Competitive advantage and relationship marketing

Competitive advantage and relationship marketing Introduction The ability of an organization to generate and maintain a competitive advantage forms one of the most critical elements in supporting its internal and external mechanisms for further growth and expansion. Benderly posits that high market competitiveness acts as an indicator of an organization’s progress and assessment in comparison to others dealing with same products (30). Besides, as this paper analyzes using Cirque du Soleil, relationship marketing is an effective means of maintaining, developing and establishing market relationship with consumers. It has been hailed as one of the most effective ways through which businesses can achieve and sustain competitive advantage. Competitive advantage The concept of competitive advantage has its roots well entrenched in the historical era of industrial revolution when demand for markets and increasing focus on quality became critical.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Competitive advan tage and relationship marketing-Cirque du Soleil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, Suliyanto and Rahab indicate that the concept became more profound with the development of globalization and intensification of international trade which further diversified its overall scope in view of production and consumption of different products and services (136). The concept of market competitiveness has further been intensified by the onset of information technology which strongly links market with the management and production units in the society. In his article Anatomy of competitive advantage: a select framework, Ma points out that â€Å"competitive advantage arises from the differential among firms along any dimension of firm attributes and characteristics that allows one firm to better create customer value than do others† (709). His argument hinges on the view that consistent provision of superior value and high quality products to consumers is an attribute determined by a firm’s ability to establish strategic business decisions as well as strategic capabilities. Due to intensive competition and increasing uncertainty, companies that have sustainable advantage make tremendous gains because they have competencies and resources that are non-substitutable and unique that their competitors lack. Agha, Alrubaiee and Jamhour concur with Ma’s argument and posits that through these, successful organizations have maintained customer satisfaction, achieved overall strategic goals and increased their production processes (200).Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, capabilities have these companies have been witnessed in the manner in which they have combined organizational knowledge, integrated technology and coordinated production skills in provision of value. Aremu and Bamiduro point out that the affect of relationship marketing in developing and sustaining competitive edge has from ancient times grown to become hyper-competitive through established relationships between suppliers, buyers and sellers (211). Different businesses have for along period of time developed unique and different customer relationship capabilities that have aided them in gaining a competitive edge over their competitors. This relates with Ma’s argument in the sense that the uniqueness of a firm in carrying out relationship marketing is an attribute which adds customer value. However, it is imperative to note that an inception of great directional change has been witnessed in the past decade in both marketing practice and theory. David and Motamedi point out that this genuine paradigm shift has been termed by marketing analysts as a move towards relationship marketing which as a concept encompasses relational marketing, working partnerships, relational contracti ng, co-marketing alliances, strategic alliances, symbiotic marketing and internal marketing (369). Their argument, which adds another angle to Ma’s position, indicates that competitive edge can also be attained through partnerships. In fact, currently in global business, the practice of predatory and flat out competition is over and has been replaced by collaboration between companies both at local and multinational level as gaining a favorable competitive edge requires that businesses cooperate. Lyndall Urwick, an influential thinker and consultant in business management argued from the business reengineering theory’s perspective that relationship marketing is a shift adopted by businesses intending to establish long-term relationships that are mutually satisfying with key-parties such as distributors, suppliers and customers for mutual gain and to retain them in their businesses.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Competitive advanta ge and relationship marketing-Cirque du Soleil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More His argument echoes Ma’s argument on competitive advantage in the sense that relationship marketing creates a mutual bond that connects a company with suppliers, distributors and customers while ensuring that they all benefit. However, the uniqueness of attributes and characteristics must not be different for a company to gain a competitive edge because relationship marketing also extends to partnerships with other business to gain resources and boost performance. Gilaninia, Shahi and Mousavian point out that effective relationship marketing companies have arisen within functionally specialized organizations, and have networks whose interrelationships are not only driven by norms, but are coordinated and held together by organizations whose marketing methods are based on trust, commitment and sharing. Cirque du Soleil Cirque du Soleil is one of the fastest growing entertainment companies in Canada based in Quebec (David Motamedi 369). Its unique attribute in relationship marketing has been one of the most notable core competencies that have made it successful since its inception in 1984. As an entertainment company, it has been able to achieve some stable competitive edge via building of its customer loyalty through provision of quality shows, products and services. It is worth noting that building customer loyalty and retention has been identified by many scholars and practitioners in relationship marketing as a major requirement in successful selling and building of brand or image of a business. David and Motamedi points out that Cirque du Soleil has invested in developing strategies for creating customer loyalty and retention through its effective leadership properly so that it does not miss out on significant marketing share against other market competitors (370). The latter explains why it is putting more emphasis in building e ffective communication strategies for the purpose of developing customer confidence, retention as well as loyalty.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It has been able to retain its customers by developing an effective and efficient visionary planning as well as strategic customer relationship management in order to eliminate weak customer relations which often lead to dysfunctional organizational behavior and low profitability. In their publication, Patsioura, Malama and Vlachopoulou point out that recognizing factors that motivates customers to buy products or services is an important step in understanding the brand switching behavior of customers as well as their loyalty (80). Most customers of Cirque du Soleil have shown their loyalty to this company through repeat purchase of their entertainment services, preference and commitment to their shows. Kaj Storbacka, Tore Strandvik, and Christian Grà ¶nroos point out in their loyalty business model that when there is lack of relationship marketing, customers may fail to be satisfied by products and services and hence be unsuccessful in showing important components such as an inten tion to re-buy, a liking towards a brand preference due to superior qualities of a brand (Croteau, Rivard Talbot 1). However, customer loyalty and retention can be realized in a business environment where strategic relationship marketing is unique and differentiated and where it is being done with the help of effective communication to obtain feedback. Cirque du Soleil has been very effective in applying various unique relationship marketing methods which include the use of technology and social media marketing as a viable relationship marketing tool largely due to its flexibility and viability in reaching out targeted market (Croteau, Rivard Talbot 1). Relationship marketing through improved quality of goods and services Attainment of a competitive edge has been considered to have massive implications on products and services being released to consumers in the market. As Dickinson indicates, the notion of market competitiveness is laden with a sense of high quality products in the society (10). With the notion of increased products value being progressive, consumers enjoy high quality products and services at all times and at the correct prices. Due to the need to maintain high quality services in the nation, Cirque du Soleil has sought to expand to other regions in the world as part and parcel of seeking new markets and expanding its level of operations and therefore improve the degree with which the various needs of its customers can be met. It has also done this with an intention of maintaining its status amidst the fast growing industry (Croteau, Rivard Talbot 1). Relationship marketing assists in building greater customer loyalty In their view, Aghoubi, Doaee and Ardalan observe that the relationship marketing practice of a business in the global market acts as a critical tool for maintaining loyalty of the customers on products and services an organization offer (903). The ability of an organization to initiate, effect, and maintain market competitivene ss in its different areas of operation act as one of the most critical elements in supporting growth of loyalty by consumers through continuous services improvement. As indicated earlier, gaining competitive advantage is a notion that goes hand-in-hand with provision of high quality that consumers seek association with. Most management teams in organizations often seek to generate high customer loyalty in their products (Roy 80). Following its long time competitive advantage in Canada, Cirque du Soleil has assimilated sound customer loyalty from its entertainment customers. Its management team emphasizes that its ability to remain at the top has been anchored on high customer loyalty in all of its global operations (Croteau, Rivard Talbot 1). To recap it all, it is imperative to reiterate that the discussion in this paper has been based on the thesis statement that â€Å"the ability of an organization to generate and maintain a competitive advantage forms one of the most critical e lements in supporting its internal and external mechanisms for further growth and expansion†. From the discussion, it is evident that developing unique and differentiated competitive advantages such as effective relationship marketing, customer responsiveness, influence and communication are generic and vital for an organization that wants to succeed in the global competitive market. It is also clear from the discussion that other capabilities which companies should develop to lead in the market include innovative capacity, strategic flexibility, organizational learning and effective technology among others. It is worth noting that different authors have stated that a business needs to have a unique and differentiated capability to gain competitive advantage over others. However, as indicated by authors with different views, market trends have massively changed and businesses are going into partnerships and networks to augment their competitive advantages over others. The pape r has also examined Cirque du Soleil relationship marketing practice and noted that successful adoption of relationship marketing in the organization has enhanced its ability to establish long term relationships with its customers. Agha Sabah, Alrubaiee Laith Jamhour Manar. Effect of core competence on competitive advantage and organizational performance. International Journal of Business and Management, 7.1 (2012): 192-204. Aghoubi Nour-Mohammed, Doaee Habibollah Ardalan Argavan. The effect of emotional intelligence on relationship marketing. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business 3.5 (2011): 901-905. Aremu, Mukalia Bamiduro, Joseph. Marketing mix practice as a determinant of entrepreneurial business performance. International Journal of Business and Management 7.1 (2012): 205-213 Benderly, Beryl. Staying number 1. ASEE Prism, 21.5 (2012): 30-33. Croteau Anne-Marie, Rivard Suzanne and Talbot jean. Visioning information technology at Cirque du Soleil. Int ernational Journal of Case Studies in Management 1.3(2006): 1. David, Robert Motamedi, Amir. Cirque Du Soleil: Can It Burn Brighter? Journal of Strategic Management Education, 1.2 (2004): 369-382. Dickinson, Barry. The role of authenticity in relationship marketing. Journal of Management and Marketing Research, 8 (2011): 1-12. Gilaninia Shahram, Shahi Hasanali Mousavian Seyyed. The effect of relationship marketing dimensions by customer satisfaction to customer loyalty. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research In Business, 3.4 (2011): 74-84. Hao, Ma. Anatomy of competitive advantage: a select framework, Management Decision, 37.9(1999): 709 – 718. Patsioura Fotini, Malama Eleonara-Ioulia Vlachopoulou, Maro. A relationship marketing model for brand advertising websites: an analysis of consumers perceptions. International Journal of Management, 28.4 (2011): 72-92. Roy, Martin. Sustainable design for circus big top. ASHRAE Journal, 48.9 (2006): 78- 81. Suliyanto, Sul iyanto Rahab, Rahab. The role of market orientation and learning orientation in improving innovativeness and performance of small and medium enterprises, Asian Social Science 8.1 (2012): 134-145.

Policy making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Policy making - Essay Example This therefore makes Canada’s healthcare system evenhanded for most of its citizens as most medical facilities costs are subsidized. Conversely, privately run healthcare systems in the US substantially injure the effective delivery of services for citizens (HealthPAC online n.d). According to the National Bureau of Economic Research website (n.d) the US healthcare systems spend a superior percentage of its GDP on healthcare totaling to 16 percent. However, Canada spends much lower percentage at 10.4 percent. This arguably helps in the proper provision of healthcare services. Additionally, Canada unlike the United States performs better in healthcare provisions measures namely rates in infant mortality and life expectancy. The US practices closed systems on grounds that they operate privately. This amplifies the fissure between the upper and low class citizenry. For example, most patients are locked out of the healthcare facilities because of high costs of services and inappropriate insurance systems. Conversely, an aspect of an open system of healthcare is evident in Canada since the operations in the healthcare system are delivered by the government thus subsidizing the cost for many nationals. Policymaking helps in the collective, efficient and transparent provision of services in any sectors of the economy and proper adherence to the same helps in the overall success of the policymakers and citizenry in general. Healthcare system is without doubt vital in the reduction of mortality rates thus emphasis on proper healthcare payment is a good reformation strategy. Nurses remain critical ingredients in the healthcare profession, proving the necessary services that doctors are not able to do. In this regard, proper remuneration is paramount ensure the safe running of the healthcare services in any given country. However, the remuneration packages should not compromise the effective

Langauge structure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Langauge structure - Assignment Example Arabski (1979 pp.135-143) says that making errors is part of the process of acquiring a language and is mostly influenced by transference and simplification. English and Arabic languages are different in many ways and as expected Arab speakers encounter many phonological, morphological and semantic problems when learning English. Arabic speakers do not recognize how to use adjectives in sentences. This is because in Arabic adjectives come after the noun whereas in English adjectives come before the noun. Most Arabic speaks erroneously transfer their knowledge of adjectives during the course of learning English (Cruse 1986 pp.40). This paper will discuss how Arab speakers struggle using adjectives while giving specific learner errors. The discussion will focus on some published language teaching material and it will analyze, compare and evaluate these errors. Project Description Theoretical Framework Studying errors second language learners make is a field that has created a buzz amon g linguists. Several theories have been advanced, and one such theory is the Contrastive Analysis This is a process that explains the comparative aspects of the Mother tongue (MT) and the Target Language (TL). James (1998) provides examples for instance consonant clusters, tense and comparison of the form and meaning of the two languages. This according to Fries (1945) is supposed to determine the oddities that result to interference and error. The reason being a second language learner may find some aspects of the target language easy to learn and others hard. The assumption second language learners make is that it will be easy to learn those aspects that are similar to their native language and very difficult to learn those aspects that are different from their native language. Contrastive Analysis has been conducted on many languages. Khuwaileh and Al Shoumali (2000) studied the writing of Arabic learners of academic English. He was focusing the frequent errors on coherence tense errors, lack of cohesion and parts of speech errors. The study compared the Arabic language and English. Bataineh (2005) investigated the problems Arab learners of language and translators’ encounter when translating Arabic sentences. The focus was on articles. Contrastive Analysis has faced some criticism and thus other theories emerged to fill the gap. The theory advocating for the existence of a â€Å"psychological structure latent in the brain† brought in the idea of Interlanguage (IL) seen in the process of learning a second language. Selinker (1972 pp.209-231) claimed that second language learners created some interim grammars in trying to achieve the target language but this vocabulary changes depending on the task of extraction and the context. IL is influenced by Transfer of training, Language transfer, Strategies of second language communication, Overgeneralization and Strategies of second language learning. As it is impossible to acquire a second language w ithout making errors, many linguists have invested time and resources in analyzing errors and why they occur. There are several reasons for studying errors. According to Corder (1975 pp.122-154) errors can tell a linguist how much a second language learner has acquired and what other aspects of the language require to be emphasized. Also as, James (1980) put it, errors are also markers of how the process of acquiring a second

Reducing HIV Stigma Among Nursing Students

Reducing HIV Stigma Among Nursing Students 1 The journal article being critiqued is a study of HIV stigma and a study’s intervention at reducing that stigma among nursing students. First, stigma is introduced, the type of stigma’s seen with HIV, and then how those are interpreted in nursing practice. The purpose of the study was to reduce HIV stigma in nursing students through a dynamic course given at a nursing school. The article will be reviewed, analyzed, and critiqued in its significance as a research source and implementation value. A study was carried out by the University of California in India, at a nursing school in a city where HIV prevalence was high. This study consisted of a curriculum, and 91 nursing students. The class was focused on educating and reducing different stigma-influencing measures of HIV. The sample received a pre and posttest that served as the main set of data for how the class influenced the student’s HIV stigma. Statistics was used to evaluate student response data in its measures of standard deviation and confidence intervals. These measures helped the study in deciding whether student answers were significant, or how effective their class was on reducing HIV stigma. An HIV stigma is something that can alters one’s view of a person with HIV that is based on some cultural or social belief. The study believes that stigma can devalue or interfere with care for a person with HIV. This commonly effects people who are drug users, sex workers, or of the male homosexual population. It not only affects a nurse’s care, but also the patient’s motivation to seek care. The study states, â€Å"HIV stigma is considered to be among the greatest impediments to effectively combating the global HIV epi- demic.† There is instrumental and symbolic stigma, which includes misconceptions about transmission and attitudes or beliefs towards the previously stated populations commonly believed to have HIV. The method of this study was at a nursing school in India, St John’s College of Nursing. Second year, English speaking students were the sample group. They were given information about what the study was going to test and signed informed consent to participate. The control group was 46 people, and the intervention group was 45 people. The course was focused on the two types of stigmas previously mentioned and offered on session on instrumental stigma, which included knowledge, fears, epidemiology, transmission, prevention and proper use of PPE. The second session was on symbolic stigma and had a speaker come and talk about their experience with HIV and HIV stigmas. The control received no intervention. A questionnaire was given before and after the interventions that assessed student’s symbolic and instrumental stigmas. They were asked questions like their gender and age, prior care for a person with HIV, their attitudes, misconceptions, fears, discrimination, and so fo rth. The topics of the questionnaires tested demographics, experience with persons with HIV, knowledge of HIV, endorsement of coercive measures, worry about HIV infections, blame, and intent to discriminate. This is included true or false, with different right and wrong misconceptions or truths about HIV. They were tested on whether they agreed with certain statements like mandatory testing, right to refuse an HIV patient, to marry, have children, etc. One question asked if the student blamed people with HIV for their disease or thought they deserved it. There were multiple-choice questions about medication administration and blood draws and precautions to take that tested the student’s intent to discriminate. Each section had a few questions that was intended to test the students aptitude in that subject area. All participants were female and between 18 and 29 years old. Results were found to be significant. Post-intervention found many changes from the baseline that showed a reduction in stigma based on previous definitions. There was a lower percentage of misconceptions in the intervention group compared to the control group. Participants who had preexisting discrimination among people with HIV lowered with a question regarding medication administration, but did not lower with regard to drawing blood. There were a slightly lower number of people who worried about transmission of HIV but were not statistically significant when compared to the control group. On average about 95% of students believed the session was helpful and would change their care towards a person with HIV. About 40% of students were embarrassed to reveal their opinions about it. The questionnaire taken before the intervention showed that the students had a fairly high HIV stigma. Compared the post questionnaire, control group, and preceding results, a conclusion that the course â€Å"showed promise† in lowering stigma of people with HIV was perceived. The questionnaire showed that students had high levels of â€Å"intent to discriminate while performing nursing duties.† In the study it says this may be because of lack of experience. Also students said that people with HIV were blamed for their disease if it was through drugs or sex and believed mandatory testing of sex workers and male homosexuals was called for. One of the biggest findings of this questionnaire was that there was seen to be a lack of knowledge among nursing students in transmission of HIV, blame of persons with HIV, discrimination in a professional workplace, and calling of coercive measures. This shows high stigma levels, which were akin to high discrimination levels of peopl e with HIV. After the course however, it was shown to be effective in giving students more knowledge base for HIV stigma across many dynamics. The post questionnaire showed fewer misconceptions, less blame, and decreased discrimination. Not all data deemed to be statistically significant, but the data that was significant still deemed the course in reducing HIV held promise. It might be more effective with a larger sample that also included male nurses, varying ages, and varying schools. It is significant that this study used a â€Å"convenience sample† of people that were readily available and in a high prevalence HIV area. Taking the study to various states, cities, and people of different cultural and moral values would make this study more significant in it’s actual effectiveness in reducing HIV stigma. Future continuation of this study should look at various population content and high numbers of people, mainly. All measures used to define stigmas, assess stigma levels, and test prejudice was based on a previously developed theoretical model of HIV that had been formulated in India. The definitions and guidelines of the curriculum seemed to be well defined and showed a good possibility of being standardized for larger sample size testing. They were also easy to understand and interpret. The questionnaire was a successful evaluation too l for this study (with 29 questions) and was well defined in the article. It might also benefit this study to try different methods of evaluation other than only using a questionnaire survey technique. It may even be interesting to compare the nursing students results with already registered nurses, experienced nurses, doctors, UAP’s, and patients/civilians. This study is very important to nursing care today. HIV stigma is prevalent and something that is seen daily. Marginalized groups such as homosexual populations, female sex workers, and drug users should not be stigmatized from the moment they enter a hospital or become a patient, that is something they do experience as not only a marginalized group, but also the select few with HIV. Nurses are the basis of these patients’ care and need to be able to give care without bias or discrimination. This requires evaluating ones own beliefs of this stigma. A course that helps nurses through this process while also giving them a dynamic educational and experiential background of stigma’s, transmission, and persons with HIV would be extremely helpful to that patients care. Anything that can help nurses become better, give more effective care, and be more sensitive to others cultures, beliefs and illness is helpful to the medical field, and more importantly, helpful to the patient s healing and disease process. Personally, I believe that people with HIV are stigmatized well beyond due cause. Yes they have an incurable disease, and it can be transmitted through blood, which we deal with a lot as a nurse. But we still need to be professional and give proper care. A person with HIV is something that has been very popular to stigmatize, especially in our social and cultural society in the United States. Even I realized I hold some of these beliefs as I read this study. It is important as a professional, and as a nurse, to make sure we hold everyone to the same standard of care and give continuity in our nursing process. If this course was available to me it is definitely something I would be interested in taking. It can only help me to become a more effective and sensitive nurse to a patient with HIV and it is something that could easily be added into hospital orientation. It would be great to make it available to all staff and be more knowledgeable and less discriminatory against those with HI V and the marginalized population we target when we have an HIV stigma. This study is really just the tip of the iceberg on the subject of reducing HIV stigma, but I feel it’s the step in the right direction and could be vital in finding a way to resolve prejudices against HIV. Citation List 1. Shah, S., Srinivasan, K., Perumpil, S., Ekstrand, M. (2014). Reducing HIV Stigma Among Nursing Students: A Brief Intervention. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 36(10), 1323-1337. Retrieved October 19, 2014, from Sagepub.

Slave Trading Essay -- Slavery

â€Å"African slavery is the corner-stone of the industrial, social, and political fabric of the South; and whatever wars against it, wars against her very existence. Strike down the institution of African slavery and you reduce the South to depopulation and barbarism.† –Lawerence Keitt, South Carolina Congressman, 1860 Slave trading dates back to ancient times, but it did not become popular until the fifteenth century when the Portugese began engaging in slave trading for profit. The colonization of the Americas brought about a new wave of slave importation in the late seventeenth century. A large percentage of the indentured servants and Native Americans were dying from diseases bought to the land by Europeans, and the American colonists were forced to look elsewhere for laborers. They discovered that African Americans were virtually immune to tropical diseases, cheap to import, and were experienced agrarians, so they championed slavery under the premise that African Americans were inferior to their own race. Because slaves were cheap, it was much easier for a planter to work a slave to his death and replace him with another than to treat him well. By the end of the seventeenth century, African American were being imported to the Americas and sold to planters by the thousands. Slavery, indeed, bec ame the â€Å"cornerstone† of America’s economic success. Without the grueling labor of the slaves, the booming sugar, rice, cotton, and tobacco industries would have ceased to exist in the New World. As the Americas evolved from a simple farming society into an agricultural stronghold, settlers became more and more dependent on slavery. By the mid-eighteenth century, slaves vastly outnumbered colonists. During the seventeenth, eight... ...audah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, volume 1, 70-88. Thomas Clarkson, The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishments of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament. Ibid. Ibid. Equiano, 70-88. Ibid. Solomon Northup, Twelve Years A Slave, 78-82. Equanio, 70-88. Ibid. â€Å"Management of Slaves, &c,† The Farmer’s Register: A Monthly Publication Devoted to the Improvement of the Practice and Support of the Interests of Agriculture 5, 10 May 1837, 32-33. Ibid. Samuel G. Howe, in John W. Blassingame, Slave Testimony, American Freedmen’s Inquiry Commission Interviews, 386. Ibid. Howe, 385. Ibid. Howe, 386. Joint Select Committee Chairman, Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire Into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States, volume 1, 1862, 411-412. Ibid. Ibid.

Gillette Case Essay

President, new business development, Gillette Safety Razor Division (SRD) Problem: Ralph needs to achieve company targets for earnings growth for his division by developing a new business product. Ralph has commissioned an extensive investigation into the blank cassette tape market and he views this market as poised for substantial growth and opportunity over the long-term range of ten to fifteen years. Ralph feels that his division is well positioned to enter the market through utilization of its many core strengths. Market Overview The current blank tape market segment has many weaknesses, such as, lack of widespread distribution, lack of media coverage, poor product display and packaging, and lack of a true market leader. These weaknesses in the blank cassette tape market are all areas where Gillette has developed strong core competencies in their Safety Razor Division. The blank cassette tape market is segmented into three distinct product markets: Professional quality, Standard Quality, and Budget Quality and within those segments there are recording lengths of 30, 60, 90 and 120 minute cassette tapes. Bingham’s consultants have focused on the 60-minute cassette tape market in particular. Gillette Safety Razor Division Decisions Gillette has four product options: 1. ) do not enter market. 2. ) enter professional tape market 3. ) enter standard tape market. 4. ) enter the budget tape market. The professional quality market offers the greatest margin on products, but it is also the smallest segment in the market. The professional segment will also have the most competition as more established tape makers enter the market. As such, the fierce competition may potentially saturate the market and decrease the margins on these tapes and make it less appealing in the long run. Alternatively, standard tape market has moderate margins, but is a highly growing segment and is ready for a market leader, such as a company like Gillette. Lastly, the budget market has the lowest profit margins, the highest volume sales, but also requires a high volume of sales in order to be profitable due to the significant fixed costs associated with manufacturing. Gillette’s manufacturing constraints make it difficult for Gillette to enter the budget product market and Gillette would not want to damage its brand name by affiliating with a lower end product such as the budget quality tapes. (See appendix for quantitative analysis) Recommendations & Conclusions The Gillette Safety Razor division should enter the Standard Quality 60-minute cassette tape market and target the teenager and student market as it is a growing segment and offers much potential. Gillette should distribute the tapes using their established channels and wholesalers. Gillette should promote this new line through an aggressive advertising program as a high standard quality tape free from the defects of budget cassette tapes and with greater quality than the average standard tape. Gillette should leverage its brand name to promote the quality and value of these tapes. Gillette’s pricing for the standard quality tapes should be priced at the regular retail price with the design that consumers will choose Gillette’s product and pay more than the discounted brands due to Gillette’s high quality and brand name. In this scenario, Gillette’s monthly break-even quantity would be 518,758 units and it would make a monthly profit of $92,867 if it conservatively sells 750,000 units/mo. in year one. Annualized, the company’s net profit would be $1,114,400 at 9,000,000 units sold. Â  

Essay about 80s Music - 890 Words

Music and the Eighties One of the best known decades for music was the eighties. During this generation, there were a number of landmark events. This decade set a standard for music to evolve from for years to come. One of the most recognized advancements was Mtv. It was first debuted on August 1, 1981. This gave way to the first video jockey (VJ). A video jockey was someone who announced videos and told a brief synopsis of the band. Mtv was an outlet for music videos and a gateway for musicians to get their music to the fans. When it first aired at 12:01 am, the first words were, â€Å"Ladies and Gentlemen, rock and roll†. The first video played by Mtv was, â€Å"Video Killed the Radio Star† by The Buggles. The digital phase wasn’t†¦show more content†¦Mtv has been going strong for almost 30 years. In the beginning, they were told they played too many videos, now they are known for not playing enough videos. Mtv also made way for many music shows. Because of its recognition, more music videos were being played by other stations. Some of these were HBO’s Video Jukebox, WTBS aired Night Tracks, ABC came out with ABC Rocks and VH1 got its start. There was a lot of history making events in the eighties with music. In 1980, the legendary John Lennon of the Beatles was murdered. On May 11, 1981, the popular Reggae music star, Bob Marley died. In 1982, Michael Jackson’s album, Thriller is released. In 1983, the first music CD is sold. In 1984, Marvin Gaye dies, Prince’s first film, Purple Rain is debuted, Michael Jackson gets burned in a Pepsi commercial and Tina Turner makes a comeback. In 1985, Whitney Houston releases her first album and the popular song, â€Å"We Are the World† is produced. In 1988, music CDs outsells vinyl records. In 1989, Milli Vanilli wins the Best New Artist Grammy and then has it taken away because they were caught lip synching. It’s hard to talk about music today without bri nging up music from the eighties. Some of the artists today got their ideas and musical talent from watching their idols from that decade. For example, Usher credits his dancing and musical talent from MichaelShow MoreRelatedMusics Role in Film970 Words   |  4 PagesMusic’s Role in Film Music played during a movie and the soundtracks that go along with the movie play a significant role as the mood settles for the movie. If one is watching a scary movie, then a slower, creepier tone is appropriate, but if one is watching an action movie, then a fast paced song is better suited for the scene. In a sense, the soundtrack is what gives the movie its existence. Soundtracks must fit the movie perfectly, and in some cases people remember a certain song before an importantRead MoreTechnologys Effect on Music Essay908 Words   |  4 PagesIn the past ten years Auto-Tune has been the death of real music, just as Charles Manson killed Sharon Tate. While the program didn’t hold a gun to music’s head, it was the mastermind behind the decline of raw emotion. In the 70’s and 80’s music was more than just perfect figures and dance moves, music was real. When someone got up to sing in front of an audience they really sang, there was no other option. In t he 2000s though, whenever there’s a performance it’s commonplace to sing to a track. BecauseRead MoreLife Of The 1980 S1167 Words   |  5 PagesCassie Toth Mrs. Weide American HIstory II 18 November 2016   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Life in the 1980’s   Ã‚  Ã‚   The 1980’s was a time of prosperity throughout America. From the Calendar that went from January 1st to December 31st to the increase of jobs. This decade was full of good changes socially, economically, and politically. The President of the United States during the 1980s was Ronald Reagan. The liberals were known as â€Å"Reagan Democrats†. The most significant event that happened under PresidentRead MoreMusic in the 1980s1137 Words   |  5 PagesMusic In the 1980’s The 1980s was a decade of revolutionary changes on the music scene. The two major developments were the advent of MTV and the compact disc. Music became more diverse, with new wave, heavy metal, rap, techno pop, alternative rock and the new country sounds. And music became a huge marketing tool as filmmakers, TV producers and manufacturers of everything from sneakers to soft drinks used hit songs and hot performers to sell their products. Search: how pop culture affects teensRead MoreReview Of Songs Of My Generation 1382 Words   |  6 Pageswe’ll take a look back at the totally tubular 80s. The 80s was full of many things: Rubik’s Cubes, Wrestling, Pac Man, Lip Smackers, Nintendo, skateboarding, roller skating, Horror films, the BratPack, connect four, Tupperware parties, pop rocks, Weird Al Yankovic, who’s currently making a comeback FYI†¦ and the list goes on! Horror films made their way onto the scene in the 80s with thousands flocking to movie theatres to see the latest scary flick. The 80’s are to thank for some of the popular fashionRead More80s Music History990 Words   |  4 PagesMTV MTV galloped through the 80s as a factor of musical taste, style and fashion. During the early 80s, the network helped introduce an entire stable of new music stars. For almost the entirety of the decade of the 80s, MTV was a force to be reckoned with, serving as the music video headquarters for the pop music world. As such, monster 80s artists like the Police, Michael Jackson and Bon Jovi gained great exposure to audiences through their constant appearances in the MTV rotation of videosRead MoreIs Pop Culture Really Mean?979 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the 80s decade, life was quickly changing and everything was new--new music, fashion, movies, and many other things made the 1980s one of the most unique decades of all. Music In the 1980s, pop music was one of the most prominent genres of that decade’s culture. Many unknown but talented singers were making themselves known to the world such as: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, and Whitney Houston. One of most influential upcoming pop stars was Michael Jackson. Music was a big partRead MoreMusic As A Culture Of Major Label Bands On Their Stations And Channels Essay1025 Words   |  5 Pagesis another world of music out there for their listening: indie music. The reason people do not know about indie music is that these stations and channels will not make as much money from these smaller record labels as they would from the major labels that are Sony BMG, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Indie music is a co-culture of major label music but in its own right is a culture by itself on its own. To determine the aspects and norms of the indie music culture you have to goRead MoreRelationship Between Hypertension And Music Therapy1496 Words   |  6 PagesTitle Does music flow in our blood? Outline Section 1: Relationship between hypertension and music therapy a) Hypertension 1) Causes and Effects b) Music therapy 1) What music therapy is 2) How music therapy works c) Clinical music therapy cases Section 2: Blood pressure measurement a) Preparation for test b) How to use sphygmomanometer (blood pressure monitor) c) Normal results and abnormal results Section 3: Previous Research Findings a) Data selection b) Samples of informants and music c) DataRead MoreThe War Showing No Signs Of Ending, The Watergate Scandal And The Vietnam War1360 Words   |  6 Pagesgovernment out of people s everyday lives and provide major tax cuts. These ideas won the support of many throughout the US. The 1980s was the birthplace of a new era, an era of moviegoers and people who loved to watch tv. At the end of the 1980s 60% of the population had cable TV. Movies such as E.T., Back To The Future and The Breakfast Club all debuted in the 1980s. One major contribution to TV being so popular was MTV because it went against the â€Å"norm† and showed all kinds of music. MTV had a large span