Positioning and Repositioning

Positioning and repositioning Before positioning companies has to do segmentation and targeting. Segmentation is dividing the market into segments upon some set of criteria and evaluating the profitability of each segment   Targeting is selecting one or more segments and going after them Positioning is how do you want your brand to be considered by consumers when compared to other competing brands. Positioning is based on product features such as color, price, fluffiness, quality of service, innovative approach, etc.Re-positioning is when you want your brand to be considered/associated with different features. For example, KIA cars has repositioned themselves from being some brand into being a cool brand .. Cadillac has repositioned themselves from being classical car for the rich and old into more affordable elegant car †¦ Oldsmobile has tried to reposition themselves as â€Å"not your father's car† but it was unsuccessful repositioning. Re-positioning is quite lot mor e difficult and expensive compared to initial positioning.You know the saying ‘only one chance to make first impression' also applies to the world of branding. Repositioning Strengthens Lifebuoy’s 107-Year Heritage 12-02-2002  : Lifebuoy is no longer a carbolic soap with cresylic perfume. It is now a milled toilet soap with a new health fragrance. The new formulation has an ingredient, Active-B, which offers protection against germs, which can cause stomach infection, eye infection and infections in cuts and bruises. The new health perfume has been selected after one of the most extensive perfume hunts in the industry.The new milled formulation offers a significantly superior bathing experience and skin feel. The new formulation, new health perfume and superior skin feel, along with the popular red colour, have registered conclusive and clear preference among existing and new users. Lifebuoy is already used by about 600 million consumers, with about 2 million tablets sold every day. The relaunch strengthens this equity by repositioning the brand. Lifebuoy was previously targeted at the male user with an individual-oriented â€Å"success through health† positioning.The new Lifebuoy is targeted at today’s discerning housewife with a more inclusive â€Å"family health protection for my family and me† positioning. Introducing the new Lifebuoy Introducing the new Lifebuoy, Mr. Sanjay Dube, Category Head – Mass Market of HLL’s Detergents Profit Centre, said, â€Å"Launched in 1895, Lifebuoy, for over a 100 years has been synonymous with health and value. The brick red soap, with its perfume and popular Lifebuoy jingle, has carried the Lifebuoy message of health across the length and breadth of the country, making it the largest selling soap brand in the world.It is to maintain its leadership, and further strengthen its benefits of health to larger sections of consumers, that we have researched and developed this new mix. We have repositioned Lifebuoy and have made a deliberate shift from the male, victorious concept of health to a warmer, more versatile, more responsible benefit of health for the entire family. â€Å"The significant changes in formulation have registered a clear consumer preference. The new perfume has been selected after one of the largest perfume tests in the industry to ensure a universal appeal without alienating the 600 million loyal users.We are confident that this mix will deliver an enjoyable bath experience and also deliver on the core Lifebuoy properties of health and value. This will restore the brand’s growth by expanding its consumer base, † Mr. Dube added. Lifebuoy Range Lifebuoy is among HLL’s power brands, which the company is focussing on, selected on the basis of their absolute size, brand strength, brand relevance, competitive advantage and potential for growth. The new Lifebuoy range now includes Lifebuoy Active Red (125gm, 100 gm and 6 0 gm) and Lifebuoy Active Orange (100gm).Lifebuoy Active Orange offers the consumer a differentiated health perfume while offering the health benefit of Lifebuoy. At the upper end of the market, Lifebuoy offers specific health benefits through Lifebuoy International (Plus and Gold). Lifebuoy International Plus offers protection against germs which cause body odour, while Lifebuoy International Gold helps protect against germs which cause skin blemishes. In 2001, HLL’s soaps & detergents turnover was Rs. 295 crores, which is approximately 39% of the company’s net turnover of Rs. 10972 crores. HLL’s power brands in soaps registered an overall growth of 5. 3% in 2001. HLL has been significantly increasing investment behind its power brands, in innovation, quality improvement and marketing. These have been backed by major sales initiatives. In rural India, the focus is to further extend reach, which has resulted in direct coverage of about 46% of the rural populatio n as of now. In urban markets, the objective is to improve customer service.Dedicated sales teams have been formed to service key accounts and wholesalers in larger towns and cities. A cell has been set up to attend to the modern trade, comprising chain stores. Repositioning Strengthens of Maggie positioning Maggi noodles is a brand of instant noodles manufactured by Nestle. Maggi has been the highest sold noodles in India. It is a product of Nestle Brand. It took several years and lots of money for nestle to establish its noodles brand in India Maggi was invented in Europe by a person named Jullius Maggi.In India it was launched in 1980s by Nestle group of companies. Maggie had merged with Nestle family in 1947. Maggie has faced lot of hurdles in its journey in India†¦. The basic problem the brand faced was the Indian psyche. i. e Indians used to be conservative about the food habits so noodles faced a lot of problem in promoting sales. Initially nestle tried to to position th e Noodles in the platform of convenience targeting the working women. However, the sales of Maggi was not picking up despite of heavy Media Advertising.To overcome this NIL conducted a research,which revealed that it was children who liked the taste of Maggi noodles and who were the largest consumers of the product. so they came up with Maggi- 2 minute noodles with price of Rs. 2. 10 with a close of 100% margin. NIL shifted its focus from working women and targeted children and their mothers through its marketing. NIL's promotions positioned the noodles as a ‘convenience product', for mothers and as a ‘fun' product for children. The noodles' tagline,  Ã¢â‚¬ËœFast to Cook Good to Eat' was also in keeping with this positioning.They promoted the product by   1. Distributing free samples. 2. Giving gifts on return of empty packets. 3. Dry sampling-distributing Maggi packets 4. wet sampling – distributing cooked Maggi. 5. Availability in different packages 50gm,100 gm,200gm,etc.. and 6. Effective Tagline Communication. Through its ads, NIL positioned Maggi as a ‘fun' food for kids which mothers could prepare easily. Taglines like ‘Mummy, bhookh lagi hai' (Mom, I'm hungry), ‘Bas 2-Minute,' and ‘Fast to Cook Good to Eat' effectively communicated the product's benefits to target consumers.These ads had become so popular that the tagline ‘Bas 2-Minute' immediately reminded Indian consumers of Maggi noodles even several years after the ads were taken off the TV. Maggi's first product extension was Maggi instant soups launched in 1988. With the launch of Maggi soups, NIL had become a pioneer in the organized packaged soup market in India.. since then Maggi has been successful in India and launched ketch ups sauces and soups in India, which was very successful in grasping market.Though NIL tried to extend to other ready to eat products like pickles, cooking aids and paste, It was unsuccessful so dumped those products. Ma ggi is competing with Heinz Sauces and Ketchup, Knoor Soups, Kissin Sauces and Ketchup, Top Ramen, Sunfeast Pasta Wai Wai and 2 PM in corresponding categories of products and variants. Market position of Maggie: 1. No. 1 in instant noodles and sauces. 2. No. 2 in healthy soups. 3. Market share of noodles- 80% 4. current sales-5. 5crores boxes in India. Repositioning

Png Lenor Case Study Analysis

Recommendations * Relaunch the 3:1 concentrate temporarily, but invest heavily in R&D for a more permanent solution * Aggressively re-launch 3:1 concentrate. * Advertise and emphasize on its environmental benefits due to reduced packing materials. * Focus on generating more sustainable solutions * Invest in R&D for adapting real eco-friendly solutions. Rationale * This form of product was already launched previously and has proven to be successful (people bought it for a 10 times higher price). It costs lesser to re-adapt to an older version. * People are more used to this version of packaging and can accept it better * Cost Savings can be re-directed to R&D to obtain a more sustainable solution * Doy Pouches and wax-coated cartons do not create an eco-friendly image * These new packaging's may create expectations of similar packaging for other products * These packages are not exactly sturdy and durable (leakage problems). The carton refill package resembles the milk carton packagin g which could face regulatory complications. Action Plan * Advertisements about 3:1 concentrate highlighting its supreme efficiency (maybe include some tangible R;D results to drive home the message) * Create awareness about the environmental benefits due to 45% package saving. * Invest heavily in R;D to develop eco-friendly degradable material (e. g..Bioplastics) * Create hype about the money saved by opting for the Lenor concentrate pack, being re-directed towards development of green packaging material that might be adapted not only across P;G products but across all plastic packaging. * Promote slogans and campaigns about P;Gs efforts to care for the environment * Create the image that by buying P;G products, people are indirectly investing in protecting the planet * Conduct feasibility analysis and take efforts to implement the new fully-degradable material across all products

Australian Business Sustainabilit Report

G4 GRI Guidelines offers guidance in a user friendly manner and helps in improving the technical quality of the guidelines, so as to eliminate the chances of ambiguity and diverse interpretations, so that it benefits the users and reports of such information, in a uniform manner. These guidelines help in focusing upon what matters and where it matters. These guidelines also enable the identification of the critical matters which have to be managed and changed, and if the entity is ready to manage such matters or not. Further, these guidelines are focused on the material sustainability related issues. Corporate Governance refers to the practices, standards, and rules, which a company has to follow, to ensure that the company works in a justified manner. Corporate Governance involves social responsibility and relates to balance of the interests of the various stakeholders, including the customers, financiers, shareholders, management, community, as well as, the government. Corporate governance includes the decisions made by the management of the company and often involves a lot of issues with it. The Board of the company has been committed in providing satisfactory returns to its stakeholders, as well as, fulfilling the obligations, along with the responsibilities associated with corporate governance, in the best interest of the company. The company is working towards ensuring that the composition of the Board has the appropriate mix of skills, as well as, is as per the corporate governance standards. The company has to face issues regarding the independent status of one of its directors and had to review the position as well as relationship of all of its directors (Wesfarmers, 2015). The company also complies with the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations issued by the ASX Corporate Governance Council’s third edition (Wesfarmers, 2015). Wesfarmers is affected by various material sustainability issues. To help the social issues, the company supports the local communities, especially in cases of natural disasters. Further, to monitor the quality issues related to the products of the company, the company offers ‘Greener Work Place’, as well as measures the delivered in-full on time. Other issues relating to the matter of corporate governance and social responsibility relates to the inherent risk associated with the operations of Wesfarmers, for instance, the safety incidents, the supply chain issues, and the products-services liability risks. The company is constantly engaged with its stakeholders to understand the issues which affect them (Wesfarmers, 2015). These issues are addressed and the progress is reported in the sustainability report of the company. The sustainability issues are managed by the Board of the company at divisional level and are regularly reported. In the following parts, these issues affecting the various stakeholders of the company, in line of the G4 GRE Guidelines have been highlighted. The company has been following a range of G4 GRI Guidelines (Wesfarmers, 2015). The level of self-adherence of these guidelines has been summarized below: G4-DMA, G4-EN15, G4-EN16, and G4-EN17 Social: Labor Practices And Decent Work Equal Remuneration For Women And Men Supplier Assessment For Labor Practices Freedom Of Association And Collective Bargaining The level of adherence of these guidelines for the year 2014 and 2015 has been summarized below. A comparison has also been made, along with the comments on the noncompliance of the particular guidelines. The company is responsible for providing employment to one out of 55 Australians. The company earns 98% of its revenues from the country, as well as, 75% of the shares of the company on issue, are held in the country (Wesfarmers, 2014). The company had employed 207282 people till June 2014. The statistics reveal that for the year 2014, the company had made direct contributions amounting to 44.6 million dollars and the indirect contributions amounting to 50.8 million dollars (Wesfarmers, 2014). This makes the community contributions, by the Wesfarmers group as 95.4 million dollars (Wesfarmers, 2014). The company meets the very basic needs of the community by providing food, tools, as well as, clothing to the community. The company is responsible for providing employment to one out of 59 Australians (Wesfarmers, 2015). The company has been paying taxes regularly and also provides the necessary support to the nonprofit organizations. The company earns 98% of its revenues from the country, as well as, 80% of the shares of the company on issue, are held in the country (Wesfarmers, 2015). This creates a major positive impact on the economy of Australia, along with contributing to the other economies. The company paid $43,045 million to the suppliers, in addition to the wages and salaries, where the company paid more than $7,830 million to its 205000 employees. Further, the company paid $1,578 million in royalties, taxes, and levies, and $2,246 million in dividends to our 500,000 shareholders (Wesfarmers, 2015). The company has contributed $50 million to community organizations which equals to 1.5 per cent of profit before income tax. Further, the company has assisted in donations from employees and customers, which totals to $52.7 million (Wesfarmers, 2015). The statistics reveal that for the year 2015, the company had made direct contributions amounting to 50 million dollars and the indirect contributions amounting to 52.9 million dollars. This makes the community contributions, by the Wesfarmers group as 102.9 million dollars (Wesfarmers, 2015). A special attention is paid in the matters like gender diversity, as well as, the inclusion of the Indigenous people. The company has increased the share of providing employment to the people. Further, the company has also increased the share on issue within the country. The company is regularly paying special attention to the matters like gender diversity, as well as, the inclusion of the Indigenous people. So, in comparison to 2014, in the year 2015, the company has maintained and excelled at it’s the G4 GRI Guidelines. The company noticed a decrease in the emissions intensity, along with increasing the activities of recycling. The Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity showed a decrease by eight per cent as compared to 2013. The green house emissions by Coles decreased this year, but the emissions at Target increased by 6.8 per cent. The company is also trying to reduce the usage of water, along with finding more sustainable sources of water (Wesfarmers, 2014). The company monitors and manages its greenhouse gas emissions, along with the possibility of reducing them. The company has realized the importance of reducing waste creates not only environmental benefits, but benefits for the business as well. And so, the company has taken steps to divert its waste to recycling throughout the entire life cycle of the product. The company is also trying to reduce the usage of water, along with finding more sustainable sources of water. The company has taken steps to protect the biodiversity. In order to manage this, the company has established an offset area at Mt Flora, so as to compensate the loss of 220 hectares to the ecological community. The Scope 1 and 2 emissions (CO2e) totaled to 4,011,584. The Scope 33 emissions (CO2e) contained the transport emissions at 13000, the air travel at 27337, the waste at 154701, the transmission and distribution of electricity at 474,622, and the LPG, natural gas and diesel at 103,110. The Equity proportion of joint venture businesses (CO2e) were reported at 275140. And the Emissions intensity (CO2e/$1 million revenue) was at 64.2 (Wesfarmers, 2015). There was a one percent decrease in the Scope 1 and 2 emissions (CO2e). The Scope 33 emissions (CO2e) are not comparable directly as the transport emissions were not included last year. If the transport emissions are excluded, there is a seven percent decrease in these emissions. There has been a four percent increase in t the Equity proportion of joint venture businesses (CO2e). And the Emissions intensity (CO2e/$1 million revenue) reported a one percent decrease. So, it can be seen that the emission intensity of the company has decreased overall. The Company is continuously trying to reduce the usage of water, along with finding more sustainable sources of water. The Total Recordable injury frequency rate was 42.7 this year. The Lost time injury frequency rate for this year was 7.7 percent. The workers’ compensation claims for 2014 were 6940 (Wesfarmers, 2014). As covered above, the company provides employment to one out of every 59 people in Australia. 59 percent of the wealth of the company is distributed in terms of wages, benefits and salaries to the employees. The safety of the workplace is the highest priority for the company. The Total Recordable injury frequency rate was 39.5 this year. The Lost time injury frequency rate for this year was 7.3 percent. The workers’ compensation claims for 2015 were 7462 (Wesfarmers, 2015). There has been a 7.5 percent improvement in the Total Recordable injury frequency rate.   The Lost time injury frequency rate was reduced by 5.2 percent. The workers’ compensation claims decreased by 7 percent. The company failed to provide the breakdown of its employee turnover as per age group; the breakdown of Total Recordable injury frequency rate and the Lost time injury frequency rate; and the aggregate ratio. The company focused towards improving the ethical sourcing of its products. This was done by strengthening the supply chain, as well as, increasing the transparency. The company sources its products from a wide range of location. Some of these nations follow lower levels of regulations and hence, the company is vigilant regarding the associated risks. The company also follows an ethical sourcing policy by setting minimum standards. The company failed to provide the percentage of the employees it trained. The company complies with all the laws, as well as, regulations of all the countries, in which it conducts its business and acts in an ethical way. The anti-bribery policy of the company prohibits the political donations at both business unit, as well as, divisional level. If any such contributions are made, they are thoroughly published on the website of the company. And for the year 2014, no such contributions were made. The company also considers the needs and the interests of its stakeholders. The Company incurred significant fine to the amount of $10 million in penalty by the ACCC for Supplier Unconscionable Conduct, along with a $2.5 million penalty for ACCC/bread litigation case (Wesfarmers, 2015). The compliance levels have been same in both the years. Though, the significant fines were incurred in certain cases in the year 2015, which was not the case in 2014. This implies that the level of compliance has been breached in 2015. The company has continued the innovation of the range of its products, as well as, its categories across all businesses. The company is also committed towards delivering safe and sustainable products, as well as, services to its customers. Even though there are minimal particular legal requirements for the restrictive use of chemicals in production, the company has decided to adopt a range of such aspects of the European Community Regulation. Coles had a significant fine to the amount of $38,250 for incorrect importation classification of cat litter (Wesfarmers, 2015). The company failed to provide the percentage of the categories of the products. In comparison to 2014, the company incurred significant fine in 2015, so, in this aspect also, the company has declined. The company submitted this report for the GRI Content Index Service. The accuracy of the GRI G4 Content Index was then, confirmed by the GRI. Since, the reported was directly confirmed by GRI, the need for assurance, does not arise. The sustainability report for both 2014 and 2015 did not cover clear and defined targets. Further, this report was not user friendly, as a person had to toggle between lots of windows to find the relevant information, pertaining to a particular guideline. And even after that, some of the information was not available easily and had to be searched from the Annual Report. Though, the company has covered all the relevant applicable guidelines which are applicable on it. The Guidelines followed by the company, in 2014 (Australia) and 2015 (Japan), have been compared below: G4-DMA, G4-EN15, G4-EN16, G4-EN17, G4-EN18, G4-EN19, G4-EN20, and G4-EN21 G4-DMA, G4-EN22, G4-EN23, G4-EN24, and G4-EN26 Supplier assessment for labor practices Equal remuneration for women and men Labor Practices Grievance Mechanisms Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining Supplier Assessment for Impacts on Society Grievance Mechanisms for Impacts on Society The G4 GRI Guidelines are company specific, industry specific, and country specific. The business of each company varies from the other, in some aspect or the other. These aspects result in a difference in the adherence to the guidelines. Further, the decisions of the senior management, as well as, the strategies of the companies, influence which guidelines would be adopted by it (Salter Baxter, 2012). The strategic priorities, along with the targets of the firm, also have an impact on the selection of these guidelines (GRI, 2016). The nature of the work of a company, also changes the adherence to these guidelines. For instance, a vehicle manufacturing company would have to follow different guidelines, as compared to a food manufacturing company. Organizations have a range of topics, which they could report. The relevant topics would be such that reflect the entity’s economic, environmental, as well as, the social impacts on the stakeholders. Materiality is the starting point, according to which the Aspects become adequately significant, in a way that the need of reporting them, arises. A blend of the external, as well as, internal factors determines whether the Aspect is material (GRI, 2016). This includes the factors like the mission, vision, competitive strategy, concerns of stakeholders, social expectations, and the influence of the entity on the suppliers, as well as the customers. The second factor that influences the applicability of these guidelines is the industry. The type of the industry also has an impact over the applicability of these guidelines (GRI, 2016). For example, the polluting industry would have different guidelines applicable on it as compared to a non polluting industry. The last factor, the one applicable in this case, is the country specific guidelines. Even though the G4 GRI Guidelines are uniform across the globe, but each country has a different set of applicable legislations (GRI, 2016). And so, depending upon such applicability, these guidelines apply on the company. The sustainability report of Fuji Xerox comparison for 2014, was made in Australia and the sustainability report of Fuji Xerox comparison for 2015, was made in Japan. So, to summarize, the legislations, along with the internal and external factors of the company, are responsible for the difference in the reports produced in Australia (2014) and Japan (2015). The company has grown in the Australian market, from AU$400 million in 1999 to about AU$1 billion in 2014 (Fuji Xerox, 2014). Despite the changes in the industry, the company has improved upon its profitability, as well as, has been successful in creating suitable growth, along with financial stability for the longer run. But the company achieved the consolidated revenues to the amount of AUS$1 billion which was a 3% decline in comparison to previous year (Fuji Xerox, 2014). The community investment amounted to $506412 with 3412 hours of volunteering in order to nurture the future generation. For the year 2014, 57.3 percent of the company’s procurement expenditure was on equipment, which equated to AU$580 million, towards the supplies, as well as, consumables. This was the most significant aspect of the company’s supply chain (Fuji Xerox, 2014). The consolidated revenue and the consolidated net income before income taxes for this year amounted to 1188.9 billion yen and 91.9 billion yen respectively (Fuji Xerox, 2015). There was a remarkable improvement from the last year in the revenues, as well as, ordinary profits. The goals were set for social contribution spending as this segment noticed a decline as compared to previous year. Though there was an increase in the number of participants compared to the previous year. For the year 2014, the air freight to the sea freight split was reported at 4.1% to 95.9%, which was a 1.5% improvement as compared to the previous year. Objectives were set for 2015 regarding the â€Å"procuring responsibly outlook†. All of the mills fulfill an annual based environmental questionnaire to meet the ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. Further, these are monitored for compliance as per the labor standards, specially pertaining to the child labor aspects. The paper sold to the customers of Australia, were a 100% FSC carbon neutral, PEFC certified, FSC certified or made out of recycled material (Fuji Xerox, 2014).   The company is focused towards recycling as well as reducing the CO 2 emissions throughout the life cycle of the products. Out of the 83% of the employees who commenced the annual performance review cycle for this year, only 49% of them could complete the formal review process. 45% of the female and 50% of the male workforce completed these reviews. Further, extensive sales training was undertaken during this year (Fuji Xerox, 2014).   The company has identified its risks and opportunities in this segment, as well as, has set standards to be achieved during the coming fiscal years. During this year, no judgments were made, regarding discrimination, against the company or any of its employees. The few complaints which were received from the employees, including the complaints regarding discrimination, were handled strictly, and appropriate process was taken up to take the necessary actions after determining the facts. The company has identified and outlined a high priority management theme which takes into account the social circumstances, the nature of the business, and the management goals. High priority is placed on the communication as well as monitoring in order to help the management in incorporating the stakeholder evaluations along with the feedback into the management process. Due to stringent ethics and compliance norms, the company is able to fulfill its commitments towards anti-corruption and anti-competitive behavior. The company understands the needs of its customers and delivers on its promises. Through these, the company is able to deliver value to its customers and benefiting the environment through the Green Print technologies, as well as, services, sustainable paper supplies together with the new NCOS carbon neutral certified products, as well as, optimized print environments. The company has recognized the importance of product safety and has made it an overriding priority. This year also, the company held a product safety forum to eliminate product safety accidents. From the above data, it can be deduced that the 2014 sustainability report prepared in Australia, follows lesser norms as compared to the 2015 sustainability report prepared in Japan. Due to the stringent policies in Japan, the same company has to follow a lot more guidelines. Further, the targets have been more clearly set in the 2015 report, which was clearly missing in the 2014 report. Corporate governance, sustainability and social responsibility are interlinked terms and none of it can be used exclusively. Each of these terms intertwines their paths, in one aspect or the other, as was seen in the case of Wesfarmers. The various issues faced by the company, Wesfarmers, included the concepts of not only corporate responsibility, but also interlinked with the G4 GRE Guidelines. From the above analysis, it can be concluded that Wesfarmers has taken a lot of steps, to ensure that it follows, both the principles of corporate governance, as well as the sustainability guidelines. The comparison of the G4 GRE Guidelines by Wesfarmers highlighted the variances in the adoption of the appropriate guidelines. But due to the number of non-compliances, as well as penalties, in the year 2015, by Wesfarmers, it is recommended to the company that it ensures that the guidelines are properly followed. Further, such instances also portray that the principles of corporate governance are not adequately followed, and hence, the company needs to follow these principles in a proper manner, and ensure that the incidents of penalties, are not repeated. From the above analysis of the two companies, it can be concluded that a lot of factors impact the G4 GRI guidelines reporting by a company. A same company, in two different companies can face disparities in the reporting guidelines. Further, the type of the company decides the applicability of the particular guideline on a company. And from the above analysis, it is recommended to the Wesfarmers Limited, to set out particular targets to be achieved regarding the adopted guidelines. Further, the company has to ensure that it follows the guidelines, instead of getting cases established against it, which are detrimental to these guidelines. Fuji Xerox had presented two different reports, due to the change in the nations. Being in different nations, different guidelines are to be followed by the company. To conclude, the reason for variance in the sustainability reporting of Fuji Xerox is the result of the applicability different standards. So, it is it is recommended to Fuji Xerox, to follow the same set of guidelines, throughout all its branches, whether in this country or in Japan. This can be done as the guidelines are uniform across the globe, and so, common guidelines can, in fact, be adopted. Furthermore, Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Limited should set out specific targets as is done by its Japanese counterpart. This assignment was formulated in a way, so as to test my skills regarding the location, as well as, interpretation of the information. Before starting this assignment, I was under the view that the G4 GRI Guidelines just cover the aspects in a broad and general manner. Further, I was under the impression, that a small report could cover every aspect of this guideline. However, my views were changed when I undertook this assignment. The first thing I learned was the number of disclosures undertaken by a company and the extent of disclosures. Even though the headings state economic, environment and social, but it is more than it. Each aspect had a number of standards to be followed. This assignment helped me in clarifying how the corporate governance issues affect the working of any company. Before starting of this assignment task, I had read many principles of corporate governance, but the practicality of such principles was highlighted only after reading about the issues associated with it, in the case of Wesfarmers. The detail and extent of such issues, and the care taken by the companies to ensure the proper compliance, made me realize the importance of such principles. By analyzing the data of two companies, over two years, especially when one of it had reported the two reports in different countries, has given me an idea about the factors that have an impact on the applicability of these standards. The integration of these guidelines in the functioning of these companies was also worth noting. Though, a huge issue that I encountered while making this assignment was the difficulty in locating the information, especially for the part A of this assignment. The information was not properly presented in case of Wesfarmers, but for Fuji Xerox, the information was easily accessible, as well as, interpretable. By gaining the insights on these guidelines in the working of the companies, I was able to clear my concepts related to the integration of reporting in the Aspects covered under these guidelines. Further, this knowledge would help me in my future jobs, as now I have attained a practical understanding regarding the aspects associated with the sustainability reporting. In the future, when I become a manager, or a part of the higher management, this understanding would help me in applicability of the various regulations and standards followed by the companies. Further, by carrying out real time case study of two companies, I have gained insight on how to resolve the issues associated with sustainability and corporate governance. Fuji Xerox. (2014) Fuji Xerox Australia Sustainability Report 2014. [Online] Fuji Xerox. Available from: https://www.fxasustainability.com.au/2014/report.php [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Fuji Xerox. (2014) GRI G4 content index in accordance - Core. [Online] Fuji Xerox. Available from: https://www.fxasustainability.com.au/2014/gri_g4_content_index_in_accordance-core.pdf [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Fuji Xerox. (2014) Report Centre 2014. [Online] Fuji Xerox. Available from: https://www.fxasustainability.com.au/2014/ [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Fuji Xerox. (2015) GRI Guidelines. [Online] Fuji Xerox. Available from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/guidelines.html#sec10 [Accessed on: 07/10/16] GRI. (2016) G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. [Online] GRI. Available from: https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/g4/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed on: 07/10/16] GRI. (2016) Materiality. [Online] GRI. Available from: https://g4.globalreporting.org/how-you-should-report/reporting-principles/principles-for-defining-report-content/materiality/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Salter Baxter. (2012) The five things you really need to know about GRI G4. [Online] Salter Baxter. Available from: https://www.salterbaxter.com/the-five-things-you-really-need-to-know-about-gri-g4/ [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Wesfarmers. (2014) 2014 Sustainability Report. [Online] Wesfarmers. Available from: https://www.wesresources.com.au/sustainability_report_2014/ [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Wesfarmers. (2014) Sustainability Report 2014. [Online] Wesfarmers. Available from: https://2014.sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/ [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Wesfarmers. (2015) 2015 Annual Report. [Online] Wesfarmers. Available from: https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20150917/pdf/431d8fyj0rz8zy.pdf [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Wesfarmers. (2015) 2015 Sustainability Report. [Online] Wesfarmers. Available from: https://www.wesresources.com.au/sustainability_report_2015/ [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Wesfarmers. (2015) GRI G4 Content Index. [Online] Wesfarmers. Available from: https://www.sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-data/gri-g4-content-index/ [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Wesfarmers. (2015) Sustainability at Wesfarmers. [Online] Wesfarmers. Available from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-approach/sustainability-at-wesfarmers/ [Accessed on: 07/10/16] Wesfarmers. (2015) Sustainability Report 2015. [Online] Wesfarmers. Available from: https://2015.sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/ [Accessed on: 07/10/16]

Professional Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Professional Application - Essay Example Nevertheless, Houston represents a booming market for Steve Madden with a high proportion of working population with higher incomes. The paper reviews the internal and external situational factors affecting Steve Madden. The insights offered by this research can provide a basis for further in-depth research regarding the competitive position of Steve Madden. Keywords: Steve Madden; positioning; target market; marketing efforts Introduction The small business chosen for the purpose of this essay is Steve Madden which has a strong retail presence in Houston, Texas. Steve Madden enjoys a strong foothold in the footwear industry and is primarily known for the novelty of its products at a reasonable price. This paper discusses the competitive and marketing landscape for Steve Madden along with the economic, social, technological and demographic factors affecting the business. Part 1: Situation Analysis Product/Service Overview – strengths, weaknesses Steve Madden offers an assorted range of accessories and shoes for men, women and children. It enjoys high brand equity by virtue of its cutting edge styles and fashion statements (Zappos.com, 2013). Another strength is that the products are sold through the company’s own stores, department stores as well as company website, thereby increasing availability of its products. Furthermore, the price matches quality thereby offering value for money for customers. However, the products remain beyond the reach for majority of the customers. Also, repetitive styles result in monotony. Current positioning in the market Steve Madden has positioned itself on the bridge between high-end and mid-range fashion. It currently enjoys a dominant market position with Steve Madden being ranked second to Nike as the customer’s preferred footwear brand (from 2002-2007) (Piper Jaffray Companies, 2013). Target Market Steve Madden targets a broad range of customers. Its core market for women ranges from 16-45 years whereas the sub brand â€Å"Stevies† is focused on girls aged 6-12 years (T. Sloan, personal communication, September 02, 2013). The target market for men includes those aged 20-40 years (T. Sloan, personal communication, September 02, 2013). These individuals are primarily fashion conscious individuals with high annual incomes but do not want to splurge in expensive, high-end fashion. Less expensive knock-offs are offered for such customers. Current marketing efforts (traditional, interactive, etc.), messages and effectiveness The company’s marketing efforts can best be described as both traditional and interactive. It has partnered with Katy Perry under â€Å"Steve Madden Music† campaign which also featured live performance by Shwayze, a rapper. The company is actively engaged in mobile marketing as well as digital marketing through Facebook where customer feedback is taken via comments on videos, pictures and other content posted by the company. Google ad words and T witter are also used to broaden sharing of Steve Madden’s content and deepening relationships with customers. Part 2: Competition The three major competitors for Steve Madden are BCBG, Nike and Nine West. These shall now be analyzed one by one. BCBG- Product/Service Overview – strengths, weaknesses Primarily known for its high quality, fashionable apparel, BCBG has increased its offerings to include handbags, shoes and accessories thereby offering high product variety. The mid-range price points appeal to a broad range of

Why Should the Wendy's Brand Enter the European Market Research Paper

Why Should the Wendy's Brand Enter the European Market - Research Paper Example .... 1.2 Research Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 1.3 Research Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1.4 Reliability†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1.5 Data Collection and Presentation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1.6 Limitation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2. Data Presentation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2.2 Data Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2.3 Research Findings – France†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2.4 Research Findings – Denmark and the United Kingdom†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2.5 Research Findings – Spain†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 2.6 Research Findings – Wendy’s Best Practice†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3. Conclusion and Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦ 4. Report Evaluation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5. References 1. Introduction: Wendy’s is a well known American Burger Fast Food which operated over 6,500 restaurants under the Wendy’s Brand in 26 countries and territories in the world. (The Wendy's Company, 2011). Since Wendy’s International was separated from the Wendy’s U S Brand in 2009 the Brand has laid the groundwork for a much more adapted international expansion which has been really positive according to Darrell van Ligten, President of Wendy’s international (2011). The Brand is still growing with new restaurant development announcements in Singapore, the Middle East and Nord Africa, the Russian Federation, The Eastern Caribbean, Argentina, the Philippines and Japan (The Wendy's Company, 2011). Unfortunately according to the map of Wendy’s Around the World Wendy’s International is missing on an important market which is Europe representing 17.10% of the Global Fast Food Market (2009). According to the Industry profile of Fast Food in Europe the European market reach a value of 34.2 billion of dollars and grew by 4,4% (Datamonitor, 2009). To be more precise the French Market of fast food industry in 2009 was 6.4 billion of dollars with a faster growth than the German and UK market (Datamonitor, Fast Food Industry Profile: France, 2010). 1.1 Aim: The aim of this research is to investigate on the advantage that the Wendy’s Brand could get by entering the European Market. 1.2 Research Methodology During this research a longitudinal approach was used to identify a problem, which identified the need of the Wendy’s Brand to grow in Europe due to the expansion of the brand in the International Market. Then research to understand the relevant gathered information and interpret them in their context. In order to construct a realistic study the researcher tried to have equilibrium between data collection and data analysis. A deductive approach was use during this research which involves the development of a theory that is subjected to a rigorous test like a scientific research. According to Robson there are five sequential stages through which deductive research will progress: 1. The hypothesis, Europe is an interesting Market for Wendy’s. 2. Expressing the hypothesis in operational terms, like how much revenue could Wendy’s expect expending in Europe. 3. Testing this operational hypothesis, with the research on three objectives. 4. Examining the specific outcome of the inquiry, for example what would be the benefices for the Wendy’s brand to be developed in Europe? 5. If necessary, modifying the theory with the

Critically assess the changes taking place in business approaches to Essay

Critically assess the changes taking place in business approaches to sustainability, including the roles of NGOs and national go - Essay Example However, presently, it has been noticed that the companies are developing policies and goals considering the regional and national goals and also, focus towards sustainability rather than giving importance to piecemeal. There are examples of various individual firms, which are working in collaboration with the NGOs and even government-regulated organisations, in order to achieve corporate goals sustainably (Ekwueme, Egbunike and Onyali, 2013). However, before discussing the change or shift in the business environment towards sustainability, the implication of business sustainability needs to be understood. Business sustainability is also known as the way to manage people through a set procedure by which the financial, environmental and social risks are handled and the opportunities and obligations are met. Business sustainability impacts three most significant aspects namely, planet, people and profits (Zu and Kaynak, 2012). Business health not only signifies the financial health of the company, but also the ability of the business to survive shocks. Business which creates value economically and also, contributes towards a healthy ecosystem and stable communities are considered to be a sustainable business. Further in this study, the discussion would throw light on the changes occurring in the business environment, where organisations are moving towards sustainability (Gadenne, et al., 2002). CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN BUSINESS APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability and implication of sustainable development in business The notion behind sustainable development has received increasing acknowledgment, yet it is a new concept for various business executives. A well-accepted principle is protecting the capital base of the organisation. Yet these organisations do not think of extending this practice towards the human resource or nature. Sustainable development signifies achieving those potentials which can be integrated into the measurement system and planning of the organisation. Sustainability development theory has a collaboration of various theories, which assist in bring about transformation. However, in this case, only the modernisation theory would be discussed. Modernisation theory depicts the analysis of contemporary ways to eliminate the obstacles by availing modern ways to progress (Hakala and Zsuzsanna, 2012). The manager at Chevron Corporation dealing with environmental affairs believes that environment is indeed a significant issue which presents with both opportunities as well as challenges for the business (Soderbaum, 2008.). It has been put forward by OECD that the practices and attitudes of sustainable change reveal a realistic prospect towards harmonising the economic and environmental considerations. It has been observed by managers that pursuing sustainable strategies is a sign of superior business sense (Eisenhardt, 2000). The concept of sustainable development has also been integrated into the process and policies of business, which are assisting in re-designing the management methods. Two aspects have come forward in sustainable management methods such as, accountability towards non-traditional stakeholders and continuous improvement in the reporting practices. Governance is becoming an increasingly important factor. The stakeholders’

Science and Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Science and Technology - Essay Example Virtualization is one of the most essential concepts that will continue to play a dramatic role in the modern century. The problem that majority companies faced with the traditional IT infrastructure consists of several problems. One of the critical problems is the fact that it takes high energy costs. In addition, the traditional mainframe networks take too much space. Furthermore, the heat that is generated through these servers must be cooled. In fact, recent studies have found that organizations achieved on average an 18% reduction in their budget from cloud computing and a 16% reduction in data costs. Hence, virtualization should be embraced by organizations because it is cost-effective, flexible, and provides safe process of security protocols. Not only does virtualization allow corporations to be more â€Å"eco-friendly† but it also reduces costs which is crucial for success in the 21st century. Another main initiative that has been taken by both moguls is to introduce carbon .One of the high focal points that has been emphasized over the years as an alternative approach for energy source has been solar energy. A solar initiative can be a very robust solution that can be utilized for powering residential and industrial purposes. One of the many advantages that solar energy offer is substantial reduction in pollution since no waste product is yielded. The production of energy is being derived from use of fossil fuel. Another great facet that solar energy offers is the fact that it can harness electricity in remote locations. Undoubtedly, this provides flexibility and a seamless integration with the nation’s future technology roadmap. Embedding solar panels in remote location are cost-effective and can create a channel for an optimized energy production. The thought of an environment in which sun energy is utilized to power the communities and the nation’s infra structure can certainly be a reality. Although this innovative approach has been

The Interpretation of Advertisements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Interpretation of Advertisements - Essay Example The emotion it best represents is joy as every person in the picture is smiling and looks happy. The ad shows one person playing with a recognizable Nintendo controller, enjoying himself, while he is closely surrounded by men and women who are also actively participating in his fun appearing to be cheering or congratulating his efforts. It shows a youthful exuberance as every person appears young and animated. Though it lacks text and instead of a narrative, as O'Barr stated "music, motion, color, and other features are sometimes used in an attempt to evoke attitudes and feelings in consumers rather than to tell specific stories" (p. 10); in this instance the ad uses motion and proximity of the people to evoke a sense of togetherness and a party like atmosphere as they all appear to be friendly with each other or maybe even a family. The ad is effective in demonstrating the interactive nature of the Nintendo Wii Console. It challenges the dominant ideas of most consumers by showing an alternative depiction of what videogames represent (O'Barr). Instead of the traditional expectation of what playing videogames involves as a typical depiction would be one or two people on a couch focusing intently with minimal body movement.

Canon Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Canon Case Study - Essay Example As going to be discussed below, it can be noted that Canon employs various strategies and has to a greater extent managed to meet the strategic challenges and changes as a result of the key success story in its operation. However, in view of the above explanations, it can be noted that Canon instead has been successful in managing its strategies by virtue of embarking on an open approach in formulation of strategic plans rather than being imposed by the top management. Its strategies are influenced and driven by the strategic vision of Canon’s senior and other managers. This strategy is very flexible in that it promotes an open door policy where views from other equally important decision makers are taken into consideration towards the attainment of the overall organisational goals. In most cases, strategic planning is viewed as bureaucratic in nature where it is often regarded as a preserve for the top management to impose their views and vision about the company on the other work mates. Canon’s policy is flexible and open to accept ideas from other people within the organisation. Through technological differentiation, Canon has managed to grow from strength to strength to catch Xerox which had been a world leader in the photocopying market since the 1950s. They have managed their strategic challenges as well as changes by developing technology that was completely different from Xerox and this offered new features which were not very common by then which gave them the competitive advantage against this rival competitor. Technology is dynamic and is expected to change constantly hence taking into account these changes is one guaranteed way of trying to keep up pace with the new developments in the market which will also ultimately impact positively on any business. Another strategy that was used by Canon was to target the small photocopier niche markets which

Buddhist Traditions Essay Example for Free

Buddhist Traditions Essay Buddhism is an Eastern religion practiced in most Asian countries. The religion was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in the late 6th century B.C.E. Even though Buddhism is practiced in many ways, a commonality among these ways is a drawing from the life experiences of the Buddha and his teachings. The spirit or essence of his teachings also referred to as dhamma or dharma, serve as models for the religious life. Some of the teachings of enlightenment that have been an influence of the disciples of Buddha are in regard to having an understanding of suffering and finding the end to all suffering, and on having mutual respect by having right mindfulness and right meditation and the principle of ataman. The beliefs and practice of both Karma and Dharma allow an individual to avoid ignorance and allow for mutual respect, which in return grants the individual peace and happiness. Buddha set the stage for future Buddhist with his teachings on The Noble Eightfold Path and The Principles of Mutual Respect, which many in the world can relate to and use today. What is known about the Noble Eightfold Path? What is Mutual Respect? How can Buddhism be used and understood today?History of BuddhaThe many teachings of Buddha were not discovered until the 1st or 2nd century C.E. until the writings of Buaciha Charija (life of the Buddha) by Ashvaghosa gave an account of BuddhaÂ’s life. The Buddha who was born in ca. 563 B.C.E. in Lumbini, a place in North India near the Himalayan foothills, began his teachings around Benares (at Sarnath). “His era in general was one of spiritual, intellectual, and social ferment. This was the age when the Hindu ideal of renunciation of family and social life by holy persons seeking Truth first became widespread.” (Vail, 1982). SufferingBuddha had attained enlightenment while sitting under a Bodhi tree (The Buddha The Bodhi Tree, n.d). He sought to understand suffering, its cause, its end, and the path that led to its end. By the third night he found his answer which is known as the four noble truths. The first noble truth is the life means suffering (Kniermin, 2009). Human nature and the world is not perfect, therefore, inevitably those in the physical life will suffer from sickness, injury, pain, tiredness, old age, and eventually death. Humans also suffer psychologically such as sadness, fear, disappointment, frustration, and depression. The second truth is that the  origin of suffering is attachment. Desire causes suffering as does the pursuit of wealth and prestige. Those that strive for fame and popularity will also suffer. The third truth is ceasing suffering through nirodha. Nirodha is to not make sensual craving and conceptual attachment. To cease suffering means to remove all cause of suffering through ones actions. To attain perfection in ridding all passions and attachments one would gain Nirvana. To have Nirvana means one no longer worries or has trouble. The fourth truth is that is a gradual path of self-improvement will end all suffering and this can be attained through the following of the Eightfold Path. The Noble Eightfold Path describes the end of suffering through the practice of mental development which was described by Siddhartha Gautama (Kniermin, 2009b). The goal is to free the individual from attachments and delusions, leading one to understand the truth of all things. The beginning and the end of the path is to have the right view. The right view is to see things as they truly are and understand karma. The first step is to know that all beings suffer and to realize that the view of the world is through thoughts and the right view yields right thoughts and actions. Actions are usually expressed through ones attention. Having the right intentions is having a commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. The three types of right intentions are: 1. to resist desire, 2. strive to avoid feelings of anger, and 3. not think or act in a violent, cruel, or aggressive manner. Although one can have the right intentions one must make an effort. One can have the right effort by preventing unwholesome states. To attain right efforts one must have the right mindfulness. To have a clear consciousness and perceive things as they truly are. The way one conducts oneself is to have the right speech, for words can break or save a person, make enemies or friend, create peace or start a war. Right speech is the practice of not telling lies, abstaining from slanderous speech, abstaining from harsh words, and abstaining from conversation that has no point. Not only is having the right words important, but having the right action. The right actions is to not take life even oneself and to abstain from robbery, fraud, deceitfulness, dishonesty, and sexual  misconduct. The way earns ones living is to have the right livelihood. One should gain wealth legally and peacefully. Some occupations that are not consider to the right livelihood would be prostitution, selling or buying of weapons, raising animals for slaughter or working in a butchery, and selling intoxicants. The eighth principle of the path is to have right concentration. To have right concentration is to establish the mind rightly, which involves all the paths of the noble eightfold (Bhikkhu, 2001 -2009). To establish the right concentration one would use meditation. Tranquil meditation quiets the mind. To enter into right concentration one has to be alert for it can not arise on its own. Once one is able to enter into right concentration one will experience stillness, rapture, and pleasure. Mutual RespectBuddhism teaches one to be mutually respectful of one another since it can lead one down a road of tolerance and acceptance. Mutual respect corresponds to the concept of treat others the way an individual would like to be treated in return. Mutual respect ensures that trust is present in all interactions. Mutual respect operates within the domain of practical reasoning and assists individuals seeking knowledge of what to do and how one should do it, when one wants to build or sustain democracy. However, practical reasoning principles differ from rules. The journey one follows towards understanding, respecting and trusting others winds through hills and valleys. It can be difficult to find the path and even more difficult to stay on the right path. The belief is that it takes true humility, willingness to first listen, a sober look at ones own shortcomings, and commitment over time, however, this approach will not work for everyone. A common thread in world religions are that the teachings are to improve humanity and improve peopleÂ’s ethical behavior thereby improving life on earth. An important leason is for people to learn not to be consumed with material things but to strive to have a balance between material and  spiritual progress. All religions need to work together to make the world a better place. The world needs not only material progress, but also spiritual progress as well. If humans only develop spiritually and do not take care of the material side then people go hungry, and that is not very good either. There needs to be a balance. One does not have to agree with or even necessarily like a person or a religion, but it does ensure that interactions run smoothly. Mutual respect implies recognition that all individuals are human beings together, that in fact, all beings are one. Humans are one and the same, of the same source, each reflecting another aspect of oneself. Instead of looking at differences between groups of people, or indeed between religions, a spiritually oriented person focuses upon similarities. If everyone were to do this, there would be no violence, no wars, no lack of respect for others, and no lack of self-respect. Mutual respect is important because it transforms conflict into peace, compromise, and production. Respect creates an atmosphere that allows for progress to be made. An individual can not expect to receive respect if he or she does not first offer respect. A person is more willing to take part in understanding something if the individual believes that his or her thoughts, opinions, and feelings will be taken into consideration and respected. Mutual respect is created when people treat others as they want to be treated. As mentioned The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you” brings forth the idea that all things are connected and in relationship to one another. Mutual respect can “grow from its own process and dynamics. Be the first to accord respect, and with time, it will develop amongst all he conflicting parties” (Beyond Intractability, 2005). If one person is giving respect but not receiving it in return from the other person, conflict is likely to result and could have consequences for both sides. A balance and compromise will result in peace. Buddhism strongly focuses on the anatman, the inner-self, and obtaining the  balance of peace with both the inner-self and outer-self. Therefore, mutual respect greatly relates to the beliefs of the Buddhist religion in respect to eliminating negative energy. Conflicts and not respecting other individuals would only defeat the purpose of what one is trying to accomplish with Ataman. Buddhists also believes in karma, the consequences of oneÂ’s actions. This means that if a Buddhist were to deny respect then in return he or she would suffer the consequences of those actions. This would delay his or her progress towards complete inner and outer peace. The Buddhist religion also discourages ignorance, or lack of knowledge, which can be a result of ignoring mutual respect. “All the problems we experience during daily life originate from ignorance and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practice Dharma” (About Buddha, 2007). Dharma is the act of protecting oneself from suffering and from problems. By practicing mutual respect an individual can avoid any unnecessary conflict or problems that would get in the way obtaining peace and happiness. “Practicing Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life” (About Buddha, 2007). By granting mutual respect in all subject matters, an individual improves the quality of his or her life. Buddhist SectsMutual respect is realized in many Buddhist sects. BuddhaÂ’s teachings reached far beyond the area in which he began and formed two primary divisions. The original teachings of Buddha are the Southern School, called Theravada or better known as “Way of the Elders.” Theravada is mainly taught in the Southeast Asian countries. The Northern School is referred to as Mahayana or “The Greater Vehicle,” and is comprised of countries in the North (Fisher, 2002 p. 157). Many writings came from these sects. Those who follow the teachings of Theravada studied older writings called the Pali Canon. A collection of BuddhaÂ’s teachings, the Pali Canon was compiled after BuddhaÂ’s death by a council of five hundred monks who had studied under him. From the Southern School is the Triple Gem which is a collection of Buddha, dharma and sangha. These were used in order for one to convert to Buddhism. Meditations were also very important. One of the techniques was Vipassana meditation. The  word Vipassana can be translated to mean “insight.” This was important because by developing insight helps to calm, focus and watch the mind (Fisher, 2002, p. 161). From the Northern School, Mahayana teachings were referred to as the path of compassion and metaphysics. Though they had the respect of the Southern School, these were teachings that reached beyond those of the Pali Canon. The Mahayanists claimed these scriptures were given only to those kindhearted and enlightened beings. Those scriptures called the Mahayana sutras told of the significance of spiritual understanding. To the Mahayanists, the dharma is not only a term used in writings, but the actual source of a conversion event that makes one realize the need for enlightenment as the absolute significance of life (Fisher, 2002, p. 164). Through the years, Buddha made his teachings in reference to the audience in which he spoke. Buddha in effect, had taught in different levels depending on the willingness of the audience to pay attention to the truth. As time proceeded, the audience changed, and the Mahayanists looked past the Pali Canon which was a teaching to help those with lower capacities to the sutra which would teach the true meaning of the dharma. New Mahayana communities were formed. They called themselves Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas were dedicated to attaining enlightenment. These were teachings that expanded on those taught in the sutra. Bodhisattvas believed that not only were there special people who could gain spiritual growth; it could be obtained by the masses of people also. The goal was to achieve the enlightenment and to see in that enlightenment what you have not seen before, which is the divinity of the world (Loverade, n.d.). In accordance with these teachings, Bodhisattvas should become enlightened and return to help others to obtain the same goal. Those returning would not experience the suffering in which others were exposed. The idea is not only to become enlightened, but also to become like Buddha himself and be an enlightened one who returns to the world. ConclusionBuddha, born in 563 B.C.E brought teaching of enlightenment to the world. He taught that desiring brings suffering. He also taught his followers to respect other religions through an open mind and tolerance. Throughout Buddhisms teachings and beliefs runs the undercurrent of mutual respect and enlightenment. In essence, one cannot reach enlightenment without mutual respect. By integrating the four noble truths and the eight fold path an individual will reach an understanding of anatman and the impermanence that exists in life. Illusions will end and self-centeredness will erode and an individual will eventually be free from attachments and understand the truth of all things. Once enlightenment is reached by an individual, the individual is to become like Buddha and return to the world to help others. References About Buddha (2007). About Buddha. Retrieved July 31, 2009 from http://www.aboutbuddha.orgBerzin, Alexander, (1988). The Berzin Archives. Retrieved July 31, 2009 fromhttp://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/world_today/buddhist_view_other_religions.htmlBeyond Intractability (2005). A free knowledge base on more constructive approaches todestructive conflict. Retrieved July 30, 2009 from http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/respect/?nid=6573Bhikkhu, T. (2001- 2009). Right concentration. Retrieved August 3, 2009 fromhttp://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/suwat/concentration.htmlFail,L.F. (1982). Focus. Retrieved July 31, 2009 fromhttp://afe.easia.columbia.edu/japan/japanworkbook/religion/origins.htmlFisher, M.P. (2003). Living religions (5th ed.). Retrieved August 1, 2009 from UOPrEsource REL133Knierim, T. (2009a). The four noble truths. Retrieved August 2, 2009 fromhttp://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/fourtruths.htmlKnierim,T. (2009b). The noble eightfold path. Retrieved August 2, 2009 fromhttp://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.htmlLoverade, L. (n.d.). Five stages of consciousness in religion and the returning buddha.

The World Largest Brand Name Apparel Marketers Marketing Essay

The World Largest Brand Name Apparel Marketers Marketing Essay Levis Strauss and Company is one of the world largest brand-name apparel marketers. Levis Strauss and Company is one of the successful Jeanswear shop in America States. The innovation of the rivets in the jeans differentiated Levis jeans from others because of its increased durability. (Levis) The Fast changes in consumer tastes, competition from both lower and higher-end brands, the fast development in the modern distribution and sales technology has brought about a continuing loss of market share. (Levi Strauss Co. Marketing Plan) Levis Strauss and company was established in 1873, Levis jeans are the original, authentic jeans. They are the most successful, widely recognized and often imitated clothing products clothing product in the history of apparel. Over successive generations, Levis jeans have captured the attention, imagination and loyalty of diverse individuals. (Levis) As the inventor of the category, the Levis brand continues to define jean wear with the widest range of products available, from quintessential class such as the famous Levis 501 Original jean, to favorite fits and styles in the Red Tab and premium collections. (Levis) 1.1 Mission To sustain responsible commercial success as a global marketing company of branded apparel. They must Balance goals of superior profitability and return in investment, leadership market positions and superior product and services. They will conduct their business ethically and demonstrate leadership in satisfying their responsibilities to their communication and to society. (Levi Strauss Co. Marketing Plan) 1.2 Vision Levis Strauss brands are filled with examples of the key role their value have played in meeting consumer needs. Four core values are at the heart of Levi Strauss Co Empathy, Originality, Integrity and Courage. These four values are linked. As Levis look at their history, a story of how Levis core values work together and are the source of their success. Likewise, Levis brands embody many of the core values that consumers live by. This is why Levis brands have stood the test of time. 2. Objective The objectives of Levis brand continues to define Jeanswear with the widest range of product available, from quintessential classics, such as the famous Levis Original jean, to favourite fits and styles in Red Tab and premium collections. Levis jeans have captured the attention, imagination, and loyalty of generations of diverse individuals. The brand has continues received critical acclaim from industry insiders. The brands profile is growing internationally. Levis Strauss and company next target focus to expand more in different city flagship store. To review Levis Jeanswear market situation of the global highlighting the competitive positions and branding strategies of the market. To identify the successful branding strategies Levis Jeanswear has employed to achieve its dominant market position. To evaluate on the effectiveness of Levis Jeanswear branding strategies in sustaining its sales performance. 3. Situation Analysis Situation analysis is a marketing term, and involves evaluating the situation and trends in particular companys market. Situation analysis is often called the three C, which refers to the three major elements that are Company, Customers, and Competition. Company Despite these reductions Levi Strauss Company had most of its early success because the firm was behaving monopolistically. The company patented the riveted jeans, increasing durability, and gaining popularity. Levis Strauss Co. maintained its corporate responsible image and progressive stance on social, labor, and environmental issues, which may have long run profit opportunities. Customers There is many Levis Jeanswear loyalty to maintain existing customers. Levis Jeanswear is the youthfulness of their brand jeans. The 501 product line and the Red Tab collection offer jeans that appeal to younger consumers competing with the high-end jean competitors. Competition Competitors successfully were able to take from Levis market due to heavy advertising and branding. Branding was especially effective for companies like Calvin Klein that targeted high-end consumers. Levis jeans may be physically the same as its competitor physically competitors, consumer preferences are affected by brand name. 3.1 SWOT analysis Levis opportunities and threats Levis Strauss, Levis Strauss Co. is one of the worlds largest brand-name apparel marketers with sales in more than 110 countries. There is no other company with a comparable global presence in the jeans and casual pants markets. Nowadays Levi Strauss develops technological higher production and coordination activities. In addition, Levi Strauss also develop new website is convenient for consumers shopping and also develop new products and services. The constant of threats is possible recession and people less likely to spend money on trend items and economic downturns in some countries. Bad economic is also an issue for Levis Strauss such as recession and the weakness of currency, people are likely to spend lesson trend items. Other than that, increasing competition from product of the higher end of the market and price wars with competitor. 3.2 Value chain analysis Support activities Primary activities Primary activities Inbound logistics: Inbound Logistics is the transportation planning in one of the major business processes. In order to achieve operational excellence, increase the merger, Levis Strauss plans common needs and external traffic inbound logistics, receiving their suppliers purchase. They stored goods production or assembly line needs. Goods may move around the organization. Operations: At this stage of product assembly or manufacturing. Self is co-produced fashion industry packaging. The design of the packaging represents the image of Levis Strauss. Outbound logistics: Collect, store and distribute the product to send along the supply chain to retailers in different countries. The retailers will send goods to outlets. Marketing and sales: The marketing communication strategies are the best ways to deliver message to consumers that Levis Strauss applied were advertising through the magazines, bill board and fashion show. Prepared to provide targeted, in order to meet consumer demand. Service: To fulfill consumers desirable, that are some things should have to concern on these; consumer always has clothes fitness problems, thus after sales service is important to exchange the size of Jeanswear or modify it. Other than that, to provide stuffs training how to service difference behavior of consumers and updating their Jeanswear information. Support activities Procurement: Levis Strauss needs of all the goods, services and materials procurement. This is because for the lowest possible price to buy the highest quality possible. This includes outsourcing that is usually done in-house business for the same from other companies and use of IT and networking technology to achieve procurement goals. Technology development: The innovation of technologies helps the Levis Strauss to sustain competitive advantage. Technology is an important of the competitive advantage. Human resources management: Levis Strauss is guided by a strong growth strategy in managing and developing its human resource capacity. Potential employees are evaluated in terms of their alignment to the companys winning characteristics which are directly linked to the Levis business strategies, mission and vision of integrity, courage, empathy and originality. Firm infrastructure: The formal systems of planning finance quality control, information management and the structures and routines that are part of an organizations culture. 3.3 PEST analysis The remote environment comprises factors that originate beyond and usually irrespective of, any single firms operating section: political, economic, social and technological factors. That environment presents firms with opportunities, threats, and constraints, but rarely does a single firm exert any meaningful reciprocal influence. Political factor: Political factor is very important to make sure the growth of the clothing industry in America States. With the peaceful environment, America States became one of the worlds attractive fashion destinations. (Easy club) Economic Factor: One of the main beneficiaries of the recession is the value clothing sector as consumers spend most on discretionary items with increased caution. According to Verdict forecasts, America States clothing spends in 2009 had declined 0.6%. However, estimation that value clothing sales will grow by 5.0%. Grocers are expected to make further gains in 2009 and increase their share of the value clothing market to 34.2%. In long term, the gains that grocers to be made will prove a further threat to value clothing specialists by improving store environments and fully exploiting multichannel capabilities. Social factor: Americans become more enjoy fashion nowadays; they will conservative and old-fashioned image of traditional shops. They prefer on those shops with a trendier image, such as Levis older and often affluent consumers remain fashion conscious. Technological factor: Levis have combined the four core technology are at the heart of Levis Strauss Co Empathy, Originality, Integrity and Courage, durable and easy to care for. However, further technology on textile with other characteristics will produce, such as cellulite-reducing hosiery or moisturizing properties. Prices are likely to increase as the result of these changes in the textile technology, therefore assisting in growing the value of the market. 3.4 Porters 5 Forces Industry Competitive: Jeanswear industry is characterized by small fashion 501, but there has been a recent trend towards consolidation and economies of scale. Businesses compete on price, quality, differentiation and relationship with key suppliers. However, there are not many players that establish a reputation for bringing style and innovation to the high street. Due to this Levis has the advantage of being a high streets retail phenomenon. Bargaining power of suppliers: Suppliers do not have much bargaining the fashion industry because their products and their commercial nature of the sales forces of developed markets. Can affect the garment industry from the original input price fluctuations, but the change is a global determinants of supply and demand, rather than the bargaining power of suppliers caused. Bargaining power of customers: The buyers power is significant in that buyers can force prices down, demand higher quality products or services, and, in essence, play competitors against one another, all resulting in potential loss of industry profits. Buyers exercise more power when they are large-volume buyers, the product is a significant aspect of the buyers costs or purchases, the products are standard within Jeanswear industry, there are few changing or switching costs, the buyers earn low profits, potential for backward integration of the buyer group exists, the Jeanswear is not essential to the buyers product, and the buyer has full disclosure about supply, demand, prices, and costs. (Reference for business) Threat of new entrants: New entrants can also expect a barrier in the form of government policy through federal and state regulations and licensing. New firms can expect retaliation from existing companies and also face changing barriers related to technology, strategic planning within the industry, and manpower and expertise problems. Threat of Substituted: The substitute product in fashion industry is low. Every individual needs to wear clothes in their daily activities to prevent cold and harmful to their skin. There is no substitute other than wear clothes. The only alternative is individual can make clothes their own but this alternative rarely happen. 3.5 Ansoff matrix Existing Product New Product Existing Market New Market In Ansoff Matrix, Levis Strauss is currently in position of market penetration as Levis Strauss intends to sell its existing markets to maintain or increase the market share of current product. This can be achieved by a combination of competitive pricing strategies, advertising, sales promotion and perhaps more resources dedicated to personal selling. Other than that, increase usage by existing customer by introducing loyalty schemes; the business is focusing on markets and product it knows well. It is likely to have good information on competitors and on customer needs. On the other hand, Levis Strauss also in different position of market development intends to sell its existing product into new markets in different countries. In this stage, Levis Strauss is facing medium-high risk in entering new market as there in many popular clothes retailer in the market. The issues of new geographical, product packaging, distribution channels and different pricing policies to attract different customer or create a new market segments that is Levi Strauss planning to enter must also take into consideration. Therefore, Levis Strauss takes risk segmentation into different countries. 3.6 Porters Generic Strategies Cost Differentiation Broad Narrow Levi Strauss is paining to employ differentiation strategy to make Levis Jeanswear to be more common, Levis Strauss provides Levis 501 Original Jeanswear for men, women, teens, and children. Since launching the campaign, worldwide sales of 501 jeans have increased substantially. Although it is encouraging to see the flagship 501 line growing again, these sales increases were not incremental. So everyone is a potential customer for Levis. Levis generally appeals to more mature generations not necessarily looking to make a fashion statement. Levis makes an effort to appeal to all customers in one way or another, which been a key to their success over the years. 4. Evaluation of Suitability The suitability of the strategic options is assessed based on their compatibility with the current competitive environment of the fashion industry, Levis own corporate vision and mission and how it would sustain or improve the competitive position of the organisation. Strategic Position Concept To understand Strategy must address PEST Key environmental Driver/ Changes in industry Structure The remote environment comprises factors that originate beyond and usually irrespective of, any single firms operating section: political, economic, social and technological factors. That environment presents firms with opportunities, threats, and constraints, but rarely does a single firm exert any meaningful reciprocal influence. Porters Five-Forces Industry attractiveness competitive forces Porters essential message is that where these five forces are high, then industries are not attractive to compete in. There will be too much competition and too much pressure to allow reasonable profits. Value Chain Opportunities for vertical integration or outsourcing A value chain describes the categories of activities within and around an organisation, how Levis create a product or services 4.1 Tows matrix Levis Strauss chosen because it demonstrates how a successful company experienced great difficulties in the early 1853, but then developed a strategy that resulted in an excellent market position in the late 2003. The TOWS Matrix shown will focus on the crucial period from late 1853 to early 2003. The external threats and opportunities pertain mostly to the situation Levis Strauss faced in the United States. Strengths (S) Brand name. Access to target market with over 300 stores nationwide. Finance and access to international capital. Distribution channels and global sourcing. Weakness (W) High costs of brand protection. Lack of control over quality. Lack of control over distribution. Distribution conflicts. Opportunities (O) Largest brand-name apparel marketers with sales in more than 110 countries. Technological development higher production and coordination activities. Develop new product and services. A new market on website shipping. SO-Strategies Increase sales and supply to different countries. (S1,O1) Build technological development higher production and new production and services in different 300 stores nationwide.(S2, O2, O3) Create channels and website shipping to global sourcing. WO-Strategies High costs of production brand in markets. (W1, O1) Lack of control in technological development production and distribution. (W2, W3, O2) Improve distributor services and website shipping benefits. (W4, O3, O4) Threats (T) Possible recession and people less likely to spend money on trend items. Competition from product of the higher end of the market. Economic downturns in some countries Price wars with competitors Increasing competition. ST Meet competitors advanced design of the market. (S1, S2, T2) Economic and finance are the keys of the issue. (S3, T1, T3) Globalization increasing competitor and price wars with competitors. (S4, T4, T5) WT Reduce threat of competition by developing flexible product line. (W1, W2, W3, T1, T2) 4.2 Direction for Growth Strategic option To summarises these point from earlier section and provides examples of reasons why strategy directions or might be regarded as suitable. Strategic Environment Capability Expectations Market penetration Levi Strauss intends to sell its existing markets to maintain or increase the market share of current product. Increase usage by existing customer by introducing loyalty schemes; the business is focusing on markets and product it knows well. It is likely to have good information on competitors and on customer needs. Market development Levi Strauss is facing medium-high risk in entering new market as there in many popular clothes retailer in the market. The issues of new geographical, product packaging, distribution channels and different pricing policies to attract different customer or create a new market segments that is Levi Strauss planning to enter must also take into consideration Levi Strauss intends to sell its existing product into new markets in different countries and takes risk segmentation into different countries. Differentiation Differentiation strategy to make Levis jean to be more common. Levi Strauss provides Levis 501 Original Jeanswear for men, women, teens, and children. So everyone is a potential customer for Levis. Levis generally appeals to more mature generations not necessarily looking to make a fashion statement. Levis makes an effort to appeal to all customers in one way or another, which been a key to their success over the years. Ranking strategic options Options are assessed against key factors relating to the strategic position of the organisation and a score or ranking established for each option. Key strategic factors Strategic option Family ownership Increased globalisation Low-price imports Increased of marketing Good of quality control Increased sales Ranking Market penetration O X O X O ? B Market development X O X O X O C Differentiation O X O O O O A O=favourable; X=unfavourable;? =uncertain or irrelevant. A=most suitable; B=possible; C=unsuitable. Evaluation of Acceptability The acceptability of the strategic options is assessed based on the stakeholders expectations. 5.1 Stakeholders Expectations The stakeholders of Levis Strauss are comprised of shareholders, management, employees, suppliers, contributors and the customers. The shareholders are likely to accept all the strategies as they have already witnessed Levis Strauss successful turnaround and regain of profitability. The management built up more positive steps in achieving its vision and mission these initiatives illustrate the progress Levis Strauss have made in building strong, collaborative relationships with their wholesale customers. To working closely with these customers and developing plans to ensure Levis brands continue to be broadly accessible to consumers despite continued retail door closures and bankruptcies in the United States. On the other hand, the employees may be very supportive of the differentiation strategy and market development business simplifying measures recommended. The suppliers and contributors would have learnt by now to live with Levis Strauss differentiation strategy and market development their operations to fit themselves into Jeanswear operating style. Levis customers are likely to welcome the Jeanswear innovation capabilities with the creation of a Global Market Development Centre at their owned-and-operated manufacturing plant in different courtiers. Strategy 1- Market Development Key stakeholders Rewards Risks Shareholders Higher profit, performance, clear direction. Unpredictable economics crisis. Managers Performance, targets, growth, bonus. Cultural problems. Employees Rates of pay, high employment rate. Job security, time period. Trade unions Working conditions, wages rate. Legal requirements. Customers More Levis Jeanswear available. Ethical products. Suppliers High demand of resources. Delivery problems. Government Taxation. Explicit Federal laws in certain countries. General public Jobs, involvement, shares Environmental issues Strategy 2-Differentation Key stakeholders Rewards Risks Shareholders Higher profit, performance, clear direction. Loss. Managers Performance, targets, growth, bonus. Time consume, sales volume. Employees Rates of pay. Job security. Trade unions Working conditions, minimum wages. Legal requirements. Customers More choices, better quality and customer care. Ethical products. Suppliers High demand of resources. Government Taxation. Legislation. General public Jobs, involvement, shares. Environmental issues. Feasibility The feasibility of the three strategic options is assessed based on the Levis Strauss current resources. Current Resources The actual resources required for the implementation of the three strategies are summarized in Table 4 under four categories: (1) product/service feasibility, (2) market feasibility, (3) organizational feasibility and (4) financial feasibility. Strategy 1- Market development Key resources Analysis Product/ Service feasibility Levi Strauss market development intends to sell its existing product into new markets in different countries. Levi Strauss must control their product and service quality, the patent strategy to maintain its brand reputation. Market feasibility The issues of new geographical, product packaging, distribution channels and different pricing policies to attract different customer or create a new market segments that is Levi Strauss planning to enter must also take into consideration. Organizational feasibility The brand and formula have to carefully designed and properly execute. Levis Strauss able to expand rapidly takes risk segmentation into different countries. Financial feasibility According to the Levis Strauss annual report 2009 that company sales and profit has increased, so there are no financial problems to support market develop strategy. . Strategy 2- Differentiation Key resources Analysis Product/ Service feasibility Levi Strauss provides Levis 501 Original Jeanswear for men, women, teens, and children. Since launching the campaign, worldwide sales of 501 jeans have increased substantially. market feasibility The flagship 501 line growing again, these sales increases were not incremental. So everyone is a potential customer for Levis. Levis generally appeals to more mature generations not necessarily looking to make a fashion statement. Organizational feasibility Levis generally appeals to more mature generations not necessarily looking to make a fashion statement. Levis makes an effort to appeal to all customers in one way or another, which been a key to their success over the years. Financial feasibility According to the Levis Strauss annual report 2009, the sales and profit of the company has increased, so there is no financial problem to support franchising strategy. However, the in-store advisor service is free of charge; Levis Strauss has to cover this expense from other sectors. Selection of One Strategic Option for Implementation The above evaluation data have indicated that in fact all the two strategic options are equally important and necessary for the future growth of Levis Strauss and should be implemented to the long term benefits of Levis Strauss. The complexity and risks in implementation of the two options are summarized in below. Strategic Option Implementation Requirements Complexity Risk (1) Market development Involves higher capital injection management ingenuity to implement in view of other competitors Hardest with higher risks (2) Differentiation Involves strong management will and resolve to implement. Changing staffs working attitudes and instituting a new Levis 501 Original Jeanswear for men, women, teens, and children. Launching the campaign, worldwide sales of 501 jeans have increased substantially would need a lot of patience and tact. Medium hard, needs management will and tact Naturally, among the two strategic options, the strategic option 2 should be selected as the first choice since it can be implemented quickly and getting faster results. Implementation From the evaluation above, Levis Strauss select differentiation strategy to achieve their vision and mission. Differentiation strategy helps Levis Strauss to expand further more different gender and different ages to wear Levis Jeanswear and establish the brand as a fashion authority in every city. The implementation strategy can describe in three sections, which is resources management, organizational structure and management of change. Key issues Analysis Resources management Resource management refers to the possibility under discussion is a factor. Levi Strauss has confirmed that the factor is the most likely way to work. Levi Strauss can use the budget or other performance management tools to study the effectiveness of differentiation strategy. Organizational structure In this stage Levis Strauss has to deal with issues regarding levels of hierarchy, together with structural form and style of management. Management of change Some management of Levis Strauss might not aware of the need for changes in strategy implementations. Thus Levis Strauss must review the speed, scope and style of the changes, in order to obtain full commitment to them. The company maintained profits by providing a wide range of products, capturing new markets and increasing its market shares. The company created barriers to entry by patents and trademarks, and by differentiating its product from generic jeans. However as more firms entered the market, the company started losing customers and incurring losses. The upstart companies captured niche market shares from Levi Levis s immense market domination. Despite this reduction of sales, Levi Strauss Co. maintained its corporate responsible image and progressive stance on social, labor, and environmental issues, which may have long long-run profit opportunities. Conclusion This report had analyzed the situation and the growth strategy of Jeanswear line of Levis Strauss. The evaluation of the suitability, acceptability and feasibility had examined on chosen options. The options are products and services development and differentiation strategy. The strategy chosen is differentiation strategy to achieve the mission and vision. The launch of differentiation strategy helps Levis Strauss to expand their business effectively and efficiently. By respond quickly to emerging trends, Levis Strauss has become a successful fashion retailer within the shortest possible lead times to carve out a reputation for its ability.

Rhetorical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption Essay -- essays, Movie

Rhetorical Analysis of The Shawshank Redemption The Shawshank Redemption is an inspiring story about Andy Dufreine and his efforts to maintain hope in horrible situations. The directors used many effective methods that displayed signs of hope in such a horrible place. Andy maintained hope by distracting his mind and always staying occupied. Andy was also inspired to survive by helping others find hope in life. The creators of this movie used several effective, and often subtle, methods to illustrate the hope found in Andy and his surroundings. Andy was always portrayed as a clean-cut and well-groomed prisoner with his shirt always buttoned and his hair always combed. This self-respect was in great contrast to the other prisoners who were portrayed as dirty, stereotypical prisoners. The common prisoners also had vocabularies and grammar that were far inferior to Andy’s. The distinctions between Andy and the common prisoners showed that Andy was different, those differences were that he had hope. Many scenes involved ironic contrasts between the tone and the surroundings. On several occasions the background music was cheerful and upbeat while the physical settings and scenery were terribly dark, dreary and depressing. One good example of this is the scene where Andy was helping the guards with their taxes. There was upbeat and cheerful music but the room and the surroundings were dark and gloomy. This hint of happiness represents how Andy’s hope ...