Marketing Research Nokia

Executive Summary Branding is indeed a very important aspect of marketing. A company that promotes its brand efficiently is bound to survive through the most difficult market conditions. This paper sets out to perform a market research of a brand experiencing a problem, and find solutions to the issue under investigation. To that end, Harley Davidson was chosen as the brand.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing Research: Nokia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the causes of the brand’s decline included branding, mismanagement, brand neglect, failure to move with the target consumers and cost cutting. From the research findings, it was evident that the company is in need of a brand revitalization strategy. Because of this assessment, viable recommendations as to how best the company can achieve this aim have been discussed. If the recommendations provided herein are applied, Nokia will be on it s path to becoming the iconic motorbike giant it used to be during the sixties. A brand’s inability to stay with its target market may lead to its decline. When a brand starts repositioning itself in order to appeal to a new audience, it stands the risk of losing its core clients. As a result, the customers may feel alienated and neglected in the process. This happened to the Nokia brand when it decided to manufacture Smart phones that were presumably of lower quality. They lost their loyal clients and the brand declined significantly. Rebranding strategies such as product differentiation and repackaging makes a brand more attractive to existing and potential consumers. Failure to rebrand may lead to a situation whereby consumers lose interest in a brand and look for new and different alternatives. Introduction Nokia’s market share worldwide have been on the decline in the past few years as the company struggles to match the competition. The phone giant is losing its p opularity at a very high rate while competitors are very quick to fill in the gap the company leaves in the market (Reinhardt 2006). While struggling to maintain its market share in the expansive phones market, Nokia’s consumer preference is very low compared to other brands especially with the Smart phones as shown below (Dediu 2012).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, product marketing with regard to the Nokia brand would be a vital step towards helping the company to regain its market influence. Product marketing for this brand would hence involve the seven Ps of marketing (Reinhardt 2006). The seven Ps denote Product, Pricing, Place, Promotion, Packaging, Positioning, and People (Reinhardt 2006). Product marketing is far much distinct compared to product management and the difference must be appreciated in this case. Thesis statement Developing and maint aining a brand is often a complex and costly issue whose outcome concerning the brand’s lifespan or destiny cannot be predetermined. However, with the application of marketing research and strategies, declining brands can be revived amidst the prevailing market challenges (Maatz 2012). This paper shall discuss the factors that led to the decline of the Nokia brand and come up with viable marketing strategies that can be applied to revive and maintain the brand despite the harsh economic and competitive forces that prevail in today’s business environment. This shall be done by analyzing credible literature that focuses on market research, branding and total quality management. Problem definition While product management is more concerned with the details of the product and its development, product marketing is concerned with popularizing and marketing the product. This involves creating awareness of the product to prospective customers, existing customers, and others. T he nokia brand despite the great decline in sales and publicity can regain consumer confidence with proper market research (Reinhardt 2006). This will enable the company to identify the problems facing their products and help provide the solution to these problems. Every business requires information that will help it be in a position to satisfy its consumer’s needs.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marketing Research: Nokia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The nokia phone company is one such company that would greatly benefit from conducting a market research. This owes to the declining market share in the phone industry and consequently the decline in sales (Kremp 2011). Research methods and Limitations Historic accounts In this research, a number of research methods were employed to determine the extent to which the phone company has lost its market. The methods used therefore include the historic appr oach to research, survey method, and use of questionnaires. The Historic approach in marketing research is widely used a research method by a number of companies (Sharma 2011). Studying the past of a market is an important strategy of dealing with the future of the same. Survey For the future to be securely anticipated, the past, trends, and patterns of the experiences learned must also be examined. Survey on the other hand has become a favorite research method especially in market research (Maatz 2012). This has highly been influenced by the introduction of online surveys a factor that has assisted in greatly reducing the cost of research as well as increasing its accuracy and scope. With survey, data collection is very easy and efficient while the cost of data collection is relatively low and affordable. Questionnaire This method allows for anonymity hence the candid responses from the respondents and ultimately legitimate results. The questionnaires also in the field of research are effective and this particular research will engage this data collection method in order to have accurate market information on the product mentioned above (Sharma 2011). Nonetheless, all of the above data collection methods have limitations that may affect the results hence a risk of inaccurate information.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A good example is the survey method used. In a survey, the possible answers and responses must be accounted for or else the research will miss some data hence having inaccurate information. This method is also prone to researcher errors where the researcher may make assumptions hence collecting inaccurate data (Sharma 2011). Market research In business, dealing with products and consumers requires organized efforts to collect information concerning markets and customers. The process of doing so therefore is referred to as product marketing. The Nokia brand of phones was doing very well around the year 2006 and 2009 as shown in the graph below (Dediu 2012). However, the market today has transformed technologically and the phone giant is struggling to keep the pace set by other players in the industry such as Samsung and Apple (Dediu 2012). The big question is why is it that a company of such magnitude is finding it hard to compete with the rest in the market? Conducting a research to establish the issues involved, this research found out a number of factors blamed for the decline in sales of the company. However, ineffective product marketing is the greatest cause of the decline (Kremp 2011). Problems facing the company Nokia’s problems can simply be summed up as Burning Cash. The company’s net cash dropped down by 24% in a year (Maatz 2012). To be precise, the total net worth if their losses amounted to $ 9 billion (Kremp 2011). It is even projected that with the current trend in the market and the company’s reluctance in counter attacking its lack of competitive strategies, the company may go bankrupt in the next two to three years. Attracting investors and customers The company’s future projections are not very convincing and consumers as well as investor are losing confidence in its market strength. The nokia company has been accused on many occasions to be dragging behind as far as technology in the phone industry is concerned (Savov 2011). With the growth demand for smart phones, consumers are accusing the nokia company of not living up to their expectations hence giving the competition an upper hand in the market as shown in the percentage graph below (Dediu 2012). The company as of this year is still not ready to integrate its technology with the rest of the players in the industry and this has caused them great decline in doing business as shown in the graph below (Dediu 2012). Currently, consumer preferences are shifting from communication gadgets to IT gadgets. The market for phones has dramatically taken a new shift and nokia is not effectively responding to the market shift. They are also faced with the fact that they are aiming their products at a saturated market segment not forgetting that their wage costs are on the rise (Savov 2011). Long supply chains that the company operates under in addition to the high import charges for its raw materials cause other problems. The seven Ps of marketin g Using the seven Ps of marketing, the research on how to regain market relevance for the company can be achieved. First in the list is to identify the relevance of the product (Ryan 2011). The product in this case is a phone and the industry it satisfies is the communication industry. Nokia Company should think in the lines of manufacturing IT relevant phones just as the competition is doing. ICT influence in the industry With the increased use of ICT, very few consumers want to purchase a phone for communication only. Seventy five percent of the interviewed respondents said that they want to buy a phone that puts them technologically at the same level with the increasing technology in the mobile phone industry. The second item to look at in this research is the pricing (Savov 2011). Determining what a company receives as compensation for its product through the sale of its products is vital for the survival of the company. Pricing is determined by many factors including the produc tion cost of the product. However, the price of a product can determine its volume of sales. High prices on products can have both positive as well as negative effects. By putting high prices on products, the results would turn out positive if the high price were taken as a sign of high quality production (Savov 2011). The consumers know that quality products are quite expensive and with the need to purchase high quality goods, the consumers may associate high prices with high quality. The pricing effects of a product However, this is not always the case as high prices can also influence potential buyers to purchase and pursue alternative products to circumvent the high prices. Giving a product a high price therefore should be well researched and its effects be evaluated to avoid an unanticipated loss. Another approach in pricing is selling the products at low prices, which means slightly above the production cost (Savov 2011). Through this approach, there are benefits as well as sh ortcomings. The consumer might take selling the products at a low price as a sign of low quality in production; hence, they may not be interested in buying the product. Cheap products are associated with low or bad quality and with reference to that fact, selling your products cheaply does not guarantee high sales (Murph, 2011). Nonetheless, goods sold at a cheaper price are more likely to make significant sales compared to the otherwise situation. While determining pricing for a product, it is vital to consider the manufacturing cost also known as the production cost, the market condition and the quality of the product. Price determining factors These are the three main determinants of the price of a product and are significant in determining the price. The needs of a consumer can only be satisfied with a product he or she is willing to purchase and has the ability to sue. For this reason, it’s surface to say that pricing is an important part of marketing (Savov 2011). Packa ging on the other hand is all about the physical appearance of a product and the form of presentation. The outward look of the product must be catchy and attractive to the consumer for him or her to think about buying the product. Research findings In relation to the seven Ps of marketing, the nokia company is left behind in terms of pricing, packaging, and promotion. To maintain competitiveness, the company has chosen to do so through pricing. The recent introduction of affordable gadgets from its company in Indonesia is a clear indication of the company’s determination to pursue the lower segments of the market (Murph, 2011). Nokia believes that the lower mobile market is and remains promising and hence the new entries. These could be seen as a strategy to avoid competition in the higher segment, especially the smart phones. The new entry of the low price Nokia Asha 205, a low priced smart phone, and the nokia 206-feature phone are some of the new strategies to revive the g iant phone maker’s market share (Murph, 2011). With the increased technological advancement, phone capability to be upgraded to receive new software applications is vital. The nokia Lumia failed The nokia Lumia, which is the latest smart phone by the company, is not competing effectively in the market as the manufacturer had anticipated. This is apparently because the gadget cannot be upgraded to the new operating system version, Windows Phone 8 (Dinning 2011). This means that all consumers with the old model operating systems are forced to purchase a new phone and this has been the main problem of the nokia phones. One model can be significantly different from the other hence creating a distinct difference between its products. Recommendations As noted in the above research, the nokia company has been left behind as far as technology is concerned. They have not embraced the global idea of an IT developed consumer base (Buckley 2011). Nokia would benefit more from conducting market research to identify the needs of the consumers. The company should not rely more on creating labels that symbolize their independence rather they should be more focused on the needs and wants of consumers. Easy to use gadgets Today in the market, the consumers are looking for working and easy to use operating systems and the android platform has already gained popularity among consumers (Dinning 2011). The software integrates easily with other software’s easily. Nokia should revise and adjust its pricing systems to get back fully to its position in the market. The decision for the company to focus on the lower segment of the market might have been well intended but clearly, it is not working to the advantage of the company. Opportunity The company has opportunities to improve their market share today and challenges the competition. It is also true that it has the financial capability to cease such opportunities. However, for the company to be able to rescue its declin ing market share, there are vital technological changes that need to be made. Nokia need to change and improve the technology they use in manufacturing their phones (Sharma 2011). Changing for instance the camera resolution and improving picture messaging will definitely attract consumers to buy phones under the nokia brand (Dinning 2011). Market penetration To penetrate significantly the market, the company should re-invent its products to come up with a new product that the competition does not offer (Murph 2011). The company must concentrate on strategic ways to enter into to the market, market growth, product advancement, and diversification (Buckley 2011). Nokia is the only giant phone manufacturer that specializes in mobile phone production. All others such as Samsung and Apple have diversified their production into other products like laptops, iPods, television, and other electronic devices. Market shift Researching and considering changing their market is vital just in case the current target market is saturated. The current price needs to be lowered in order to appeal to the consumers. This can be done for a while until the consumers get used to the brand then the prices can later be adjusted to reasonable prices (Dinning 2011). For a business to succeed, it has to be in a position to supply the needs of the consumer. Conclusion This research has put the nokia brand under great scrutiny in terms of sales and marketing structure. The company that was once the giant phone manufacturer is slowly declining in the market with regard to its market share. In the research, several factors that have led to the decline in sales of the brand’s products have been identified and clearly outlined. Marketing research methods that are effective in helping salvage Nokia’s lost glory also are identified in the paper (Buckley 2011). The bottom line as suggested in this research is the fact that Nokia as a company needs to change its technology in the manuf acture of phones and come up with strategies that can effectively compete with the rivals (Buckley 2011). Marketing is one of the better ways of competing in such a saturated market and to improve sales, diversification is vital. References Buckley, S. 2011, Nokia N9 to ship in Sweden on September 23, Saith awkwardly translated release. 22 June, http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/nokia-n9-to-ship-in-sweden-on-september-23rd-saith-awkwardly-tr/ Dediu, H. 2012. How Samsung beat Nokia. n.d., image, http://www.asymco.com/2012/04/12/how-samsung-beat-nokia/ Dinning, D. 2011, Nokia N9 Imaging. 27 June, http://conversations.nokia.com/2011/06/27/damian-dinning-on-nokia-n9-imaging/ Kozhanov, A. 2011, FM Radio for Nokia N9: First FM Radio application is available in OVI Store. http://my-meego.com/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1276faq=2 Kremp, M. 2011, Das hà ¤tte Nokias Gewinner sein kà ¶nnen. 21 June, http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/gadgets/smartphone-n9-das-haette-nokias-gewinner-sein-k oennen-a-769589.html a Maatz, B. 2012, Exotisches One-Hit-Wonder. 8 January. http://www.stern.de/digital/telefon/smartphone-nokia-n9-exotisches-one-hit-wonder-1770646.html Molen, B. 2011, Nokia N9 gets axed in Germany; global tour looks even more meager. 11 August, http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/11/nokia-n9-gets-axed-in-germany-global-tour-looks-even-more-meage/ Murph, D. 2011, Nokia: the N9 is not coming to America. 9 August, http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/nokia-the-n9-isnt-coming-to-america/ Savov, V. 2011, Edited: Dear Nokia, you cannot be serious! http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/editorial-dear-nokia-you-cannot-be-serious/ Savov, V. 2011, Nokia N9 review. 20 October, http://www.theverge.com/2011/10/22/2506376/nokia-n9-review Sharma, V. 2011, The N9 includes an FM transmitter receiver although the software is not ready yet. 23 June, http://newstyle.maemo.org/news/planet-maemo/?org_openpsa_qbpager_net_nehmer_blog_index_page=56 Reinhardt, A. 2006, Nokia’s Magnifi cent Mobile-Phone Manufacturing Machine. 3 August, http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-08-02/nokias-magnificent-mobile-phone-manufacturing-machine Ryan, P. 2011, Nokia’s new mega-based N9 is set up for failure. Ars Technica. 24 June, http://www.917wy.com/gadgets/news/2011/06/nokias-new-meego-based-n9-is-set-up-for-failure.ars This report on Marketing Research: Nokia was written and submitted by user Jordan Jefferson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Take Time to Think About Your Options

Take Time to Think About Your OptionsIf you are a student who is already enrolled in a medical school and is ready to write a residency application, you might want to think about taking the time to take a look at what Osteopathic medical schools offer. Many students like you are attending these colleges and hoping to make it in a major in your chosen field. You may have never considered how your resume or letters of recommendation will appear on their transcripts. They are just as important as your personal resume.During your residency applications process, you will be asked to write a sample essay. These essays can either be for the Department of Osteopathic Medicine or for the Department of Family Medicine. However, it should reflect the expectations of the residency program. Do not be discouraged if you do not know how to write a student interview or apply for a research fellowship. It is better to write a sample essay than no essay at all.The National Council of Graduate Medical Education has made it very clear that both the Office of Residency Education (ORSE) and the Resident Medical Director must be consulted when writing a residency essay. When the residency requirements were developed by the council in 2020, they included a requirement, 'The residency application should not be more than two pages.' The only exception to this rule was if the residency applicant had a member of the faculty overseeing the residency in which he or she was completing his or her residency.In fact, most students do not realize that the exact requirements of the college or university will vary from state to state. Although it may be tempting to use the 'requirements' of their medical school, students should always use their own state requirements. If you do find that your residency requirements differ between states, you might want to make a note of this so that you will know what to write in your Osteopathic medical schools sample essay. If you are very excited about the poss ibility of entering a special program in your area, it is a good idea to consult a list of residency programs by area. This will make it much easier for you to decide which program will be best for you.The task of writing a residency application will be different for each medical school. Each school will have slightly different requirements. The requirements for osteopathic medicine vary from state to state. Therefore, you will need to know exactly what the requirements are in your chosen area before you begin your residency application. One way to learn about the requirements of your state's medical school is to ask your state medical board. In addition, there are many websites available that allow you to search for osteopathic medical schools in your area.Make sure that you take some time to review your options before beginning to write your residency application. The process can be stressful, but taking the time to find out the specifics of each program before applying can give y ou the confidence that you need. For example, if you are already studying at a university, you may not be offered an osteopathic program right away. In these cases, you may want to visit the campus and talk to the faculty to find out what you can expect to do during your residency. Take time to consider what your options are before applying for residency.After you have been accepted to an osteopathic medical school, you will have to write a residency application. This is the first step towards starting a new career.

Efficient Memory Techniques for Better Performance

Efficient Memory Techniques for Better Performance Invincible 5 Memory Practices For The Examination Commencing revision barely a day to the examination can be dangerously imprudent as it does not guarantee a good performance. In the same breath, jamming the materials at the 11th hour is also ill-advised, and you should strive to prepare in advance. Lack of preparation leaves you irritably exasperated as you will be trying to remember something you read but to no avail. This feeling of anger will eat into your exam time because you will be pondering how the situation would have been if only you had read and had all the content at your fingerprints. Going blank in an exam room is a situation most students are well acquainted with from personal experiences. Nevertheless, you can evade because it is possible to turn your mind into you’re the biggest resource and as research shows, the human mind can accommodate large amounts of information. 1. Intertwined Revision Most subjects teach related knowledge and as such, reviewing this subject independent of each other is not a sensible thing to do. Studies show that linking previous knowledge with new ones increases the level of comprehension. The question that remains is, what is the explanation behind this fact? To put things into more perspective, paint this picture in your mind. Assume that the knowledge you possess is a road map in your mind and each time you learn something new, that is a different street you are adding to the plan. When you need to access specific material, your brain will run through different corridors to track that information. Develop a virtual map in your mind Identify the different topics that you need to study and draw the connection between them in your mind. Additionally, identify the topics that you are already conversant with and the knowledge you possess. This move will aid you in linking the connection between the topics. 2. Get enough sleep Students believe that burning the midnight oil studying is a sure way to getting good grades in an examination. However, this could be not any further from the truth as research proves that getting enough rest is vital for refreshing and rejuvenating your mind. Adequate sleep aids the processing of new information learned. Prepare a study timetable After you learn of the exam date, prepare a study timetable indicating which topic you will tackle and at what time. Early preparation will go a long way to help you get that grade you so desire, and you will be able to get enough sleep the night before the examination. 3. Talking reinforces remembrance Narrating a story evokes your memory as you will feel the need to tell it exactly how it happened without omitting any details. Again, research shows that people tend to recall things better if they are to tell it as a story to other people. As a student, you should take advantage of this, tell a friend what you learned detail by detail, in the process, the information is most likely to stick to your memory. Pen down a revision article Find something that interests you and builds your revision story based on it. Imagine individuals, objects, places or symbols and assign each of these a topic, formula, or the fact that you need to memorize. This technique has been proven to be effective as it not only makes the learning process simpler, it provokes you to dig deeper into your creative abilities. 4. Revise! Revise! Revise! Revising is not as fun as compared to other activities like playing video games or surfing on your computer, and it is easier to have wishful thinking that we could take one look at the materials and that will do. Still, revision is a chief factor that will determine your performance in an examination. Revision enables you to identify the areas you are weak in and focus your concentration on those topics. Find study mates   The benefits of a study group are quite significant. Explaining a concept, you have learned to a friend increases your understanding of the matter. At your request, your study mates can ask you difficult questions to determine your preparedness and level of knowledge. At times it can be a challenge finding a study group you will be comfortable in and freely interact. Strange enough, you could record yourself recounting what you have learned and play it later on. 5. Reflection as memory heightening technique Scientists have established that reflecting heightens your memory although there have not been specific details explain how this happens. The presumption is, reflection develops imaginative and attentiveness. The development is due to the quiet and peaceful environment that meditation requires. Moreover, reflection helps you unwind and relieve pressure, and this might be a good way to spend your time before the examination. Look for a reflective instruction guide Credit to technology, instructional guides on reflection are on the internet or various mobile applications. Make an effort to follow a ten-minute meditation for a couple of days or weeks and observe if you will notice any changes (improvement) in your attentiveness when studying. Different students have different needs, and some may not find reflection an effective method of preparing for their examination. There are other ways of revising that require a lot more exertion, but they are worth the while as they are effectual. According to psychologists, approximately a month of practice is needed to alter a mental routine. My advice is, attempt the above memory practices and examine whether studying become an easier and enjoyable experience for you.

Computer Security Information Risk Assessment & Security Management Essay

Computer Security Information Risk Assessment & Security Management - Essay Example Before computers became ubiquitous, confidential information was stored in documents, photographs, audio or video tapes, etc. The confidentiality was ensured by keeping these items in locked safes, bank vaults, dual control safes, etc. This is prevalent to some extent even today. With Computers becoming ubiquitous, documents are now largely electronic. To preserve their integrity and confidentiality, recourse is made to password protection, data encryption, firewalls, intrusion detection software, etc. (Parker. B, Donn. Microsoft Encarta, n. d.) This is the age of the World Wide Web. Nowadays, almost every person having a vehicle loan, a housing loan, a credit or debit card, and automated teller machine card, a social security number, a passport, a driving license, a telephone connection, etc, has to provide detailed personal information to the agency or authority, which provides that particular facility or service. Most if not all such information is in electronic form and stored in some centralized Computer's Database. The crux of the problem is this electronic form of personal data. If a hacker succeeds in his hacking attempt then all such confidential data can be viewed, changed or destroyed by the hacker. There exist a vast number of such co... software such as automatic computer virus generators, internet eavesdropping sniffers, password guessers, vulnerability testers and computer service saturators to further their criminal ends. Adoption of such methods makes identity theft, fraudulent withdrawals from a bank account, fraudulent electronic funds transfer, etc, possible. A vast amount of confidential data is regularly exchanged between governmental agencies and financial institutions like banks and other corporations. This transfer of information usually takes place between computers located in different and far off places. In the 1970's Horst Fiestel of IBM, developed an encryption system known as Lucifer. In 1977, the U.S National Bureau of Standards developed an encryption standard known as the Data Encryption Standard. In 1997, the NIST developed the Advanced Encryption Standard. The use of these methods makes the encrypted message almost impossible to decipher. Unfortunately, this is used by terrorists and international criminals to plan and execute their nefarious activities. (Sutton. G, William, Rubin .D, Aviel, Microsoft Encarta, n. d.) The world is becoming increasingly networked. In this scenario, data encryption algorithms of increasing complexity are ensuring the secure transmission of information across Computer Networks. Password protected logins, firewalls, anti - spy ware like intrusion detection systems, anti - virus, application safeguards like generation of checksums, use of maker checker concept in financial transactions, authentication message source, use of roles and privileges, limit on transaction amount, redundancy of backups, parallel databases and the physical security of hardware. In addition to this, a mock disaster recovery drill should be conducted on a regular

Cities Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cities Development - Essay Example 2(Mike Douglass, Kong-Chong ho, 2008). Civic spaces should be available for daily practices and other collaborative engagements of the society. Civil society must actively participate in governance and making it a livable civic society. The concept of civic spaces should be understood and analyzed in the context of urban politics and metropolitan governance. The civil spaces are not empty spaces. Civic spaces are basically an extension of the civil society. It is viewed as a stage for our public life if working properly. It is the place where celebrations are held and where the social, political and economic exchanges take place. The benefit of transforming a civic society into a great public place goes a long way. It enhances civic realm not only visually but it ensures healthy growth, provides a forum for interaction and gives foundation for enhancing the livability of the community. Without great public places great cities are not possible. There are strong linkages between civic society and the forces that shape urban politics and governance. Civil society is a very elusive phenomenon which depends on a number of internal and external forces and a wide array of inputs from different segments of the society with rising and diminishing importance in different parts of the city. Global Cities Global cities are responsible for structural conditions of urban change. There exits strong relationship between emerging social disparities in global cities and their impact on politics. These income inequalities, political injustices and power differentials have led to social movements in global cities. The most recent lived economic crises along with... This paper stresses that global cities are responsible for structural conditions of urban change. There exits strong relationship between emerging social disparities in global cities and their impact on politics. These income inequalities, political injustices and power differentials have led to social movements in global cities. The most recent lived economic crises along with the bundle of other social and cultural injustices have resulted in the rise of the civil society. This rise of civil society is prevalent in all the global cities throughout the world. The role of civil society based organizations has increased manifolds especially in the context of recent downsizing and retreat of government from service delivery. Civil society based organizations are acting as important economic and social stabilizers in the neoliberalized political economy. This report makes a conclusion that with ever increasing Globalization and capitalism still being the most dominant system I don’t see the landscape of consumption in the civil societies will undergo any major changes. Although as we have already discussed that in some advanced industrial countries the trend is movement towards rural areas in search of less crowded and serene environment. This trend is still negligible and the major and dominant trend is towards urbanization and the mushroom growth of shopping malls, theme malls and even whole commercial cities such as Dubai. I don’t see that in the current scenario cities have the potential of moving from landscape of consumption to landscape of production in the near future. Capitalism marked by consumerism will remain the trend in the near future.

Fossil Essay Example for Free

Fossil Essay Kosta had noted the recent success of Swatch fashion watches and was aware that watches and other goods could be imported from the Far East at very low cost. On a visit to Hong Kong, Tom studied a number of potential products for import including toys and stuffed animals before following Kosta’s advice and returned to the U. S. to develop a watch import business. Enlisting the aid of two friends, Lynne Stafford for her sense of design and Alan Moore who had a master’s degree in accounting, he invested his savings of $200,000 to found Fossil as a Texas corporation in 1984. Fossil’s initial purchase of watches from a Hong Kong manufacturer included some retro and jumbo designs that Macy’s thought were â€Å"hot,† and significant orders followed. A design staff was developed that included watch buyers from retail chains. Inspiration came from many sources. , however: the strongest was â€Å"retro† themes from the 1940’s and 50’s. Designers paged through magazines from this era, including Life, Look, and Time, and visited flea markets searching for old watches. Between 1987 and 1989 sales grew from $2 million to $20 million, assisted by liberal credit from the Hong Kong manufacturers of Fossil watches. One sector included conservatively styled time pieces including brands such as Citizen and Seiko. The second sector included products designed to reflect emerging fashion trends and included Swatch, Guess? , Anne Klein and Anne Klein II, and Fossil. This segment was fueled by fashion-conscious consumers who considered watches as fashion accessories and often owned multiple watches. Branded fashion watch sales were estimated to represent approximately $400 million in retail sales in 1990. Major Competitors Fossil’s major competitors were Swatch and Guess?. Although market share data were difficult to obtain, it was generally believed that Fossil and Guess? had nearly equal market shares and that Swatch had slipped to third in recent months. Numerous other considerably smaller competitors existed including Anne Klein, Anne Klein II, and Gucci. Swatch Although quartz watch technology had been developed in Switzerland, by the late 1970’s the Japanese companies’ Seiko, Citizen, and Casio and the United States’ firm Texas Instruments exploited production improvements and economies of scale to drive prices down. Strategic use of the manufacturing experience curve led to an oversupply of quartz watch movements and a severe price war. Many competitors were driven out of business with Casio, Hong Kong producers, and a few other firms surviving in mass market watches, and Seiko and Citizen in the moderately priced segment. The Swiss watch industry was under severe attack at the low and mid price points, and both unemployment and losses on bank loans were increasing. In 1978, the Swiss government agreed to provide up to one-third of the costs or a maximum of Sfr. 5 million for a venture of the leading watch manufacturers to develop a Swiss electronic watch program. Additional financing was supplied by banks, who wrote off existing loans and provided hundreds of millions of francs of new capital, and a group of investors who paid $100 million (Sfr 151 at the time) for a 51 percent share. The consulting firm of Hayek Engineering was hired to lead the effort to revive the lower-priced segment. This venture produced a number of new patents and developed both new watch and watch manufacturing technologies, along with the ability to design and manufacture watches efficiently at low cost. The resulting firm, Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking (SMH) included the existing brands Omega, Longines, Tissot, and Rado in the moderate and fine watch segments. N. Hayek and E. Thomke led efforts in the low priced segments that resulted in the Swatch manufactured by SMH’s ETA division. Development of the Swatch began in 1980, resulting in a product launch in 1983. The manufacturing process was highly automated using robots and computers in the manufacturing and assembly processes. The watch had been designed with only 51 parts, instead of the usual 90 to 150 parts in other watches, had an ex-factory price of Sfr15. Parts were injected directly into the plastic case which was sealed by ultrasonic welding. This process was highly capital intensive, leading to direct labor costs of less than ten percent of total costs. The manufacturing process permitted a wide variety of dials, cases, and straps: however, variations in the shape and size of the watch case were quite difficult. One plant could produce up to 35,000 watches a day. Swatch was test marketed in the United States in December 1982 at 100 Sanger Harris department stores in Dallas, Salt Lake City, and San Diego without any advertising or public relations. Although consumer reactions were mixed, Swatch was officially launched in Switzerland in March 1983, followed by a gradual worldwide release. A second U. S. test market in December 1983 through the Zale jewelry chain and Macy’s was not successful. Swatch made extensive adjustments throughout their marketing program, and by 1985, U. S. sales accelerated. In 1986, a worldwide single price of $30 for most models was set and sales accumulated to over 50 million units worldwide by 1988. The 100 millionth Swatch was sold in 1993, when the price of a basic Swatch was $40. In 1992, SMH had combined sales for all brands of $2. 1 billion, producing $286 million in profits and a market equity value exceeding $3. 5 billion. Banks had encouraged Nicholas Hayek to assume a 20 percent equity ownership in the mid-80’s, a successful arrangement for both. Fifteen thousand employees worked in plants in Switzerland and Thailand producing semi-conductors, watches, movements, batteries, and straps. Guess? In 1983, Philip â€Å"Mickey† Callanen acquired the worldwide license to manufacture and market watches with the Guess? name. Investing $40,000 of his personal funds, he opened business in his garage, sourced watches from Hong Kong, and shipped for the 1983 Christmas season. Growth continued through the 1980’s at over 20 percent annually. In 1991, Callanen Company was acquired by Timex, expanding distribution to Japan, Australia, France, England, Germany and Canada and providing Callanen an additional source of watch technologies such as Indiglo dial illumination. In 1993 Callanen marketed both Guess? watches for men and women and Monet watches for women. Guess? represented 85 percent of the $80 million shipments (3 million watches) in 1992. The Guess? product line included 250 to 300 styles including classic, fashion, sporty, multi-function, chronograph, novelty, and metal bracelet watches. About 20 percent of the product line was revised seasonally four times a year. Guess? watches had a suggested retail price between $42 and $115, using department stores as the major retail outlet. Fifteen percent of Guess? sales were in international markets. Additional products included watch bands and private label watches for Disney, Hard Rock Cafe, Limited Express, Macy’s, and others. Virtually all Guess? watches were designed and manufactured at Guess? ’s partly owned manufacturing facility in Hong Kong. The 270 employees included a design staff of 19. Callanen’s business offices, warehouse, and watch repair facility were located in Norwalk, Connecticut, and they had a showroom in New York City. Manufacturing and Sourcing About two million, or eighty-five percent of fine watches sold worldwide, were manufactured in Switzerland in 1988, making Switzerland the largest value producer with sales of $4. 9 billion (96 million watches) in 1990. Most other watches were manufactured in the Far East, with the major exception of Swatch, which was manufactured in a highly automated factory in Switzerland. The development of the Swatch and its robotic factory was credited with saving the Swiss watch industry. Japan was the world’s largest producer in terms of units, with 325 million units, representing 44 percent of the world’s production in 1990. Hong Kong, relying on assembly by hand, produced 175 million watches in 1990, and was expected to produce 340 million, or one-third of the world’s watches in 1993 (Table 6). Due to Hong Kong’s focus on low-priced watches, this represented only nine percent of the total value of watches produced. Fossil chose to assemble watches in Hong Kong, using components from Japan, China, Taiwan, Italy, and Korea. FOSSIL IN 1993 Business Strategy Fossil’s initial public offering prospectus defined their business strategy as: â€Å"Brand Development. The Company has established the FOSSIL brand name and image to reflect a theme of fun, fashion, and humor, and believes that the FOSSIL brand name has achieved growing acceptance among fashion-conscious consumers in its target markets. Product Value. The Company’s products provide value by offering quality components and features at moderate prices. For example, the Company’s FOSSIL watches, which offer features such as raised indexes, enamel, textured, shell or semi-precious stone dials, gold electroplating, and fine leather straps, are sold at an average retail price of $63. Likewise, the Company’s RELIC watches, which incorporate a number of features offered in FOSSIL watches, are sold at an average retail price of $42. Fashion Orientation. The Company ifferentiates its products from those of its competitors principally through innovations in fashion details, including variations in the treatment of watch dials, crystals, cases, and straps for the Company’s watches and trimming, lining, and straps for its handbags. Expansion of International Business. The Company is seeking to achieve further growth in its international business through the establishment of a joint venture to operate a European distribution center, the establishment of a branch office in Canada, and the recruitment of new distributors in selected international markets. Introduction of New Product Categories. The Company may leverage its design and marketing expertise to expand the scope of its product offerings through the introduction of new categories of fashion accessories that would complement its existing products. Active Management of Retail Sales. The Company manages the retail sales process by carefully monitoring its customers’ sales and inventories by product category and style and by assisting in the conception, development, and implementation of their marketing program. As a result, the Company believes it enjoys close relationships with its principal customers, often allowing it to influence the mix, quality, and timing of their purchasing decisions. Close Relationships with Manufacturing Sources. The Company has established and maintains close relationships with a number of watch manufacturers located in Hong Kong. The Company believes that these relationships allow it to quickly and efficiently introduce innovative product designs and alter production in response to the retail performance of its products. Coordinated Product Promotion. The Company coordinates product design, packaging, and advertising functions in order to communicate in a cohesive manner to its target markets the themes and images it associates with its products. Personnel Development. The Company actively seeks to recruit and train its design, advertising, sales, and marketing personnel to assist it in achieving further growth in its existing businesses and in expanding the scope of its product offerings. Cost Advantages. Because the Company does not pay royalties on products sold under the FOSSIL and RELIC brand names and because of cost savings associated with the location of its headquarters and warehousing and distribution center in Dallas, Texas, the Company believes that it enjoys certain cost advantages which enhance its ability to achieve attractive profit margins. Centralized Distribution. Substantially all of the Company’s products are distributed from its warehousing and distribution center located in Dallas. The Company believes that its distribution capabilities enable it to reduce inventory risk and increase its flexibility in meeting the delivery requirement of its customers. (Fossil, 1993, 23-24) Manufacturing Fossil East, a 35 employee subsidiary of Fossil (owning 20 percent interest), acted as Fossil’s exclusive agent, buying all of Fossil’s watches from approximately 20 factories located in Hong Kong. In 1992, about 21 percent of these watches were purchased from Pulse Time, a Hong Kong corporation in which Fossil held a minority interest. Three other factories each accounted for more than 10 percent of Fossil’s watches. The company felt that developing long-term relations with suppliers was essential to its success. While the loss of any single manufacturer could disrupt shipments of certain watch styles, it would not impact their overall marketing program. Leather goods were manufactured in 12 factories located in Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, and Uruguay. Fossil believed â€Å"that its policy of outsourcing products allows it to achieve increased production flexibility while avoiding significant capital expenditures, build-ups of work-in-process inventory, and the costs of managing a substantial production work force† (Fossil, 1993, 27). Products Fossil’s flagship products were the Fossil watches introduced as a brand in 1986. Handbags were introduced in 1991 as the first entry into the leather goods market. Watch Products Watches represented 98. 1, 96. 4, and 92. 5 percent of sales in the years 1990, 1991, and 1992 respectively. Following the Fossil brand, Fossil introduced the Relic brand, Fossil watch straps, and private label products. FOSSIL Watches: Fossil states its â€Å"watches are targeted at middle and upper income consumers between the ages of 16 and 40 and are sold at retail prices generally ranging from $45 to $110, with an average price of $63† (Fossil, 1993, 25). RELIC Watches: The Relic brand shared many of the features found in Fossil watches but in a format suitable for lower priced fashion watches. Relic watches â€Å"are targeted at lower and middle income consumers and are sold at retail prices generally ranging from $40 to $50, with an average price of $42. † Fossil Watch Straps: Watch straps were targeted at customers who bought Fossil watches; however, they could be used with a wide variety of watches. They were priced from $13 to $15. Private Label Products: Fossil provided private label watches for retailers and other customers. Leather Goods Following the introduction of Fossil handbags in 1991, small leather goods such as coin purses, key chains, personal organizers, wallets, and belts for women were introduced in 1992, accounting for about five percent of sales in 1992. The handbags emphasized classic styles and creative designs, including a tan and black binocular bag, a green and tan drawstring sac, and a natural color military ammunition pouch retailing from $48 to $130, with an average price of $87. Fossil felt that since women’s leather goods tended to be located near women’s watches in department and specialty stores, purchase of one Fossil product might lead to another. They also felt that they were price competitive. Design and Development The design staff sought to â€Å"differentiate its products from those of its competition principally by incorporating innovations in fashion details into its product designs. † These included variations in the treatment of dials, crystals, cases, and straps for the company’s watches and trimming, lining, and straps for handbags (Fossil 1993, 26). Fossil’s watch lines included Airmaster, Casual, Chronograph, Dress, Limited Edition, Pyramid, Crystal, Skeleton, and Vintage watches. About 500 different styles were available at any given time, with new designs offered five times a year. Over 1,000 models were available in 1992. Design prototypes of watches were created in Hong Kong in as little as a week, and lead-time from committing orders to shipment ranged from two to three months. Fossil believed that its close relationships with manufacturers gave it a competitive advantage in quickly introducing innovative product designs. Promotion Fossil made use of an in-house advertising department for design and execution of packaging, advertising, and sales promotions. Company executives felt that extensive use of computer-aided design reduced time and encouraged greater creativity in developing these programs. The company’s stated advertising themes â€Å"aim at evoking nostalgia for the simpler values and more optimistic outlook of the 1950’s through the use of images of cars, trains, airliners, and consumer products that reflect the classic American tastes of the period. These images are carefully coordinated in order to convey the flair for fun, fashion, and humor which the Company associates with its products† (Fossil, 1993, 28). A sundial watch sold over 250,000 pieces at a retail price of $16. Fossil developed cooperative advertising programs with major retail customers and developed in-store visual support through its packaging, signs, and fixtures. Consumers were offered promotional items, including unique tin boxes as watch packaging, T-shirts, caps, and pens. In ten locations, Fossil opened a â€Å"shop-in-shop† format including a wide variety of Fossil products and promotional materials. With greater emphasis on product design, retailer relations, and promotion, Fossil conducted advertising limited to spot television in local markets since 1989, national spots since 1991, outdoor advertising in four markets, and occasional ads in Elle, Mademoiselle, Vogue, and Seventeen. Distribution and Sales Force The majority of Fossil’s products were shipped to its warehouse and distribution center in Dallas. A significant number were bar coded prior to shipment for entry into a computerized inventory control system, which enabled Fossil to track each item from receipt to its ultimate sale. Products were distributed to approximately 12,000 retail locations in the United States including department stores and specialty retail stores. In 1991 and 1992, department stores accounted for about 67 percent of net sales. (Table 8 provides data on watch distribution by price and retail channel. ) Fossil’s ten largest customers accounted for 40 percent of sales. The largest customers were Dillard’s and the May Company, each accounting for from ten to thirteen percent of sales. Other principal customers included Carter Hawley Hale Stores, Dayton Hudson, Federated Department Stores, JCPenney, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Service Merchandise. Although the industry typically used independent sales representatives, Fossil made use of 25 in-house sales and customer service employees and 12 independent sales representatives. In-house personnel received a salary while independent sales reps worked on a commission basis and did not represent competing product lines. International sales in 1990, 1991, and 1992 were 5. 6, 7. 2, and 8. 1 percent of net sales, respectively. Sixteen independent distributors operated in Europe, South and Central America, Africa, and Australia. These distributors resold watches to department stores and specialty retail stores. Fossil received payment in U. S. dollars based on a uniform price schedule. Financial Strategy Fossil had started out as a â€Å"bootstrap† financed firm. Personal income and savings from Tom Kartsotis’ ticket-brokering business had provided the initial capital for the operation, and the company had further financed operations by the creative use of trade credit and bank loans. With sales growing rapidly, Fossil’s expansion needs exceeded what it could raise internally. To sustain sales growth, Fossil needed a substantial increase in working capital. Fossil’s ability to continue to fund itself with debt capital, given their exposure to volatility in the fashion product market, was questionable. An initial public stock offering (IPO) which would provide access to capital needed to expand Fossil’s working capital base and fund additional sales growth, was managed by Montgomery Securities of San Francisco. While not uncommon, IPO’s of less than $20 MM involved transaction costs that many viewed as being too high to justify the offering. A critical decision that needed to be made was what proportion of the ownership should be issued.

The Aids Crisis :: essays research papers

The AIDS Crisis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  AIDS is an epidemic that has been treated like every other plague in history. Because it is human nature to be afraid of what one cannot control, people are invariably afraid of disease and infection. Moreover, the fear is escalated many times over in that the disease starts controlling the person who it has infected. As a result, society as a whole ostracizes and black lists anyone and anything that is believed to be associated with the disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people think the United States is home of the most modern and developed society in the world. Yet, this society remains flawed in that its reaction to disease mirrors that of medieval times. Although this a society that can build anything and go anywhere, the basic fears of mankind are almost entirely the same as the dark ages. It is true that we are faced with bigger and uglier problems. However, we still try to find scapegoats for these problems instead of trying to understand them. Currently, the United States is trying to deal with the AIDS epidemic. However, that was not our initial reaction. When AIDS first reared its ugly head in the beginning of the 1980's, Americans refused to acknowledge the problem. It was considered a problem of the homosexuals and therefore did not exist. This was the same attitude of the government and yet people were dying and more were getting sick. The word AIDS was like taboo in the whole United States. This attitude also prevented the government from getting involved sooner because the government generally works on public opinion. If government officials started to talk about what people did not want to hear (AIDS and homosexuals), than those officials were in danger of losing their jobs. Society in general was ignorant of AIDS. They did not know where it came from and how people acquired the disease. This not only added to their fears but put them in more danger. They lived in the middle of the sexual revolution and it was almost like a way of life for these people. Moreover, because they were ignorant, it put them in more danger of getting the disease. This ignorance was finally abated in 1986 when Dan Rather audaciously aired a broadcast on AIDS. As a result, many people learned the dangers of their actions and of AIDS. It changed the eighties by scaring people in a more positive way.