Marketing Mix Analysis of iPad Essay Example for Free

Marketing Mix Analysis of iPad Essay Executive Summary Managing and developing marketing mix appropriately is extremely important to firms marketing and success. In order to marketing product successfully, the right product must be exhibited to right people at the right place, right price and right time. If a firm can manage the marketing mix successfully, as a result, it can be a source of competitive advantage for firms. Each element of the marketing mix should be analyzed and if necessary, adapted to ensure that the right balance is achieved to give the product or service the very best chance of success in the market place. Apple is a successful company and its previous product iPod has a high market share in the global market due to its brand perception and image as s high quality innovative brand. In 2010, Apple launched an innovative product – â€Å"iPad† in US, which is a tablet computer with touch screen. Even in the first launching date iPad had been sold 0.3 million units. The product no doubt is getting support of Apple’s brand image and it has changed the way to consumer lifestyle. That is why iPad is thought as a revolutionary who will arouse a wave to electronic industry. Apple’s iPad delivered the value to the customer via marketing mix tools called the 4Ps: * Product looks good and works well. * Right price. * Right place at the right time. * Successful promotion helps to a larger output. Apple followed this by innovation and introducing new products in the market to satisfy consumer’s needs and wants. The current author here will use the theories, concepts of marketing mix to analysis the iPad. The remainder of this essay is structured into five parts. It begins by defining marketing mix and its evolution. Second, it analyse the company, iPad, its competitor and consumer. Third, it illuminates the marketing mix by analysing iPad. Finally it ends with the overall assessment and conclusion. Contents 1.Introduction and Definition3 1.1Definition of Marketing3 1.2Definition of Customer Value and Value Proposition3 1.3Definition of Marketing Mix4 2.Description of Apple iPad4 2.1Brief Introduction of Apple4 2.2Introduction of iPad5 2.3Brief Consumer Profile6 2.4Brief Competitor Profile7 3.Marketing Mix Analysis of iPad7 3.1Product7 3.2Price10 3.3Place12 3.4Promotion14 4.Assessment of Overall Value Delivered16 5.Conclusion16 6.References18 1. Introduction and Definition 2.1 Definition of Marketing â€Å"Marketing is the process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others and forging relationships with customers.† (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009). This definition recognizes the importance of creating a long term relationship with customers and identifies the importance of satisfying customer wants. 2.2 Definition of Customer Value and Value Proposition Customer value is the difference between the values that the customer gains from owning and using a product and the costs of obtaining the product. Put it simply, customer value is created when the perceptions of benefits received from a transaction exceed the costs of ownership. The same idea can be expressed as a ratio (Chiristopher, 1996): Customer value = Perceptions of benefits The definition of customer value proposition is a well defined and persuasive marketing statement related to a specific product or service that details the reasons why a consumer would benefit from purchasing it. A value proposition is the definition of a firms promise to create and deliver customer value (Chapelet and Tovstiga, 1998). Fig 1.2.1 A model of value creation and the marketing process source: Adapted from Kotler Brown Burton Deans Armstrong, (2010), â€Å"Marketing† 8th Edition Figure 1.2.1 shows a typical model of value creation and the marketing process. Put it simple, marketing is a process cycle which consists of 5 simple steps as below: i. Customer buys or potential customer is contacted to understand the marketplace. ii. Finding out how the customer liked the product or what is needed. iii. Analysing these data and creating a plan that includes goals, strategy and its marketing mix. iv. Implement the plan that delivers value to customer which results in the customer’s buying the product and creating customer delight. v. Repeating the cycle starting with step (i) to step (iv) to make a better product sold with a better plan and continuously keeping this cycle going. Hence, create profits and customer equity. 2.3 Definition of Marketing Mix The concept of the Marketing Mix was first created by Neil H. Borden in his article called â€Å"The concept of the Marketing Mix† in 1964. In his article he explained the importance of a market to try to â€Å"mix ingredients† in their process in the market in order to be successful. E. Jerome McCarthy later grouped these ingredients into the four categories that are known as the 4Ps of marketing (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). Product What does the customer want from the product/service? Price What is the value of the product or service to the buyer? Place Where do buyers look for the product or service? Promotion Where and when can get across the marketing messages to target market? 2. Description of Apple iPad 3.4 Brief Introduction of Apple Apple Inc., founded in 1976, is an American multinational corporation which is best-known for its hardware and software products. The hardware products are: Macintosh, iPod, iPhone and iPad. One example of the famous software of Apple is iTunes, a proprietary media player application that works with iTunes store and allows customers to download music and offers other features of consumer electronics. Fortune magazine named Apple as the most admired company in the US in 2008, and in the world from 2008 to 2012. 3.5 Introduction of iPad On January 27, 2010, Apple introduced the much-anticipated media tablet, the iPad (As shown in Fig2.2.1). Fig 2.2.1 Introduction of iPad (source: www.apple.com) The iPad measure 9.7 inch wide screen display with multi touch screen with 1024 x 768 resolutions which is lighter and thinner than any other notebooks or laptops. Its internal 25 watt-hour battery can run up to 10 hours of video, 140 hours of audio playback and one month on standby as Apple claims. Steve Jobs stated that, with the introduction of the iPad, Apple had opened a market for a new class of mobile devices. (As shown in Fig 2.2.2) Fig2.2.2 Apple iPad First Hands-on (source: http://www.ipadforums.net) 3.6 Brief Consumer Profile Consumer market can be defined as â€Å"all the individuals and households who buy or acquire goods and services for personal consumption† and consumer buying behavior can be defined as â€Å"the buying behavior of final consumers, individuals and households who buy goods and services for personal consumption† (Kotler, 2009). Table 2.3.1 shows the analysis of market segmentation for iPad. SEGMENTATION BASE| SELECTEDSEGMENTATION VARIABLES| Geographic Segmentation| Region| West Malaysia, east Malaysia| City size| Major metropolitan areas, cities| Density of area| Urban| Climate| Hot, humid, rainy| Demographic Segmentation| Age| 18-34, 35-49, 50-64| Sex| Male, female| Married status| Single, married, divorced, living together| Income| RM40,000 and over| Education| College, college graduate, postgraduate| Occupation| Professional, white-collar| Psychological| Needs| Sense of self-worth, fashionable| Personality| Extroverts, novelty-seeker, aggressives| Perception| Low-risk| Learning-involvement| High-involvement| Attitudes| Possitive attitude| Psychographic| Lifestyle| Couch-potatoes, outdoor enthusiasts, status-seekers| Cultures| Malay, Chinese, Indian, and other foreigners| Religion| Muslim, buddhism, hinduism, christian, catholic, and others| Social| Middle, upper| Family| Bachelors, young married, full nesters, empty nesters| Use-Rated Segmentation| Usage rate| Heavy users, medium users| Awareness status| Aware, interested, enthusiastic| Brand loyalty| Strong| Use-Situation Segmentation| Time| Leisure, work, morning, night| Objective| Personal, fun, achievement| Location| Home, work, mega mall, restaurant| Person| Self, family members, friends, peers| Benefit Segmentation| Convenience, social acceptance, easy e-book reading, value-for-the-money, service| Table 2.3.1 Market segmentation for iPad From analysis above can see that most of Apple’s users are high-end clients who have the strong purchasing power, easily accept new technology and they are very loyal to Apple. 3.7 Brief Competitor Profile Apple iPad bring threats and impact to PC industry in some way. On one hand, the hot-sell of iPad attracts many PC manufacturers set foot in this field. So the other tablet computers will be the biggest competitor, such as Blackberry’s playbook, this is a tablet computer which located in business person, and it will also attract public’s eyes because of its vast multimedia function. On the other hand, the price advantage of netbook is also a challenge to iPad. After all compared with traditional computer, iPad may not a necessity. To some business and professional people, they will choose the traditional notebook rather than iPad. 3. Marketing Mix Analysis of iPad According to the information that searches from magazines and internet, the author knows many information of iPad. The author here will use the theories, concepts of marketing mix to analysis the iPad. 4.8 Product â€Å"Product means the goods-and-services combination the company offers to the target market. â€Å" (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009). The iPad bridges the gap between smart phone and laptop, it offers equivalent range of features and functions that a computer does. It has internet capabilities running on both Wi-Fi and 3G. Some of the features are discussed previously. Fig 3.1.1 shows its tech specs. Access to Apple Apps Store which has over 300,000 applications and to iTunes are attractive features of iPad. Fig 3.1.1 Tech Specs for Apple iPad (source: http://www.apple.com) Value delivered to customer: 1) Convenient to Carry and Easy to Use Compared to functionalities and performance, it is surprised that iPad weighs only 1.5 pounds. It is very thin and sleek measuring only 0.5 inches. This lightweight iPad is very useful for business trip, making it easy to transport as compared to a laptop. Not only it is easier to carry it around, but also be able to use it to check e-mails, show videos and photos to people instantly whenever required with its long battery life, which at 10 hours is 2-5 times longer than a notebook (As shown in Fig 3.1.2). Fig 3.1.2 E-mail and photo function for iPad (source: http://www.cnbeta.com) 2) Easy for E-Book Reading One benefit that can’t miss is the iBooks Application. Customer can download the favorite e-books to iPad and read while traveling (As shown in Fig 3.1.3). Fig 3.1.3 E-books on Apple iPad (source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Retrieving books to read on ibooks application on iPad is simply easy. Browse through the e-bookshelf on the iPad, choose one title wish to read and click, the book opens in front. Customer can view the book in portrait or landscape, and the way the pages flip is awesome flip it with finger and looks just like a real book. 3) Excellent Service for Customer What’s more, the service of iPad is very nice. Apple has its own key service iTunes. Customer can get this value to enjoy the all kinds of internet resources such as music, video and applications (As shown in Fig 3.1.4). Fig 3.1.4 iTunes on Apple iPad (source: http://www.ipadforums.net guardian.co.uk guardia guardia) The iTunes online store makes it incredibly easy to purchase songs and load them onto the devices. When customer wants to watch or listen, they neither need to search from the CDs nor television channels. What they need to do is just opening the iTunes, all they want is in iTunes, it let the media browse much faster, it is easier to sort. 4.9 Price â€Å"Price is the amount of money customers have to pay to obtain the product. â€Å" (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009). The iPad is priced starting from $499 for 16 GB storage to $829 for 64GB storage and 3G connectivity. In detail, tab 3.2.1 shows the price of iPad selling in Malaysia. iPad| 16G| 32G| 64G| Wi-Fi| RM 1, 549.00| RM 1, 849.00| RM 2, 149.00| Wi-Fi + 3G| RM 1, 999.00| RM 2, 299.00| RM 2, 599.00| Tab 3.2.1 Selling price of iPad (source: http://www.apple.com guardian.co.uk guardia guardia) Value delivered to customer: 1) Eco-friendly Device for Environment Protection The iPad is made of recyclable glass and Aluminum and the packaging material is recyclable the packing is efficiently done. It is not using Arsenic, PVC, bromine fire, Mercury as the company has restricted the use of harmful chemicals. With such price, customers are not buying the fashionable device only, more importantly, they are making contribution to environment protection. Fig 3.2.1 shows how green is the iPad. Fig3.2.1 How green is the iPad (source: http://sortable.com) 2) Flexible Price as Actual Needs The iPad price varies according to its storage capacity and the internet access capacity, which leads to reducing the initial cost on the first ever tablets based on customer’s actually needs and application (As shown in Fig3.2.2). Fig3.2.2 Price and configuration of the iPad (source: http://www.apple.com) 3) Cost Saving with Maxis Bundled Package It is available on Maxis bundled packages with a 24-month contract based on different types of iPad internet plan (As shown in Fig 3.2.3). By doing so, the price of iPad has been dropped down from RM450 to RM950. The plan is much more attractive not only for those who can’t afford to pay for the high price, but also for some of the SME to extend their business. Fig 3.2.3 Maxis iPad Bundled Packages (source: http://www.maxis.com.my) 4.10 Place â€Å"Place includes company activities that make the product available to target consumers. â€Å" (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009). Apple started selling the iPad not only from its official websites, but also retail outlets and Apple Store. Value delivered to customer 1) Easy Walk-in Location for Purchase The iPad can be purchased from Apple Store, Apple Premium Reseller and Apple Authorized Reseller located in Malaysia. All shops are conveniently located and beautifully designed, identified by the large backlit Apple logo, such as in most famous shopping mall like Sunway Primary, One Utama, KLCC and Mid Valley in Selangor, even in Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak. The value is so easy for customer to come and have a journey on iPad (As shown in Fig 3.3.1). Fig 3.3.1 Apple shops in Malaysia In each shop, customer will be able to find dedicated Apple-trained and Apple-certified Mac experts who can come up with the right solution for you. 2) Time-Saving Online Order Apple iPad are also available on internet for the customers on Apple’s website. Online purchase is the easiest and time saving way for most of them (As shown in Fig 3.3.2). Fig3.3.2 Online Apple store for iPad (source: http://www.apple.com) On the website, the Apple explains the number of features and benefits of iPad. This adds the value to the consumers as convenience is a value that people appreciate and for which they will pay more than the actual price. 3) Golden Service for Apple Loyalty When customer are on the go, the Apple Store app is the best way to research, personalize and buy products from Apple and get the most out of customer’s visits to the Apple Retail Store for Apple loyal fans. Fig 3.3.3 shows what can do with the Apple Store app on the iPhone or iPod touch from search to pay. Fig3.3.3 Apple store apps for iPhone and iPod Touch (source: http://www.apple.com) 4.11 Promotion â€Å"Promotion means activities that communicate the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it. â€Å" (Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, 2009) Apple Company had been promoting the iPad with the help of social media campaigns and multi-channel media strategy. Value delivered to customer: 1) Multiple Channel for Better Understanding of iPad The online promotion by Apple on Facebook, YouTube and other related websites approaches to the consumers added more value to the decision of consumers of buying iPad. Same like in stores all the information is available online for customers. Customers can download brochure from its website for their convenience. When Apple announced the idea of iPad, most fans write blogs and share through internet. Customer will see them and many videos about iPad, some of them are made by Apple and some are made by other people. These blogs and videos are shared by many other people through many ways (As shown in Fig 3.4.1). Fig3.4.1 Video sharing about iPad (source: http://www.9to5iPad.com/) 2) Custom Engraving of iPad Apple had offered free iPad engraving from its online store, allowing customers to add a personal touch to the tablet in time for the holiday seasons (As shown in Fig 3.4.2). Customers are given the option to engrave up to 2 lines of free text on the back of an iPad after selecting an iPad model and any desired accessories from the online store. Fig 3.4.2 Website about iPad engraving (Source: http://store.apple.com/) 3) Free Delivery for On-line Purchase When purchasing the iPad online from Apple’s official website, customer will get the value of free delivery. Just wait for 3-4 business days, the product will be arrived on hand safely. 4. Assessment of Overall Value Delivered Apple has always placed a major emphasis on the marketing and the brand awareness of its products. The iPad’s advantage is that they offer several different features in one product. Converging all the new technology into one product is the route apple is seeking. It’s making life easier for their consumers by being able to conduct many applications in the one product. Apple’s iPad followed all the 4P’s of marketing mix to deliver the high level of value to the customers. The company has manufactured an iPad using strong in-built applications. The gadget permits people to work and entertain anytime anywhere, as a value of experiencing its easy and convenient use. It provides value to customers through a huge number of features which helps in saving time and energy. Adding more to customer value the price of iPad is competitive and flexible in the market as discussed above. It advertised on T.V., newspapers, magazine, radios and also on internet, which makes people have clearer understanding in various channel. It provides value by available at all the apple stores and website. From the iPad’s 4P’s analysis, we can easily see the difference of it, and can answer the question â€Å"why people buy it which seems unnecessary product.† Apple iPad satisfy their needs and this delivers the value as a product and service in terms of features, style performance, durability, quality, reliability and design to the customer. 5. Conclusion Apple iPad is a new product which has made a dent in the history of tablet business domain and the first successful product. This has also ignited the demand for new and improved tablets from Apple and other competitors. Apple has used the 4P’s of marketing in a very efficient and proper manner, so that added the value to the customer’s decisions of purchasing iPad. When Apple introduced iPad, they intended to come across the consumer’s wants and demands which would satisfy to their lifestyles. Apple in future which demands more innovative products and the company still need to adapt to expected changes in iPad which they have already started in their new iPad 2. With their experience, they are able to continue strengthen its position in the industry. 6. References 1. Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong. (2009). Principles of Marketing. (7th Edition). Australia. Pearson. 2. Kotler Brown Burton Deans Armstrong. (2010). Marketing (8th Edition). Australia. Pearson. 3. Borden, N. H. (1964). â€Å"The concept of the Marketing Mix†. Journal of Advertising Research. Vol II 4. APDGT YAMAMOTO. â€Å"Understanding Customer Value Concept: Key To Success†. pp. 547-552. 5. Chapelet, B. and Tovstiga, G. (1998), â€Å"Development of a research methodology for accessing a firm’s business process-related technologies†, International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 15 Nos  ½, pp. 10-30. 6. Apple Annual Reports, 2010 7. www.apple.com 8. www.maxis.com.my

The Recessions Effect On Consumer Behaviour Commerce Essay

The Recessions Effect On Consumer Behaviour Commerce Essay A recession is a negative decline in economic activity over a period of time. This is usually defined as a decline in Gross domestic product for two or more consecutive quarters. GDP is a measure of the countrys overall economic performance over a period of time. It is made up of consumption, investment, government spending, and exports minus imports. Consumer behaviour is the study that looks at all the reasons why people purchase products and where and when they purchase them. The credit crunch first started with the USA mortgage market and the collapse of the global housing bubble. Individuals were taking out mortgages that they could never afford to pay back. It all went wrong when the house prices in the USA started to fall. This in turn caused the value of securities connected to house prices to fall. The financial institutions all over the world were damaged. This put uncertainty regarding banks ability to pay its debts. The banks panicked and there was a rapid decline in credit availability. The investors confidence also declined and this had an impact on global stock markets. It was argued that investors did not accurately put a price on the risk involved with mortgage-related financial products. This causing the whole finance market to fail. The recession has caused banks to tighten credit availability. This has caused massive problems to secure credit for big ticket items such as cars and holidays. [1] The recession has had a major effect on many peoples consumer behaviour. There are many industries that have been hit by the recession. One important sector hit by the recession is the car industry and a knock on effect to companies that supply the car industry. Due to people finding it hard to secure finance they are unable to purchase new cars. So the sales of new cars have dramatically declined. An example of this is the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota. It has always been at the top of its game for many years. It has been producing exceptionally reliable cars and always at the cutting edge of technology. While in the recession the chief of Toyota Mr Katsuaki Watanabe produced the final annual figure which showed a loss of $4.4 billion. This was the companies first loss since 1950. This shows just how bad the car industry has been hit by the recession with many other firms in the industry achieving even bigger losses. [2] Another area that has been hit is the trade associated with the housing market. Due to problems with getting a mortgage people are unable to purchase new houses. So the development of new properties has fallen. Many house building companies such as Redrow and Barretts actually stopped building new houses on their sites when they realised they could not sell them. So all the labour associated were now unemployed. The Steel industry has also been hit hard. This is due to the car industry and house industry not needing the amount of steel they used to demand. With the recession affecting the whole economy the government has tired to use monetary policy to fix our situation. The government has tried to alter the supply of money by lowering the interest rate. But in doing this it has affected other sectors of the population. It will have a massive effect on people who rely on good returns from money they have invested. An example of this is the older population using their savings to give them an income to live on. At the moment the interest rate is at 0.5% compared to 4.5% in 2006. So the return they will receive on their investment has declined. The consequence of this is that their disposable income will fall causing them to purchase less. The government has also reduced Value added tax from 17.5% to 15%. This is a monetary policy that aims to increase the purchasing of consumers in the economy. The recession has also caused the exchange rate to fall against the pound. This means that the price of imports increase and price of exports de crease. This in turn has caused the import of raw materials for manufacturing to increase for many businesses. Due to the fact that the UK does not produce a lot of goods we rely heavily on imports. These now cost more than what they did before. This means that the consumer is getting less value for their money. The recession has had varied effects on different demographics within the economy. How people are affected depends on age, gender, occupation and location. The highest unemployed age appears to be the 18-24 category. This may be due to their lack of experience. A company would prefer to employ people who are skilled in doing their job. The older workers (45-64) will find it harder to obtain a new job if they are made unemployed. The current unemployment rate is at 7.8%. During a recession unemployment is a serious factor that affects consumers behaviour. Even if the individual consumer is not facing unemployment themselves they will still be affected psychologically. This is because other people around them such as family and friends may be affected. It will give them a thought that it may actually happen to them soon. It will affect their consumer confidence. With people having less consumer confidence they are more likely to save money rather than spend. So this makes the recession worse because it will reduce GDP more if consumers are not spending. Consumer behaviour is related to consumer motivation. Motivation is a basic concept in human behaviour. There is believed to be tension that arises as a result of unfulfilled needs that we have. The needs that are unfilled will move a consumer away from homeostasis balance. The Homeostasis See-Saw shows that a consumer needs a balance between Need satisfaction and Deprivation. The balance between these two is believed to be the homeostasis state. There are four drives that take us away from this equilibrium. Biogenic drives are such things as hunger and thirst that we automatically think we need. Psychogenic drives which drive us to achieve a certain status. These will depend on social and cultural environment that a person is used to. Cognitive motives are those that stimulate people to adapt to the environment and achieve a sense of meaning in society. Affective motives are associated with the need of obtaining emotional goals and the ability to achieve a satisfying feeling state. In a recession all these motives would be affected. Peoples purchasing pattern and ability to purchase certain products would follow a different pattern. In a recession when times are hard it could be potentially difficult to reach the homeostasis balance.[3] An impact the recession can have on consumer behaviour is the Lipstick Effect. When times are hard within an economy a consumer will stop spending money on big ticket items such as Expensive holidays or a new car. In order to achieve the feeling shopping brings consumers simply trade down to cheaper items to make them feel happy and content. The recent sales figures from cosmetic companies such as LOrà ©al and Revlon show that the lipstick effect is in operation within our economy at the moment. LOrà ©al showed sales growth of 5.3% in the first part of the year when the recession started. It shows that when consumers budgets are tightened that people just substitute larger luxury goods such as a new fur coat for small luxuries such as expensive makeup. [4] Some consumers in the recession are choosing to drop a brand level in their weekly shop. This means that rather than purchasing the brand products such as Heinz and Kelloggs they are choosing to purchase supermarkets own brands or no frills brands. It is said to save on average 33% on your weekly shop by dropping one brand level.[10] Brand loyalty has less effect in a recession due to consumers not being able to afford to be loyal if there is a cheaper close substitute. While in a recession there are many consumer behaviour trends that start to emerge. One example of this is Sellsuming. This is a trend where Consumers are very creative in selling products or services that they have to offer. With need to generate extra income consumers become inclined to sell things they dont need or want anymore. An example of this is the use of eBay the online auction site to sell unwanted products. Some consumers may even go as far as renting out parking spaces. Another trend is the Increase of  online services and social media usage. With the unemployment rate increasing and jobs not being very secure, people spend more time looking for job advertisements on the internet. Consumers are also being sensible when they are shopping. The consumer is continuously looking for very good deals both online and offline. Consumers are looking for the best price and the best value available to them. Internet shopping has become the best channel for a consumer to achieve this with price comparison websites such as kelkoo.com and comparethemarket.com. Kelkoo is a shopping portal that compares many retailers and shows the best place to purchase a product depending on the cheapest prices found. Another trend in a recession is skills enhancement and  training. When people feel unsure about the future they believe that increasing their knowledge and skills is a good way to keep in them employable. The younger generation are also not entering the jobs market and choosing to increase their prospects for the future. Examples of this are the figures that show almost an 8% increase in applications for full-time study at universities in 2009. This is the biggest growth in eight years. The recession and rising unemployment have been blamed for this substantial increase.[6] While the economy has been in recession there has been an increase in the number of people searching dating agencies. According to the New York Times Online and offline matchmakers are reporting that dating interest is up, way up. Match.com, for instance, had its strongest fourth quarter in the last seven years. There may be a few reasons for this increase. People may now have more time on their hands due to being unemployed. Also meeting a potential partner on the internet is easier and more affordable than socialising in other ways such as going to the pub. A major trend of consumer behaviour in a recession is Escapism. Consumers are said to be spending money on products and services in order to distract themselves from the economic hardship. The entertainment industry should in theory be experiencing an increase in attendance. This would be such services as bowling and cinema. The figures show that in 2009 cinemas are up 13% year on year. Fast Furious tore up the record for the most lucrative opening weekend for a movie released in April 2009.[7] But this can also be seen in related companies such as the American-based chain of DVD and video game rental company Blockbuster. Their sales have increased over the recession with people choosing to rent. This may be due to the reduction in layout cost of actually purchasing the DVD yourself. It could also be another form of entertainment for people. Another business that is doing very well in the recession due to a change of customers behaviour is Dominos pizza. They are benefiting from con sumers trading down on their choice. A consumer who would have usually gone out for a meal now stays in and purchases a dominos pizza. [8] Consumers in recession also tend to talk more about their purchases and experiences. The OTO Research confirms 54% of consumers say that their primary source of information when choosing a brand is the Consumer Generated Content about the product and brand experience. Due to people being careful with their money they want to make a good purchase that will satisfy their needs. In a recession people will be more likely to tell their family and friends about good deals. This is compared to in a boom consumers tend to boast how expensive a product they purchased was. Consumers are also taking out more insurance policies during the recession. It appears that the desire to protect property becomes a high priority in a recession. This may be due to the fact that people are worried about replacement or repair costs if something does go wrong.[9] People are more likely to repair items if they break when the economies in recession. Such businesses as cobblers are seeing more and more people bringing in worn shoes. Before the recession consumers would of thrown them in the bin and purchased a new pair [12]. In order to try and reduce the effects of the recession the government introduced a scrappage scheme. It aims to increase the purchase of new cars. The consumer is offered a  £2000 incentive if they have a car that is over 10 years old and are willing to scrap it. The government has also tried to increase the money in the economy by offering lower vat of 15%. This is not really much of an incentive unless you are purchasing big ticket items. They have also dropped interest rates down to 0.5%. This provides people with mortgages lower repayments. This gives them more disposable income which they could potentially spend in the economy. In the recession not all companies are being affected. Some companies are actually doing better than they did before. Examples of people doing well in the recession are supermarkets, Amazon, dominos, cinemas, pawnbrokers. The best strategy to follow in a recession is cost leadership. By keeping your costs to a minimum you can maximise profit and be competitive. The best way to get consumers to purchase your products is by giving them an irrefutable offer. During a recession companies should try to increase positive motivation in a consumer. You can do this with a good use of advertising. If a consumer has increased positive motivation they are more likely to want to purchase your products. Overall it is important to realise that consumer behaviour and the recession are linked and have an effect on each other. But the effects will depend on the industry, products and the people it involves. Businesses need to be proactive in a recession in order to be successful. They must be able to change their strategy quickly and efficiently. 1 His journal 2 Ian Rowley (May 8th, 2009) Toyotas Loss Is Worse Than Expected, Available at http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2009/gb2009058_991777.htm , [Accessed 16th December 2009]. 3 book- SEE SAW 4 Larry Elliot (December 22nd 2008) Into the red: lipstick effect reveals the true face of the recession,http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/22/recession-cosmetics-lipstick , [Accessed 16th December 2009]. 5 Yulia V Smirnova (June 16th 2009) Top 10 Emerging Consumer Behavior Trends in Recession, http://www.memesponge.com/2009/06/top-10-emerging-consumer-behavior-trends-in-recession/, [Accessed 21st December 2009]. 6 Nicola Woolcock (February 16th 2009) University applications rise by 8% as recession bites,http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article5741496.ece, [Accessed 21st December 2009]. 7 Alain Portmann (April 16th 2009) Consumer Behavior During the Recession, http://webliquidgroup.com/knowledge/consumer-behaviour-during-the-recession-four-key-consumer-trends/, [Accessed 29th December 2009]. 8 Chris Moore (17 February 2009) Recession hots it up for Dominos Pizza, http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/markets/article.html?in_article_id=476450HYPERLINK http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/markets/article.html?in_article_id=476450in_page_id=3HYPERLINK http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/markets/article.html?in_article_id=476450in_page_id=3in_page_id=3, [Accessed 29th December 2009]. 9 Nick Elliman (September 1 2009) Consumer behaviour in the recession, http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/marketing-advertising-measures/13183075-1.html, [Accessed 29th December 2009]. 10 Martin Lewis (January 2 2010) Supermarket Shopping Downshift more, halve weekly bills, http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/cheap-supermarket-shopping, [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 11 CBI (June 2009) Employment trends 2009 Work patterns in the recession,http://www.cbi.org.uk/ndbs/press.nsf/38e2a44440c22db6802567300067301b/56ebefb25149a68b802575da00308471/$FILE/CBI%20-%20Harvey%20Nash.%20Work%20Patterns%20in%20the%20Recession.%20June%202009.pdf, [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 12 Sunday Times (November 23, 2008) Riding the recession: how some businesses are doing well in the downturn, http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/article5213280.ece, [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 13 Charlie Makin (December 23, 2009) 10 key pointers of consumer behaviour in a recession revealed http://www.themarketingblog.co.uk/e_article001261803.cfm?x=b11,0,w , [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 14 Philip Atkinson (2009) Customers Consumer Behaviour in 2009 http://www.philipatkinson.com/change-customer-consumer-behaviour-millennial.htm, [Accessed 2nd January 2010]. 15 16

andersonville :: essays research papers

Prisoners began arriving at the prison in late February of 1864 and by early June the prison population had climbed to 20,000. Consequently, it was decided that a larger prison was necessary, and by mid-June work was begun to enlarge the prison. The prison's walls were extended 610 feet to the north, encompassing an area of roughly 10 acres, bringing the total prison area to 26.5 acres. The extension was built by a crew of Union prisoners consisting of 100 whites and 30 African Americans in about 14 days. On July 1, the northern extension was opened to the prisoners who subsequently tore down the original north stockade wall, then used the timbers for fuel and building materials. By August, over 33,000 Union prisoners were held in the 26.5 acre prison. Due to the threat of Union raids (Sherman's troops were marching on Atlanta), General Winder ordered the building of defensive earthworks and a middle and outer stockade around the prison. Construction of the earthworks began July 20th. These earthworks consisted of Star Fort located southwest of the prison, a redoubt located northwest of the north gate, and six redans. The middle and outer stockades were hastily constructed of unhewn pine logs set vertically in wall trenches that were about four feet deep. The middle stockade posts projected roughly 12 feet above the ground surface and encircled the inner prison stockade as well as the corner redans. The outer stockade, which was never completed, was meant to encompass the entire complex of earthworks and stockades. The posts of the outer stockade extended about five feet above the ground surface. By early September, Sherman's troops had occupied Atlanta and the threat of Union raids on Andersonville prompted the transfer of most of the Union prisoners to other camps in Georgia and South Carolina. By mid-November, all but about 1500 prisoners had been shipped out of Andersonville, and only a few guards remained to police them. Transfers to Andersonville in late December increased the numbers of prisoners once again, but even then the prison population totaled only about 5000 persons. The number of prisoners at the prison would remain this low until the war ended in April of 1865. During the 15 months during which Andersonville was operated, almost 13,000 Union prisoners died there of malnutrition, exposure, and disease; Andersonville became synonymous with the attrocities which both North and South soldiers experienced as

Thomas Hardys The Mayor of Casterbridge and Frank Norris McTeague Ess

Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge and Frank Norris' McTeague Thomas Hardy and Frank Norris are artists, painting portraits of men filled with character, that is distraught with regression. The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy is a powerful and searching fable. Frank Norris’ McTeague is a documentation of the animalistic pursuit of empty dreams. Both authors withhold the protagonists of their dreams, in a grotesque world, which provides no sign of escape. Each emphasizes themes of greed and devolution, while carefully detailing character portraits. Both Hardy and Norris broadcast a network of symbolism to enhance the meaning of their works. Hardy and Norris’ use of complex character portraits, simplistic settings and love subplots employ correlating themes of decay and provide similar and contrasting insights into their novels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The settings of both novels are based in small simple structured towns. Each take place during the post-Victorian era. Both authors base their novels within these small towns and avoid the introduction of a new setting. The development of a single setting story allows for both Hardy and Norris to manifest a greater complexity in the protagonist’s plight. In McTeague, â€Å"All the needed data are given at the start, and the main action-except the ending-glows out of the data; no face is withheld to allow the story to take an unexpected twist, and the facts are given mean what they purport to mean† (Frohock 10). The Mayor of Casterbridge also follows the setting structure of a small town filled with all the necessary elements for Henchard’s undulating character progression. It is unique that both authors focus solely upon one small town, both only escaping its confides once, either in the very beginning or in the end. Both Hardy and Norris spin a complex web of symbols, characters and love subplots within their settings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Mayor of Casterbridge opens with a drunken Michael Henchard selling his wife and child to a sailor. The next day he rises feeling remorse for his actions, he seeks them, yet they are gone. Henchard eventually winds up in the simple town of Casterbridge. Here he seeks to create a sense of justice for the â€Å"tragic error which is the result of [his] moral weakness† (Gibson 97). Eighteen years pass and Henchard has cycled to the top of his wheel of fortune, his is a successful businessm... ...tings, love subplots and brilliant inelaborate character portraits, Hardy and Norris create ascendent themes of naturalistic literature. Hardy’s works are a balance of Darwinism and prudishness. He refused to deny his characters of the chilling realism of humanity. Norris illuminates the power that denies any man the ability to thrive, prehistoric animalism. Their twisted themes of decay flourish through symbolic impressions to provide works which set the astonishing tone for literature to ensue Victorian prudishness. Works Cited Carpenter, Richard. Thomas Hardy. C.D. Miles. 2ed edition. Boston: Twayne Publishers. 1964. 89-153. Frohock, W. M. Frank Norris. 1st edition. St. Paul: North Central Publishing Company. 1968. 5-39. Gibson, James. Thomas Hardy: A Literary Life. 3rd edition. New York: St. Martin’s Press. 1996. 1-138. Hardy, Thomas. The Mayor of Casterbridge. Merriam Schuster. 4th edition. San Diego: Harcourt. Brace Jovanovich Inc. 1972. Hochman, Barbra. The Art of Frank Norris, Storyteller. 3rd edition. Columbia: University of Missouri Press. 1988. 1-77. Norris, Frank. McTeague. Peter Brief. 3rd edition. Sand Diego: Harcourt Brace Joanovich Inc. 1977.

Art Throughout History Across the World :: Artists Pablo Picasso Egypt France Essays

Art Throughout History Across the World From stick figures in the sand and the earliest animals painted and carved in stone, people worldwide have reacted to the world by making images. The fundamental goal of art, especially in the past, was to convey meaning and express important ideas, revealing what was significant to every society, by arresting images. In recognizing the subject matter of any painting, you have to look at the artist's intentions, which are regularly connected to social conditions, national or global issues and the demands of the public. To avoid the pitfalls of judging all art by our own personal experiences and subjective views, we have to learn the background surrounding the artist when the work was created- the social and historical conditions of the time and the philosophical views which affected the way in which the artist viewed the world. (Russell, 1984) Art is as varied as the life from which it springs and each artist portrays different aspects of the world they know. Briefly, it may be said that artists paint to discover truth and to create order. The creators of art make discoveries about the wonders and beauty of nature and the dignity and nobility of man. They give these concepts an order to help us understand life in a greater depth. In understanding the history and style of any period of art, we have to comprehend the balance between social and political development of that particular era. Within each and every period, development of style is affected by a response to particular philosophies, social and economic conditions, political and spiritual influences. World Issues have been reflected in art throughout the ages, and this premise is supported by three particular periods of time. This is clearly evident when viewing ancient art, where symbolism was an important part of society. Also, through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, where art was a critical form of expression and finally in the modern age of art where even in looking into the works of individual artists, one can get a sense of the feelings and events of the time and the world. Let us now examine theses three periods in detail, to support this hypothesis. If we are aware of meaning of religious, political, or other symbols, it will better our understanding of the frame of mind of the artist. Each piece of art is unique, a reflection of the artist's perceptions, insights and experiences. Certain aspects of the world are often exaggerated, or eliminated,

Movie crash

The film that had an impact on me was the movie Crash.   This Oscar-winning movie written and directed by Paul Haggis showed so many lessons about life that are important.   The movie demonstrated the need for empathy in this world.   No matter what color or sex or size, people need to show more empathy to one another.     But this movie is also about the anger and frustration that we carry around with us everyday as well.   Living in the modern day world is tough, but we need to find better ways to relate to each other.   As Robert Jensen says, â€Å"We all carry around racial/ethnic baggage that’s packed with unfair stereotypes, long-stewing grievances, raw anger and crazy fears.   Even when we think we have made progress, we find ourselves caught in frustratingly complex racial webs from which we can’t seem to get untangled† (Jensen). No matter where we are from around the world, the point remains that we need to find better ways to get along.   Not just with those from other places and backgrounds but with those next to us who deserve better.     This idea of â€Å"It ´s the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We ´re always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.† means that we need more relating and touch and understanding from the people around us.   This idea of being able to relate to each other and get along is shown over and over again in this movie One example of the theme of getting along are the characters of Rick and Jean (Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock), a rich white couple.   Rick is a DA who tries to remain unprejudiced, but the viewer feels like he is all about image so he can be re-elected.   Nothing â€Å"real† seems to come from him, and the viewer suspects that he is having an affair with his white co-worker.   Jean, on the other hand, is all real.   She is increidibly prejudiced against the Hispanic locksmith who comes to the house.   She very clearly tells her husband exactly what she thinks. â€Å"I would like the locks changed again in the morning. And you know   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   what, you might mention that next time we'd appreciate it if they didn't   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   send a gang member†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She is a mean person, and she has this one memorable quote.   She is talking with a so-called friend on the phone and she begins to explain the way she feels, â€Å" I am angry all the time†¦ and I don't know why† (Crash).   The viewer wonders how many others feel this way.   Jean has supposedly everyone that anyone would want.   She has lots of money and a rich and important husband.   She can do anetying she wants, but she has nobody in her life. If a woman like this is angry all the time, what can that say for the rest of us? She berates and chastises everyone due to her own unhappiness, and I believe that may just be the general state of the world.   And at one point, she tells her maid that she is indeed her best friend.   This is the maid who has taken her to the hospital after she has fallen down the stairs; her friends were too busy.   We need to find ways to connect with each other and make our lieves more fulfilling, so that we can have relationships with other people. That is the lesson that Jean teaches in the film.   the old adage that money cannot buy happiness is shown again.   Meaningful people in our lives bring happiness. Another character who displayed the importance of relationships, and was the opposite of Jean’s character was the Latino locksmith Daniel (Michael Pena).   By first glance this man did not have half of what Jean’s character did.   He was just a working-class guy trying to make a living.   However, when we catch a glimpse of him at home with his family, our take is altogether different.   The viewer sees him under the covers with his daughter telling her a sotyr about the invisible cloak and being a dad and a family man.   His story is plauful and fun, not just matter of fact. â€Å"She had these little stubby wings, like she could've glued them on, you know, like I'm gonna believe she's a fairy. So she said, â€Å"I'll prove it.† So she reaches into her backpack and pulls out this invisible cloak and she ties it around my neck. And she tells me that it's impenetrable. You know   what impenetrable means? It means nothing can go through it. No bullets, nothing. She told me that if I wore it, nothing would hurt me. And I did. And my whole life, I never got shot, stabbed, nothing. I mean, how weird   is that?† (Crash). He enjoys his time with his daughter, like tucking her in at night.   It seems that he is good at his job, but he works to live rather than lives to work.   he lloves his wife and his daughter, and the viewer cringes at the idea of something horrible happening in this family.   The scene where Daniel’s daughter almost gets shot is one of the most tense of the film.   This man, while he does not have money or status, shows the viewer what life is all about.   he forms meaningful connections in life, and these are what sustain him. And there is another character who seems to be in the middle, between Jean and Daniel in his ability or lack of ability to form relationships.   This is officer Ryan.   While he is a racist cop and does some terrible things in this movie, he is also a human being as evidenced by the scenes with his father.   Because of his powerlessness at home, he is able to commit horrible atrocities at work and yet, turn around and do something entirely redeeming.   His sense of powerlessness is because his father may have cancer, but their HMO prevents them from using a different doctor. His father is having prostate trouble, and the viewer sees the two of them together at night in the bathroom.   The humiliation in these scenes is overwhelming, and the love between father and son is clearly shown.   But Officer Ryan takes all that out on those around him.   He tries to appeal to the caseworker Shaniqua, but he still insults her by lashing out about affirmative action.   In the end, she cannot form a connection with him, and she honestly anwers his pleas with, â€Å"Your father sounds like a good man. And if he'd come in here today I probably would have approved his request. But he didn't come in, you did. And for his sake, that's a real shame.† We can’t really blame Shaniqua for not wanting to help him, but the viewer wishes that she would.   Again and again we are shown what happens when we lack compassion and empathy for others and do not form relationships. The title itself and the opening quote implies that we are too busy with our own lives to get to know others, but that many of our preconceived notions or prejudices would be gone if only we would take the time.   This applies for people from all walks of life.   If rich people never do things where they come into contact with different types of people, the preconceived notions will continue to exist.   The other lesson here is that everyone has a story and a reason for acting the way they do.   If human beings could just take the time to learn about toehrs, we could at least begin to understand why they act the way they do.   Crash does a phenomenal job of showing us these things without preaching. Works Cited Chang, Jeff and Chan, Sylvia.   â€Å"Can White Hollywood Get Race Right?†Ã‚   Posted July 19, 2005.   Retrived April 27, 2007 at http://www.alternet.org/movies/23597/?page=3 Jensen, Robert and Wosnitzer, Robert.   2006.   â€Å"Crash the and Self-Indulgence of White   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   America†.   Retrieved April 26, 2007 at    http://www.nthposition.com/crashandtheself-indulgence.php               

El Lexico Y Los Limites de Tu Mundo

El mundo globalizado en el que vivimos actualmente es altamente competitivo y hace cada vez mas necesario y fundamental el conocimiento y uso de un lexico mas tecnico y preciso. ?Por que? En principio porque el uso de un lexico con dichas caracteristicas nos hace parecer mejor preparados al demostrar un dominio sobre el tema que tratamos. En general el lexico que utilizamos sirve como una especie de tarjeta de presentacion ante personas que no conocemos, ya que con tan solo escucharnos se forman una idea de nuestro nivel de escolaridad y cultural. El tener un lexico amplio nos ayuda a dar una mejor impresion a los demas y nos puede ayudar a abrir puertas a lo largo de nuestras vidas. Conforme avanzamos en nuestros estudios vamos anadiendo palabras a nuestro lexico, las cuales nos permiten expresarnos de manera mas especifica y clara. Independientemente del campo en el que nos especialicemos siempre nos veremos en la necesidad de utilizar tecnicismos para describir un proceso o fenomeno especifico de nuestra area. Si en un reporte o entrevista obviaramos su existencia y decidieramos expresarnos con palabras mas escuetas y/o simples, inmediatamente dariamos una mala impresion a nuestros superiores o entrevistadores. En cierta forma el uso de palabras tecnicas y una forma de expresion mas elocuente y elegante nos ayuda a dar una mejor impresion y a diferenciarnos de los demas. En la vida profesional esto es de gran ayuda ya que nos brinda un mayor poder de convencimiento y confianza. El tener un lexico amplio tambien nos ayuda a expresarnos de mejor manera. ?Como? Dada la gran riqueza del idioma espanol existen muchas formas de expresar una misma idea. Si necesitamos explicar un tema complicado a personas que no tienen un alto nivel de escolaridad, el tener un lexico amplio nos ayuda a rebajar el nivel de dificultad sin que se pierda la esencia del mensaje que queriamos dar. Este es uno de los tantos beneficios que nos brinda el tener un lexico amplio. â€Å"Los limites de mi lenguaje son los limites de mi mundo. -Ludwig Wittgenstein Extrapolando de lo que decia Ludwig Wittgenstein podriamos decir que al ampliar nuestro lexico ampliamos el limite de nuestro mundo y de nuestra vida. El tener un lexico amplio nos permite a la larga, entonces, no solo expresarnos mejor sino tambien el demostrar nuestro domino sobre algun tema en particular en el ambito profesional. Es por estas y muchas otras razones que es importante ampliar nuestro lexico en cada oportunidad que se nos presente ya que nunca sabemos cuando podemos necesitar expresar una misma idea de distintas maneras.