that being overly muscular was normal and a state to develop into. It was a notion that was completely at odds with the idea of children who grew up prior to the trend who believed an average non-muscular physique was normal and what should be attained. This particular differenc e was also noted in female children who believed that the overtly sexual style and concentration on appearance, fashion and sexuality was what they needed to become in order to be considered normal as compared to the popular notions among children prior to the 1980s which showcased a vastly different and more conservative view on what was considered normal. Cultural Impact What must be understood is that the resulting cultural impact of the change in the depiction of toys and cartoon heroes into either overly muscular or overly sexual characters was noted as being one of the reasons behind the prevalence of various individual behavioral characteristics today such as the belief that looking muscular will make a person popular, that overly sexualized clothing is normal and that violence is a regular aspect of life. While it may be true that such characteristics do not define a majority of the population it is still prevalent in large percentages with various studies confirming that on e of the reasons behind their prevalence is their connection to the trend mentioned throughout this paper that began in the 1980s and continues to this day.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gender Roles Another aspect to take into consideration were the various methods in which gender roles were established at the time of the trend. It was noted that while various cartoons and toys for young girls did place an emphasis on sexuality with toys today possessing even greater levels than they did before, they also placed emphasis on various aspects related to female independence and the importance for girls to become independent from relying on men. Cartoons and action figures geared towards young boys on the other hand gave a more traditional version of gender roles wherein women were often portrayed as needing saving and being dependent on men resulting in the development of the early onset idea that women are inherently in need of and are dependent on the help of a man. These differing portrayals could be considered one of the reasons behind the apparent split in attitudes between men and women characterized during the early 1990s to the present wherein differing ideas existed between perceived responsibilities and gender roles as noted by various studies examining behavioral and thought characteristics of adolescents at the time.