Principles of Managing Information and Producing Documents Essay

Unit title: Principles of managing information and producing documents 1. Understand the purpose of information technology in a business environment 1. 1 Identify different types of information technology that may be used for work tasks Types of technology that could be used to do tasks at work are computer software like: Microsoft Word which is software used to create documents Excel is software that can be used for storing and organising data. Publisher is software which is used to create almost anything from documents to greeting cards. Could also use a fax machine, telephone and send emails. 1. 2 Outline the benefits of using information technology for work tasks The benefits of using technology for work tasks include: Speed – A computer can search through files and records quickly to find the information you require. It can also make it quicker and easier to change a mistake. Editing – If you hand write documents if there was a mistake you would have to retype from scratch, but on the computer documents can be easily amended. Quality – On the computer there are many tools that make the quality of a document better like spell and grammar check, templates, different fonts and emboldening, borders, bullet points or numbering and all them enable high quality documents to be produced. Access – On a computer you can control who gets access to the documents because you can just send it to certain people or if you have a password on the computer it restricts who can get on. 1. Understand how to manage electronic and paper based information 1. 1 Explain the purpose of agreeing objectives and deadline for researching information The purpose of agreeing objectives and deadlines is to ensure that you collect all the needed information to complete the task given and you will have a correct date to finish it by. You will also know what sort of resources to use to collect the data because depending on what you’re looking for something’s could be copy righted which you cannot use because it’s illegal. 1. 2 Identify different ways of researching, organising and reporting information Different sources of research are: Paper-based like libraries and newspapers. Technological which is internet, CD/DVDS and television. Asking people which is primary research and gathering research yourself is secondary. To organize information you could: Organise informations according to relevance. Put it in numeric or alphabetical order. Keep it in date order. Different ways of Filing information: Numeric order. Alphabetical Date To report information means keep a log of your information and its sources. First you should plan a report and know what the purpose is for it, then find the data you need to write a report, should then produce a draft and check everything you need is there and then finalise your report and checking it again. 1. 1 Describe procedures to be followed for archiving, retrieving and deleting information, including legal requirements, if required Electronic and paper-based methods: Out guide/Absent cards – Are used when someone removes a file from the shelf and they will insert an out guide in its place which will say which file has been taken and who has taken it. Cross Referencing – So if input onto the computer with a number you can find the original in the files. File retention polices – A company has to keep certain documents for a certain amount of time. Indexing – To keeping a list of names or subjects with references to the pages so able to find when needing the original copy from a file. You can store information on a hard drive inside your pc, you can save it onto a CD/DVD or a memory stick. You can keep data safe by having a password on everything that needs to be kept private, and could have locked away in a certain order in some unit cabinets so only certain people can get in and see the information. The best way to dispose important and personal data is to shred it. 1. 2 Explain why confidentiality is critical when managing information Confidential information could be someone’s personal details like their home address and bank details which must be kept secure under legislation requirements. It is important to keep details confidential to avoid identity theft, also makes clients feel more secure knowing there information is safe because they would not want anybody to find out there details. You can keep data secured manually which is held in a locked area or cabinet, or keep it electronically that is password controlled. 2. Understand the purpose of producing documents that are fit-for-purpose 2. 1 Identify reasons for producing documents that are fit-for-purpose Documents should be fit for purpose so that it is suitable for the audience it is intended for and so that it meets the company standards. To do this you need to make sure that the document is readable, is accurate on details and enhances the organisations reputation. 2. 2 Describe different types and styles of documents and when they are used Different types and styles of documents have different people to use for – Letters for clients and customers Emails with attachments for circulation information to colleagues Reports for providing information to colleagues Most companies have a certain house style template for documents which is formatted accordingly to the guidelines of the certain organisation. Having a template specific to the company has the benefit of promoting the company image and having consistency with documents. 1. Know the procedures to be followed when producing documents 1. 1 Identify reasons for agreeing the purpose, content, layout, quality standards and deadlines for the production of document Reasons may include ensuring the correct format is used for the type of document being produced, because if the purpose is unclear the document will not make sense as it needs to. Content – So you know how to write the document correctly for the audience. Style – Varies on the type of document, so if it was an agreement then a formal standard style would be used. Deadline – Makes the time frame clear for something to be complete, also gives the client a clear time when the project should be finished by. Efficiency – Makes the company look more professional and organised. Repetition – Doing good quality work on time gives a good impression of the company which could mean more work because they will be recommended because of its good repetition. 1. 2 Describe ways of checking finished documents for accuracy and correctness, and the purpose of doing so Ways of checking finished documents are by using the spell and grammar checker to ensure there are no mistakes, or you could ask a colleague to check the document to make sure all the necessary information has been included. You should always check that money, date, name and address details are all correct because if the address or money are incorrect someone wrong could be getting a lot or not enough money they need which would have a negative impact on the business and could lead to lost custom. 1. 3 Explain the purpose of confidentiality and data protection procedures when preparing documents You will be observing the Data Protection Act (1998) and policies and procedures of the organisation, this covers, Secure storage of documents Who should have access This is to avoid, Loss of personal data Damage to the business Prosecution The most sensitive information is anything that belongs in a personnel file like: Forms relating to employee benefits. Complaints from customers/co-workers. Records of attendance Warnings or other disciplinary actions Medical/Insurance records Litigation documents Forms providing emergency contacts Wage forms The information in a personnel file should be private and should have log ins to get into if saved onto a computer or saved in locked files and the only people that need access to it for wages etc, will have a key or the password. 1. 1 Compare different types of documents that may be produced from notes and the formats to be followed Documents that can be produced from notes are: Memo – The format will include â€Å"To†¦From†¦Ref†¦Date†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and then the relevant information being communicated. Letter – Printed on company header paper, listing reference, date, name, address, and subject, letter content, from, signature, name and job title. Also if the letter is confidential this must be stated. Report – Title, Introduction, Body of report, a conclusion, consistency of format is essential i. e. using the same font size and style throughout. Minutes – Title of the meeting, date was held, who attended. Agenda – Include apologies for absence, minuets of previous meeting, what it’s about, date, and time. 1. 2 Explain the procedures to be followed when preparing text from notes Procedures to follow when preparing text from notes Purpose for the notes. Format for the document. Check the notes to confirm right and amend if needed. Check you have all correct notes to make a document. Produce document. Check document.

Original Writing – A Wild Night

Splash. Splash. The sound of the icy water droplets falling from the polished faucet and hitting stone hard sink echoed throughout the minuscule bathroom. The steady beat of the water had more life than the young girl that was sprawled like a sleeping new born across the floor. There was no one around to state how long she had been lying there nor to care that she not eaten for a period so long that her skin had become more citrine than pale. The girl's breathing was synchronised with the dripping and her mind was in state of oblivion. Her charcoal hair enveloped her face and she had her arm stretched over her eyes, which were exhausted from the numerous amount of crying, because she did not feel ready to face reality yet. Have ever tried clear your mind of all attachments to do yoga and failed? Then you were likely to understand why it did not take long for the adolescent to cloud her mind with thoughts again. Julie's heart began to beat at the speed of a hungry puma as her mind's feelings multiplied. Her muscles were frantically quivering as she thought about the penalty of one's action. The girl's lung had started to heave while she gasped because she finally grasped the importance of time. Although her body was already concerned about the low water levels, she had let some tears escape from her swollen eyes. If you have not noticed already: Julie was having another breakdown. It was hard to believe that less than twenty four hours ago, Julie was not a depressed girl but merely a ‘normal' teenager. â€Å"I do not want you to step a foot outside this house with that boy!† Those typical words of a father left the mouth of elderly man. He stood in the doorway of a coral bedroom, which was decorated with posters of male singers and movie posters, to barricade his daughter from the dangers of pubescent boys. His daughter was caught up in the excitement from receiving boys' attention and he knew that it was his job to protect her. No fathers want to loose their children especially at a young age. His small frame hardly allowed him to properly block the room entrance but he gave a stern look and disallowed any doubts of his decision to enter his mind. However, Julie, who took after her father, was determined to take her step to the wild side. She felt that she had grown up to be too obedient and sensible under the watchful eyes of her parents and the time had come to create equilibrium by thrusting herself into the thrilling side of being a teenager. Julie believed that she worked hard all her life and that she deserved to have a taste of what her fellow peers experienced regularly; she wanted to party all night and watch a genuine brawl between a gang of boys. After all, good grades and respect were not the only merits of life. Julie positively did not want the others to use the phrase ‘an apple does not fall far from its tree' to describe her. â€Å"Whatever you say, father.† Julie's reply came with a sigh and a slight roll of eyes, which was a behaviour her father thought she had gained from school, before leaping onto her floral designed bed. Her father was quite taken back by her sudden gesture of succumbing, but he felt convinced that he was able to sway his daughter from starting a life of rebellion. He wanted to believe that his daughter had grown up to be reasonable and resist the temptations of becoming reckless as she knew the terrible aftermath. The father gave a small nod to express his triumph and he hurriedly backed away from his girl's room to leave her at peace. Unfortunately, he failed to notice that his girl's left middle finger was wrapped around the forefinger behind her back, a sign which made her promise as valid as Zeus' promise to Helena about not having any more affairs. Moments after her father had left, Julie ambled to casement. The metal bars shielding the window were the only features that stopped Julie from feeling that her home was a complete prison. She tilted her head forward against the artic cold window, as she was searching for a familiar figure, only to find her patient friend slouching against his Audi. Julie slithered her left forefinger across the chilly window sill. Then, for a brief minute, as a flash of idea entered Julies mind. The corners of her lips curled up. The adolescent lifted her left gradually. She gripped the metal hook of liberty tightly. Julie pushed down and swung the window wide open. She had thrust her head forward to observe the distance of the ground. Freedom. Julie raised her legs and crouched on the window ledge. She was about to leap when she felt her heart hammer against her ribs. New thoughts of doubt about her actions were accumulating in her mind: was she doing the right thing? Should she have just listened to her father? Julie squeezed her eyes tight as a way of blocking the qualms. As she had believed, it was time for her to rebel against her secure life. The teenager leaned forward, so that she could prepare for the pain, and took her leap. Rory took a break from his constant head bobbing to watch in bewilderment as a petite body fell right in front of him. Julie pulled her self up and paused to let the jab of pain to fade. She gently moved the strands of dark face behind her ear and straightened her clothes before limping forward. The boy gazed into Julie's auburn eyes in an awkward stillness and wondered how serious the girl was to experience what he thought was a good time. He had always thought of Julie as a robot; she was always doing her work and remained so courteous. He had offered her peek at an alternative life (his life) as a joke. She had accepted. Rory was awed by what had just happened and at that moment felt a little fear. â€Å"Are we going to go or what?† Julie had sliced the eerie silence between them. â€Å"Yes†¦ Yes! Where should we go?† â€Å"You're the expert, surprise me.† She was anxious at first; she did not know what to expect or if it was right to trust Rory. However, when they arrived at a club, Julie felt she was part of long lost community. The club may have been exceedingly dim and yet humid, but Julie had put aside the difficulty in breathing and vision because she felt welcomed into a society that she was already a part of. Julie was met with expressions of astonishment as faces from her daily life came up to her, but they were soon replaced with expressions of delight. She experienced disappointment as bitter liquor flowed through her throat with a nutty aftertaste. Beer was definitely overrated but it grew onto her. Her body was searing and her skin was damp with all the sweat that was caused from all the energy Julie used from dancing. She felt her ears and cheeks burn and the pungent smell of gasoline as her companion came closer after every song. The rhythmic music blasted louder every second while the faces of the dancers became hazier. Julie did not care that care that she was becoming exhausted or nauseous because she was more grateful that for once, she had felt like one of her fellow peers. It was past midnight when Julie and Rory stumbled out. Julie started giggling to cover her hesitation from staying out too late. They both knew they had carried away but when Rory felt calm, Julie felt a mixture of adrenaline and fear. She had never stayed out that late and the feeling of guilt injected into her because her father would be worried. Julie tried to shuffle towards Rory's car, but it was camouflaged with the coal-black night. She could also feel her knees becoming weak as her legs trembled. Why did she drink so much when she knew the side effects? Rory grabbed the girl as she started to tilt and dragged her into the automobile. He was prepared for those kinds of situation as he was experienced. â€Å"Want to have a little more fun before our little adventure ends?† Rory gave a devious grin as he suggested to the intoxicated girl. It did not matter that Rory was drunk while he was driving to the two friends, all it mattered that the girl got home. Julie rested her face on her fist as she began to feel light headed. His hint annoyed her at first because it felt like his voice was bashing against her head, but then she took an awareness of what he said; she nodded her head in agreement. The more thrills they felt, the more Julie felt she had achieved. â€Å"Let us end this night in a bang!† Rory flashed his teeth with a smile as he put more pressure on his feet. Julie's hair began to flutter as the wind rushed in from the open windows. They both started to feel their heads throb as the car jump from the speed bumps. The roads and houses had started to zoom by at a faster speed. Julie could feel her stomach's content pushing up as she felt the car vibrate against her body. The two teenagers' eyelids were becoming heavier by the second. Julie gave a small smile as they passed a recognizable row of houses at sixty miles per hour before drifting off. Rory's mind became dazed as he identified a distant small figure, which was waving their arms hysterically, in the middle of the street. He tried to put pressure in his right foot to work the brakes but the car only seemed to be going faster. His arms were moving the steering wheel in all directions as he didn't know what to do. The boy gave up and started to buckle his own belt he felt his body rammed forward. The car crashed into an undersized body that had rolled up the bonnet and collide into the front window. The revolting taste of iron and bitter entered his mouth. The last thing his memory contained was the image of an unconscious face similar to Julie's cover with shards of glass. The bonnet and screen were drenched in fresh crimson blood. A ruined car was the least of Rory's troubles as he heard the piercing sirens amplifying. Her father's death had resulted Julie to conceal herself in the hospital's bathroom. She wanted to avoid the sympathy of the nurses because they boosted the guilt and sorrow that filled her soul. Julie wanted to be alone to prepare herself for the emptiness that was to follow. She clasped her hand tightly and questioned quietly why that was happening to her. For when she wanted to feel achievement and exhilaration, she filled with distress and loneliness. Her father did not deserve to be punished for her own insolence. She was mourning in her own place of escape and dreaded what was to happen when will step out. Julie has grasped the idea that actions come with consequences and was her responsibility her life does not get out of control. Regrettably, she learnt that lesson the hard way,

Deontology and Utilitarianism Essay

There are two types of Deontology the first one is, one should act based on duty, and the second one is action should be based on the right intention and nothing else. Utilitarianism is when you have to think about the majority of the people no matter what the consequences is. It is based on maximizing happiness for everyone involved. I would favor Deontology because I think you should do your duty and only do what is right. If you have the right intention you can accomplish anything. If you murder someone I think it’s wrong no matter whom you did it for or why you did it. There are many reasons I disagreed with utilitarianism for example if a hospital had four patients who are dying with the same disease and there is a healthy patient that can help all four dying patients utilitarianism will kill the healthy patient to do justice to the majority of the people. I think that’s wrong because by killing one healthy patient you do not know what the survival rate is for the four sick patients. The reason I chose deontology is because I believe in doing the right thing based on the duties. No matter how close you are to a person you should always turn them in if they are wrong. If they are stealing form someone right then you should know how she/he is because if they are stilling from someone else then how do you know they will not steal from you. I think if I have the right intention I could not go wrong with anything.

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example Such an organization will have competitive advantages such as certified ISO 9000, reduction in costs, delivery on time, new technologies and CRM implementation. Marketing activities are important because they add value to CRM through tracking a customer’s activities. CRM, in current days, is considered a buzzword in selling and marketing activities (Bidgoli, 2010). There is tracking of cookies, which is similar to that of Google Analytics, which will allow an organization to build a digital trail of a customer interacting with the firm automatically. Google Analytics does provide the overall trends of the visitors while marketing automation will offer tracking at a micro level hence the organization is able to see the activities of its customers. For instance, a customer will open a paper, view the price information in the paper and this information is able to give sales representatives intelligence regarding their prospects. CRM can include capabilities of emails while market ing using automated software will offer comprehensive marketing system via the email. Most of the features of automated marketing include the abilities of sending blast emails that will display each sales representative, email resending tests among others. Traditional forms of marketing used to focus on the 4ps for increasing market share. The market share was increased through increasing the volume of transactions taking place between a buyer and a seller. On the contrary, CRM currently focuses on use of various strategies, procedures, tools and technologies available in promoting good relationship between customers and sellers for the purpose of increasing the sales volume, profit of the firm and creating customer satisfaction. Ways to Deploy CRM Solutions available for CRM today encompass more than just market automation and sales, but also building customer loyalty, mobile and internet business and Web 2.0 driven value of CRM in the society. Therefore, CRM has expanded to be a k ey predictor of the business activities done by enterprises. Options available for an enterprise to consider when deploying CRM include hybrid combination, RMS on the premise, on premise CRM that is managed by the vendors, etc. Organizations that employ o-premise deployment method lease infrastructure that include the operation systems. These applications will be installed in the organization’s data center and hence the entire package will be owned by the organization. The firm can customize the applications as needed because it has full control over all infrastructure and data. Siebel CRM product from Oracle Corporation uses this category and according to Gartner, this type of deployment makes up seventy percent of the total CRM market. Vendor Managed CRM deployment on the premise is similar to on-premise deployment although in this case, the vendor is responsible for providing the operational support for the entire application at the site hosting the application. The firm p reserves the ability of this application to function and they can customize the application to a specified extent. Modifications on this application can be done by mixing internal resources and resources supplied by the vendors. Use of server roles enables a company to deploy other servers to other servers for performance (Wolenik

Polynesian Questions and Answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Polynesian Questions and Answers - Essay Example allotted $15 million annually to aid them. This brought about the sudden change in the people and had significantly impacted on their culture but did nothing to enable them to implement a self-sustaining economy (Dunford and Ridgell, 1996, p. 60-62). The people came to be overly dependent on the financial aid extended to them and started the commotion fuelled by greed and disparity primarily because of the mismanaged resources that landed constantly on an ill-prepared group of people. The concept of family before the advent of dependency in Micronesia had drastically changed over the last decades. The social unit was characterized by nuclear families that lived together in a compound with harmonious relations with each other. Hezel describes this community where in Chuuk for example dwellings would be in a single cluster of land where extended family units live and in this area there would be what is called a fanang which is basically a cookhouse where the families would take turns i n cooking the meal enough for every member of the nuclear family. The will also be an uut which serves many purposes such as a meetinghouse or a dormitory for the unmarried men as well as a place for them to learn. Other islands would entail similar practices such as Chuuk where most would be centrally matrilineal such as Marshalls and Pohnpei. This would take its turn and change when Western imposition found its way to them (Hezel, 2001, p.9-10). It was in 1991 after having been bona fide member of the United Nations when the Federated States of Micronesia had to elect their own government officials in a legislature who will choose among themselves the person to represent them as president. The people were allowed to migrate to the United States of America where approximately 2,000 flocked to Guam, Hawaii and mainland United States, a great block settling in the two previously mentioned U.S. territories (Dunford and Ridgell, 1996, p. 90-91). The people found this mass migration to be a necessity in order to provide for their underprivileged families by sending them remittances from foreign land instead of staying in a direly impoverished country. With many of its productive citizens abroad labouring on foreign land, Micronesia suffered continued economic immobility for lack of effective economic policy carried over from its years as a trust territory. The islands became excessively dependent on the annual budget provided by the United States and they were not able to cultivate a sense of economic stability since aid regularly comes their way. Father Hezel maintains that though a great number of Micronesians have settled in U.S. soil, many still find themselves deeply rooted to their native land. â€Å"Anyone who thinks that Micronesian emigrants abroad simply vanish one day never to be seen again need only to scan the departure area of a return flight to the islands to discover that this is far from the case (Hezel, 2001, p.159). The mass of Micronesians who were able to immigrate to the United States affects health care and education in the sense that they add up to the government expenditure necessary to finance public education and health care. Most of them have found a permanent home far from their native land and this equates to additional families that rely on government support to live according to decent

Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors Essay

Best Practices Manual for New Supervisors - Essay Example Supervisors may not be primarily responsible for all of the staffing activities, but they are usually involved in one or more of them. Thus, if supervisors are to be effective in the staffing function, they must understand each of these activities. How does one become a good supervisor Among the primary factors that distinguish supervisors from operative employees are the level and types of decisions that they must make. A supervisor must be concerned with how a decision might affect his or her employees and the organization. An operative employee, in contrast, is primarily concerned with how a decision affects him or her individually. People who don't like making decisions usually do not make good supervisors. The purpose of this chapter is to acquaint the supervisor with the activities and procedures of the staffing function. It also takes a look at the various training programs that best matches the selected workforce in an organization that is into production and another that is in retail business. Communication is an important factor in understanding and interpreting information between individuals and groups. A clear, precise and effective communication is what makes a person stand out in a crowd. It is best to talk to the point than describe in detail which could ultimately create a doubt in the mind of the listener. Effective communication determines how to influence negotiations more effectively and build confidence, staying in control when negotiating, and avoiding manipulation. Communication skills also include listening and empathy; Appreciative inquiry, a major breakthrough in organization development, training and development and in "problem solving," in general. Communication can also be non-verbal, that is, it could be also sign language. Good posture and clear language are hallmarks of good communication skills. It is imperative that any individual who believes in a good communication and shows real concern and respect for the other person's view listens with inte rest and care. During training, supervisors take it upon themselves to teach their trainees the art of proper communication. It must be understood that it is these same trainees who will be representing the organization while addressing customers. If an employee is found to be rude or uncooperative, customers will leave the company without doing any business, which is detrimental to the business. Thus, communication plays an important role in the development of business. 2.1 Technical Systems in Communication Another method of communication to enhance production is by the use of the electronic media. This could be termed as the "Productivity Paradox". To solve the productivity paradox (Brynjolfson [1993]) implied obtaining a better understanding of the relationship between the spread of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the organizational transformation of firms, markets and other

Human behavior as it relates to safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human behavior as it relates to safety - Essay Example Theory X proves, that most workers do not like work and try to avoid it, so the best incentives for these workers are either forcing them to do something (using total control or methods of punishment), or provide them with additional rewards (financial or tangible). Thus, a worker will keep to safety rules if he receives a reward for this, or if he is punished for not doing this. On the contrary, theory Y states, that a worker is eager to take responsibility, and he can get satisfaction from his work. The main incentives for him are self-affirmation together with tangible and intangible rewards, and even enforcement (in some cases) (Mroszczyk 2012). Thus, a worker usually keeps to the safety rules, if he is satisfied with his job, or if the companys management motivates him to do so. Theory Z differs from the previous theories, as it suggests a brand new approach to treating and motivating workers. This theory suggests to put emphasis on care about every worker as a person, attract them to group decision making and organize constant feedback between workers and managers. Thus, a worker himself is attracted to make decisions on his safety and is encouraged to do so for the sake of himself and his personality. Psychologists proved, that increasing attention to a worker, holding a constant dialogue between him and his leaders, encouraging him think differently are better methods to increase safety at a working place, than to use incentives or enforcement (Geller 2001, Hofmann and Morgeson 1999). Thus, theory Z is the best for predicting a workers behavior towards safety. Hofmann, D. A., Morgeson, F. P. (1999). Safety-related behavior as a social exchange: The role of perceived organizational support and leader–member exchange. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(2),

Chronic Illness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Chronic Illness - Essay Example With the fact that this is a serious problem in mind, it is important to take a critical look at some of the specific trend details, with particular attention to demographics and the state-by-state basis. This owes to the fact that different demographics is affected differently and states have diverse localized approaches to dealing with t problem, such as community health programs. Another important element to address includes the interventions that have been put in place in dealing with the problem as well as ways in which national and local policy impacts health care of individuals with chronic illness. This paper seeks to illuminate, among others necessary, the aforementioned issues and concepts. The basic definition of a chronic illness is one that cannot be cured, but can be treated. There is a wide range of them, including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, dementia and different mental health problems among many others. One would add that there are various ways in which chronic illnesses can be prevented because they are preventable. Apart from prevention, they can be managed effectively using frequent exercise, improvements in diet, therapy, and early detection (Chang & Johnson, 2014). Chronic illnesses occur throughout one’s life cycle, aggravating in old age. It has been noted that, over the last one decade, chronic diseases have replaced infectious diseases to become the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. In addition, their prevalence has been on the rise. In a report that was presented in 2011, based on a primary research study, it was noted that chronic illnesses have not only increased among older adults but has also led to an increase in disability and impairment cases (Hung et al, 2011). This study established that chronic diseases are increasingly affecting adults between

Develop a business idea Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Develop a business idea - Assignment Example However, Joparadise Flower Shop intends to do things differently to create a strong customer base and meet their needs and expectations. Therefore, the Joparadise Flower Shop will demonstrate expertise in flower arrangement and give clients great offers (Chadwick 2015, p. 62). The flower shop will focus on fresh cut flowers as well as the artificial ones and focus on occasions such as birthdays, weddings, funerals, debuts, anniversaries and other special occasions. The Joparadise Flower Shop will give its esteemed customers special offers and discounts. As mentioned above, Joparadise Flower Shop intends to do things differently. Therefore, the business will exhibit expertise in creating unique flower arrangement for customers while offering them quality flowers at reasonable prices (Daniel 2004, p. 54). Flowers by Rosemary offers expensive deals and the Joparadise Flower Shop will offer quality at a reduced price. Moreover, the Joparadise Flower Shop will combine both cut and artificial flowers in order to have a diverse customer base (Desch 2011, p. 34). Without a doubt, the Joparadise Flower Shop flower shop will surpass the expectations of customers. A close analysis of the market reveals that Joparadise Flower Shop can focus on males between the age of 20 and 60 who are likely to buy flowers for different occasions. Some of the identified occasions are weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, valentines, funerals, and other special occasions (dpala@metroland.com 2015, p. 4). Women are also potential customers, especially for funerals and anniversaries. Individuals who buy flowers are more likely to belong to the middle or upper-class society with high incomes. Therefore, they can spare a part of their income and invest in expensive flowers (Flower shops braces for busy season, 2015, p. 23). Mostly, men who purchase flowers are either married, engaged, or on committed relationships. For this reason, they are likely to buy flowers for their

The Validity of The Developmental Theories of Freud, Erikson and Essay

The Validity of The Developmental Theories of Freud, Erikson and Piaget based on the personal experiences of Amy - Essay Example In the oral stage, a child gets satisfaction and pleasure through mouth, tongue and lips. Toilet training plays a significant role in delivering pleasure and satisfaction to a child in the anal stage. The third is the phallic stage when sexual organs become a focal point for both the genders. This is also a stage for the development of Oedipus complex in which sexual attraction is developed for the opposite gender. The Latency or Puberty is the fourth stage in which Oedipus complex is resolved through repressing the open expressions of sex; though the dominant area of gratification is still the genital area. The Genital Stage (Puberty onwards) where primary interest turns towards the opposite sex. However, the individual understands the social taboos and try to play within the social norms (see the website). Erikson (29-34) development theory identifies eight stages of human development. In Trust-Mistrust stage, trust is defined as an essential trust on others and one's own self, whi ch is important and has lasting effects throughout the life. Toddlers try to control the environment by doing small things for themselves such as holding feeder in the stage of autonomy-shame and doubt, which brings sense of autonomy if they are successful. During Initiative-guilt stage, children take initiatives and feel guilty if they are discouraged. Comparison with peers becomes important in the Industry-inferiority stage and negative evaluation of one one's own self is damaging. In the Ego Identity-Ego diffusion phase, the adolcence tries to integrate many roles such as sibling, student, athlete, worker into a self-image and leads to dissatisfaciton if develops a feeling that they are not capable to fulfill the role. The next phase is Intimacy-Isolation in which one learns to develop meaningful relationship with others and draw satisfaction and encouragment. The Generativity-Stagnation is phase of adulthood in which one seeks satisfaction in productivity in career, family and s ocietal work. One feels satisfied in the stage of Integrity-Despair if one feels that he has reasonable accomplishments in the past. Jean Piaget (see website) gives four periods of development. The Sensorimotor period has six stages including development of reflexes, habits, coordination between vision and prehension, and beginning of creativity. Pre-Operatory thoughts, Pre-Operational stage, and Sensorimotor are stages of Preoperational period in which a child starts from learning to represent objects by images and words to developing language skills. The Concrete Operational period is the period of cognitive development where a child learns to sort objects in shape and colors, identifies sets of objects, considers multiple aspects to solve a problem, learns complex reversable aspects such as mathmatics, understands and develops ability to arrange unrelated arrangments of numbers, quality and numbers in a meaningful way and leaves egocenterism. In formal operational period, a child develops the ability to think abstractly, reason logically and draw conclusions from the information available. The crux of the theories is that specific developmental conflict becomes critical at a certain stage but that does not mean that attributes of each stage is only related to a specific stage. A passed stage has

Misconceptions is Ruining the Marriage Rules Essay

Misconceptions is Ruining the Marriage Rules - Essay Example The guideline provides that the wife shall surrender unto her husband in a similar manner as the husband surrenders himself to his lord. The wife becomes a plain adherent to the inclinations of the husband as they are united in marriage. The wife is decreed by the marriage vow to live a prudent and virtuous life, subservient to her husband in their chosen place of abode (Briffault and Malinowski, 1956). Among the Muslims, the doctrine for marriage were believed to be set by God and handed down by God to his creation from the time of Adam and Eve, through all the succeeding prophets until the time of Muhammed. The doctrine provides equal rights and privileges for the wife and the husband as they dwell together in marriage. The wife and the husband adhere to each other, each having a definite role in their married life. While the wife provides a cover for her husband against commission of transgressions and safeguards her man's properties, the husband provides for the dwelling, the sus tenance, and other needs of the family (Ali, 1935; Stiles, 2005). In the present day, however, the prevailing issue in marriage similar to easing up of Islamic marriage rules in Zansibar (Abu-Odeh, 2004) is "a predisposition to polygamy". T The most visible evidence that misconceptions now permeates marriage topic of concern is the unfortunate emphasis by couples living apart for reasons of source of income or work which is a predisposition to polygamy. For example, the husband has to be in a foreign nation for a year to work and earn the living for a family who are left in his native land. Working abroad by either the wife or the husband has become a standard practice for families. How many people can ignore the physical, moral, and social needs of an individual The commitment of time spent away from the family is not small. The thoughts of being away from the family are equally nerve-racking. Although the internet, the cell phones, the televisions, the video games, and the malls are handy tools to alleviate worries and longings, but, these can certainly not substitute the physical presence. Evidence that misconceptions are ruining the marriage rules is the emphasis on husbands having different social interest than their wives or vice versa. While the husband loves golf, the wife on the other hand prefers ballroom dancing. Huge predisposition to polygamy awaits each other on each side of the social interest. For example, in the present time, usually attractive, young ladies are assigned to carry umbrellas for

Vivienne Westwood Designer Report Essay Example for Free

Vivienne Westwood Designer Report Essay Vivienne Westwood, born on April 8 1941 is a British fashion Designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream. (Price) Westwood was born Vivienne Isabel Swire in the village of Tintwistle Derbyshire, daughter of Gordon Swire and Dora Swire. At age 17, Vivienne and her family moved to Harrow, London. She studied at the Harrow School of Art University of Westminster, taking fashion and silversmithing but she left after one term saying, â€Å"I didn’t know how a working class girl like me could possibly make a living in the art world. After taking a job in a factory and studying at a teacher training college, she became a primary school teacher. During this period, she also created her own jewelry which she would sell at a stall on Portobello Road in London (Susannah) In 1961 at age 20, Vivienne Swire met Derek Westwood, a Hoover factory apprentice in Harrow. They married in July 1962 and Vivienne made her own wedding dress for the ceremony. Vivienne and Derek’s marriage lasted three years with Vivienne continuing to teach while making jewelry. At around this time she met Malcolm McLaren (Susannah) When she met Malcolm McLaren, it signified the end of Westwoods marriage to Derek. Westwood and McLaren moved to a council flat in Clapham. Westwood continued to teach until 1971 when Malcolm decided to open a boutique at 430 Kings Road called Let It Rock (later known variously as Sex, Too Fast to Live Too Young to Die, and Seditionaries† and now Worlds Ends, where Westwood sells her Vivienne Westwood label clothing. Westwood created clothes which McLaren conceived, drawing inspiration from bikers, fetishists and prostitutes. During this period, McLaren became manager of the punk band Sex Pistols and subsequently the two garnered attention as the band wore Westwood and McLarens designs. Westwood was deeply interested in the punk fashion phenomenon of the 1970s, saying I was messianic about punk, seeing if one could put a spoke in the system in some way. (Alejandra) The punk style included BDSM fashion, bondage gear, safety pins, razor blades, bicycle or lavatory chains on clothing and spiked dog collars for jewelry, as well as outrageous make-up and hair. Essential design elements include the adoption of traditional elements of Scottish esign such as tartan fabric. In the 1980s, John Fairchild named the young Westwood one of the six most influential designers of our times in his fashion bible, the Womens Wear Daily. Her first catwalk show was presented in 1981, featuring the collaboration of Westwood and McLaren. The theme that year was Pirates. Since then, she has won British Designer of the Year three times. (The Design Museum) She dubbed the period 1981 to 1985, new romantic and 1988 -1991 The Pagan Years during which Vivienne’s heroes changed from punks and ragamuffins to ‘Tatler’ girls wearing clothes that parodied the upper class. The period from 1993 to 1999 she called Anglomania and from 2000 to the present – Exploration. Vivienne Westwood revolutionized fashion, and her impact can still be felt. Her clothes are full of historical references, particularly to the 17th and 18th century, which serve as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for her. In addition, with her own technique for draping and pattern cutting, Westwood creates clothes with a characteristic volume, continually amazing her public. As for her latest collection, the pieces continue to reveal her glam, rock and rebel spirit. More now than ever, the designer was also chosen by Disneyland Paris and Unicef (along with 24 other designers) to relook the fairy tale princesses. The most fortunate among us who dream of a haute couture princess gown will be able to procure Snow Whites dress by Vivienne Westwood. Vivienne Westwoods influence in her taste for the eccentric and the provocative can be found today at John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and even Viktor Rolf. These stylists attended the school of she who once declared, My secret? Always keep them guessing

Examine functionalism explanations of socialisation

Examine functionalism explanations of socialisation Examine functionalism explanations of socialisation within the family Functionalists believe in the concept that of consensus and that that the family is at the heart of society, and is the key attribute in keeping society in an orderly and efficient manner. They also believe that hold the view that the nuclear family best suits the for anan advanced industrial society because it is more mobile to move from different areas thsan the traditional extended family because there a ferwer people making it economically viable,(Parsons nuclear isolated family theory.There view of the nuclear family comprises of the economi provider breadwinner husband (instrumental superior) and dependant wife (expressive superior) and children. Sociologists such as Durkheim have developed the functionalistic approach towards the family. Most of the sociloisdts coming from the United States. Functionalism is a theory that explains the role of the family within society- functionalists acknowledge the positive aspects of society and look at society on a macro scale. The family is a unit which workers for the efficiency and stabilisation of society. Functionalism is based on the belief of consensus, for example we are socialised on the norms of society- from what is right and from what is wrong. Early sociologists such as Durkheim (1858-1917) recognized how organic solidarity could be used to explain some social institutions and behaviours Durkheim stated that there were two types of solidarity, (mechanical and organic) mechanical solidarity being characterised by the division of labour yet this was deemed problematic by Durkheim. Organic solidarity on the other hand is when individuals see society as interdependent which according to Durkheim is essential for modern society to avoid anomie. Functionalist therefore are of the belief that every institution contributes to the smooth running of society- in particular the family being the most prominent function that keeps society from anarchy by producing social actors that are socialised stable individuals. The American social scientist Murdock thoroughly analysed two hundred and fifty societies and claimed that some sort of family existed in every form of society and therefore concluded that from his evidence that the family is universal. He refers to the family as a social group characterised by common residence, economic co-operation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of sexually cohabiting adults. He argues that the sexual and reproductive functions are essential. If reproduction did not take place there would be no members of society; it prevents disruptive effects on social order that would normally result if the sexual urges were allowed free-play. The family provides control and expression. Murdock also states that without the economic function no preparation and provision of food would take place his believes that the economic aspect of the family is enhan ced when the persons live together. Despite Murdocks thorough research of societies and observations of the family, his theory of the universal functions of the family have undergone numerous criticisms; many having the similar tone that there are many different types of families for example single parented families which are just as functional as the ideal nuclear family and in some circumstances have a better relationship with the child as there is more trust and responsibility delegated to the child. One critic stated the contents of values is culturally and historically specific and variable, and is no way universal. However Murdocks era also has to be taken into account when considering his theory, as the nuclear family was deemed the norm and he would have been socialised to be compatible with that concept. Parson is of the belief that the basic function of the family is the primary socialization of children so that they can become civilised members of the society he also believes that the family is essential for the stabilization of adult personalities- as it gives the adult opportunity to express signs of stress for example the family could relieve the adult of a stressful day at work. Parsons view was that these two functions were positively correlated because a child can be socialized into a society only if the society was institutionalized and organized into expected role structures which gives the adult stability. Parson despite criticism, believed that the patriarchal family was a strong and stable and consisted of a hierarchy which consisted of the instrumental superior father (husband), the instrumental inferior son (brother), the expressive superior mother (wife) and the inferior expressive superior daughter (sister).This role structure is the normal nuclear family. Parsons makes some assumptions regarding the family, especially regarding specific genders for example the woman is better fitted for the home and the man for more manual labour. Radical feminists argue that Parsons view of the female role in the family is an inaccurate perspective regarding the lives of females and believe that they are oppressed within the home and have to be the stereotypical emotive nurturer due to such theorists as Parson which make them confined to those roles- without there being an actual choice. Parson views the nuclear family as being best fitted for industrialisation for example jobs of today demand a desire for increased education, which means too many children on the become economic liabilities because the time taken to nurture children and the costs of schooling is very expensive. Too many children would not be economically viable which is why the industrialised family has been reduced. The reduction in size means the nuclear family is more geographically and socially mobile. Extended kinship is not needed resulting that extended kin are visited out of choice and not obligation. However this has been debated, it has been argued that specialised jobs such as politicians have to move relocate on demand, the rest of the population which is the majority, can easily remain situated in the same location for a number of years, and that the extended kin remain a fundamental part of the family as they often are in the third generation and pass down their knowledge and culture which in turn is internalised by the children and adults. Parsons work has been criticised by some theorists such as Robert Merton ( who worked in close proximity with Parsons) he argued that the social sciences were not yet ready for such sweeping theory but still had a tremendous amount of work to do gathering data and summarizing research findings with more modest theory. Interactionist theorists criticized functionalism for failing to conceptualize adequately the nature of actors and the process of interaction. Parsons work has been criticized, but has influenced generations of family scholars. Due to Durkheim, the grounds of functionalism were founded, and such social scientists as Murdock and Parsons expanded further of his ideas of the family- that the family socialises an individual through both primary and secondary socialisation, aiding the development of a stable adult character- however the individual is never fully socialised as society is continually evolving society.

Aspergers Syndrome and Autism Stereotypes and life

Aspergers Syndrome and Autism Stereotypes and life According to the Center for Disease Control, Autism (or a closely related disorder such as Aspergers Syndrome) affects 1 in 150 children in the United States. (Overview Autism, DD, NCBDDD, CDC) The first thing that you think of when you hear of Aspergers Syndrome or Autism; are the age old stereotypes that one with Aspergers Syndrome or Autism are labeled with, such as: that they cant feel emotions, they lack empathy, and most of all they are all like the guy from Rain Man. What about the positive side of having Aspergers Syndrome/Autism. Most of all, living with Aspergers Syndrome or Autism may come as a struggle, but with the right support anything is possible. Even though this is the twenty-first century; a lot of people still label people on the Autistic Spectrum with the age old stereotypes, but not all individuals on the spectrum abide by those stereotypes: The fact that individuals on the autism spectrum have no emotion is not true. The emotion is there; but the individual might have a hard time expressing those emotions, or the way the emotion is triggered is different then everyone elses. The myth about individuals on the spectrum not having a sense of humor is false. The individual on the spectrum might find different to be funny such as satire. It said that there is no capacity for improvement for those on the spectrum, and that is false. If the individual is given the right support and a positive environment, they will be able to improve. The age old stereotype within the autism spectrum is that they are all good at math, music or science, but that is a hit and miss situation. Sometimes an individual is bad at math but good at other things such as recognizing faces. (Carley 19-21) According to Reitman, Most stereotypes of persons with autism are that they are odd, aloof, strange, or loners. Those who are labeled with Aspergers tend to be thought of as nerds or brains but as people who lack basic social graces, lack manners, and do not have friends. Those characterizations are rarely the truth though and those with these labels often struggle to free themselves of them. (Reitman) What Reitman means; when an individual on the spectrum is labeled with these stereotypes it is a challenge for them to prove their community and the world wrong, and that they can achieve anything that they put their mind to. From Frys personal stand point, People on the spectrum tend to be labeled as: geeky nerdy people with no social skills, lack of empathy, sometimes as someone with a mental health issue rather than neurological condition, and as someone who may be learning disabled. (Fry) Not all people on the spectrum can calculate dates and generate calendars in their heads like Rain Man can. Only those with a form of Savant Syndrome have those kinds of abilities. According to Jackson, being talented at math is either a hit or miss: I am no genius in this area but a lot of AS kids are. It seems to be one thing that you either excel at or you dont. A lot of kids with AS love Latin, German, and definitely information technology (IT). There may be some subjects which are better suited to an AS persons brain but, generally speaking, we are not clones and have our own strengths and weaknesses. Despite the film Rain Man, we dont all have these amazing mathematical skills. (Jackson 123) The positives of having Aspergers Syndrome or Autism are, having an extraordinary memory and being honest. Lisa Rudy from About.com has listed the top 10 terrific traits of Autistic people, and just to name a few of them: Autistics rarely judge other people, they are less materialistic, play fewer head games, and they have fewer hidden agendas. (Rudy) Pyles stated: Many people with Aspergers Syndrome tend to have normal or high levels of intelligence, and test in the high IQ ranges. Individuals with Aspergers Syndrome tend to have phenomenal memories, especially for things they are interested in. Most individuals with Aspergers Syndrome tend be very honest and they rarely tell lies. Lies dont work for them anyways. Also people with Aspergers Syndrome are law-abiding citizens. (Pyles 67-69) So if someone thinks an individual on the spectrum is lying and insist thats true; then that are wrong, because people on the Autistic Spectrum dont have a reason to tell lies, because of most the time when they do tell lies; they are bad at it and then they feel guilty for lying. Imagine that a person can remember almost everything that happened to them; in this cause that is true for individuals on the Autistic Spectrum. They can remember almost anything such as: exact details, places, events and sometimes exact date and time. According to Kanners research on Autism: Many of Kanners children had superb rote memory. They were able to remember and mechanically repeat large amounts of information. Some of the children were capable of memorizing and repeating long and unusual words. Others repeated the questions and answers of the Presbyterian Catechism, list of animals, nursery rhymes, a roster of the U.S. presidents, and lullabies in French. (Rodriguez 31) People on the Autistic Spectrum deal with everyday life the best way that they can; most of the time a person on the spectrum can lead an almost normal life with a little bit of help. For example, they would have to learn coping skills to deal with everyday dramas and to make the right decision during tough times, and social skills to help them get along in society. Society isnt made for those on the spectrum, and is actually made for a NeuroTypical. NeuroTypical is defined as: An informal term used by the online autism community to denote those whose neurological development and function is within the normal range. (A World Apart Definitions) That is no excuse though for a person on the spectrum to give up on society and live a stereotypical life. For those living on the spectrum, it is hard to pick up on social cues or figure out what is the right behavior for each social situation. Today, there are therapies and other resources out there such as, speech therapy, occupational therapy and social skills training. There are even specialists trained in working with people on the Autistic Spectrum. For example: Reitman works with individuals as young as 18 months and on into adulthood as well. With the younger individuals, Reitman addresses communication and social skills deficits through role-play, creation of rules and discussions of difficulties being encountered. For adolescents and adults, the struggles with miscommunication are frequent ones, as is the managing of ever-shifting priorities and responsibilities. Organization, self-esteem, initiation, and inattention are common issues that are addressed in therapy. (Reitman) Even though there are all these therapies and other resources out there, but not all of them is for every individual. I believe that there is no one treatment that works for everyone and that each individual is unique. The work we do is collaborative and aimed at helping the person to develop self-awareness, empathy, and perspective-taking skills. (Reitman) Then there is the view of the individual on the spectrum and how they view their everyday life. Fry takes it as it comes when it comes to life, he tries to build a network of friends and family who are autistic aware, tries to avoid situations were would not feel comfortable for example: social events or places where there would be too much sensory inputs and he takes time out to refocus. (Fry) What do sensory inputs mean? Sensory inputs are actually sensory issues. As worded by Zaks, sensory issues may be thought of as difficulties interacting or dealing with the environment posed by the way the autistic brain handles sensory information. (Zaks 7) But what sensory issues do those on the spectrum deal with in everyday life though? The sensory issues that an individual on the spectrum deals with on the day-to-day basis varies at times; sometimes it is either noises such as, loud music, scratching the chalk board, or the vacuum cleaner. Then there are also smells and lights. If an individual is in an area where the sound is getting to them to the point where it gets too much for them, Zaks said: The most obvious answer is to get away from the noise. But that is not always possible. Sometimes down out the din. Other chose to wear ear plugs. If an intolerable noise suddenly occurs, an autistic person may need to bolt from the scene until measures are taken to reduce or eliminate the source of distress. (Zaks 16) Sometimes individuals can be sensitive to smells. From personal experiences this all known too well. Some smells can make an individual psychical ill and sometimes sick, smells such as, a stinky diaper, strong perfume, and canned salmon. There are also other smells that would irritate almost anyone regardless of being on the spectrum or not, but it irritate and bothers those on the spectrum even more than it does to those that are not on the spectrum. Zaks suggests, If scents are unavoidable and make you sick, try wearing a special filtration mask such as those used by cyclists to eliminate car fume smells when they ride in traffic. (Zaks 12) Often times, people on the spectrum are sensitive to light. Lights that do not cause other people stress can sting or hurt the eyes of a person on the spectrum, and cause them severe headaches or induce nausea. Some individuals cant tolerate the flashing lights of the television or movies. Even though their vision may measure within the normal range at the eye doctors, yet they will still have a problem with painful eyes. (Zaks 13) However there are some suggestions though, the individual could get transitions lenses if they need prescription glasses, or wear lightly tented sun glasses if they do not need prescription glasses. Even though the first thing you think of when you hear of Aspergers Syndrome or Autism are the age old stereotypes. There still positive sides of being on the spectrum. While growing up with having Aspergers syndrome or Autism may be rough, but there is better help out there and more information then there was years ago. Years ago, the Autistic Spectrum was just being researched on and not much was known about it, but today there is more information out there for individuals on the spectrum to find and better oneself and become a more productive citizen of society. Instead of being a living stereotype like the world wants them to be.

Essay --

When 19 hijackers took control of four commercial airlines (two Boeings 757 and two Boeings 767) and crashing them into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, some would say they never thought about terrorism. Today when you the word terrorism and immediately we think of al-Qaeda or other Islamic extremists. While Islamic extremism does contribute to certain types of terrorism, there are many other forms as well, all with their own characteristics and challenges for policy makers. These types commonly overlap to describe single terrorist organizations but are useful in providing a way of differentiating what these groups will target and what motivates them. The commonly accepted meaning of the word terrorism is any use of terror in the form of violence or threats meant to coerce an individual, group, or entity to act in a manner in which any person or group could not otherwise lawfully force them to act. There is no true definition of terrorism; the world community has struggled with creating a legal definition of terrorism that is globally accepted. Defining these groups helps us to understand necessary responses to each form of terrorism. Here are three (state, religious, and international) of the several of the most common types of terrorism, and examples of each. Scholar Gus Martin describes state terrorism as terrorism "committed by governments and quasi-governmental agencies and personnel against perceived threats", which can be directed against both domestic and foreign targets (Martin, 2013). State terrorism is the systematic use of terror by a government in order to control its population. Not to be confused with state sponsored terrorism, where states sponsor terrorist groups, state terrorism is entirely carried out ... ...lians had â€Å"been victims of incidents claimed by or attributed to the ANC. There were reports claiming significant links between the ANC and Communist countries, noting that the ANC "receives support from the Soviet bloc, Cuba and a number of African nations in addition to contributions from the West." After the Cold War the State and Defense departments back off their dire characterization of the ANC, it called the group "a politically diverse organization, representing a range of views. Mandela and other ANC officials remained on the terror watch list even as President Bush welcomed Mandela, newly released from prison, to the White House in 1990. Because of what was described as a "bureaucratic snafu," their names were kept on the list until 2008; 14 years after Mandela had been elected president and nine years after he had left power. He was 90 at the time.

Enlightenment and Emancipation :: essays research papers

Enlightenment and Emancipation Richard Wagner’s essays, â€Å"Judaism in Music† and â€Å"What is German† does not just cast aside the ideology of Jewish emancipation as stated by Christian Wilhelm von Dohm in â€Å"On the Civic Improvement of the Jews†. Instead, Richard Wagner’s essays outline the struggles with the legacy of the Enlightenment and lead him to promote theories of culture and regeneration that would rewrite those of prior Enlightenment visionaries, making those people of Jewish descent seen as humans before Jews. One of the more noticeable themes surrounding Jewish culture is perhaps their dealings with money. As a result of being forced out of the trades and regular channels of commerce during the 12th and 13th centuries, money lending became the main livelihood of the Jews in Germany in the 18th century. Dohm argued that "the true reasons for [the Jews'] shortcomings" could be traced to the "oppression from which [they] still suffer" and the restrictions and limitations placed upon them throughout their history. He proposed that better treatment would reform them and their customs and lead ultimately to their assimilation into the outside world. As stated in Dohm’s â€Å"On the Civic Improvement of the Jews,† Dohm expresses how even those Jews with sufficient amounts of money were not allowed to use any of it for self benefit. If a Jew was given permission to reside in a German state, his place of residence would be subject to a heavy tax to be repaid each year. Each child birthed to the Jew would increase the amount of his taxes. Many of the Jewish business dealings were marked with these unfair burdens. In â€Å"Judaism in Music,† Wagner explains that it makes no sense to talk about Jewish emancipation, while the Jews already rule them because money is a central power. Jews, in his mentality, are the very symbol of capitalism. â€Å"†¦[T]he Jew in truth is already more than emancipate: he rules, and will rule, so long as Money remains the power before which all our doings and our dealings lose their force.† I agree with Dohm in this aspect of his arguments. Enlightenment and Emancipation :: essays research papers Enlightenment and Emancipation Richard Wagner’s essays, â€Å"Judaism in Music† and â€Å"What is German† does not just cast aside the ideology of Jewish emancipation as stated by Christian Wilhelm von Dohm in â€Å"On the Civic Improvement of the Jews†. Instead, Richard Wagner’s essays outline the struggles with the legacy of the Enlightenment and lead him to promote theories of culture and regeneration that would rewrite those of prior Enlightenment visionaries, making those people of Jewish descent seen as humans before Jews. One of the more noticeable themes surrounding Jewish culture is perhaps their dealings with money. As a result of being forced out of the trades and regular channels of commerce during the 12th and 13th centuries, money lending became the main livelihood of the Jews in Germany in the 18th century. Dohm argued that "the true reasons for [the Jews'] shortcomings" could be traced to the "oppression from which [they] still suffer" and the restrictions and limitations placed upon them throughout their history. He proposed that better treatment would reform them and their customs and lead ultimately to their assimilation into the outside world. As stated in Dohm’s â€Å"On the Civic Improvement of the Jews,† Dohm expresses how even those Jews with sufficient amounts of money were not allowed to use any of it for self benefit. If a Jew was given permission to reside in a German state, his place of residence would be subject to a heavy tax to be repaid each year. Each child birthed to the Jew would increase the amount of his taxes. Many of the Jewish business dealings were marked with these unfair burdens. In â€Å"Judaism in Music,† Wagner explains that it makes no sense to talk about Jewish emancipation, while the Jews already rule them because money is a central power. Jews, in his mentality, are the very symbol of capitalism. â€Å"†¦[T]he Jew in truth is already more than emancipate: he rules, and will rule, so long as Money remains the power before which all our doings and our dealings lose their force.† I agree with Dohm in this aspect of his arguments.

Hamlet (Shakespeare): “Mad,” “Sane,” or “None of the Above”? Essay

A form of theatrical representation, metadrama (Danner), revealed Hamlet’s convictions about the behaviors and character of his mother, father, step-father, and, most importantly, himself (Shakespeare).   Metadramatic techniques reveal to the audience that characters in a play themselves are aware they are in a play and are providing additional information that the audience can accept as truthful (Danner). While these characters have no motivation to be deceitful, they may demonstrate to the audience their ability to deceive themselves.   Most notably, in Hamlet, the audience can accept information in particular soliloquies, the play-within-a-play, and from the ghost of Hamlet’s father as accurate representations of Hamlet’s and even the ghost’s own perceptions.   Why would any self-respecting ghost return to earth other than to reveal the truth?   And why would Hamlet choose to lie to us through a soliloquy? However, most importantly, we have an opportunity to witness Hamlet’s own unintentional self-deceptions.   In using examples of these techniques to evaluate Hamlet’s mental condition, â€Å"sanity† was not conceptualized as a categorical variable with two levels, â€Å"sane† or â€Å"mad.† Creating â€Å"madness† in a fictional character in a literary masterpiece (e.g., Ophelia in Hamlet) does not impose the difficulties encountered when trying to differentiate between those who are legally â€Å"mad† vs. â€Å"bad† (Emery & Oltmanns 429-433) or when trying to form two discrete diagnostic categories (Emery & Oltmanns 3-14). Regarding the question of whether Hamlet was â€Å"mad† or â€Å"sane,† in the analysis presented below, he has been conceptualized as unfortunate in having characteristics that did not match the particular demands needed for the unusual circumstances of his life and also in having the facility for self-deception that prevented him from recognizing the futility of nonetheless persevering. At the beginning of the play, Hamlet was a young man grieving following the death of the father he apparently still had worshipped as young boys not infrequently do, until they learn what is and isn’t â€Å"cool†.   Hamlet, of course, seemingly for worse rather than for better, actually had that all-powerful father, strong, courageous, respected and also loved by all.   Not prepared for his father’s death, Hamlet was even less prepared for his mother’s fast re-marriage to her brother-in-law. Magnificent poetry is no less magnificent if it comes from the mouth of someone too inexperienced to have learned the difference between the kinds of painful events that characterize human existence and those that will always get our own or most anyone’s attention, for example, the difference between our recently widowed mother having sex with the village idiot and her being sent to Hitler’s gas chambers.   The intensity and obsessive nature of his suicidal depression alone would have permitted a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; American Psychiatric Association manual, as cited in Emery & Oltmanns):   â€Å"O, that this too too solid flesh would Melt{,} and resolve itself into a dew!   Or that he Everlasting had not fix’d His cannon ‘gainst self-slaughter!   O God! God! How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world!† (Hamlet 10). Interestingly, more than two centuries before Freud’s birth, Shakespeare had dramatized the kind of observation on which the latter based psychoanalytic theory (as cited in Shaffer).   First, in the soliloquy cited above, Hamlet did not yet even know that the cause of his father’s death was homicide and would not himself have recognized that his suicidal depression was caused not by his father’s death but by his mother’s sexual betrayal (in Hamlet’s view) of his father, when she went with â€Å"most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!† (10). Without apology for violating one of the many dictates of the politically correct (PC), the dictate never to mention the name â€Å"Freud† without including the phrase â€Å"sexist† (Bowers & Farvolden), it does not even seem possible to avoid imagining Dr. Freud, while rubbing his whiskers thoughtfully, concluding that while Hamlet had resolved his fear of paternal retribution for his Oedipal desires by closely identifying with his father, his resolution of the Oedipal stage was incomplete because, regarding his mother, in wording compatible with Hamlet’s revered Bible, he still was â€Å"lusting in his heart† and, rather than blame his mother as an individual, he instead (innocently and blissfully untroubled today’s PC) blamed women’s nature, â€Å"Frailty, thy name is woman!† (10). His ambiguous view of his mother was perhaps not unlike children who blame their mothers for all that is wrong with their lives and the world, yet for whom the phrase â€Å"your mother,† in themselves, are fighting words.   To reinforce the doubts he already had about Gertrude (noted above), Shakespeare gave him the ghost of his father who simultaneously condemned and forgave her, in effect setting her up as a target for both justifiable rage and self-restraint: Claudius â€Å"won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen† (20) and Hamlet should â€Å"Let not the royal bed of Denmark be A couch for luxury and damned incest.   But, however, thou pursuest this act, Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive Against thy mother†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (21).   The ghost of Hamlet’s father encouraged what already was his simmering attribution of blame, not overly concerned about the fairness of Gertrude sharing Claudius’ guilt.   In fact, we know that people distort their own perceptions and memories in a direction consistent with their beliefs (Schacter), explaining how Hamlet managed to interpret the ghost’s condemnation of Gertrude as strong enough to warrant his own conclusion, â€Å"O most pernicious woman!† (22). Indeed, people who have suffered misfortune frequently do seek out other people to blame.   We do not like to believe we are at the mercy of random inexplicable accidents or that there is no meaning to account for the occurrence of adverse events or that we do not have immortal souls.   Thus, while Claudius most certainly was guilty of committing â€Å"murder most foul† (20), what did Gertrude actually do to warrant her son’s animosity?   When does she ever show us the loathsome side of herself we have come to expect? Regarding her husband, she, in fact, does not seem guilty of anything more than being naively trusting, when as a recent and lonely widow, she was human in being receptive to the sexual overtures of a man she believed shared her own grief.   Despite what her son and her husband’s ghost indignantly protested, for centuries, marriage between even blood relatives might be considered a national European sport (Coontz). Regarding Hamlet, her â€Å"crimes† seemed no more than being overly tolerant of his disrespectful treatment and overly supportive to the extent of being his cheerleader in what she failed to recognize was not a game but a lethal battle with Laertes: â€Å"He’s fat, and scant of breath.   Here Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows; the queen carouses to thy fortune† (Hamlet, 99).   In her exuberance, she drank poison from the cup her husband had prepared for Hamlet. It would seem that Hamlet’s fatal flaw was less his inability to exact revenge from Claudius than his facility at finding and deceiving himself into believing about any possible excuse, thus preventing him from accept himself for not being the â€Å"man of action† expected of the son of a great king.   Under other circumstances, differing from his father regarding physical accomplishments might have led to no more than the timeless struggle between, for example, the father who had been star quarterback in high school and the son who was in his father’s eyes the star high-school nerd. It was Hamlet’s incredible myopia regarding the excuses he was making for failing to act that led inexorably to a tragic bloodbath in the end.   Hamlet, it turned out, like J. Alfred Prufrock, was â€Å"not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be† (Eliot line 111).   Had Hamlet a chance to â€Å"grow old† (line 120), he might have recognized his own nature in time to avoid becoming â€Å"an attendant lord†¦deferential, glad to be of use† (lines 112, 115). However, he too had â€Å"wept and prayed† (line 81) and rather than finding â€Å"the strength and courage to force the moment to a crisis† (line 80), he found only excuses for failing to act.   Indeed, Hamlet seemed to sincerely believe he would have been able to end his torment through suicide had his religion not prohibited â€Å"self-slaughter† (Hamlet, 10). These excuses included an odd need for evidence that the ghost was truthful (53), failing to act after the play-within-a-play elicited the demonstration of guilt Hamlet sought from Claudius (surprisingly, since the sociopath of Hamlet’s description would not be likely to even feel guilt – and after a stunningly convincing description of his own conscience, why did Claudius not remember this conscience after again Hamlet failed to kill him?) because of his mistaken perception of Claudius being in the act of prayer.   Ironically, as Claudius was acknowledging that his â€Å"offense is rank it smells to heaven; It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, A brother’s murder. Pray can I not† (64), Hamlet, echoing the ghost of his father at the beginning of the play, could not kill Claudius because if killed while in prayer, â€Å"he goes to heaven †¦Ã‚   this is †¦ not revenge† (65).   At this point, he failed even to question the justice of a religion that rewards a minute of remorse with heaven and punishes anyone unfortunate enough to die suddenly with hell.   Hamlet never did describe what his father might have done so that he was â€Å"cut off even in the blossom of my sins† (21). Was Hamlet â€Å"mad†?   He was not mad unless the label is consistently used to describe anyone demonstrating self-destructive patterns of thought.   For that matter, if we describe Hamlet as â€Å"mad,† there would be no reason for excluding the millions of people who fit, to varying degrees, even one diagnostic description in the American Psychiatric Association manual (as cited in Emery & Oltmanns). Is Hamlet â€Å"sane†?   The label again would fit only if it also were used to describe virtually all of us who demonstrate any of the subjective feelings of distress described in the same manual.   The text of Hamlet did not even provide enough information to form a reliable conclusion about his thoughts and behaviors prior to his father’s death.   He might have been feeling distressed his entire life because of experiences such as the death of his pet flea or a stubbed toe. The genuine tragedy of Hamlet was that the eloquence and stunningly brutal clarity with which he expressed the universal human condition in his most famous soliloquy did not prevent his doom and, indeed, might have been so brilliant that he would have been blinded had he not turned away: a condition where the only escape from â€Å"the whips and scorns of time† is into the potentially worse â€Å"undiscover’d country †¦ [that] makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of† (48). Works Cited Bowers, Kenneth, & Farvolden, Peter.   â€Å"Revisiting a Century-old Freudian Slip – From   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Suggestion Disavowed to the Truth Repressed.† Psychological Bulletin, 119   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (1996): 355-380. Coontz, S.   Marriage, a History: From Obedience to Intimacy or How Love Conquered   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marriage.   New York: Viking, 2005. Danner, Bruce.   â€Å"Speaking Daggers.† Shakespeare Quarterly, 54 (2003): 29-62. Eliot, T.S. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.   Retrieved 17 May 2009, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.bartleby.com/1981.html. Emery, Robert E., & Oltmanns, Thomas F. Essentials of Abnormal Psychology.   Upper

Reebok Marketing Plan

Reebok Realflex| By The Breezers: Mannan Wu Abbey Barnes Chase Carraro Mohammed Baamer Deborah Dani Dylan By The Breezers: Mannan Wu Abbey Barnes Chase Carraro Mohammed Baamer Deborah Dani Dylan Final Marketing Plan| Professor Quinlan-Wilder November 16, 2011 Marketing 2800 Professor Quinlan-Wilder November 16, 2011 Marketing 2800 | | Executive Summary Reebok prides itself on creating products to enhance athletic ability. Upon formation of the company, Reebok has been dedicated to making athletes faster. Since then, Reebok has evolved into the world’s second largest maker of athletic apparel and is a leader in the shoe industry.Now Reebok will pave the way with its answer to the latest craze in fitness and in running. The Reebok Realflex will dominate the competition through altering some aspects of the marketing mix and introducing the Realflex shoe as a healthy shoe meant to better consumer fitness. Taking into consideration the SWOT analysis, which pinpoints Reeboks can imp rove and the things Reebok are already doing well, the target markets can be better identified and the marketing mix can be better modified. When looking at target markets, Reebok has narrowed its markets to college aged adults interested in maintaining fitness, and individuals between 40-65.To the younger target market, Reebok needs to convey enhancing the athletic performance. To the aging population, Reebok needs to establish that using their product will enhance health. By modifying its current marketing mix Reebok can meet the needs of consumers. Price will be at the median range of shoe costs as that makes the most sense for our target markets. Reebok wants to provide an affordable shoe that does not cost as much as other barefoot running shoes, but offers all the health benefits of natural running. However, too low of a price lowers the value of the product in the minds of buyers and will be detrimental to business.While price plays an important role in marketing the Reebok R ealflex, placement of the product will be where Reeboks competition is located. The shoes will be placed in major chains, like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sports Authority, and Reebok stores themselves. In addition, Reebok will plan to give pairs of shoes to major gym chains, like 24 Hour Fitness, and let the trainers try the product as a way to recommend it to the desired target markets. When the shoes are in displays, the Realflex must be â€Å"front and center† to grab consumer attention from the moment they enter the store.Aside from price, promotion of the product will be one of the most vital keys to the Realflex success. Reebok will reposition themselves in the mind of their desired consumers. Though Reebok often uses testimonials and vibrant color to catch attention, the new promotional strategy will also focus on the concern that Reebok has for the health of consumers and for enhancing their performance. In many ways the new promotional strategy relies on correctin g previous errors of the company (Easytone) and in a discrete way build trust among consumers who use Reebok products and shape them into loyal repeat customers.The most important component of the marketing mix is the product. Reebok has created a product for the sheer purpose to better the health and improve the athletic ability of consumers. It is clear that Reebok believes in the product it has created. There is science to confirm the fact that natural running has numerous health benefits and does enhance athletic performance. Reebok has made a product where science meets style, and satisfies the needs of consumers. It is imperative that Reebok convey this genuine message to consumers.Doing so will build Reebok into a better business, increasing its market share, overall growth and profit. Table of Contents Introduction3 Situational Analysis4 The Company4 Current Marketing Mix4 Features and Benefits5 Current Product Life Cycle5 The Industry5 Environmental Forces7 Competition8 SWO T Analysis11 Critical Issues and Marketing Objectives13 Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning14 Segmenting14 Targeting14 Positioning17 Positioning Statements18 MarketTrak Tool26 Conclusion28 Appendices29 Appendix A – Competition Table29 Appendix B – SWOT Analysis30 Appendix C – Positioning Map 1: College Students31Appendix D – Positioning Map 2: Baby Boomers32 Appendix E – RealFlex Packaging34 Appendix F – Magazine Advertisement35 Appendix G – Billboard Advertisement36 Appendix H – Pro-nation Advertisement37 Appendix I – Billboard Advertisement38 Appendix K – Glossary of Terms45 Bibliography46 Introduction The footwear industry is a competitive market. Two important components in this industry are the quality and marketing of the products. Reebok is a company with a long history in the footwear market and a marketing mix makeover for RealFlex could very well put the company back on top.By increasing the focus on the health benefits for older generations and aesthetically pleasing innovation for younger generations, Reebok will be able to cover wider demographics, thus increasing sales. This is a product which needs to be on the feet of consumers, because once that happens; the footwear will speak for itself. The remainder of this marketing plan is organized as follows: First, it will examine the company of Reebok and its background in the athletic shoe industry. Then, this plan will discuss Reebok’s major competitors and fully describe its SWOT analysis.Next, this plan will look at the first part of the proposed marketing strategy, to include the proposed ideas for segmenting, targeting, and positioning of the RealFlex shoes. Finally, the plan will be concluded with ideas for the proposed marketing mix plan of this product and then a re-emphasis of why this plan will help RealFlex become Reebok’s number one shoe. Situational Analysis The Company The Mission at Reebok is to be on the cutting-edge of sport and lifestyle products built upon a strong heritage in sports (Reebok, 2011).Reebok strives to challenge convention and lead through creativity and have been doing so for over 100 years (Reebok, 2011). The company was founded on one important value in the 1890’s, helping athletes run faster (Reebok, 2011). Since then the main vision has been to help athletes fulfill their potential (Reebok, 2011). Reebok is an American- inspired global brand, which celebrates individuality of the athlete while also helping the athlete to obtain goals they once thought unattainable (Reebok, 2011). Reebok is a subsidiary of Adidas Sportswear. Current Marketing MixProduct and Pricing: RealFlex Footwear is a Reebok innovation designed to give the foot a barefoot feel through natural movement while providing the comfort of a high-quality running shoe (Businessweek, 20011). RealFlex features 76 independent â€Å"sensors† on the bottom of the shoe which are design ed to naturally conform to the motion of the foot (Businessweek, 2011). This technology allows the foot to be 20% lower to the ground, which helps to re-create the feeling of bare feet (Tuttle, 2011). The RealFlex is priced at retail for $89.. 99, which Reebok feels is an affordable and fair price for this first-of-its-kind shoe (Businessweek, 2011).Promotion and Placement: Advertising for this shoe has been centered on the 76 â€Å"running buddies† or tread sensors, which make for natural movement of the foot (Reebok, 2011). RealFlex is also advertised to make the customers running style more pure through the barefoot feel. These shoes have been advertised through a commercial ad campaign which digitally animates the 76 running buddies as trail-running enthusiasts (Reebok, 2011). These shoes can be purchased online at Reebok. com as well as through various large-chain department stores such as Dillard’s, Nordstrom and Macy’s.Features and Benefits The RealFlex o ffers customers many different features. The top feature of the footwear lies in the sole of the shoe where there are 76 individual tread sensors. Other features include lightweight materials, breathability, and the ability for customers to customize their own pair of shoes. The benefits, or how the shoe actually helps the customer, are primarily based around the fact that RealFlex is a minimalist shoe. The barefoot technology featured in this footwear has been proven to strengthen legs so that runners can run faster for longer.Since this is a barefoot shoe, runners get all the benefits of running barefoot without extra damage to their feet. Current Product Life Cycle Realflex has only been on the market for about seven months and Reebok is still attempting to win over the customer’s preference through current advertising, promotions, and word of mouth (Reebok, 2011). Although RealFlex technology is a new idea in the world of â€Å"barefoot-style† running shoes, this p roduct is no longer in the growth stage. Athletic running shoes, including Realflex, are considered to be in the maturity stage.The Industry The United States footwear industry consists of makers of â€Å"non-cleated† rubber and plastic footwear that are meant for fitness and athletic purposes. The companies that are competing in this industry are dedicated to creating performance footwear so that they can give the customer more value and utility. Each company then segments its product lines to better satisfy the many different customer needs (Tufts University, 2006). However, there is significant overlap in the types of shoes that the athletic footwear industry sells.The athletic footwear industry is dominated by more than 230 manufacturers that make up over 50% of the market share (Hoovers Inc, 2006). However, there are only 19 companies that are actually competing in the athletic shoes industry. Reebok dominated the athletic footwear market until the late 1980’s whe n Nike made its sudden rise to power (Tufts University, 2006). Considering to market share, Nike leads the pack and is projected to continue growing as it expands more into China and India (Woolsey, 2007). However, in 2005, Adidas merged with Reebok in an attempt to raise the stakes in the competition with Nike (Howard, 2005).Price is one of the four categories in the marketing mix. A good pricing strategy is vital to every company. There are many different elements that can influence pricing such as unique technological product features, prominent brand names, celebrity endorsements and higher quality materials (Walker, 2005). There are some brands of shoes that sell for more than $200, such as the Nike Michael Jordan 2011 shoes, and there are brands that sell for less than $50 (Nike, 2011). However, it is more common for shoes to sell for $85 – $110 (Nike, 2011). Each company’s promotional tactics bear differences and similarities.While Reebok started with the primar y goal of improving athletic performance with its hi-tech running shoes, Nike began by specializing in running shoes and has since formed its own â€Å"running culture† by sponsoring major running events like the Chicago Marathon (Reebok, 2011). In fact, athletic shoe companies sponsoring races ranging from small track meets to nationally elite races, such as the Boston Marathon, are quite common in this industry (B. A. A. , 2011). A company will attend one of these events in order to promote its product as well as to help give back to the community (B. A. A. , 2011).These events provide very good advertising for the company and increase product visibility. Environmental Forces There are two types of environmental forces, macro and micro. Here, the macro environmental forces that affect Reebok are examined. These forces consist of social, economic, technical, regulatory, and competitive. These forces are external and usually uncontrollable. Social: Whether it is a change in d iet or an adoption of a fitness regimen, Americans are trying to improve their health. Sources say that Americans are exercising more, especially when compared to 2001(CNN Health, 2007).Health is becoming an American priority especially for younger generations (Saxena, 2010). Since fitness is becoming more of a lifestyle, running can be considered a growing trend. Fitness junkies and avid runners are starting to wear more and more â€Å"natural running† inspired shoes (Johnston, 2011) The Reebok RealFlex is the response to this growing trend (Runners World, 2011). Economic: With the economy taking a major downturn, fewer Americans can afford expensive gym memberships or personal trainers but still feel the need to be fit.Since the economy has been slow, Americans are turning to more affordable ways of exercising (Wilkes, 2011). One of the most affordable ways to get fit is to go running. There has been a spike in the sale of athletic shoes since the U. S. has begun to struggl e more with the economy. In fact, there was a 3% increase in the sale of athletic footwear in 2010 alone (Lets Run, 2010). Technological: Keeping up with the technology involved in running is a constant concern for innovative companies since the type of shoe a person wears can affect their performance.The weight of a shoe can affect the stride and development of the muscle (Runners World, 2011). The weights of shoes are also believed to affect races times and can mean the difference between a win and a loss (Lovett, 2010). It is imperative that athletic shoe companies are innovative in providing products that really do improve athletic performance without compromising the health of the consumer. Regulatory: Two regulatory entities that should be considered are the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The actions taken by the FTC and SEC are meant to protect consumers.Reebok recently settled a dispute with the FTC regarding false advertisin g of its Easytone shoes (Forden, 2011). This dispute was because Reebok claimed that its Easytone shoes were proven to actually strengthen buttock muscles by 28% and build calf muscles by 11% (Forden, 2011). The finalization of the dispute ended up costing Reebok $25 million (Forden, 2011). Competitive: In terms of competition there are significant barriers to entry, especially with light-weight performance shoes. Many companies are focusing on making light weight shoes a core competency.However, the question of which company has greater competitive advantage in the market is yet to be determined. Vibrams, the creator of the original natural running shoe, set up its web site to highlight the scientifically proven health benefits of natural running (Pain from Running, 2011). Additionally, Nike dominates the athletic apparel industry and pioneered the way for performance shoes when Bill Bowerman used his wife’s waffle iron to make the first prototype of his own light weight sho e (Vann, 2011). Competition Reebok faces fierce competition from all sides.The athletic shoe industry is quite large and very competitive. Reebok receives most of its competition from Nike. In addition to Nike, Reebok goes up against Asics and New balance for direct competition, as these companies all sell shoes similar to Reebok’s Realflex. Deckers Outdoor Corporation is considered indirect competition as it sells non-athletic footwear. Nike: Nike is the number one producer of athletic shoes in the world. One of Nike’s greatest strengths is brand recognition and branding. Nike’s slogan, â€Å"Just do it,† along with the famous â€Å"swoosh,† are known worldwide (Marketing Teacher LTD, 2011).Nike is continuously changing and updating its products and advertising. The company uses many different marketing strategies which are geared for several different target markets (Nike, Inc, 2010). Nike, like Reebok, does not manufacture the shoes it sells. In stead Nike hires subcontractors in other countries who manufacture the shoes. These manufacturers then ship the shoes to other companies to sell. This can be both a weakness and a strength for Nike. It is a weakness because of the dependency on the overseas manufacturer. However, it is also a strength because Nike’s money can now be sed for expanding its product line or on a new advertising campaign instead of on the purchase and upkeep of buildings (Marketing Teacher LTD, 2011). Asics: In 2009 Asics celebrated the grand opening of its first stand-alone U. S. store located in New York (Asics, 2009). This store also featured the revolutionizing 3-D Foot ID to help the wearer become matched to the perfect shoe for them. The expansion of Asics in New York has allowed greater influence of the brand name across the U. S. , which has helped to increase sales revenues (Just-Style, 2009).Asics just launched an all-out advertising campaign in 2011 that included TV, radio, Internet, pr int as well as being a co-sponsor in the ING New York Marathon (Fashion United, 2011). One of the weaknesses of this campaign is the disproportionate focus on the overseas market compared to the U. S. market (Fashion United, 2011). Asics’ cash flow and net income had been falling slowly for several years and it needed to do something to improve profits. This campaign was extremely expensive but already Asics is seeing a return from investment and an increase in its net income (Larmann, 2011).New Balance: New Balance’s top strength would be the technology and innovation of its new products (New Balance, 2011). Every year New Balance creates a new and updated product with all the latest in technology. In addition, The New Balance Foundation has given back more than $40 million to the community and non-profit organizations (New Balance, 2011). More than 50% of consumers want to purchase a product if they know that a portion of the profits will go to charity (Strahilevitz & Myers, 1997). New Balance relies on promotion through the sponsorship of races and fitness activities instead of using celebrity endorsements (Johnson, 1998).The strength of not using celebrities is that the price of the shoe will be less for the consumer since New Balance does not pay for the endorsements. However, the downside to this is that the younger generation is attracted to shoes that have been associated with top celebrities (Johnson, 1998). Deckers Outdoor Corporation: Deckers is an indirect competitor for Reebok because they do not specialize in athletic footwear but instead are focused mainly on high-quality sheepskin boots and sandals (Wikipedia, 2011). Deckers’ biggest strength is its quality. The company is focused on roducing very high-quality products while lowering the impact to the environment (Deckers, 2011). Deckers helps to lower the impact to the environment by using a lot of recycled materials for the creation of its products (Deckers, 2011). More t han 30% of consumers want to purchase environmentally friendly products (American Express, 2010). One of Deckers weaknesses is that it has focused about 75% of its efforts in advertising to the U. S. This strategy has resulted in a higher market share for the US but a lower share across the nations (Deckers, 2011).Deckers is now working harder than ever to increase the sales of products in its overseas locations (Deckers, 2011). (See Appendix A – Competition Table) SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis is a critical portion of every marketing plan. It outlines the company’s Strengths and Weaknesses, and the market’s Opportunities and Threats that pertain to the product (Wikipedia, 2011). The SWOT analysis is an important step in planning as it outlines whether the information will assist the company in completing its objectives or if there will be an obstacle that must be moved first.Strengths: The Reebok Realflex barefoot shoes have several strengths integral to the pr oducts current and future success. The Realflex is scientifically proven to reduce the risk of foot injury since it is made of strong materials that resist distortion by weather and sharp objects (Sturtz, 2011). The Realflex has 76 independent sensors on the bottom of the shoe that adapt to all training surfaces and promote natural movement (India Infoline Ltd, 2011). Reebok also produces outfits to match the colors of shoes and color customization on new Realflex purchases to meet customers’ needs (Healthhabits, 2011).Reebok is one of the top athletic shoe companies in the U. S. with a market share around 20% and it has become more efficient through good corporate operation strategies aimed at restructuring and improving quality in the manufacturing process (Landrum & Boje, 2001). Reebok also prices its shoes to be around the average market price which helps to increase market share. Weaknesses: One of the weaknesses of the company is that Reebok has no factories and depends on overseas manufacturers for production of its products, consequently posing a risk since the contracted industries could stealReebok’s designs (Dunlap, 1925). Reebok owns few stores of its own but depends mostly on retail stores to order and deliver the products, which at times can be slow. This strategy causes retailers who sell the products to wait long periods of time before the products arrive, at which time they may not have the same popularity among customers (Hoovers, 2011). There are very few sponsors associated with Reebok which does not help to make it well known (Mercer, 1996). In addition, the company suffers from the previous release the Reebok Easytone, which claimed to tone legs and burn more calories while walking.This was actually revealed to be untrue by the American Council of fitness (Waehner, 2010). Essentially misleading consumers can cause them to be cautious of the Reebok label and they may instead choose to shop elsewhere (Nickson, 2010). Opportuni ties: There are several opportunities for Reebok, including expanding and reaching new markets with its new product. Reebok has the opportunity to appeal to baby boomers creating a new market for its type of shoe. They are a generation interested in staying active as they age.There is also the opportunity to market to active college students; it all depends on how the product will be presented. There is also the opportunity for product development since Reebok has released a new product into the current markets. Threats: There are many competitors offering a similar barefoot shoe product which is a threat to Reebok since competing companies, like Nike, are already established and globally recognized (Silva, 2011). In addition, technology is always changing and new products are continuously coming out into the market.The fast change in technology goes hand in hand with how society is constantly changing its mind, which poses a great threat due to the company’s low rate of tech nological advancement compared to the prevailing leaders (Kagz, 2001). Competing companies may introduce cheaper substitutes which the customers may opt to buy. Economic crises also pose another threat due to the weak purchasing power of the customers. As barefoot shoes are a want and not a need, the economic crisis may have people think twice before buying. See Appendix B – SWOT Analysis) Critical Issues and Marketing Objectives Critical Issue #1: Leverage Point: Healthy shoe (S) + New Market: Baby Boomers (O) Natural Running shoes offer health benefits and by advertising to a new market like baby boomers and the older generation (ages 40-65), Reebok has the chance to create a leverage point. Related Marketing Objective #1: Increase sales by 10% over the next year. Strategically place the product in areas whose demographics reflect a baby boomer population. Have the product easily accessible to the target market.Critical Issue #2: Constraint: Previous Faulty Products (W) + E xpanding the Market (O) Reeboks previous innovation in fitness, the Easytone, was proven to have no additional benefit to working out as they claimed. When Reebok does try to sell its product to a new market that may be more aware of Reebok’s previous mistake they may have no interest in purchasing the new technological innovation the RealFlex. Marketing Objective #2: Focus on the health benefits of RealFlex over regular shoes. Show consumers that Realflex can help improve strength in leg muscles. Increase shoe health awareness by 15% within one year.Critical Issue #3: Vulnerability: Healthful Shoes (S) + Changing shoe Technology (T) Reebok RealFelx shoes face vulnerability in the sense that while it may be producing shoes with health benefits, the competition could be offering shoes with even greater benefits, such as Virbram Five Fingers. Marketing Objective #3: Demonstrate to consumers how much Reebok invests in its consumers best interests. Focus shoe marketing not only o n the health benefits but how Reebok was able to pioneer the light weight shoe industry with its â€Å"sensors† on the bottom of the shoes.Segmenting, Targeting, and Positioning Segmenting Some of the possible ways of target segmentation for the Reebok Realflex shoes are geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral. The geographical segmentation would focus on those consumers in the urban and suburban locations due to the high influence of social media. The demographic segmentation could target consumers with a yearly household income of greater than $35,000 as well as specific age groups, such as ages 18 – 44, as many purchasers of running shoes are ages 18 – 44 (Marginy Research Group, 2000).Reebok could also focus on the psychographic segmentation portion and gear it toward consumers who enjoy adventure and outdoors activities. Reebok decided to segment the markets into two separate groups. The first target market will focus on geographic and demogr aphic segmentation. This market will include college students between the ages of 18-24 who are adventurous. The second target market will focus on demographic and behavioral segmentation. This market will include those consumers who are in the older generation, like baby boomers. The older generations want to stay healthy and get into shape.The Realflex is perfect for this need, as the barefoot qualities of the Realflex strengthen legs and keep runners healthy. Targeting Target Market 1: The target market is for adventure seeking and active college students between the ages 18 and 24. These targeted college students usually reside in urban and suburban areas. The focus on these geographical locations is due to the idea that consumers in highly populated areas, such as a city, are more driven by the social media that surrounds them (Thompson, 2009). The targeted psychographic market segments are geared toward those consumers interested in competition and adventure.Reebok wants consu mers who want the shoes they wear to be able to handle anything during their fitness routine. â€Å"Americans who have adopted the lifestyle of Fit Consumers are risk-takers with an adventurous outlook on life. Fit Consumers retain a taste for adventure as they age† (Packaged Facts, 2007). The Realflex is a high-quality running shoe that is able to satisfy the needs of competitive, driven college student runners. The Realflex weighs only 8. 8 ounces for males and 7. 2 ounces for females (Jhung, 2011). This reduction in weight helps shave off seconds on a runner’s time.This gives the runner a competitive advantage over those runners who are not using lightweight shoes (Jhung, 2011). These students are always looking for the next best thing to own, especially when it comes to shoes (Trend Watching, 2011). They want high-quality, lightweight shoes for a great price. Students also want to know that the product they buy and wear is something that will help improve their sta nding in society (Trend Watching, 2011). Reebok can give that customer value, and more, to this target market. The college student target market is 18. 6 million, which is a 22% increase over the last 8 years alone (Davis & Bauman, 2011).With a larger target market there will be a higher cost to reach the audience. However, with a slight increase in advertising geared toward this growing market, Reebok will be able to reach this group and increase sales by 10% within 1 year. (See Appendix C – Positioning Map 1: College Students) Target Market 2: Aside from the younger generations, baby boomers and the aging population (40-65) are looking to preserve as well as better their health. Reebok wants to attract the consumers who will find its product integral to the way they want to look and feel as these consumers will â€Å"place a high priority on their health† (Packaged Facts, 2007).They consider running part of a healthy and active lifestyle. Studies suggest that baby bo omers and aging populations are much more active than they used to be. In 2005, baby boomers comprised one fourth of the health club memberships (msnbc, 2005). However, these consumers may not all be high users. Some of them may only visit the gym a couple of times a month or only run a few miles a week. Baby boomers are redefining what it means to retire and enjoy old age, they are not anticipated to flock to an â€Å"age segregated community† and many will likely continue working in some capacity (Brandon, 2010).However not all Boomers have a high disposable income in fact, they are considered a sandwich generation were they are assisting their own parents while financing their children’s educations. With Boomers still maintaining busy schedule it is also important to consider the usage rate that would justify the purchase of Reebok Realflex shoes. They may seem themselves needing a â€Å"healthy shoe† meant for their variations in fitness regimen. This same n eed can be applied to the aging portions of the population. The trend of healthy living is catching on and the market for healthful products, like quality running shoes will continue to grow.In consideration to Critical Issue #1 of advertising to the market of baby boomers, the Realflex shoe has a considerable leverage point given that it is a scientific fact that natural running shoes offer health benefits. It is also a fact that light weight running shoes are built to endure fewer miles because they offer less cushioning however they offer health benefits like a â€Å"natural running sensation†(Run/Split, 2011). It is the use and health benefits that are more likely to draw Boomers to the product. In regard to the marketing objective of increasing sales by 10% over the next year,Reebok plans to place its product in gyms by giving a pair to local trainers to act as opinion leaders and encourage boomers to purchase them. Reebok also plans to place the product in convenient pl aces for purchases, such as mall outlets to increase product visibility as well as specialty stores. (See Appendix D – Positioning Map 2: Baby Boomers) Positioning Beginning in 2009, Reebok started executing strategies in order to position its running shoes in a more technologically advanced, higher quality and flexible category which helps to differentiate the shoes from other athletic brands and place it toward the high-end footwear brands.Reebok’s mission is to become an outstanding sport and lifestyle brand and offer many primary sports products (Adidas, 2011). In regards to the younger generation, there needs to be an emphasis on the fact that Reebok is a fashionable shoe to wear while either getting fit or just out taking a stroll. Reebok can position this product as being both quality and healthful by occupying the front window of athletic stores. While doing so may increase the cost of promotion, it sends a message to the younger generation that the product is popular, and at a minimum increases visibility making the product more widely known.There will not need to be repositioning for this target market. In consideration to the second target market, baby boomers and aging populations, there will be some repositioning that needs to take place. As previously noted Reebok made the mistake of producing a product that did not have all the health benefits the company claimed. In fact, the Reebok Easytone has been rumored to have done more harm to customers than good. It is the older populations who are more likely to be aware of this mistake which means that Reebok would need to reposition this product in the mind of older consumers.Both of these methods will increase consumer spending on Reeboks product and assist in attaining the goal of a 10% increase in sales within one year. In regards to the second marketing objective, placing the product in gyms and actively seeking feedback from users shows the interest that Reebok has taken in demonst rating that its products are of high quality. Similar is the third marketing objective, concerned with the proving that Reebok is an innovator in the shoe industry, this is accomplished not only through placing the product in gyms and giving trials to first time buyers but also through actively seeking feedback from users.The feedback Reebok receives form users will help in creating lighter, even higher quality products to better satisfy consumer needs and enhance their athletic performance. Positioning Statements Positioning Statement 1: For college students who typically maintain an active lifestyle and like access to new products, Realflex footwear is the latest model of Reebok running shoes with advanced technologies to improve athletic results as well as allow consumers to customize the color of the shoes.Positioning Statement 2: For baby boomers that pursue a healthy lifestyle, Reebok Realflex footwear is the natural running shoe with high tech soles and light-weight materials that is designed to provide the health benefits of natural running. Proposed Marketing Strategy Product Reebok would not be doing any product modification to the RealFlex shoes. Instead, Reebok would be focusing on enhancing the RealFlex image while on store shelves. Reebok would make the shoes as appealing to the consumer as possible. An efficient way to appeal to consumers is to offer a more classic look in stores while also offering the benefits of RealFlex.Reebok would offer basic colored shoes in stores such as navy, gray, black, and white, along with accent colors such as blue, red, and green. The more eccentric colors, like orange and yellow, would be available online when customizing the shoes. This will be an effective strategy for the RealFlex because it would attract more customers who are looking for a dual-purpose shoe to fit their everyday lifestyle. This strategy is designed to attract customers who are not looking for flamboyant aesthetics in their shoe choice.This is based on the belief that classic colors will cover a larger demographic, while still having more specific needs accessible online. These shoes will be packaged in a simply designed box that features bare feet and the Reebok RealFlex logo. Shoe packaging tends to be generally more functional than appealing to the consumer as the shoes can sell themselves (Packaged Facts, 1998). However, consumers enjoy showing off their latest purchases, and this newly designed box has the perfect accent to combine with the Realfex shoes. (See appendix E – RealFlex Packaging) PricingPricing is an important factor that affects the marketing of a product and consumers’ attitudes toward that product. Consumers tend to shop for lower-priced commodities so long as quality is not compromised (Daly, 2002). In order to arrive at a fair price for the RealFlex shoes, Reebok considered several different pricing strategies and evaluated the effectiveness of each strategy in line with its marketi ng plan objectives. The best price strategy for the RealFlex shoes is the At-Market Pricing Strategy. Reebok set the base price at $89. 99, with the customization options ranging from $5-$15 extra.The price is comparable to the market price and to what the competitors are offering. Reebok’s largest competitor, Nike, is offering similar shoes at the same price (Nike, 2011). However, New Balance sells its similar shoes for $95 while Asics sells its shoes for only $85 (New Balance, 2011). This pricing strategy allows Reebok to make a profit while still encouraging for a larger market share. Reebok wants to attract active college students and baby boomers to purchase the product because of its high quality and average price among rivals.There is a large portion of the target market, college students in particular, that are unemployed due to full-time school or retirement. Reebok’s pricing strategy is designed to enable the company to achieve a large and dominant market in line with the marketing objectives. The At-Market Pricing Strategy achieves objectives and enhances profits. Placement Reebok will market the Realflex primarily through retail channels. This is done because in-store shopping is one of the most important portions of the customer decision-making process when purchasing a product.A few of these retail channels will include Foot Locker, Athlete's Foot, and Champs Sports. Reebok will concentrate more heavily on placement in states where residents are more likely to engage in a healthy and active lifestyle, such as Colorado, Oregon, and Minnesota (Nash, 2010). Through the use of these channels and placement, Reebok can raise its brand awareness and increase customer loyalty. Reebok wants the retail environment to highlight its brand value as â€Å"inspirational, athletic, fun, and interactive† (Adidas, 2011).One of the target markets, baby boomers and the older generations, want to purchase high quality products in order to maintai n their health (Health Goji, 2010). They enjoy going to the retail chains so that they can try on the shoes and make sure that they feel good while walking. They are also able to go online if they do not find the color that they like and they can purchase from the Reebok website. The other target market, college students between the ages of 18-24, wants to purchase shoes that go with their physical appearance (Makgosa ; Mohube, 2007).They enjoy going to the retail chains so that they can try on the shoes and make sure that they look good while walking or running. This market can also go online if they would like to customize their shoes to have a little more color. Promotional Plan Health and enhancing athletic performance will be at the forefront of the Reebok Realflex promotional campaign. The shoe itself is meant to provide the sensation of natural running while still protecting the consumer’s feet. This will allow the consumer to be able to run the extra mile that complet e barefoot shoes will not allow.There is a big difference as to how far athletes can run in barefoot shoes opposed to actual running shoes. Reebok wants to convey to consumers that it is concerned with their health and it is dedicated to improving their athletic abilities through the use of the Realflex shoe. It is evident that consumers in both target markets, college students as well as the older generations, are concerned with their health. However, there will be a greater emphasis on the health benefits to the older generation, as this is a major appeal. It is common practice in athletic apparel to feature fit models using the product in beautiful locations.Reebok would follow suit. Reebok needs to communicate that â€Å"no matter where you are, you can take health with you with the Realflex shoe† This message could be particularly effective when considering older generations. They are more likely to travel and are redefining â€Å"retirement. † By positioning the product as healthy and useful there is a direct appeal to the needs of Reeboks’ aging consumers. (See Appendix F – Magazine Advertisement and Appendix G – Billboard Advertisement). With regards to younger consumers, like college students, there will be an emphasis on the message that the Realflex is meant for their active lifestyle.It is designed to enhance athletic performance because as a natural running shoe it alters the pronation in the foot as it strikes the ground increasing the amount of work the muscles do when the shoes are being used. It enhances the workout for these younger generations, especially those who are aware of the benefits of natural running (Appendix H – Advertisement). It is imperative that both target markets are able to view the product as both healthful and athletic. The key issue that must be avoided is that the style of the shoe is not exclusive to either target market.This issue can be resolved through the use of blending th e concepts of health and athletic performance in advertisements. Reebok intends to do this primarily through advertisements featuring outdoor settings and races. (See Appendix I – Billboard Advertising) Television commercials could prove more useful as a mode of advertisement. With the Reebok Easytone shoe, Reebok spent $64 million on advertisements of the Easytone shoe. Sales of that particular shoe increased until it was discovered that Reebok used faulty advertising as a means to sell the shoe ( (Morran, 2011).The campaign for the Easytone shoe was one of Reeboks largest in a decade. For the Easytone shoe television ads were highly effective in reaching target markets and increased sales. Reebok is hoping for a similar effect when it comes to the Realflex shoes. Many other companies also use television as a means to advertise because it can reach millions of consumers for only pennies on the dollar. A smaller athletic company, Asics debuted a new national advertising campa ign and the ING New York City Marathon, some of which includes television ads. In correlation with their new campaign they have also seen increases in profit (Asics, 2011).Aside from television, another mode to advertise to consumers is through magazines like that are specific to fitness and popular culture. Magazines that Reebok wants to place its full page ads in would be Runners World, Women’s and Men’s Health magazines, Shape, GQ and Cosmopolitan. These are the magazines which are better suited to reach both target markets. The anticipated cost for full page ads in these magazines range from $20,000-$25,000, however, these prices can fluctuate depending on the magazine and how much of a region it covers (Becket, 2009)..Magazines like Runners World and Running Times are the most vital to communicate how viable the Reebok Realflex is as a running shoe. In a lot of ways it is the way to get a seal of approval as a product. The more runners Reebok can get to buy the sh oe, the greater the visibility and the more likely others are to follow suit and purchase their own pair of Realflex shoes. While television and magazines are useful, one of the best ways to gain attention in the world of fitness is to be present at major running events like races and expoe’s.Brooks Running shoes sponsor some Rock and Roll Race events; one of their biggest is the Denver Rock and Roll Marathon. They have nearly half of the floor to showcase their products and their benefits. Not to mention that they are able to make those last minute sales to participants. Participation in major races like, half marathons, full marathons, national race teams, Reebok again increases visibility and is able to position their product as a product for fitness. Costs of sponsoring races vary depending on the size of the race.However, Reebok could take a different approach and rather than advertise and sponsor at a major races like Chicago, NYC and Boston Marathons, sponsor multiple races in the Rock and Roll Marathon series which features over twelve races in the United States and three in Europe. Through these modes of advertising Reebok is able to reach both target markets and convey the healthfulness and the athletic performance benefits that come with the use of the Realflex shoes. In regards to sales promotions, Reebok will utilize both retailers and consumers to increase product visibility.However, Reebok will focus on going primarily after the consumer, through consumer sales promotions. Methods Reebok intends to use would be product samples and prizes. We would let the consumer try one Reebok product in the store and test it out for a day and if they do not like it, tell Reebok why to refund the purchase. Another tactic to take advantage of and redeem Reebok from the Easytone bad press would be when consumers bring in a pair of Easytone shoes Receive half off of the purchase of Realflex shoes. This specific method, allows Reebok to do damage control th rough public relations of sorts.Reebok can pick specific locations where previous buyers of the Easytone shoes can return their purchase for half price pair of Realflex shoes. It is imperative that to successfully launch and market a product that Reebok fix their previous indiscretions in regard to the Easytone shoes. As discussed earlier, advertising will play a major role in positioning the Realflex as both healthful and performance enhancing. It will be what the consumer sees in their magazines, on their televisions and in their gyms. However, the personal selling aspect will also define how the customer views the product when they come into a store to purchase them.While Reebok has its products in major athletic stores like Dicks Sporting Goods and Sports Authority, it’s important to make sure the retailers are well informed about the product, and provide the opportunity to test out the shoe on treadmills before purchase. In regards to the actual Reebok stores, retailers there need to take interest in creating a unique purchasing experience for the consumer. This can be done through acute attention to consumer needs and demonstrations of the products use, and the ability to test out the products in the store.When it comes to selling, Reebok Retailers need to sit one on one with consumers and be attentive to their needs. While this method may be expensive it will provide that unique customer experience and encourage repeat business. Sales promotions will also be done through visibility at expos and major races. Asics provides supplies for the New York City Marathon and Brooks provides supplies for the Rock and Roll Marathon series which allows them to dominate pre and post-race expos to encourage buying. It also increases visibility among consumers who are likely to buy the product.This method allows Reebok to go to the consumers rather than trying to get them to come to a store. While the fees can be expensive, there is probability that consumers wi ll see the product and the company as one with their best interests at heart. Similar to being present at expos would be an adaptation of contests, ask small local races where participation is below three thousand and give a free pair to each race winner or each division. This is a means to also build good will among potential consumers and entice potential runners into competing.The least used promotional element will be direct marketing, as the cost of communication through mail and telephone. The one way Reebok would consider using mail as a means to communicate with consumers would be to send notices regarding the shoe with an explanation of the healthy benefits. The mail would also only go to previous customers to encourage business or members of a loyalty program as they may be more likely to want to purchase the product, if they have been satisfied with their previous purchases.With all of the factors of the promotional mix in mind the most effective strategy for Promote the Realflex shoe would be the Push strategy where personal selling is directed to intermediaries. It’s is easier to utilize a pull strategy because it allows greater accessibility to the product by already placing the shoe in malls and specialty stores. What is important to recognize is that each piece of the promotional mix fits together to convey a single coherent message to consumers, Reebok is a company committed to producing quality products to enhance health and athletic performance.The variation in the promotional mix will be used as a means to communicate this message to target markets. The variety in methods will ensure that since Reebok is seeking older generations (40-65) as well as those aged 18-24 who are active, they are destined to come into contact with some type of positive promotion of the product. MarketTrak Tool Reebok uses a MarketTrak spreadsheet to show the projected cost of achieving its objectives for one year. This spreadsheet shows each of the three ma rketing objectives and breaks them down into several different tasks that can be completed within one year.Through the use of billboards, television commercials, sponsorship promotions, and website advertisements, Reebok hopes to achieve its marketing objectives. The first marketing objective on the MarketTrak spreadsheet is to increase sales by 10% within the first year. Reebok will achieve this goal with the use of billboards, magazine ads and special promotions. First, Reebok will design a billboard geared toward the older generations, aged 40-65, and strategically place them in areas that are largely populated by the older generations, like Tampa, FL, Austin, TX, and Phoenix, AR (Coach, 2011).Second, Reebok will place advertisements in special sports magazines, like Runner’s World and Sport’s Illustrated. Then, Reebok will offer several pairs of shoes for free to retail stores such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority. These shoes can be tried on th e treadmills at these stores so that consumers can see that the shoes are comfortable. Finally, Reebok will offer a discount price for 1 month on the shoes followed by 1 month of free shoe bags with purchase. The second marketing objective is to increase the awareness of the healthy nature of the Realflex shoe by 15%.This will be achieved by giving 500 free pairs of shoes to trainers in gyms that are located in ten of the healthiest cities across the United States, like Boston, MA, Portland, OR, and Denver, CO (Haiken, 2011). These shoes will be used by opinion leaders who are in a position to show just how comfortable and healthy these shoes are. In addition, Reebok will give two extra free pairs to each trainer so that they can use them to give away to a couple of lucky gym members. Finally, Reebok will create a television advertisement geared toward the specific health benefits of the shoes.The third and final marketing objective is to increase the awareness of Reebok’s in vestment in the consumer’s best interest. This will be done several different ways. To start, Reebok will create an online advertisement showing the overview of the lightweight shoe design and how the design helps with healthier running. Then, Reebok will add a new section onto its website explaining how much time and effort Reebok has gone to in order to create a shoe that really is better for your muscles and legs. Then, Reebok will design a moving billboard advertisement to be placed onto city buses that operate in large college cities, like Denver.This advertisement will show the wonders of the Realflex sensors. And finally Reebok will design a different television advertisement that shows all of these investments in our consumers. In order to ensure the success of each of these marketing strategies and tactics, Reebok’s marketing managers will have a meeting at the end of each month to go over each of the objectives to see how well they are working. These meetings will allow for each of the managers to learn what is going on, see if the objectives are being met, and improve anything that needs to be upgraded.This is done so that everything moves along smoothly and nothing is forgotten in the process. (See Appendix J – MarketTrak) Conclusion Reebok is positioning to be a high-end athletic footwear brand and a leader in its industry. In the next three years, the market development and product repositioning will allow Reebok to achieve its marketing objective which increases sales by 10%. College students and baby boomers alike can wear Realflex while performing a multitude of exercises. Its smart and stylish appearance allows it to be worn daily. With the previous issuance of a faulty product, Easytone, Reebok created a weakness in the company.However, with Realflex, Reebok can improve the past weaknesses by marketing its new â€Å"76 sensors† technology and wonderful health benefits. This technology can efficiently support the r unner's weight and flexibility. This product, along with focused advertising, will increase consumer awareness of the health benefits that come with the Realflex shoes. Furthermore, the target market will enjoy the convenience of shopping in more Reebok retail locations. This will help Reebok to increase advertising concerning the high quality performance and the health benefits within Realflex.With Realflex becoming more widely known, the product demand will increase. As a result, customer value will also increase. The final marketing objective is to increase awareness of how much Reebok has invested in its consumers best interests. Realflex implements the idea of â€Å"natural running movement†, emphasizes on lightweight materials, which its users can experience the barefoot feel. It shows to its target markets top quality running shoes with not only the health benefits, but also with the pioneer and innovation of its sensors to improve performance.Through the catering of s tyle with the young generation and the health concern of baby boomers, the team believes that Reebok will reach its marketing objectives and spur the success of this product. Appendices Appendix A – Competition Table Competitor| Year Founded| Years in Business| Locations Served| FY 2010 Sales| Offered Products| Direct orIndirect Competition| Nike| 1964| 47| World2| $19 Billion3| Athletic shoes, apparel, sports equipment, and accessories2| Direct| Asics| 19494| 62| World4| $2. 4 Billion5| Athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment4| Direct| New Balance| 19066| 105| World6| $1. Billion6| Performance footwear, apparel and accessories6| Direct| Deckers Outdoor Corp| 19737| 37| World7| $1 Billion8| Sheepskin boots, casual wear, slippers, and sandals7| Indirect| Appendix B – SWOT Analysis | Favorable| Unfavorable| Internal| Strengths(1) Brand Equity(2) Reebok-Adidas merger. (3) Reebok is one of the top athletic shoe companies in U. S. in terms of market share. (4) Barefoo t shoes are scientifically healthier than any other kind of shoes. (5) 76 independent sensors on the bottom of Reebok Realflex barefoot shoes promote natural movement, flexibility, and comfort. (6) The price is the average of main competitors. 7) Customizing the shoes with the styles and colors customers prefer. | Weaknesses(1) Reebok owns few official stores and relies more on retailers. (2) Reebok doesn’t own factories and they depend on producing industries in their production. (3) Previous reputation of releasing faulty products. (4) Few sponsors associated with Reebok. | External| Opportunities(1) Expanding current market and reach current markets with their new products. (2) Marketing towards several age groups to increase profits. (3) Product development opportunity. (4) Expanding to market for the product on social media websites. 5) Creating new channels of communication on social media websites. | Threats(1) Many companies produce barefoot shoes and this leads to a strong competition. (2) Changing trends in footwear technology. (3) As barefoot shoe is a want and not a need, some people may think twice before purchasing. (4) Poor economy| Appendix C – Positioning Map 1: College Students Appendix D – Positioning Map 2: Baby Boomers 5 Appendix E – RealFlex Packaging Appendix F – Magazine Advertisement Appendix G – Billboard Advertisement Appendix H – Pro-nation Advertisement Appendix I – Billboard Advertisement Appendix J – MarketTrakAppendix K – Glossary of Terms At-Market Pricing Strategy Attributes Barriers to entry Beliefs Brand Awareness Brand Value Branding Channels Competitions Competitive Advantage Competitors Consumer Consumer’s attitudes Consumer Spending Core Competency Cost Current market Customer Loyalty Customer Value Differentiation positioning Direct marketing Discretionary Spending Disposable Income Good Will Growing Market Growth Stage Indirect Competition Lea ders Market Market price Market share Marketing Mix Marketing Plan Objectives Maturity Stage Need Opinion Leaders Opportunities Packaging Personal Selling Placement Positioning PowerPricing Pricing strategies Product Product Development Product Modification Promotional elements Public Relations Purchasing power Push strategy Reposition Retail Retailer Sales Promotions Segment Social Status Strength Substitutes Target Market Threats Utility Value Want Weakness Bibliography Adidas. 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