Wednesday, July 31, 2019

My Puppy Love

Daisy and Johann were together in one renowned university in Malaysia called University of Science Malaysia.   They were both in their second year college when Johann first met Daisy at the University's Registrar's office during an interview for a scholarship.   Her silent and evading ways caught the attention of the young man.   He tried coming near her to start a conversation, but no amount of effort gave him a chance to get acquainted with her that day.   A week after, he read in the Bulletin Board that Daisy topped the scholarship, and found a valid reason to congratulate her. Waiting for her in the hallway, he grabbed every opportunity to greet her, â€Å"Congratulations Daisy, I saw your name on the Bulletin Board†¦.†Ã‚   He was never allowed to finish his greetings for immediately Daisy rushed into her Chemistry class. Nodding his head sideways, he tried to squeeze himself in the crowd just to get near to Daisy for the second time in their encounter. â€Å"Hello! Have I done wrong?† inquired Johann. Daisy looked at him with a straight and sharp look and said â€Å"We don't even know each other!† â€Å"I understand, I am Johann, and I'm interested to be your friend,† he said stretching his arm to shake hands with Daisy. But she  refused to meet it and instead she said, â€Å"Okay, I hope only until then! Bye.† Daisy hated him so much ever since the first day they met in the registrar's office, she already noticed his being forward.   But at the same time, she couldn't understand what she was feeling inside her.   He preoccupied her thoughts most of the time and whenever it happened it excited a lot. What’s more, she loved see him from a distant every time classes would end.   These thrilling feelings were so disturbing and caused some sleepless nights.   She hoped such feelings would end, so that she could concentrate in her studies and do more to excel. It was late in the afternoon the following day when Daisy noticed somebody following her. She sped up and hurried on her way until at the corner of the building there was no more way of escape.   â€Å"Why such a rush?† said the man she hated most but at the same time the one who brings color to her life these last few days. â€Å"Nothing, ah,†¦I still   have to do some research in the library,† Daisy formally replied. â€Å"Library?! It has been closed since four this afternoon, hah!?!†Ã‚   Johann said sarcastically. â€Å"And for what reason are you following me? You annoy me so much, and I hate it!† she said nervously, being scared also to lose him that very moment. â€Å"I'm sorry; I know I have been trying to get your attention.   Can I walk with you home?† â€Å"What for, I can manage.† â€Å"Yes, of course you can, but you see I was just trying to be a friend.†Ã‚   Daisy didn’t know how to react in such a situation and tried every  reason to again evade his company. Having known of her ways, Johann quickly engaged into a conversation hoping to get her this time.   To his dismay Daisy made her way of escape for the third time. Exhausted when she arrived the dorm, she was sulking and crying.   She hated herself.   She knew she like him, but at the same time she was scared and   just didn’t know what to do and how to act when he was around. The sun began to set when the phone rang.   â€Å"Hello!  Ã‚   Daisy, it's me Johann, let me get things straight,  I found myself in love with you when I first met you. That’s the reason why I become a shadow to you.   I know I irritate you, but please can we just talk so that I may have time to explain?† Daisy  found herself nervous, and speechless.   â€Å"Daisy, are you still there? Okay, can we meet tomorrow? Please, I'll meet you in the hallway after your Chemistry class, and then we'll go somewhere else to talk†. This time Johann made sure he will be the one to hang-up the phone first, and said â€Å"Good-bye, see you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The night seemed very long, but how she wished it will be longer so that she could meet with Johann.   But no matter what she did, she had to be in her Chemistry class, and Johann was just on time as he promised. This time she decided to meet with him and hope to end everything despite her feelings.   The next time she realized she's already with Johann in the park, and as they exchanged ideas and got to know each other found themselves in a mutual understanding that they were already as boy-girl who are in an exclusive intimate relationship. Since then, Johann would always be around to fetch her from her Chemistry class, and they would always end up working on their assignments together or study each of their lessons hurriedly to be able to still have time discussing their personal lives.   This had been for two to three months, and how they treasured their time together, until one day Daisy opened a long been buried mail in her internet.   It was the news of her scholarship in Oxford some three months from now. When Johann came to her life, she forgot her application for a scholarship and having passed it, she is now called for a decision.   It is either her future career or staying in Malaysia with Johann.   She tried a lot to postpone thinking about it, but she was overtaken by the news in the University announcing her scholarship in Oxford.   Soon after the breaking of the news, Johann did not wait after the Chemistry class would end.   Before it started he was already outside the classroom waiting for her. â€Å"I'm sure it was true†¦Are you going? Ah, yes, I know you are of course†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚   then he left, not knowing what to say more, and fearful to hear the answer. Johann did not arrived after the Chemistry class, for the first time since they were related Daisy walked her way to the dorm by herself, once more a lone figure.   After a few minutes the phone rang. â€Å"Hello! Daisy, I'm sorry, it was just difficult for me.   I tried to refuse thinking about it, but you see, is it not that if we are really for each other, we will meet again?† â€Å"Thank you for understanding Johann, but I know I will be missing you a lot, and as of today, I cannot yet imagine how will it be far from you., I love you Johann, I just knew it.† â€Å"I love you Daisy, sorry to miss you after your Chemistry Class, can I still go there in your dorm?† â€Å"I'll be waiting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Daisy hanged up the phone with a smile on her face. She was assured that Johann understood her and that their relationship had a hope in the future.   

Negotiation Journal Rachid

My previous experiences of negotiating real estate properties sale were slightly different from what we got in class. In fact, the logic is quite similar, UT the main difference is that in real life negotiations, I never used a pen and a paper. I remember using concepts like target, limit, and opening except that have never known they had particular names. Expected the Hamilton negotiation to give me an evaluation of my way of running real estate negotiations.I started my preparation by reading the case, understanding the context, and highlighting the most important information was provided with. Based on the data had collected, realized I would be facing a complex situation that has hidden facts and that requires lots of analysis and critic to UN it successfully. As an essential part of my preparation, determined my target, limit, and opening using the facts I was provided with and assumptions made about my counterpart.In the case, there was in my opinion a breaking piece of informa tion that changed my whole perception of the situation. It was mentioned, in the first place, that the land would be more probably used for residential construction due to the fact that commercial construction was not permitted by the law in the Hamilton area. Considering that info, the value of the land should be around what Quince Dive offered us, 8 million $. There was, yet, a piece of info that had high importance in analyzing the case.We are talking here about the fact that Estate Ones' CEO is much known for his long experience in the field, value minimization, and for being extremely well connected politically at the level of the state and local government. When I readied that info, I started raising questions such as â€Å"why Estate One are giving us such a surprisingly late call while they are usually known for their fast reactivity to the projects they are highly interested in? â€Å"This question was actually the hint that pushed me to make a giggly important assumption about my counterpart based on which I determined my target, limit, and opening.I am talking about the assumption that my counterpart got access to breaking news about the state and local government planning to allow commercial construction in the Hamilton area. Thought of that as the most rational explanation of why my counterpart gave me that surprisingly late call and Of why my property was becoming so important to him all of a sudden. The entire point of what was mentioned above is that acquired a highly interesting technique of analyzing the information in hands and building effective assumptions based on info analysis.This strategy demonstrated its effectiveness during the negotiation. I determined my opening to be 70, my limit to be 42 (assuming that Quince Dive might go up to 10% of what they offered initially), and my target to be 65 which is a pretty fair price for the property if it's to be used for commercial construction. My counterpart opening was 45; yet, as long as I gave her the impression that I am expecting the land to be used for commercial construction, she immediately started increasing her offer gradually and so or decreasing the ZAP.My counterpart achieving a 55 million S offer (which is much higher than the value of the property if to be used for residential construction) confirmed the assumption made about my counterpart having different intentions of planned use of the land than what she claimed. We ended up around 60. 5 which was a win-win agreement in my opinion knowing that my counterpart will be waiting for the commercial construction permission to be given.This negotiation was a true learning experience that taught me to deeply analyze and criticize the information I am provided with ND build logic assumption about my counterpart that help figure out the info don't have access to. Second Negotiation : Thesis Wiley. Role Played: UP of Rivers UP of Business Development. Was expecting this negotiation to be tough and challenging. I expected to receive lots of resistance from my counterpart since he was supposed to be a professional and experienced agent in the field of basketball players' endorsement.To get well prepared for the negotiation, I tried to read between the lines to achieve better understanding of the hidden facts. For instance, in the case, there were a couple of hidden facts. The first was the prior face-to-face contact that took place between Wiley and Peak. It was essential to take the existence of such a relationship into account. I actually came to the point, later on, that Wiley and Peak were the real parties of the negotiation. When I thought about it little deeper, Wiley is the basketball player to be endorsed and Peak is the boss and it sounds that an agreement has already been reached between the two. ND Wile's agent were, in fact, just intermediaries and we were supposed to sign the formal agreement. Also as part of my preparation process, tried to understand the exact session where I stood and the nature of the situation and context. Understood that my interests and my boss's interests were slightly different, but I still had to defend the two of them the same way. My boss was highly convinced that Wiley was the right person to be endorsed. I knew I had the challenge to make my boss happy by signing the deal and saving the marketing campaign even though I wasn't too much into endorsing Wiley.The entire point here is that it was crucial to understand what my mission in the negotiation was, the role I was supposed to play, and the position stood in. Furthermore, learned not to base my negotiation entirely on the assumptions made about my counterpart because there was always a probability for them being false. During my negotiation I faced a situation that proved that. I made the assumption that my counterpart got access to the market average data. I built that assumption on the basis that Wile's agent was a professional and experienced agent.At some point in the n egotiation, I realized that my assumption turned out to be false. I believe that my counterpart didn't have the right information about the market average. Sincerely, I got the impression that my counterpart didn't take enough time to read the case which resulted in him not mastering the data he was provided with in the text. That was a typical example of how weak your position gets when you are not well prepared and when you don't know enough information about your counterpart.Even though that was a point of which took advantage of to balance the negotiation to my side, it was a useful lesson to keep in mind. That very same situation taught me another interesting point which I might call effective reactivity. Actually, my untreated behaved in a surprising and chocking manner which gave me the impression he was neither professional nor experienced. It was very important for me to react effectively to his behaviors. I learned how to react properly to my counterparts behaviors and use that to strengthen my position.In future negotiations, applying the concepts and skills I acquired in this negotiation will certainly help me run them more successfully and effectively. Third Negotiation: TERSE Ay/ KIRKS Ay. Role Played: Aroma, Sales' Representative of KIRKS. My role in this negotiation was Aroma, the sale representative of KIRKS. I expected this negotiation to be tough and time consuming. Indeed, it was. Since we had many terms to agree upon, expected this negotiation to be like no one of those did before. I was used to run negotiations that either didn't include any detailed terms or included very few.This negotiation taught me a new way of negotiating. It was very important to master the details and content of every term and set a specific and clear strategy to negotiate it. It was the first time to be provided with such complex and diverse terms. As a part of the preparation, I discussed with my teammate each term and we determined for each one a target, a limi t, and an opening point. That highly helped us in terms of controlling the flow of the negotiation and doing the right type of discounts.. Therefore, it was very important to create harmony, connection, and cohesion between different terms of the negotiation.A considerable amount of time was devoted to each one of the terms. When my counterpart gave us a call to request for the four engines, we started raising questions about their current situation and their relationship with Big Blue. As far as we knew, Big Blue was the sole supplier of TERSE; therefore, e thought there should be a problem with them calling us for an urgent request Of four servers. Either Big Blue service was not satisfying anymore, especially taking into account that their reputation has been going so bad, or that they were not able to deliver what TERSE was requesting for.We just tried to use this kind of analysis to manipulate the negotiation and, indeed, we started the negotiation by asking our counterparts ab out their relationship with Big Blue and their current business situation. That was kind of destabilize question, but they did manage it though. The entire point am ring to make here is that I learned to push my counterpart to talk via asking him/her questions. This way I can figure out the information he/she might be hiding from me.Our aim behind doing this negotiation was, in fact, to sign the deal in the first place because both I and my company were behind our expected results; but also to achieve long term agreements and collaboration with TEPEE. We knew that TERSE had future plans to expand their business in the neighboring states, so we thought it would be highly beneficial for us to sign long term agreements with them. That was, actually, exactly what appended. We did provide them with discounts concerning services, support, and training in exchange of signing a contract to get the next four servers from us.In my opinion, that was a good starting point for signing potential long term agreement in the future. The point I am trying to make is that I learned to think in terms of short terms / long term agreements. Now, I believe I become a better negotiator; one who makes clear distinction between short term and long terms deals and agreements. When you know what your exact objectives are, you know what discounts and sacrifices you re supposed to do. Last but not least, I learned to use currencies properly.The good thing about currencies is that you use them as a joker when you can't do any further discounts in terms of the overall price of the deal. Even though the currencies might be costly, they still give the impression that they are worth more than their actual value. For instance, we agreed at the end to provide some services for free. It still costs as money, but not as much as what a discount on the price of the servers would cost us. Fourth Negotiation: Flagship Airways. Role Played: S. Gordon, UP of Engendering I started this negotiation by meet ing with my teammates who represent the UP of maintenance and the UP of finance.We discussed the interests and concerns of each one of us and we set a strategy that we will follow to meet and defend the interests of the whole group. This negotiation was unique compared to the ones did before, in the sense that, the three of our group members had slightly different interests and objectives to achieve. Therefore, it was crucial to effectively listen to each other and try to find a common ground and a consensus. Once we determined our target, limit, and opening for the various terms of the contract based on the consensus reached, we started the negotiation with our counterparts.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

What Are the Three Levels at Which a Product Can Be Seen?

Assignment No. 9 Rome Business School Q1 What are the three levels at which a product can be seen? In response, use a concrete example of product. The product is defined as a â€Å"thing produced by labor or effort or the â€Å"result of an act or a process†and stems from the verb produce from the Latin ‘produce' which means to lead or bring forth'. The first economic use of the word was by Adam Smith, known as the father of modern economics. -Kotler et al (1989) For marketers, it is useful to divide the product into three main categories, being the Core Product ( Also known as Core Benefit), the Actual product and the Augmented Product.You can see them in the diagram below with some examples of what they encompass. -Kotler et al(2006) I shall use the example of the Adidas Sports apparel, a product line which they have used heavy societal marketing to promote. Adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the world. The 11% increase in sales in 2011 thanks to their new marketing efforts has meant an income of around 634 million euros. Out of this, they invested about 136 million euros in Marketing. About 1/6th of their income. -Adidas annual report (2011)The strategy behind selling their sports apparel, has been to differentiate the offering from their competitors like Nike by providing more customization for the customers. They say their key strategic pillars are: Gaining sales and market share with key growth categories such as running and basketball within Adidas Sport Performance Leading the industry in the fields of customization and interactivity across categories Expanding Adidas Sport Style in the fast-fashion business with the Adidas NEO label It is obvious here, that Adidas has invested heavily in developing all three layers of their product.The Core Product: this is the part of the product which satisfies the basic need of a consumer by providing a basic benefit. For Adidas apparel, it provides a com fortable clothing in which to do physical exercise. Adidas, how started producing the standard type apparel shirts we see today in the 1980s when they had their largest boom in sales. The core benefit, does not however distinguish the product from competitor's offerings, but it is useful to know in order to give the company a clear idea of exactly what need they are fulfilling.The Actual Product: This is the physical product into which the core benefit is translated into, but at this stage, the marketer has to make it physically and cognitively different from the competitor's offerings in order for it to sell and retain a unique position in the customer's mind. Kotler (2006) states that this can involve deciding on the quality level, product and service features, styling, branding and packaging. It is not the same as the 4Ps of marketing, because those include place and promotion, which are not direct product attributes.I shall describe each of these so as to give a full idea of wha t Adidas has done to define and perfect the actual product. a) Product Lines: In the 1990s, Adidas subdivided their apparel to appeal to three types of customer segments: the sportsmen ( for which they opened Forever Sport), this was based on the original concept of the brand by founder Adi Dassler . He made Adidas to help athletes perform at the peak of their ability, and this goal continues to drive the brand’s activities today. Adidas performance is focused on meeting the performance needs of all athletes.Forever Sport products are â€Å"engineered to perform†, bringing high-level, performance-oriented products and innovative technologies to the market. Forever Sport is structured into five main sports categories: running, basketball, football, tennis and training for sport. The brand-followers in the lifestyle market- or which they opened the style-focused Adidas Originals . The originals line includes the brand NEO. The Label focuses on more accessible price point s, maintaing a premium to competitors. From a geneder split point of view, adidas NEO is targetting primarily the girls who account for two-thirds of the business.The Original division allows adidas to increase its reach into the lifestyle market, without losing sight of its long heritage as the original performance brand. The Original division is geared specifically toward consumers who may be less active sports participants, but who are style setters and style leaders. It is these people who set the trends which are later adopted by the mass market. Originals speak to the needs and values of the lifestyle consumer with concepts that are smart, cool, positive, modern and alive. Adidas Originals are the perfect fusion of heritage sport authenticity and global street style.Lastly, for the sports-elite Adidas opened Adidas Sports Style . Adidas defined the last one as the â€Å"Future of sportswear, which includes the labels Y-3 , Porsche Design, Adidas SLVR and Adidas NEO. Their pos itioning statement was â€Å"Style your life† . The overall marketing statement that ties these three product categories is â€Å"Adidas is in all†. They made these product lines for the general public, but the main focus was on supplying the sports wear of the major sports , focusing on football, tennis, basketball, cricket and athletics and rugby. ) Manufacturing level: Adidas owns four factories in China, the US, Germany and Japan, as well as sharing manufacturing with 863 other factories worldwide, 60% being in Asia. For the Y-3 product lines, they have used expensive materials at times such as kangroo leather ( football shoes with kangaroo leather were worn by david bechkam in 2006) , and many shoes in the SLVR style, also have camel fur and the softest of fabrics available on the market ( which inevitably drives the price up) .Most of their apparel, especially for the sports shirts is made of a polyester/cotton blends. c) Quality level and Pricing: Adidas strives to â€Å"Make athletes better† , therefore the quality of their apparel has been produced to mirror that statement. The fact that their shirts are worn by the best athletes ( and celebrities) in the world such as Rafael Nadal in tennis, David Beckham in football and Suresh Raina in Cricket only prooves the quality of the apparel they sell. In their own words Ensures Adidas material quality meets or exceeds customer expectations Ensures Adidas takes a leadership role in the industry in terms of material quality and color management Leads material quality in the pursuit for continuous product and process improvement† -Adidas (2011) In regards to pricing, Adidas is still adopting a price skimming strategy on their new products. For example, shoes in the Y3 and SLVR line cost about 300-700 USD. The price decreases with more economical brand ranges such as the Adidas originals, but still remains higher than the competitors like Puma and Nike.They do also have used however p enetration pricing, especially in their new strategic markets like central Russia and china, to ensure their products stay competitive at the point of sale. d) Styling level : The style of Adidas has been focused around being a â€Å"young† for the type of customers which were the main users of the apparel: upcoming sports men , or people who want to be in shape ( therefore feel younger). They say the design of their clothing should be â€Å" elegant, timeless, honest, inspiring and courageous†.To ensure they recruited the best designers, they opened their own design academy with schools in Tokyo, New york and London, as well as hiring what is probably the world's best youth designer, Japanese Yohji Yamamoto . e) Branding: One of the biggest marketing achievements I think has been that of Adidas’s brand management, where they established almost unparalleled brand identity. They say their brand mission was to â€Å"be the leading sports brand in the world† and they described their brand values to be â€Å"Authentic, passionate, innovative, inspirational, committed and honest.Adidas believe that consumers want choice. Therefore, the group implemented a multi-brand strategy, which allows them to capitalise on opportunities from several perspectives, as both a mass and a niche player. According to that, the brand is able to keep a unique identity and focus on its core competencies, whilst simultaneously providing the group with a broad spectrum of products. International marketing is crucial for the group in its quest to generate substantial profits; as survival depends on their established presence on the global world market.Their strategy was to concentrate on specific customer needs and wants. As they put it â€Å" Only by identifying and understanding consumers’ buying habits, their fitness level, their motivations and goals for doing sport and their individual lifestyle, can we create meaningful products, services and expe riences that build a lasting impression† To do this , they divided each product segment e. g the Adidas originals into various brands which focused on target-specific wants as as to generate greater customer loyalty.Each brand is responsible for the execution of it's own strategic focus ( DE-centralized management approach) by creating a constant stream of innovative and inspiring products and generating communication strategies that represent each brand and category in an engaging and compelling way. Their major brands are: NEO, SLVR, Y-3( high price range), Reebok ,Adidas originals, Adidas golf and CCMHockey. Reebok is an especial success story of their brand because it didn't stem rom them, but was acquired as part of a global expansion strategy in It occupies a specific market which then support's Adidas's brand strategy instead of cannibalizing it. It's market is similar to that of the Adidas Originals, Reebok is suppose to make the consumers â€Å"fit for life†. I nnovation at the brand is rooted in developing technologies and concepts that enable consumers to train at their best every day, whether they are running to keep fit, exercising in the gym or participating in other fitness activities.Reebok Classics leverages the fitness attitude and roots of the brand into the lifestyle segment. Reebok thus focuses in-between the two ends of the consumer spectrum as you can see in the diagram below To give the product a brand identity, the focused on getting Brand ambassadors within sports as well as sponsoring many team shirts and events. For example, they teamed up with FIFA, clothing most of the world's football teams including Manchester united, Barcelona, Argentina, and recently signed up Manchester united winger Nani as their new brand ambassador.It is to be noted, they do not only have one, but several brand ambassadors for their different apparel product categories. For example, they hired NBA's champion Kobe Byrant to reinforce Adidas†™s support of the â€Å"best of the athletes† and also their design credentials. f)Packaging – Adidas helps customers distinguish between the fakes and the originals with the help of it's packaging. Most clothes bought even in the shops have several tags with manufacturing details, composition, designer information, history of the item, washing guidelines and a hologram with the logo that can be seen clearly.The packaging also helps to communicate the brand value's of sustainability. The packaging for the shoes for example comes from 100% recycled material, and to save on fuel costs, the weight on packaging has decreased by 33% since 2006. g) Service Features – Adidas tries to help it's customers find the right product for them, and most of their service is centered around this. In-store they have trained staff that can consult customers what is the best product depending on the sport they do, or what they want to achieve fitness wise.They also have stylists w hich in their major stores can help a person re-define their style. Lately, they set up a VFW( a Virtual Footwear Wall) . It's the first in the world and can be found at its flagship store on London's Oxford Street, which uses advanced touchscreen technology and real-time 3D rendered products to allow customers to find out more about products before they buy. They can rotate footwear, view it from multiple angles, zoom in to see details, etc. The Augmented Product: this part of the product is the non-physical part of the product.It usually consists of lots of added value, for which you may or may not pay a premium. It may include the warranty, the customer service support offered , Installation, delivery, financing help and after-sales service. The augmented product is an important way to tailor the core or actual product to the needs of an individual customer. The features of augmented products can be converted in to benefits for individuals. For Adidas, the augmented product of th eir apparel is that it provides a complete solution for the exercising needs of the individual.Through their marketing efforts, they have created an Adidas sports community to make the customer really feel as past of a group when they purchase the apparel. Adidas provides the customers it's brand as a way of definition of the self, as one aspires to have the brand personality. It therefore can be used as an group identification tool , for the group that one belongs in, and one that they aspire to be. To help in this, Adidas offers heavy customization of the product as well as the possibility of designing and ordering team shirts.In their websites miteam. adidas. com , they really try to create a sense of â€Å"team spirit† with their brand, and often those who have bought their shirts get invited to events such as their catwalk openings. Apparel is also waranteed for 6 months after purchase, with the possibility of returns if the client is not satisfied with the product. Q2. Provide examples of the four types of consumer products and how varies the way in which they are marketed. The United States Consumer Product Safety Act has an extensive definition of consumer product, which begins:Consumer Product-The term ‘‘consumer product’’ means any article, or component part thereof, produced or distributed (i) for sale to a consumer for use in or around a permanent or temporary household or residence, a school, in recreation, or otherwise, or (ii) for the personal use, consumption or enjoyment of a consumer in or around a permanent or temporary household or residence, a school, in recreation, or otherwise; but such term does not include— (A) any article which is not customarily produced or distributed for sale to, or use or consumption by, or enjoyment of, a consumer,Kotler et al(2010) describes five main types of customer products as you can see bulleted below 1) Convenience Products are those that customers buy frequently, i mmediately and with a minimum of comparison and buying effort. e. g candy, magazines and fast food 2) Shopping products are less frequently purchased and it is those that customers compare carefully on the basis of suitability, quality, price and style. Examples are furniture, clothing, used cars, hotel and airline services. ) Specialty products are those with unique characteristics or brand identification for which a significant group of buyers is willing to make a special purchase effort . 4) Unsought product are consumer products that the consumer either does not know about or knows about but does not normally think of buying. Most major innovations are unsought until the consumer becomes aware of them through advertising. Classical examples are funerals and blood donations to the red cross. These products require a lot of advertising, personal selling and marketing efforts. ) Industrial products are those bought by individuals and organizations for further processing or for use in conducting a business. The three main groups are materials and parts, capital items and supplies and services. I have chosen four customer products, starting from the cheapest to the more expensive. I shall describe the marketing for these four consumer products: 1) Pink lady apples. ( Convenience Product) The Pink lady apples come from a variety called â€Å"cripps apples†, originally bred by John Cripps which made them an especially crisp and fruity variety.The apple variety is owned by the DAFWA( Department of Agriculture and Food,Western Australia) and run by IPLA ( International Pink lady alliance) which is a large collection of apple farmers that have special rights to cultivate the apple worldwide. Pink Lady brand apples must meet certain trade mark quality specifications. Criteria for the specifications include sugar content, firmness, blemishes and color. Inspections are regularly performed to ensure both the quality and traceability of the apple from the orchard to the shop.This is part of their marketing as the Origin is an important point of product differentiation. It brand started when one of the producers offered the apple to his wife for valentine, thus came the idea for the romantic theme of the apple and it's main slogan â€Å"Pink Lady-so much more than an apple†. Product: The main product features (part of the actual product) are : It's s elegant : with its characteristic glow and perfect complexion†¦ It’s good enough to eat ! It is sensual :with its voluptuous charm, subtle fragrance, delicate and juicy flesh, it is the most glamorous of apples.It denotes pleasure :its crunch combined with the subtle aromas of wild strawberries, vanilla, litchi and rose give this fruit a unique and long lasting taste! It is the perfect balance of sweet and slightly tart. -Pink apple. Com Their marketing campaign was aimed at increasing the apple's sales and positioning it as an apple of better taste and higher quality than comp etitor products . They succeeded, especially in Italy where 97% of the customers thought it was a higher quality apple than the others.They also highlighted the product's attributes, and marketed it for it's nutritional quality, having high amounts of Vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber. An initial campaign featuring Audrey Hepburn, heroine of cool girls the world over, propelled Pink Lady toward becoming the most popular girl in school. Marketing campaigns revolved around female-centric holidays , Valentines Day, mothers Day, and worthy, trendy causes (breast cancer research). To market the apple they have done the following: ) Branded it with appealing heart shaped stickers: Most competitors have products with round poorly visible stickers, but Pink Lady has put larger pink heart shaped stickers to attract the customers to buy the product in-store b)Promotion: Television campaign: One of the few apple companies that launched a very successful television commercial to highlight the r omantic nature of the apple . Their main target market is obviously women who care about their bodies and want to eat healthy nutritious but also great tasting apples.They also released a couple of arty Posters, featuring people eating the pink apple in Paris, worthy of bedroom decoration. Pink Lady has undertaken also a wide range of initiatives to boost the brand and consumption in the U. S. , forming alliances with other groups such as the American Cancer Council and Sherwyn Williams. The latter has been an important promotion strategy called ‘paint it pink’. Where the customers were encouraged to paint something pink in their life, and then they could submit the picture to the Pink company via their website and win cash prizes.They have also been involved in flash mob dances and enlisted Biggest Loser celebrity Ali Vincent as a Pink Lady spokesperson. It is hoped that other initiatives including pre-mix cocktail development and branded sliced apples could also boost the brand in the future. They have also aligned with Walt Disney companies to produce â€Å"Pink-Kids†, that will in the future not only sell apples that have a higher sugar content than the ones for adults, but also make pre-packaged snacks .Pink lady also uses heavy occasion-marketing , offering customers discounts, apple recipes, gift bouquets with roses and apples as well as cards with pink lady cartoons as a part to boost sales for occasions like Valentine and Mother's day. Online, through their website Pink lady offers many , recepies, competitions like the food photography award, customer opinion blogs. They use other websites such as facebook and twitter to promote awareness of the brand.They also organize and take part in events such as the Vitality show ( wellness and fitness exhibition in the UK), The Virgin London marathon and the Valentine's day bonanza, where the winner this year won a new FIAT 500. c) Elite Pricing: Pink Lady apples cost on average 3. 20 Euros per kilo, which is about 1. 50 euros more than their competitors. They distinguish their product through this, thus appealing to the more wealthy health-conscious customers. They target the generation X and baby boomer females, who have more disposable income on luxuries.As John Reeves, the CEO Says â€Å"The Pink Lady is high priced even when it’s on promotion† d) Place: Pink lady apples are not sold directly by the company but via upmarket retailers such as Coop supermarkets in Italy, or Waitrose and Sainsburys in the UK . Their marketing campaign recently has been aimed at increasing sales in developed countries of the world. Here, is an example of a couple of countries. They have started marketing with retailers in Brazil, India, China (giving import licenses in Shanghai and Shenzhen)and Russia.They do this by organizing B2B exhibitions and meetings, with potential wholesalers and retailers who then push the product to the customer through in-store promotions. For their direct customers, Pink lady applied the concept of Experiential marketing . They opened many kiosks on the high streets of the big cities like London, gave free apples away at offices, talked face to face with the customers and went into schools to tell the romantic foundation story. This really encouraged the customers to try the apple and then buy it. )Customer Relationship management : This was designed for email marketing to the 8,000 strong Pink Lady Club database to engage with Pink Lady loyalists, to promote the weekly competition www. pinkladysunshine. co. uk/your-sunshine-moment/ and encourage them online to enter the main competition. It also kept track of online poles, customer surveys and general comments posted about the apple online. Overall, the Pink lady has differentiated itself from it's competitors by positioning itself as an apple for women who was both nutritional and sensual to eat.The augmented product included the membership that one could have to the Pink club, the competitions one could enter, as well as the information one had on it's production and origins. The mainly societal marketing approach aimed to increase sales in the Northern hemisphere before moving onto the southern hemisphere worked incredibly well, letting them be the no. 1 favored apple of Europe by 2012 and providing them with a sustainable competitive advantage. 2) Zara Clothing: (Shopping Product) Zara is owned by the Inditex Group.Inditex Group is a large company based out of Spain running around one hundred stores dealing with textile design. Inditex operates over 4,350 stores worldwide with brands like Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Oysho, Pull and Bear, Zara, Zara Home, Uterque, and Stradivarius(History of Zara, 2008) Zara is present in 71 countries, with a network of 1,475 stores located in major cities throughout the world. The group also has a distribution center in Zaragoza, called Plataforma Europa, which distributes to all the Zara stores within Europe. â €  Marketline France Apparel retail industry report, 2008, pg. 20) Zara's marketing strategy has been centered around creating Zara clothing, not as a â€Å"fad† but more as a lifestyle choice for the independent working woman. They seek to bring the major catwalk models into the ordinary life by making the design more practical and economic. To do this, they had to understand the â€Å"psychology† of their customer needs. Including, what makes the customers re-buy Zara products and how they feel when they are wearing them. They discovered that 1/3 women don't like the way their clothes fit them.To overcome this, Zara recruited a team of designers that completely revolutionized the Product, making them â€Å"look beautiful† on almost every body. They did this by accentuating the style and neutralizing the body contours beneath the body. Now, the customers who wear Zara have an immediate â€Å"self esteem† boost, which is why the company boasts an incre dible growth of about 18% per year. 1) Place . Zara's target market is the Euro-chic crowd who wants more fashionable clothes with a shorter lead time. Zara produces lower quantities of clothing, therefore the supply of their items are very scarce.Zara relies more on location of a retail establishment rather than advertising to attract customers. Only . 3 percent of sales are spent on advertising for the company compared to that of its competitors who spend around 3. 5 percent. Zara is more concerned with finding the exact retail site that best suits the company rather than spending the extra money on luring customers into the store . They usually book the bottom floors in large shopping malls, so they are the first stores which a customer visits, and they also ensure that their spot on the high street Is in the most visible areas and install very large windows in their shops.The inside of their stores is usually moderately lit, with a minimalistic furniture and decor, and a definit e â€Å"professional† vibe. This matches with Zara's brand personality . 2) Pricing: Zara has often adopted a market penetration pricing strategy by positioning itself cheaper than most of it's competitors as you can see in the diagram below: c -Slideshare(2012) They give many coupons, online discounts and do frequent bargain offers in their shops. They seek to keep the prices fairly low and to provide quality. as can be seen in the diagram above). The pricing ties in with their logistics strategy to have a high turnover of clothes. Louis Vuitton's Fashion Director Daniel Pietter has described the brand as â€Å"the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world. Zara has a reputation of disrupting the market wherever it goes. A clear brand proposition has been crucial in the brand’s success. This is a great example of a brand built on a simple idea that is delivered ruthlessly and at a good price† –Daniel Pietter ,New York times(2010) ) Promotion: Zara, compared to her competitors in the haute fashion world has never been a big fan of using television commercials, but rather celebrity endorsement. The most chic considered stars like Angelina jolie, Scarlett Johanesen and Nicole Kidman have all been famous supporters of the Zara brand. To reinforce this celebrity image, all of their marketing material like their brochures glossy, expensive looking and glittery. However, they never make adverts on large billboards nor use posters. Because they do not use a lot of TV advertising, they are spending relatively little on their marketing campaign( about 0. % of total revenue). Therefore, their marketing strategy is focused around Zara's presence in the world and rapid expansion and distribution of it's stores. With more than 1,500 stores around the world in over 70 countries, they open around 150 new stores every year. With the brand becoming world renown, the company is also focusing on sustainable marketing by opening stores whic h consume 30% less energy compared to the average conventional store. The new stores also save 50% of water consumption and maintains their CO2 emissions below 150 toms a year.With this said, I have to add that Zara does however organise fashion events to attract it's clients. They are present in almost every international fashion show from Ethiopia to Finland. This presence not only promotes their brand amongst the elite, but also gives their designers plenty of inspiration for the constant innovation they have to deliver. 4) Product : On-top what I have already mentioned in my opening paragraph , it should be noted that Zara produces most of it's clothes in-house, and rarely outsources to ensure major quality control.If they do decide to outsource, they move their factories to places like Romania and the Czech republic rather than the developing world. This way they also spend less on transportation and can implement a Just-in-time manufacturing approach which guarantees there is a lead time of 2 weeks between the design of the clothing and it's appearance in the retail shops. It should be also noted, that Branding is not a big part of Zara's marketing like Adidas. They never place their logo on any of the clothing they make to avoid competition from imitator products.Instead, they train their customers to have a ‘good eye' on what is the real Zara product and what is a fake. Overall, with minimum marketing effort, Zara is an interesting company because they have demonstrated to the world you can still have customer loyalty and grow rapidly by offering a great value proposition instead of investing heavily in marketing campaigns. In the end, it is the customers through their own word of mouth that promote Zara the most. 3) ING Direct Online Banking:(Specialty Product) ING Is the world's biggest online bank, founded in 1991 and the fastest growing bank in UK history.It's main target market is the Generation X and Y who know how to navigate the internet very well , who do not have time because of their busy schedule to go to a regular bank, because of their restricted opening ours and also who are interesting in saving the money they have. Regular bank accounts make it easier to take out money, but online banks are more geared to saving money, which is why they usually do not have a minimum deposit requirement. a) Product: ING direct offers banking services and support 24/7 for wherever you are in the world.The service aspect of their product ( the augmented product) is their biggest competitve advantage and biggest source of differentiation. Unlike other online banks and investment groups like Ally bank and Perk Street, they assign every customer to a bank representative which stays with you for as long as your relationship may last in the bank. This is part of their CRM efforts ( Customer relationship management) and it has proven to be a big success because people feel less afraid of being just another face in the crowd, and kno w there is a person in the bank who knows about them and can serve them faster.The customer does not have to pay service fees as well, as in a regular brick and mortar bank and they offer low interest rates to borrowers and high rates to savers. All of this does great word-of-mouth marketing for the bank, who being online relies on it more heavily than a traditional bank , due to the fears of online scammers. Another big source of marketing for them and differentiation comes from their customer-specialised products.They have accounts for kids ( Kids Savings accounts), Business Accounts and for Pensioners that are more flexible than traditional banks and offer more benefits, and also a cash prize everytime someone opens an account : major way to attract clients. b) Promotion: ING Direct brands iself as the â€Å"Forward thinking† bank. It tries to deliver innovative marketing campaigns, mostly in the form of billboards, posters and television commercials to it's clients. It ma kes an effort to associate it's brand with all the number one achievers in the sports and business world.For example, has recently signed a contract with Ferrari and Formula One to become the major sponsor of their events. They invest also in the promotions at Football games, large billboards and Tennis championships. Recently, they launched a new brand positioning campaign which should make clients see them as â€Å"the most convenient way to do everyday banking†. For this sey made a 60 second youtube spot, which was then viewed on select tv finance and news channels like CNN, CBC, CTV, Global and TVA, as well as specialty channels including HGTV, History, TSN, RDS, Series+ and Canal D .However, a huge aspect of their marketing efforts still is Viral Marketing . They are heavily dependent on website advertising space, you-tube video clips, facebook and twitter online presence to increase brand awareness. They also partnered with application builders to be part of the increas ing app market. Now, if you download Sharebuilder app on your smart phone, you can use money directly from your online ING account to invest in the market. The CEO Jim Hemmer says â€Å"†ING Direct's mobile banking and trading apps are innovative and reflect the personality of the brand,†Overall, ING's financial products have succeeded because it understood it's customers. The money ING saved from not building physical establishments, they passed these cost-savings directly onto the customers who now get cash prizes when they open an account, very good rates and no service fees. The marketing has been mostly online for them, even if they still do sponsor many sports events, but most importantly it's a bank who has thrived like Zara on word-of-mouth, and based it's biggest advertising on the actual products it offered-being more price competitive, more personalized and more appealing than the competitor's offerings. ) Nomenus Quarterly ( Unsought product). This magazine is the most expensive in the world ( about 2200 pounds sterling) and came out as a limited edition of 50 published pieces. It was created by the German artist Erik Madigan Heck, as an attempt â€Å" to create something of lasting real beauty†. It's publications show photographic spreads of fashions by Azzedine Alaia and Ann Demeulemeester (shot by Heck himself), as well as works by some of the art world's greatest figures, including Lucien Freud and Anselm Kiefer.It has to be noted that all art in the magazine are one-off exclusive and original pieces, therefore the product offering appeals not to those who are interested only in art, but also photography and art collectionists. Price: Of course, with the price tag of over 2200 pounds, it is a magazine for the 1% elite of the society who are interested in alternative art forms represented through painting and photography. The price does quite a bit or word of mouth marketing for it, as it is the most expensive, and because of this, boasts quite a few online publications solely on its pricing strategy.Erik comments directly on the price saying â€Å"Let people pay the highest price, because you know what, we have the best product out there and it's worth it. And it works. It sells out before it even launches. † Packaging: The product comes in a unique black box-set laced together with a silver silk ribbon , in which inside there is the magazine. It is not only to protect it, but also to introduce the publication. Please see the picture below, from their own website. Place: The product sells online, through its own website, or you can view it for free online! Erik calls it the Robin Hood deal of marketing, that is give it for free†. He understands that the real customers buy the work to treasure the collection of art which is inside, not to merely have a flip-through. The magazine can also be found at exclusive book clubs like Damien Hirst and stores around mostly London and New York. Then, t here are many magazines and televison shoes who quote from the magazine, or use part of it's contents, giving it free publicity. For example, Vernissage Tv-an exclusive art and fashion channel is notable for citing Nomenus quaterly and showcasing it's work in a couple of short documentaries.Promotion: The magazine promotes itself through the business network of it's founder, Erik, who basically does not spend anything on promotion he claims, apart from the website expenses. All of the clients of the magazines are mostly designers who know him, or connected interested peoples like Kevin Roberts , C. E. O of Saatchi & Saatchi. As a way to promote the magazine itself, its pages feature exclusive photographs of celebrities and major art figures. For example, the latest issues had photos of the supermodel Mary Katrantzou and Tilda Swinton. In conclusion, Nomenus quaterly has demonstrated that passion does pay.It breaks away from the other examples I have used, because it plays in a very niche market of the cream of the high-class, who have very specific and complex wants-especially if they need to pay that kind of price for the product. It's marketing is almost purely word-of-mouth, and has worked extremely well for this magazine that delivers beautiful original work and has in it's own market no direct competitors. A completely original, innovative and eccentric consumer product that has demonstrated that via differentiation and quality, it has occupied a very specific market niche and gained a loyal customer base for the long-term. . What is a brand? Why are there many people willing to pay more for branded products than non-branded? A brand is a â€Å"name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. â€Å"Branding† began as a way to tell one person's cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp, and today it's still doing the same thing- differentiating products fro m each other. -The American Marketing Associations Dictionary (2011) â€Å"Brands may be the most important tools for creating value and profitable customer relationships.Marketing is about building brands that connect deeply with customers. † -Kotler et al(2010) People are more wiling to pay for a branded product than for a non branded because of the concept of Brand Equity. Brand equity is the differential effect that knowing the brand name has on the customer response to the product and it's marketing. To explain this further, I shall use the example of a couple of Iconic brands. These are defined as having aspects that contribute to consumer's self-expression and personal identity.Brands whose value to consumers comes primarily from having identity value are said to be â€Å"identity brands†. Some of these brands have such a strong identity that they become more or less cultural icons which makes them â€Å"iconic brands†. Examples are Apple, Nike, Mc. Donal ds and Harley Davidson. People pay more for these brands because of the deep connection these brands have been able to make with their customers. Holt (2004) identifies four main elements to creating iconic brands, which will create a bond with the customer and justify the higher prices than non branded products. Necessary conditions† – The performance of the product must at least be acceptable, preferably with a reputation of having good quality. â€Å"Myth-making† – A meaningful storytelling fabricated by cultural insiders. These must be seen as legitimate and respected by consumers for stories to be accepted. â€Å"Cultural contradictions† – Some kind of mismatch between prevailing ideology and emergent undercurrents in society. In other words a difference with the way consumers are and how they wish they were. The cultural brand management process† – Actively engaging in the myth-making process in making sure the brand mainta ins its position as an icon. Kotler et al(2010) also adds that if the brand is going to be successful, differentiation from competitors is not enough. It needs to be relevant to the customers needs. The more there is a tight fit between the what the customer wants and what the brand gives and stands for, the greater chance of attaining a long term competitive advantage. To summarize, the branding done by companies makes people pay more for them because : )They have an Emotional connection to the brand- like McDonald people associate It with fun and tasty food. -relating somehow back to their childhood and family bonding. 2) It gives them a way to Express their identity through the brand image or personality. For example, buyers of Harley Davidson are usually men who want to feel more masculine and ‘rebellious'. 3) They are guaranteed a certain degree of quality and security as with the case for Parmigiano cheese, customers repeat purchases because they know what to expect in t erms of taste, thus it's part of a dissonance-reducing buying behavior. ) It gives customers a greater Self Esteem, for example, women who buy Fendi apparel get an immediate self-esteem boost from the purchase because they feel they are a step closer to their aspirational group, and feel they have ‘rewarded' themselves in making that purchase. In conclusion, for a brand to remain successful, it must rely less on the product's tangible attributes and more on creating surprise, passion and excitement surrounding a brand. It must also make sure that it's brand image and personality does not suffer as the business extends it's product lines or invests into new products. Q4.What are the four characteristics that affect service marketing and the additional marketing considerations for this sector? The service sector is one who's grown is increasing greatly. They not account for about 79% of USA's gross domestic product. There are two different types of services; the public ( offered by government and non-profit organizations, and the private ones ( offered by all business organizations). Kotler et al (2010) state that there are four main characteristics that define and affect services. They are: Intangibility: Services are intangible and do not have a physical existence.Hence services cannot be touched, held, tasted or smelt. This is most defining feature of a service and that which primarily differentiates it from a product. Also, it poses a unique challenge to those engaged in marketing a service as they need to attach tangible attributes to an otherwise intangible offering. Heterogeneity/Variability:Given the very nature of services, each service offering is unique and cannot be exactly repeated even by the same service provider. While products can be mass produced and be homogenous the same is not true of services. g: All burgers of a particular flavor at McDonalds are almost identical. However, the same is not true of the service rendered by the same coun ter staff consecutively to two customers. 3) Perishability: Services cannot be stored, saved, returned or resold once they have been used. Once rendered to a customer the service is completely consumed and cannot be delivered to another customer. eg: A customer dissatisfied with the services of a barber cannot return the service of the haircut that was rendered to him. At the most he may decide not to visit hat particular barber in the future. 4)Inseparability/Simultaneity of production and consumption:  This refers to the fact that services are generated and consumed within the same time frame. Eg: a haircut is delivered to and consumed by a customer simultaneously unlike, say, a takeaway burger which the customer may consume even after a few hours of purchase. Moreover, it is very difficult to separate a service from the service provider. Eg: the barber is necessarily a part of the service of a haircut that he is delivering to his customer.The additional marketing considerations for this sector are that a company must realise that increasingly what drives customer satisfaction is the level of services and the extra services offered compared to competitors, even if a company is selling a physical tangible product. E. g Sky-tv offers free installation when a customer purchases a good. This is part of the augmented product, but it also gives them an advantage point over their competitors. This said, companies must realise that the point of service devliery is when the employees ( representatives) of the firm meet the customers.Successful companies must focus their attentions on both the employees and the customers in order to achieve a satisfied client. This is part of the Service profit chain, that is the chain that links service firm profits with employee and customer satisfaction. For it to be successful it needs Internal service quality- superior employee selection and training to support them when dealing with customers Satisfied and productive service e mployees- the ‘extra smiles' are always passed onto the customer and adds more value to the overall service deliverySatisfied and loyal customers- if people had good service, it is more likely they will repeat purchase and give out a positive word of mouth Healthy service profits and growth: this is the final stage of the link which gives superior service firm performance. To ensure that this chain works well, marketers need to keep their employees happy and keep a good communication from the front-line employees to the top management. To ensure it all foes well, they have to employ a degree of Internal Marketing. Kotler et al(2010) say that internal marketing means that the service firm must orient and motivate its customer contact employees and supporting service people to work as a team to provide customer satisfaction,infact internal marketing must precede external marketing. An Example is the Four Seasons hostel , that invests on their human resources to motivate, reward and correct their employees when necessary , empowering them with the right motivation tools. They give a constant training in order to contentiously improve the service.This in turn, improves the quality of Interactive marketing , being the satisfaction the customer gets after being delivered with a certain quality of service. If this is successful, the customer will repeat purchase and spread a positive word of mouth. REFERENCES Kotler, Philip; Gary Armstrong (1989). Principles of Marketing, fourth edition (Annotated Instructor's Edition). Prentice-Hall, Inc.. pp. 639 Kotler, Philip. , Armstrong, G. , Brown, L. , and Adam, S. (2006) Marketing, 7th Ed. Pearson Education Australia/Prentice Hall. Kotler,Philip. ,Armstrong,G. (2010) Principles of Marketing 13th Ed.Pearson education. Australia/Prentice hall. History of Zara. (2008). Retrieved November 3, 2009, from Zara-Clothing: http://www. zaraclothing. net/history-of-zara/ MarketLine. (2008, July 8). Zara company profile. Retrieved from http://www. marketlineinfo. com American Marketing Associations Dictionary. Retrieved 2011-06-29. Holt, DB (2004). â€Å"How Brands Become Icons: The Principles of Cultural Branding† Harvard University press â€Å"Harvard MA Websites: http://adidas-group. corporate-publications. com http://www. adidasdesignstudios. com/ http://www. cpsc. gov/businfo/cpsa. pdf ttp://www. freshfruitportal. com/2012/02/06/how-pink-lady-plans-to-build-north-americas-most-recognized-fruit-brand/ http://pinkladyapples. co. uk/story http://www. pinkladyapples. com/news/news. asp http://www. slideshare. net/preciousssa/zara-marketing#btnNext http://www. zara. com/ http://www. trulydeeply. com. au/madly/2011/06/16/zara-brand-launch-marketing-australia/ http://fashiongear. fibre2fashion. com/brand-story/zara/advertisements. asp http://www. ingdirect. ca/en/ http://www. marketingmag. ca/news/marketer-news/ing-adopts-new-positioning-unveils-new-marketing-50970

Monday, July 29, 2019

Fast Food Nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fast Food Nation - Essay Example According to the movie, Fast food Nation, it is clear that commodity fetishism is prevalent and has many ethical violations that need to be addressed. The need for disconnected narrative shows that in the production of every commodity, there are many independent processes involved in such a way that one party does not know what the other does. After the discovery of fecal matter in the meat, the vice president of Mickey hamburger goes to find out how meat processing is conducted in Uni-Globe meatpacking processing plant, but the management of the plant shows him the best environment and efficient procedure. This is clear that every party does not know what the other does and so disconnected narrative is used symbolically to show that in every process of production, there are independent processes involved in promoting consumer fetishism (Linklater). The difficulty involved in making the disconnected linkage in the movie is that all parties want to hide their shortcomings to avoid other parties to know what is really transpiring. The plant mistreats its workers, who perform poorly as a result of being demoralized. The plant does not want outside parties to understand its ills thus it tries to hide them. Disconnected narrative are symbolically used to show that production processes are interconnected but in reality each party does not what the other does and so it becomes difficult to detect malpractices when they emerge(Harvey 97) . By using disconnected narrative to show independent processes involved in production, most of which are unethical and illegal, the concept of commodity fetishism is well portrayed. The evils of commoditizing production can only be eradicated if consumer fetishism is

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Describe bar charts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Describe bar charts - Essay Example In the same period, sales in US remained almost equal throughout the year, and an insignificant decline was experienced during 3rd and 4th quarter. This bar chart is a representation of buying behavior of clothes among teenagers and adult men and women during the period of 1998 in terms of percentage. During the 1st quarter of 1998 the total purchases of clothing items made by teenagers was between 40 to 45 percent; this figure experienced a decline in the second quarter, but continued to rise during the 3rd and the 4th quarters. The percentage of the 3rd quarter was less than the percentage of the 1st quarter, but the percentage of the 4th quarter exceeded the percentage of the 1st quarter. In case of adult men, the percentage of sales was nearly 25%; this figure continued to rise during the next two quarters but declined significantly during the last quarter. In case of adult women, the 1st quarter experienced a sale of women clothing of more than 30 percent; later, the figure continued to decline and rose significantly during the last quarter from the figure of 20%+ of the 3rd quarter to 40% in the 4th quarter. This bar chart represents travel expenses incurred during the months starting from January and ending in June. Food expenses incurred, as a part of travelling expenses, experienced an increase during the month of March and were at the lowest end during the months of January and May. The highest amount of money was spent on Gasoline during the period of March, and the lowest amount of expenditure on gasoline was experienced during the month of April. In case of Motel expenses, the biggest amount of money was spent during February and the smallest amount of expenditure was recorded during January and April. This figure is a representation of a comparison between the production and distribution cost with the final profit

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Krugman Book response paper (2 pages) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Krugman Book response paper (2 pages) - Essay Example However, this paper attempts to show that Krugman’s ideas are somewhat simplistic and cannot be applied in the modern economies. First, Krugman argues that in order to recover from the effects of inflation and ensure sustainable growth, it is important to aim for â€Å"moderately higher inflation† of around 4 percent (Krugman, 219). According to him, inflation helps to lower the value of debts such as mortgages which cause depression. This will in turn cause the economy to recover. One factor overlooked by Krugman is that inflation in itself will cause other problems that will significantly affect the growth of the economy. For example, higher inflation rates would mean that the price of domestic products will be high, and this will make the US unattractive to other countries in doing business. The total value of exports will be reduced. Considering the US and most of European countries rely on exports, inflation will simply lead to slow growth. The real problem is not in the lack of demand but the lack of adequate production. Unfortunately, this cannot be addressed by increasing the money in the econo my. This approach as proposed by Krugman will lead to trade deficits. Secondly, the author also focuses on the issue of debt, and argues that the effect of deficits for the American economy is â€Å"for the most part, hypothetical†. He argues that the burden caused by debt is less compared to that caused by unemployment. He does not believe in the idea of a debt crisis. However, it can be argued that an increase in debt does not help to increase the quantity of productive capital. Increased debt will in fact lead to some â€Å"fictitious capital†, and this can only address the problems in the short term. In the long term, the amount available for the private sector to save is greatly reduced, and this will lead to slower economic growth. As a result, few job opportunities will be created, and the same problems will resurface. It is no doubt that US

Friday, July 26, 2019

Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 33

Reading response - Essay Example A Thousand Plateaus is the main writing from which pleasures of philosophy are found where the main article is molded in terms of the different settings where a reader can read any article or plateau. There is no systematic order of the reading to come up with a clear meaning, although the plateaus do not give the final words (Massumi, 17). A plateau can be defined as an orchestration of crushing bricks extracted from a variety of disciplinary edifices where it carry’s traces of its former emplacement which gives it a spin defining the arc of its vector (Massumi, 19). This shows the dependence and interdependency of the plateaus that makes the notes seem like repetition, whereas they are also melodic in nature, where one only reads what he wants to read or what is interesting to him. This notion is what Brian termed, as the pleasures of philosophy since he noted that philosophy is complex and when it is not understood, it is boring thus, the different nature of the plateaus ensures each reader is able to at least understand and embrace one of the plateaus. The different plateaus that have a common spin portray the unity even in the real nature where people have different understanding and embrace different things, although their objectives may be similar (Massumi, 27). Pleasures of Philosophy being a plateau within A Thousand Plateaus talks more about ticks, quilts, fuzzy subsets, neurology and political economy. This unrelated subject makes it difficult to understand as the plateau is dedicated to music and animal behavior. It uses a difficult technical expression retrieved from different disciplines used in the humanities, mathematics, and the sciences, but whose authors recommend that you read it as you would listen to a record. This complexity ensures that each reader is able to come up with a sovereign judgment of the issues discussed in the plateau. The exercise to ensure one is able to give a good judgment is essential, even in the

Thursday, July 25, 2019

History of the electric guitar and its music Research Paper

History of the electric guitar and its music - Research Paper Example This "History of the electric guitar and its music" research paper outlines electric guitar influenced the music industry. After the release of the Catcher in the Rye, which revolutionized the American youth and created a rebellious nature in them, teenagers who were particularly involved in achieving their dream of becoming a musician picked up the guitar. Guitar was always the first choice with the looks that it brought to a person and the sign of individuality that was illustrated by playing a guitar was its appeal and this fascinated the teenagers and men in their post teens. When rock and roll was at its peak and bands and singers like Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Rolling Stones were dominating the arena of rock and roll, guitar became increasingly important in their influence. Rock and roll also influenced a new genre that was heavily influenced by guitar music now popularly known as metal music. This type of guitar music was influenced by highly amplified distortion, emphatic beats, and a thick, massive sound and over all loudness. Metal Music was traditionally associated with masculinity and machoism. â€Å"Rock music can change things. I know that it changed our lives.†~ Bono (Abbey 2006) The first mass produced electric guitar was created by Les Paul. (Shaughnessy 1993) Although attempts to transform guitar into an electric guitar had been going on for two decades starting the 1930’s, the pioneering inventor of rock and roll who has been given credit for the invention of an electric guitar, was Les Paul. After the Second World War teenagers were becoming more and more rebellious, and they found satisfaction of that rebellious nature in rhythm and blues of which rock and roll was a mirror, which in turn was a map of cultural development and reaction. From the music industry in USA, with blues to today’s hip and hop and hardcore, every musical genre has taken some sort of an inspiration from rock and roll, inspiring musicians while keeping pace with evolving social and political climate. In one way or the other rock and roll has helped to fuel this evolution, breaking down lines of class and tearing apart racial boundaries. Here the point is not that it was created without conflict. As the saying goes, controversy creates cash. rock and roll is

Communications Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communications Plan - Assignment Example A two month period is enough to present the audience with enough examples on the effects of tobacco and cigarette smoking. Within this two month period, I will be able to collect enough data on the people who have had their life turned upside down as a result of tobacco use and tobacco smoking ("Health effects of," 2013). The time period of one month is enough for me to present my plan to the audience and give the audience enough time to ask questions about my presentation. The time frame of two months will be enough for the audience to obtain enough knowledge of the side effects of tobacco smoking and use and will also give them enough time to think of how to make better decisions on smoking and be cautious of who is around them whenever they are smoking. I am likely to incur high costs in the communication plan. For example, the use of media like radio stations and seminars will require me to channel large sums of money. I will make advertisements on the local radio stations to inf orm the audience about the different seminars intended to be held. Using media to make advertisements is very expensive and will require me to put in a huge sum of money. ... This means that a lot of funds will have to be channeled to research and data collection. Other costs involved the communication plan is the indirect costs and directs costs associated with research. These costs include research and development as well as research and administrative costs. The entire process of interacting with the people, carrying out research, educating people and answering the questions from the audience will involve the use of money. A period of two months is a long time for one to be involved in the communication plan. Time is a resource which is very limiting and expensive. Monitoring the effectiveness of the plan is the performance metrics/targets that will be used in judging on the success of the plan. This metric will include obtaining feedbacks on the communications which have been planned and implemented. The performance metrics will help to determine the level of efficiency and effectiveness on the communication plan. To judge on the success of this commu nication plan, I will obtain feedback from the audience to tell me on how they feel and what they found about the plan. I will also build a method that will be used in the measurement of results. These methods will include a weekly report on the communication plan and the effects of cigarette and tobacco smoking, periodic briefings to the audience, end of the month summary and a formal report (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). Aim statement will also be stated prior to the commencement of the communication plan. This will be very helpful at the end of the communication plan as it will help in ascertaining whether the stated aims and goals were arrived at. I will also make use of a structured framework for

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Evaluation of Product; Apple's Macbook Pro Essay

Evaluation of Product; Apple's Macbook Pro - Essay Example On the other hand, outside the manufacturer environment, MacBook Pro is a fast moving product in the market. Consumer Reports ranks MacBook Pro as one of the best laptop computers in the market and a quickly moving product by consumer choice (Rawson). The evaluation of this product in terms of market and consumer setting involves three factors: the users of the product, the environment within which the product is found, and the product itself in terms of satisfying consumer tastes and preferences. The manufacturer-consumer factors and interactions give critical insights into the product in question. The product is designed to suit the end user without difficulty. Although Apple utilizes sophisticated technologies in designing and manufacturing unique and high quality for the market, end user strategies are also implemented. Simplicity in terms of usability and sophistication in terms of manufacturer and functionality are the drives of MacBook Pro. The pricing of the product takes into account the cost of production and the fact that Apple operates on a profit motive. However, due to the utilization of strategic resources and high-tech production processes, the product has affordable prices when it reaches the market (Stanton 147). Locally, regionally, and internationally, the environment within which the product is offered is a competitive one. For this reason, competition becomes vital for successful operations and market performance. The marketing strategies employed by Apple for MacBook Pro seek to address consumer needs. What makes this process different from many other rival firms is the follow-up and consumer feedback programs that Apple runs. The company designs and manufactures products with integrated consumer-based features. The product itself is crucial in the entire evaluation process. MacBook Pro’s ranking against other substitutable products is crucial in accounting for the realized product trends in the various markets where the

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Accounting Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Accounting Research - Essay Example Considering fairness as an integral part of management accounting, it is basically divided into two forms that include formal and informal fairness. In this regard, formal fairness takes into concern the design of management accounting system. Furthermore, it basically frames an effective structure for the managers who require setting up their predetermined goals along with budgets. It can be affirmed that the notion of formal fairness monitors the performances of the managers and delivers rewards accordingly (Matlala1-82). Conversely, informal fairness mainly entails the process through which the managers apply to execute the management accounting system. Fairness, as a valuable area of management frames various contributing factors that assist in ascertaining effectiveness of diverse organizations. According to various observations, it can be analyzed that fairness is basically taken into concern as the perception related to organizational justice. This particular area of managemen t accounting research i.e. fairness is quite interesting owing to the reason that justice along with fairness depicts proper functioning of organizational activities at large. According to recent observations, fairness is associated with the facet of controllability, which is mainly considered as an objective. It has been viewed that depending on the reports related to distribution of awards and performance, incentives are equally distributed amidst the employees. Furthermore, fairness can also be achieved by considering the equal pay and awards amidst the employees. In this context, a relationship can be formed between fair judgment and equity. By providing fair treatment to the employees, the management ensures optimum concentration of the employees. Furthermore, on receiving equal payment and awards, retention rate of the employees accelerates towards the accomplishment of organizational

Monday, July 22, 2019

Co-ordinate implementation of customer service strategie Essay Example for Free

Co-ordinate implementation of customer service strategie Essay Brief Background McDonalds is a well admired, large organization of approximately 5,500 locally owned and operated businesses all around the world. Food quality is the key at McDonalds as is has implemented rigorous food safety standards for almost 50 years, and the fast food restaurant has been recognized for its popular and well known meals, ranging from delicious burgers, well known French fries, healthy salads, rolls, fruits, deserts, and also breakfast foods such as bacon and eggs, cereals and pancakes. The restaurant also has Ronald McDonald House Charities and its global network of independent local Chapters, which help find, create, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. There are many employees in each McDonalds restaurant which are well trained to help serve the more than 47 million customers, in 119 countries from more than 30,000 different restaurant locations. The specific department on which is being focused on this report revolves around working on the front counter; this includes customer service, preparation of the meals, dealing with cash, cleaning and stocking. Organisations internal and external customers Working on the front counter at McDonalds deals with the external customers, these are the people who pay for the product/food that the business has to offer. The employees, who work on the front counter, act as internal customers towards the employees at McDonalds who work in the back. People working on the front counter next-handle the jobs that have been completed from out the back where the food is made. When an external customer walks into a McDonald restaurant, straight away their main needs and expectations is to firstly walk into an attractive well maintained and clean environment, to have a fresh tasting meal delivered to them politely from a well organized employee, who should prepare the meal quickly but carefully, making sure no mistakes are made. Each and every employee has the resources they need to serve the customers so they can be prepared as each customer approaches. Restaurants are adequately staffed to allow for a good customer experience as well as to provide schedule flexibility, work-life balance and time for training. When serving the customers, employees should act in ways which make the customers feel as though they are happy with the service and would continue to do business with the organisation. Therefore the employees are trained to use appropriate communication techniques to make the customer feel comfortable, welcome and satisfied with the service. This means that every customer should receive respect, patience, friendliness, and good quality products. On behave of McDonalds (2004), claims that At McDonalds, we know that people are our most valuable resource. We aim to be the best employer in each community around the world where we do business. Read more:Â  Customer Service Essay How the organisation recognizes its customers requirement McDonalds is well known as a fast food restaurant, therefore the meals are expected to be delivered to each customer in a fast, efficient way, but in the same time, the meals need to be prepared cautiously to make sure no mistakes are made and to also make sure that the meal is fresh and of great quality. Another issue concerned with the service is the customer rush this is when many customers all approach at once. This usually occurs during lunch time, straight after school hours, and around dinner time. When there is a customer rush, the store should be adequately staffed to allow employees to be prepared and deal with the large group of people as quick as they can. The organisation becomes aware of the requirements from previous circumstances when customers complain that their food is not fresh, or if they have been waiting a long time for their meal to be prepared. All McDonalds restaurants have possession of a particular McDonalds owned clock which works as a timer and helps in the process to distinguish how long the burgers have been sitting for. This process prevents the burgers from going past the stage where they are not fresh anymore. The fry station in which the fries are made also has a separate timer which goes of when the fries are no longer fresh. From time to time, accidents may happen and the timers may not be used efficiently. This is when the food gets cold, and customers begin to complain. When a customer complains of their food being cold or not fresh, they should be treated with extra consideration, get an apology and then have their meal replaced. The only way this problem can be resolved is for workers to make sure they keep an eye on the timers, and if there are no fresh burgers when a customer is served, they should be seated and have theyre meal taken to them within a few minutes. If a customer feels that they repeatedly receive food which is not fresh enough, and they do not mind waiting a few extra minutes, they can ask for a fresh burger. Then, they will be asked to be seated while their meal is being made. Another circumstance may be if a customer is allergic to something in a meal, or dont want a particular ingredient in their food such as pickles in their burgers or salt on their fries. All they need to do is make the person who is serving them aware of this. This is called a grill, and their meal will be freshly made as of above. All the staff of McDonalds are trained to deal with the customers in a pleasant manner. Any suggestions from customers on how the service, environment, etc. can be improved would be taken positively and the matter would be discussed with the management because McDonalds wants all customers to be happy. Some McDonalds restaurants have suggestion boxes where customers can give their thoughts of any improvement which can be made for customer service delivery. The suggestions from customers are a great help to the management, as the customers are the ones who the store is trying to impress. Within time, business technology can assist with the service at McDonalds by creating higher technology cash register, which may help with interpreting the order and assistance with the cash. The quicker the meal is ordered the quicker the meal can be delivered. Business technology could also assist with serving the customers on drive through. Our People Promise is more than words. McDonalds and its independent owner/operators have made a commitment to our employees that we strive to achieve with our actions every day McDonalds.com (2004). To deliver the People Promise, there are in place, five people principles which promote customer service strategies. They include Respect and recognition, Values and Leadership Behaviors, Competitive Pay and Benefits, Learning Developing and Personal Growth and Resourced to get the job done. The delivery of a quality service is essential to a successful business. For McDonalds to achieve our goal of being the worlds best quick service restaurant experience, we must have the best experience for all McDonalds employees. This quotes that the quality of the McDonalds business revolves around the employees actions. Another main issue is that there is always a clean surrounding of each restaurant, to make everyone feel comfortable to dine in. The main customer objective is when food is not fresh. To fulfill this objective, budget recourses which may help with the solution could include a buzzer or alarm to indicate that the food is off. Stronger heat may help so that the burgers, and fries stay hot, but this brings danger to the employees with the high risks of burns. The company can look further towards these issues to come to a resolution to the complaints. Conclusion The company of McDonalds is a largely known and popular business. The reoccurrence of so many customers indicates that it is successful. But there can never be enough of pleasing customers, because the more pleased customers become, the more business the store will get, this is from word of mouth. Therefore if a customer has a bad experience, the companys earnings may slightly drop. McDonalds is cautious of the way they handle customers, the environment, and the quality of their food. They are also aware of customer complaints or suggestions of improving the service, food, etc. This helps a lot to improve the business which is becoming more and more popular everyday. Bibliography * http//:www.Mcdonalds.com.au * Burbury E, 2003, Deliver and Monitor a Service to Customers, Software publication Pty. Ltd., Sydney. * McDonalds Pty Ltd, 2001, Crew Member Handbook. * http//:www.Mcdonalds.com (world wide)

Sunday, July 21, 2019

From classical ballet to contemporary ballet

From classical ballet to contemporary ballet From Classical Ballet to Contemporary Ballet Ballet originally emerged in the late 15th century in the Renaissance court of Italy. Then, it was a dance interpretation of fencing.   Ballet was further developed and popularized in the French Courts in the 17th century. From court ballet to modern ballet, the dance techniques and practice has evolved throughout the years. Contemporary Ballet now incorporates classical ballet with modern dance techniques such as floor work and turn-in of the legs. (wikipedia, par 9) Ballet shows now focus more on the plot as compared to the 17th century, where the focus was the intertwine of music and poetry. It had also often included singing. 17th Century Ballet had minimal plot because Ballets were designed principally for the entertainment of the aristocracy, hence rich costumes, scenery, and elaborate stage effects were emphasized. In the 19th century, there was an increase in interest among the public, and Ballets such as Swan Lake (1876), Sleeping Beauty (1890), and The Nutcracker (18 92) were produced. There was an influence of jazz, jazz rhythms and modern dance at that time, originating in the USA, hence greater body expressions. Today, Ballet is an internationally practiced and appreciated dance, with many dance school dedicated to the teaching of Ballet, including prominent schools such as the royal ballet school and many other small private dance centres. These schools train Ballet dancers from young and even adults who have never learned Ballet as a child are able to practice due to the large amount of adult Ballet classes for beginners. For those who are not striving to be a professional Ballet dance, practicing Ballet is a form of sport which teaches excellent posture and trains you to be graceful and disciplined. From the increase in Ballet schools, dancers and shows for the public, it can be concluded that one of the most significant change in the practice of Ballet, would be the accessibility of Ballet. In the 17th century, ballet was performed in the royal courts. It was a dance that was rather exclusive for the royals and the high society. Many commoners would not have the luxury to attend Ballet performances. However, as Ballet developed, it became more popular and much appreciated and watched by various people. Today, Ballets are relatively inexpensive to watch, including well know Ballets such as Swan Lake and the Nutcracker being some of the most famous ballets that are widely watched even to those who have little knowledge about dance or do not come from well off family backgrounds. Ballet is viewed as a classical performance that is available for anyone. What has not changed about Ballet is that Ballet is still considered a high culture performance art, despite the fact that it is one of the most practiced and watched dances by many from various social status and education level. Youve got to attend Ballet performances in order to be â€Å"cultured†. Also, Ballet is still very female dominant in the eyes of the public. This is to say that parents would tend to send their daughters to Ballet classes rather than sons. However, this is not to say there are few males Ballet dancers. Ballet now being so much more accessible, in level with other dance forms such as hip hip and jazz, it is no longer a dance for the rich and privilege.

Psychological Impact of Newly Diagnosed Lung Cancer

Psychological Impact of Newly Diagnosed Lung Cancer CHAPTER ONE Introduction The concern addressed in this dissertation is to explore the psychological impact on a newly diagnosed lung cancer patient. Patients with lung cancer normally experience variety of distress symptoms, many of which begin prior to diagnosis and continue throughout the course of the disease and the treatment, which adversely affects the functional status and quality of life (Julkunen et al, 2009). The experience of lung cancer is not limited to only the victims but may equally have wide-range impact on families physical and emotional well-being. Therefore it is essential to critically assess the extent of this psychological impact of lung cancer on the patient. This topic is properly examined in context of a critical literature review approach. The approach has adopted the traditional method which is considered appropriate for the purpose of this piece of work. This method involves a critique, summary and synthesis of a body of literature after which a conclusions is drawn, (Coughlan,et al. 2008). According to Crombie (1996), the purpose of writing a literature review is to convey to readers the knowledge and ideas which have been established on the chosen topic, and explore the strength and weaknesses. This helps to identify gaps and inconsistencies in the literature. Gomm et al, (2000) stated that the purpose of a review is to analyse critically a published body of knowledge through summary, classification, and comparison of prior research studies, reviews of literature, and theoretical articles. A further consideration for the literature review will not merely be a descriptive list of materials obtained, or a summary of relevant resource s, but rather to provide the framework of the research investigation and summarise the literature studied in order to develop the research study (Brink and Wood, 2001). A brief description of the anatomy and physiology of the lungs will be discussed to enhance proper understanding of the topic. Pathophysiology, aetiology and epidemiology of lung cancer will be outlined. The methodology will be described including a brief description of the models and strategies adopted in conducting the review. The review of 10 peer review papers are presented in chapters using critical appraisal tools to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the research papers. Both qualitative and quantitative primary research papers will also be used. Limitations of the literature and the process of the review will be identified. The dissertation will be structure in the following way: Chapter 2 will explore the background information about lung cancer by examining the pathophysiology, aetiology, and epidemiology, pathogenesis, treatment and evaluation of the disease. It also considers the rationale behind the chosen topic. Chapter 3, Research Methodology, outlining the various strategies employed to gather and analyse the sources of data. Chapter 4, Psychological distress: anxiety, depression, desire for hastened death, feeling of guilt and hopelessness. Chapter 5, Discusses the impact psychological distress has on quality of life of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. Chapter 6, Summary of findings of the literature reviewed. Chapter 7, Limitations of the literature reviewed. Chapter 8, Limitations of the whole literature reviewing process. Chapter 9, Conclusion and Recommendations, distils the key points and relates them to proper management of lung cancer. It also proposes a number of recommendations to tackle the problems identified above. CHPTER 2 Lung cancer 2.1 Introduction The study is to identify the psychological impact of newly diagnosed lung cancer on the patient. Lung Cancer is a disease that begins in the tissue of the lungs. To better understand lung cancer, it is vital to understand the anatomy and physiology of the lungs. 2.2 Anatomy and physiology of the lungs The lungs are two cone-shaped structures positioned on either side of the heart. In the mediastinum. They are sponge-like organs that are part of the respiratory system. During breathing, air enters the mouth or nasal cavity and travels down the trachea. The trachea, divides into two smaller tubes: the right bronchus and the left bronchus. The right bronchus enters the right lung and the left bronchus enters the left lung. The right and left bronchus branch into bronchioles. These bronchioles end in tiny balloon-like air sacs called alveoli. The alveoli are where oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other substances are exchanged between the lungs and the blood stream. (Gould, 2006). Pathophysiology, aetiology and epidemiology of lung cancer Lung cancer is a term, which covers a collection of several different forms of malignant tumour arising in the lungs and in the major airways (The Royal College of Physicians, 2005). There are two major types of lung cancer, non-small cell and small cell. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) arises from epithelial cells which is the most common type of lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer begins in the nerve cells or hormone-producing cells of the lung. The term small cell refers to the size and shape of the cancer cells when seen under a microscope. According to (McCance and Heuther 2005) the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 80% of all lung cancers. There are different types of NSCLC, these are: Squamous cell carcinoma (also called epidermoid carcinoma). This is the most common type of NSCLC. It forms in the lining of the bronchial tubes and is the most common type of lung cancer in men. Adenocarcinoma. This is found in the glands of the lungs that produce mucus. This is the most common type of lung cancer in women and also among people who have not smoked. Bronchioalveolar carcinoma. This is a rare subset of adenocarcinoma. It forms near the lungs air sacs. Recent clinical research by Scullion and Henry (1998) has shown that this type of cancer responds more effectively to the newer targeted therapies Large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma. This cancer forms near the surface, or outer edges, of the lungs. It can grow rapidly. The small cell lung cancer (SCLC) as (MacCance and Huether, 2005) puts it, accounts for about 20% of all lung cancers. Although the cells are small, they multiply quickly and form large tumors that can spread throughout the body. Smoking is almost always the cause of SCLC. Lung cancer begins when cells in the lungs grow out of control and form a tumor. A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). A cancerous tumor is a collection of a large number of cancer cells that have the ability to spread to other parts of the body. A lung tumor can begin anywhere in the lungs (Muers et al, 2001). According to Hughes and Pride (1999), once a cancerous lung tumor begins to grow, it may or may not shed cancer cells. These cells can be carried away in blood or float away in the natural fluid called lymph, which surrounds lung tissue. Lymph flows through the lymphatic vessels that drain into lymph nodes. Cancer cells metastasise when it leaves its site of origin and moves into a lymph node or to a far away part of the body through the bloodstream. The location and size of the initial lung tumor, and whether it has spread to lymph nodes or more distant sites, determines the stage of lung cancer. The type of lung cancer and stage of the disease determine what type of treatment is needed. The staging system describes the extent of the disease at the time and therefore provides a basis for treatment and prognosis. The staging systems as described by McCances and Huether, (2006) are based on the following: The size of the primary tumour (T); The extent of regional lymph nodes (N); and The spread of the tumor (M). Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK, resulting in 36,000 deaths each year (DOH, 2007). Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer motality in the UK: In every 15 minutes, a new diagnosis is made with approximately 40,000 fresh cases every year (NICE, 2009). It remains the most frequent of all malignant diseases and the one with the poorest prognosis. 80 percent of effected people die within a year (DOH, 2007). Lung cancer continues to rise and is now very high in women as well as men (Hamer et al, 2008). Many epidemiological studies have assessed the extent and nature of problem in the UK, (Blackler et al, 2007) report that lung cancer occurs in people who smoke. This is supported by further research from the United States of America, including other comprehensive study conducted by Scullion and Henry (1998) that the risk of lung cancer is higher in persons who begin smoking early, continue for many years, and are considered heavy smokers. However (Gould, 2006) posited that people who dont smoke can also develop lung cancer, although this is much rarer. This confirms (McCance and Huethers, 2005) statement that people who have been in prolonged or close contact with asbestos have a higher risk of lung cancer, especially if they smoke. Lung cancer is rarely diagnosed in people younger than 40 most cases occur in people over the age of 60. 2.3 Pathogenesis, Treatment and Evaluation The treatment of lung cancer is based on the size and location of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread, and also the persons overall health. There are four basic ways to treat lung cancer: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy (NICE, 2005). Treatment options differ for each individual and may depend on other factors such as age, physical condition, and other medical problems. The goal of Surgery is to remove the part of the lung where the tumor is isolated. Chemotherapy is to kill rapidly dividing cells in the body, including cancer cells using drugs. It is the main treatment for people with small cell lung cancer. In many people, chemotherapy will enable them to live for longer, with better control of symptoms. (NICE 2009) Chemotherapy may be given on its own, or before radiotherapy. Sometimes chemotherapy and radiotherapy are given at the same time; this is known as chemoradiation. Targeted therapy is a treatments designed to target cancer cells in more specific ways, usually involving the mechanisms that cause cancer cells to grow or divide (DOH, 2007). The diagnosis of lung cancer becomes a crisis in victims life when experienced, confronting them with changes in identity, role, and social interactions and presenting them with an uncertain future (Waller and caroline, 1996). Kemp (1999) posited, the psychosocial distress can interfere with the patients healthcare and diminish his or her health and functioning. Many patients who face cancer diagnosis that require physical effects of treatment appear to experience emotional difficulties, including anxiety and depression. Equally, patients with untreated depression or anxiety may be less likely to take their cancer medication and maintain their health. Moreover they may withdraw from family or other social support services which may affect the treatment outcome. 2.4 Rationale The rationale for the choice of topic was based on a desire to understand the psychological impact of lung cancer on the patient. Often the physical effects of the cancer disease and treatment are focused more on the curative effort. Therefore, it is important for the health-care team to address psychological effects, that cancer patients normally encounter that can greatly affect their sense of well-being. Nursing is expected to deliver high quality care that is effective in promoting health and well being (LoBiondo-Wood and Haber, 2006). Evidence-based practice is a key strategy in the development of modern health services and crucial to the development of nursing practice (Parahoo, 1997). Evidence-based care as Brink and Wood (2001) suggest and supported by (Carnwell 1997), is the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients or the delivery of health services. The successful completion of the review will investigate primary r esearch. In doing so this may act as an additional information source for healthcare professionals and as a basis for further enquiry. Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Aims and research questions Against the background of the foregoing explanation, it is desirable to identify the psychological distress associated with lung cancer and how it affects the patient. The questions the review seeks to address/answer are 1. What are the psychological reactions of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients? 2. How do these psychological reactions affect physical and psychological wellbeing of theses patients? 3. What interventions can be used to address these psychological reactions of newly diagnosed lung cancer and manage them effectively? 3.2 Parameters for the literature search The chosen method is a systematic literature review of both qualitative and quantitative research in the study area. A systematic literature review as defined by (Parahoo, 1997) is a summary of research that uses explicit approach to perform a thorough literature search and critical appraisal of existing body of published knowledge to identify the valid and applicable evidence. It is a means of managing very large volumes of information to identify evidence on which recommendations can be made (Holloway and Wheeler, 2002). Studies were used if they included adults (age 45 +) who have been newly diagnosed of lung cancer. 3.3 Inclusion Criteria This review included literature published from the year 1999 onwards All papers published in English Language only. Primary research directly related to the topic and Published research articles only. 3.4 Exclusion criteria Primary research not directly related to the topic Unpublished research articles Articles published before the year 1999 Other people were involved also, people from the specialist cancer services and the librarians whose help was invaluable in developing a search strategy and in sourcing and retrieving papers. 3.5 Literature searching strategies The search was completed using electronic databases. These were the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, British Nursing Index, Northampton Full Text [emailprotected], Proquest, Medline, and PsycInfo. The Cochrane Library was searched initially to see if a similar study had been done. The other data based were then searched from 1999-2009. Medline is a nursing and medical database. It is known to be incomplete (Markinson, 2002) however (Tagney and Haines, 2009) demonstrated that a search on MEDLINE is likely to produce most of the appropriate papers because it publishes articles from a worldwide source. The hospital library service was used to find studies which were not available in full text form on the internet or locally held journals. Not all could be located; however this potentially could be a source of bias. In discussing the problems and importance of incomplete retrieval of papers, (Chalmers and Altman, 1995) argue that trials that are difficult to locate tend to be smaller and lower methodological quality than trials that are easily accessible. The key words used to search the database were LUNG CANCER, DIAGNOSIS, DEPRESSION, CANCERS, PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION, MEN, ANXIETY, ANGER, SADNESS, FEELING OF GUILT OR REGRET and PATIENTS FEELINGS. The nature of the study necessitated the use of very general terms such as lung cancer, and psychology. Sensitivity was chosen rather than specificity in the selection process and this meant that the search initially uncovered a large number of papers unrelated to the study. The result of the search was initially screened by reading the abstract online and retrieving the relevant ones using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The studies which were retrieved were screened again to make sure they fulfil all the criteria required to be used for the review. To avoid bias, this study used methods outlined by Aveyard (2008). The methods were simplified for people who are new to or have little experience in doing a literature review. As suggested by (Cutcliffe and Ward, 2003) met hods used in systematic reviews reduce the potential bias of the review. 3.6 Method of Evaluation The literature is evaluated using Greenhalg T (1997) structure for evaluating qualitative research. (See appendix 2) This model was selected because most of the research was qualitative due to the nature of the selected topic. Anxiety and depression are difficult to measure because its an emotional response and therefore immeasurable. 3,7 Method of Analysis The research is analysed using a summing up approach as described by (Aveyard, 2008) which is adopted from the approaches given by Paterson et al (2001). This model was chosen because it facilitates the extraction of themes from research literature of a diverse nature. Again is suitable for people who are new to the literature review process. The themes generated are: Psychological distress: Anxiety, depression, feeling of hopelessness and the desire for hastened death. Effect of psychological distress on quality of life of people with newly diagnosed lung cancer. 3.8 Data handling method The data was stored and subsequently analysed using data storage system described by (Cormack, 2000) this system has two commonly methods of storing data: storage in original form, and storage using computer. The printed research papers were stored in a ring binder file and a memory stick was used to store computerised data. The purpose of data storage as LoBiondo-Wood and Haber (2006) puts it has three basic related purposes: to make sure that no data are lost; to ensure that information are obtained in a way which makes it reasonably accessible; and to ensure that the researcher is able to analyse the data. A separate note book was used to store references. 3.9 Resources required and sources identified Resources required are computers, various libraries, search engines, text books, stationary, supervisor, and librarian. Sources identified are internet and printed journals. CHAPTER FOUR THEME 1 Psychological distress: Anxiety, depression, desire for hastened death, feeling of guilt and hopelessness. Following exploration of the available and chosen research for this literature review, various themes have been identified. This chapter aims to discuss and explore the reviewed literature regarding the psychological distress of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. It will discuss anxiety, depression, feeling of guilt and hopelessness which influence the disease-related factors on the desire for hastened death which have emerged from the data. Five studies (Akechi et al (2006), Turner et al, (2006), Wilson et al, (2007), (Rodin, et al 2009) and Mystakidou et al, (2008) will be examined using the methodology, discussions and analysis of the research to evaluate their findings. (See appendix 3 for research articles) In order for this to be achieved, the chapter has been divided into three sub-themes these are: Psychological distress. Anxiety and depression. Feeling of guilt/hopelessness and the desire for hastened death. There will be a small summary to conclude the chapter. 4.1 Psychological distress A cancer diagnosis can be viewed as a very stressful event for patients as they must adapt to the shock and uncertainty that such a diagnosis presents Fox et al (2006). As a result of life-threatening nature of cancer, psychological distress in cancer patients has been widely studied. Previous studies have indicated that 10-40% of cancer patients suffer from psychological distress (Skarstein, 1999). Vos et al, (2008) reported that 19% of lung cancer patients experienced depression between the time of diagnosis and initial treatment and 35% of them continued to experience the same disorder 6 months after. It is therefore vital to investigate the exact predictive factors of the psychological factors experienced by newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. The first research paper identified was conducted by Akechi et al (2006). The purpose of the study was to investigate longitudinal changes and predictive factors for psychological distress among newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. The study was conducted among 85 newly diagnosed advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients. Data were obtained in structured interview and validated self-report questionnaires. Psychological distress was evaluated using the Profile of Mood State (POMS) scale. This scale was developed by McNair et al., 1977. The POMS scale according to Akechi et al (2006) is a self-rating scale measuring six emotional sates (tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, vigor, fatigue, and confusion) and total mood disturbance. It was hypothesized that a lower fighting spirit and a higher helplessness/hopelessness were significant predictors of total mood disturbances. Therefore initial psychological response after lung cancer diagnosis was the most relevant p redictor of subsequent psychological distress. Their findings indicate that initial mood disturbance after the disclosure of a diagnosis of cancer (shock and uncertainty) is the most relevant predictor for subsequent psychological distress and that early intervention beginning immediately after a diagnosis is one way of preventing and/or reducing subsequent psychological distress in lung cancer patients. Initial psychological response after cancer diagnosis seems to continue the subsequent illness trajectory for at least several months, although several dimensions of psychological response, including anxiety and depression, may decrease. In their words, the overall psychological distress does not decrease naturally in the usual clinical care setting. Their study has several methodological advantages as compared with other studies because the method used for collection and analysis of the data were clearly described in the study which confirms that the qualitative method used was appropriate for the study (Greenhalg, 2001). However it has several limitations and cautions must be used when interpreting its findings. First, it was stated in the methodology that the researchers were not able to obtain longitudinal data on approximately 40% of the potentially eligible subject at the time of the investigation (Akechi et al, 2006). This introduces the possibility of a selection bias (Crombie 1996). The absence of this longitudinal data mentioned demonstrate that individual level change over time could not be studied on 40% of the sample therefore the researchers could not obtain the longitudinal course of psychological distress of those people(Akechi et al, 2006). This indicate that the findings may be distorted by the bias, even though it seems to be very common and one of the most difficult issues that cannot be completely overcome in the studies focusing on advanced cancer patients. Secondly, of all, this study included up to 6 months follow-up after cancer diagnosis, the longitudinal course of patients psychological status thereafter is unclear. Six months after diagnosis may not be enough long time to evaluate the longitudinal course of distress experienced by advanced lung cancer patients. For example, a recent study, examining the course of psychological distress in metastatic breast cancer patients demonstrated that distress remained constant or declined during the illness trajectory; however distress significantly increased proximal to death (Hill et al, 2002). Considering the prognosis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients, it seems plausible that many dimensions of psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, may increase as death approaches. The convenience sampling method used also poses threat to the generalisation of the findings, because the study subjects consisted entirely of newly diagnosed advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCL) patients who visited one Thoracic Oncology Division in Japan. Since patients with other lung cancer types at other sites were not examined in the study, it remains unclear whether the results can be extrapolated to patients with other lung cancer types at other sites. Lastly, psychological distress after cancer diagnosis was the only significant predictive factor of subsequent psychological distress after cancer diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, very few studies have addressed the predictive factors for psychological distress in lung cancer patients while several studies have investigated predictors for subsequent psychological distress in other types of cancers (REF). Edward and Clarke (2004) demonstrated that family functioning and patients illness characteristics were associated with anxiety and depression in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. Consequently, because the follow-up period in this study was short and the sampling method used caution must be taken when interpreting the findings. 4.2 Anxiety and Depression Depression refers to an emotional disturbance marked by the cardinal symptoms of persistent and pervasive low mood and the loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities (Skarstein et al, 2000). McPherson (2004) defined anxiety as a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms such as palpitations sweating, and feelings of stress. Depression and anxiety disorders are thought to be common in palliative cancer care ( Strutkowski et al, 2008). The first study identified was conducted by Turner et al, (2006). It was a prospective observational cohort study of patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy for lung cancer. The aim was to measure psychological distress and concerns before and after treatment using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS) and a concern checklist. Participants were selected randomly from radiotherapy clinics in various hospitals. Data were obtained from a group of 83 elderly patients (aged 75 and above) being treated with palliative radiotherapy for lung cancer, with a comparison group of 49 younger patients (aged 65 and under). They completed the HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and a concerns checklist before and after treatment. The HADS according to Skarstein, (1999) is an instrument which rates anxiety and depression in patients with physical illness. It has two sub-scales, one assessing anxiety, and another evaluating depression. Anxiety and depression subscales of the HADS were scored using a score of 0-7 = normal, 8-10 = borderline, and 11-21 = probable case (i.e. likely to have the diagnosis of anxiety or depression confirmed after formal psychiatric assessment). The concerns checklist data were examined to provide median numbers of concerns identified by each patient group before and after treatment and, the changes over time were compared statistically. They hypothesized that majority of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients experience severe level of depression and anxiety. The result of the study shows that the 60% of young group and 40% of elderly group had anxiety. And 30% of young group and 60% of the elderly group had depression. The young group consistently ranked the illness, the future relating to the illness, family and their energy level as their major concern and the elderly group also ranked family and breathlessness as their major concern. This findings suggested that people of all ages have similar concerns and level of anxiety and depression whiles receiving palliative radiotherapy for lung cancer. A year after a similar study was conducted by Wilson et al, (2007). It examined depression and anxiety disorders in 381 patients who were receiving palliative cancer care. The study group consisted of 212 women and 169 men (age 26-93). Data was obtained through the development of a structured interview of symptoms and concerns. Depression and anxiety disorders were assessed with a modified version of the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) clinician evaluation guide. The PRIME-ED according to Fox, (2006) provides a quick screening method for a wide range of mental health disorders. The findings of the study suggested that physical symptoms (such as pain and breathlessness) as well as issues about the illness itself and its treatment were more likely to have been addressed. Anxiety and depression were the frequent individual diagnosis. But there was no association between these disorders and the time to death. However it makes it more difficult to treat their physic al symptoms. The findings from these two studies suggest that depression and anxiety disorders are common in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients. However Turner et al (2006) suggested that people of all ages have similar concerns and levels of anxiety and depression while receiving palliative radiotherapy for lung cancer. Turner et als (2006) findings supported Wilson et al, (2007) because it also established that issues about the illness itself and its treatment outcome were the major concerns of the participants which influence anxiety and depression. However the two studies are limited to the method used. Turner et al (2006) clearly identified the data collection method used in the methodology. Patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Concerns Check List. The questionnaire was completed by patients during their first visit for radiotherapy using touch-screen technology to record their responses. This method has been validated against paper questionnaire (Holloway and Wheeler, 2002). Some patients also used the paper version of the questionnaire. Data obtained from these two methods were compared in the analysis. Follow up was made during the next visit of patients to their outpatient appointment. Lung cancer specialist nurses were used for the collection of follow-up data. Where this was not possible, questionnaire, along side paid envelopes were sent directly to the participants. Those who returned completed questionnaires were sent a letter of thanks. On the other hand, Wilson et al, (2007) used a di agnostic interview which was a modification of a protocol that has been developed for the rapid screening of mental disorders in primary rather than palliative care. Although it has been used in previous studies in oncology settings, admittedly there is not enough strong body of validating research to support it use (Skarskein, 2000). Moreover Turner et als (2006) study was conducted in the United Kingdom while Wilson et al, (2007) was conducted in Canada. This could affect the interpretation of the findings because of the existing cultural differences and healthcare systems among these two countries. Conversely, in both papers the researchers achieved excellent sample sizes and responses (LoBiondo-Wood, 2006). Greenhalg (2001) stated that when examining studies it is important to distinguish whether the sampling strategy is appropriate for the design of the study and level of evidence provided by the design. Turner et al, (2006) selected a sample size of 191 patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy in radiotherapy centres in various hospitals. From this, 132 were recruited into the study, 83 elderly and 49 younger patients. Wilson et al, (2007) selected an eligible sample of 381 lung cancer patients receiving palliative care in eight sites across Canada. In both studies the researchers achieved excellent sample size and response rate. The sample sizes were large enough to give an accurate picture of what is going on (Greenhalg, 2001). Crombie (2008) stated that studies which use too small sample size often fail to detect clinically important effects. Moreover both studies used random sampling to recruit participants for the studie