Heroes and Celebrities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Heroes and Celebrities - Research Paper Example Celebrities on the other hand are renowned popular personalities from the entertainment, sports, social or political origin usually with professional mission – who have essentially mesmerized the common mass with extensive fan-following through media publicity, sensational enterprising which at times may have positive significance or mere dramatic impression on the community. Heroes play an essential and pivotal role shaping and developing the lives of the common mass to aspire and inspire them to the esteemed goal. However in the present scenario with the advent of the globalization, fast lifestyle and rate-race, the differentiation between the terminologies ‘heroes’ and ‘celebrities’ is often forgotten and overlapping. In this current era of ‘reality TV shows’ like Survivor, The Amazing Race, American Idol, The Swan, Extreme Makeover, Big Brother etc. with the creation of instant celebrity status and even at times infamy hypes – the cult celebrity worship has almost become synonymous to heroic aspirations. In this context the common population in the recent times have become more prone to ‘herd response’ whereby an enormous group of people react in the specific direction the media broadcasts and advertisements would attract and appeal them to through enchantment of glitz-glamour, monetary-allur ement or dream-fascination. The traditional beliefs in regards to celebrity establishment and hero-worshipping are getting fundamentally transformed from the very foundation with the presence of luck fortune and at times prosperity, the common people are gaining the celebrity prominence and becoming the social icon almost overnight, especially in shows like the American Idol, The Swan, Extreme Makeover and the like. With the introduction of cosmetic surgery and hi-tech beautification methodologies within the reach of the common contestants till that time as in the

Expanding your business to China Essay Example for Free

Expanding your business to China Essay There are many advantages to expanding your business to China. Not only is China considered one of the largest economies in the world, it also has a vast emerging market that is still growing (Startup Overseas). Although China has embraced many Western Business ethics and practices, there are still numerous cross-cultural differences that can make it difficult to succeed without sufficient research and knowledge of the culture. Examples of these cross cultural differences include the Chinese’ attitude toward work and workplace, the labor laws, and how Chinese businesses collaborate with other organizations. More differences include how we market and sell a product, and how pricing differs between our two countries. Perhaps the most important differences are those of ethical positions, such as child labor and sexism. A Chinese worker’s attitude toward the job and the workplace depends on what position they have in an organization. China is considered a collectivist society, which means the majority of people within the society act in the interests of the group and not necessarily themselves (Geert Hofstede, 2010). The United States is considered an individualistic society and emphasizes the importance of the individual. This also applies to the way these countries do business. A collectivist business may have a team of workers contributing to satisfy all the customers, whereas an individualistic business may have several individual representatives who each have their own client list. Another difference in the workplace is how large an organization’s Power Distance is. Power distance is the acceptance that all individuals in the society are not equal (Geert Hofstede, 2010). China has a very large power distance, which means its’ workers accept the fact that there is a hierarchy within the organization, and they know their place within that organization. They expect power within the business to be distributed unequally. The United States has a lower Power Distance acceptance, which means that workers don’t accept that power is distributed unequally within the organization, and they expect to be treated as equals to even the people in the highest positions of the business. The Chinese also accept that decision making comes from the top, whereas in the U.S., everyone wants their suggestion and opinion to be heard, and they do not always accept decisions that are made within the organization. The  differences between Chinese and U.S. labor laws are subtle, but still worth mentioning. In China, a normal working week is 44 hours, with a maximum of 48 hours (only 4 hours of overtime is allotted). In the U.S., a normal working week is 40 hours, with overtime paid on any hours worked over that 40. Maternity leave is up to 3 months paid in China. In the U.S., Maternity leave is up to 12 months unpaid (at the company’s discretion). Surprisingly, women in China make 80.5% of what men in the same position make, whereas in the U.S., women only make 70% of what men make in the same position (Guo). In China, businesses tend to put an emphasis on personal relationships between business partners. An initial business meeting will consist of getting to know the personality and lifestyles of the one you are entering into a relationship with (Graf). Chinese business owners will want a loyal friendship when considering associations. This system of social networks and influential relationships that facilitate business and other dealings is called guanxi (Mah, 2012). In the United States, owners of a business as well as the workers within that organization strive to keep their personal and professional lives different. Though some partners end up being friends, and many workers build friendships outside of the workplace, it is not the intention at the start of a business relationship. Gift giving is also a large cultural difference. In the United States, if a gift is given at the start of a business meeting, or the start of an association, it can be seen as bribery or a way to make businesses feel obligated in working together. Chinese organizations are much more accepting of gifts although certain etiquettes must be followed in order for the gift to be given in good faith (Culture Crossing Guide). For example, gifts must be nicely wrapped and may not be opened right away unless prompted to do so. Also, do not give any gifts such as clocks, flowers, or cutting instruments as it is considered disrespectful. Negotiation style is a major difference between the United States and China. In China, social context, personal relations, and non-verbal behavior are very important in negotiation. There are usually many people from the  company who attend the meeting to discuss any topics that need negotiation. Americans value legal contracts and documents over personal relationships, and do not put as much stock in body language. American businesses usually only send one or two people do the negotiating on behalf of the entire company. For the purposes of this paper, let us assume that an American Company has seen great success with its toy product. This company is looking to expand its business to China. There is usually a demand for toys in any country and in China, 17.1% (roughly 223 million) of the nation’s population is under 14 years old (Central Intelligence Agency). Research also shows that the total retail sales of toys in China have increased by 14.2% since 2010 (HKTDC Research, 2014). The Design of this toy would have to be carefully rethought, particularly if it is a doll or Barbie type toy. The doll would have to be remanufactured to suit the needs of the children in China. Skin Color, Clothing, and accessories would all need to be redesigned. For example, although most girl-intended American Dolls wear pink, pink is considered a gender-neutral color in China. The color white is also associated with death and mourning, so any â€Å"wedding dress† dolls would need to be recolored to the traditional Chinese color of red (KaiWen, 2010). The clothing of the doll would probably have to become more modest. In looking at Chinese dolls, most are dressed in Geisha style robes. The United States dolls tend to show more â€Å"skin.† The packaging of the doll would also have to be translated to Chinese. The company would also need to avoid any symbolism that might offend Chinese parents or even the government, such as any American paraphernalia, like the flag, or anything with a religious context, like a cross. Imagine the price of this toy is $5.00. The value of a $1.00 is equal to 117.78 ( ¥). That would mean that the exchange rate on the toy would be $588.90. But with the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) factor, we know that China’s market exchange rate is .6 (World Bank, International Comparison Program Database, 2014). This means that China would actually pay 60% of what the United States would pay for the toy. The price of the toy would be  353.34  ¥. This price could be adjusted depending on competition in the Chinese market. The American company would also need to increase the price based on exporting costs. A sale price, or discounted price, in China is also different from what a sale price would be considered in the United States. In the U.S., if a product is on sale, the advertisement might say â€Å"10% off.† In China, they advertise the percentage of the price that you would pay for, in this example â€Å"90%† (Tyson, 2014). Good times for sales would be around National Chinese Holidays, such as the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), May Day, or the Mid-Autumn Festival. Several sales channels can be used to promote a product in China. Traditional avenues include major shopping centers, specialty stores, and franchise chains. There is also the internet platform and many sites such as Amazon or Baby.tmall.com. One of the best ways to break into the toy market in China is to have the toy include educational or technological aspects. This would help broaden the available channels of the toys to include museums, zoos, and electronic stores. This is very different from the United States, who tends to promote and market to the different genders. Most American toys are either for girls or for boys; there aren’t very many gender-neutral toys. Just like in the United States, China has import and trade regulations. Some of these regulations include import inspection (Regulations for the Administration of Inspection of Toy Imports and Exports), attention to the potential danger of toys, China Compulsory Certification (CCC), and standards such as plush toy fillings should be even and of an appropriate softness with no hard objects inside. It is also worth noting the Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China, where four levels of standards are stipulated: national standards, industry standards, local standards, and enterprise standards. This company will have to adhere to all of these standard and regulations in order to export the toys from the United States to China. Another option for the company would be to open a factory in China, or use a preexisting Chinese toy factory to manufacture the toys and sell / distribute locally. In order to reach the more rural  areas of China, this company might consider making a deal with a Chinese company that already distributes to those small towns and rural areas. If this company does decide to open a factory in China, or utilize a preexisting factory, it will have to deal with ethical issues such as child labor, and sexism. Child labor has been a widely controversial issue for many years. The PRC Law on the Protection of Minors was first passed in 1991, and the newly revised Minors Protection Law entered the force in 2007. Many International rights documents have also been implemented by the UN (Library of Congress). Although the child labor conditions have been described as â€Å"improved† in China, there are actually no statistics or documentation to back it up. We still hear reports of Child Labor issues existing in China. As a company looking to do business in China, it is important to set certain standards within the organization that do not support and do penalize child labor. Although women in China make a higher percentage of what men make (80.5%) than what women in American make compared to men (70%), there is still a lot of sexism in the society and the culture of Chinese businesses. For example, women must always greet men first, and it is not acceptable for women to look men in the eye. Women are not allowed in higher or executive positions within the organization. Women are still expected to meet a nice man, get married, have children, and take care of the household. Not to mention the fact that having a son is extremely preferable to having a daughter in most Chinese families. While this behavior would be considered abhorrent (mostly) in Western cultures, foreign businesses may actually benefit from China’s oversight in regards to women. Foreign businesses may hire the talented women for executive positions that Chinese businesses have ignored or cast aside (Harris, 2010). While there are many differences between the Chinese culture and ethics from those of the United States, expanding a business in China can be mutually beneficial and successful. There is a balance between Chinese and American societies and laws that must be found, or all parties may be unhappy. Before growing your business to a foreign country, much research and planning must be done. Or, as the Chinese proverb says, â€Å"if a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.† Works Cited Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). The World Factbook: China. Retrieved from Central Intelligence Agency: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html Culture Crossing Guide. (n.d.). China. Retrieved from Culture Crossing Guide: http://guide.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=43 Geert Hofstede, G. J. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill USA. Retrieved from The Hofstede Centre. Graf, R. (n.d.). 10 Major Cultural Differences Between China and the United States. Retrieved from Hubpages: http://hubpages.com/hub/10-Major-Cultural-DifferencesChina-and-the-UnitedStates Guo, B. (n.d.). Chinas Labor Standards: Myths and Realities. Retrieved from academia.edu: http://www.academia.edu/165449/China_s_Labor_Standards_Myths_and_Realities Harris, D. (2010, 12 16). Sexism in Cina. A Good Thing for Foreign Business? Retrieved from China Law Blog: http://www.chinalawblog.com/2010/12/sexism_china_style_a_good_thing_for_foreign_busine ss.html HKTDC Research. (2014, 09 18). Chinas Toy Market. Retrieved from HKTDC Research: http://chinatrade-research.hktdc.com/business-news/article/China-Consumer-Market/China-s-toymarket/ccm/en/1/1X000000/1X002MRF.htm KaiWen. (2010, 11 09). Ask the Chinese Girl. Retrieved from Blogspot: http://ask-a-chineseguy.blogspot.com/2010/11/colors-in-chinese-culture.html Library of Congress. (n.d.). Childrens Rights: China. Retrieved from Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/child-rights/china.php Mah, R. (2012, 11 23). Cultural Differences Between America and China. Retrieved from World-Class Business Etiquette: http://www.etiquetteoutreach.com/blog_new-york-etiquetteguide/bid/92662/Cultural-Differences-Between-America-and-China Startup Overseas. (n.d.). Expanding a Business in China. Retrieved from Startup Overseas: http://www.startupoverseas.co.uk/expanding-a-business-in-china# Tyson, K.

roles played by nurses and other professionals in the team

roles played by nurses and other professionals in the team This essay is meant to throw light on the importance of having an inter professional team that would make the service delivery to patients easier. In this essay I will discuss the roles played by nurses and other professionals in the team. The essay will reflect the efficiency of such a team and their work distribution and involvement. I will highlight the ways in which a team of professionals will work together to take proper decisions during emergency situations and tackle them effectively. The essay will also critically evaluate the various concepts of inter professional team work. An interprofessional team is a group of people who have a certain common goals or objectives which drives them to work together by setting aside individual goals. Inter professional team can be defined as a dynamic process involving two or more health care professionals with complementary backgrounds and skills, sharing common health goals and exercising concerted physical and mental effort in assessing, planning, or evaluating patient care, accomplished through interdependent collaboration, open communication and shared decision-making, and generates value-added patient, organizational and staff outcomes (Xyrichis and Ream 2007). Freeth et al (2005) defined inter professional team work as when two or more professional learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care. The healthcare sector started showing interest in the interprofessional working during the early 1990. (Institute of Medicine, 1998;ONeil and Pew Health Professions Commission 1998;  Pew Health Professions Commission 1995a,  1995b,  1998). The Association of American Medical Colleges, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing suggested that the graduates must have enough knowledge in interprofessional collaboration (Varkey, Reller, Smith, Ponet, Osborn  , 2006). Varkey et.al (2006) also pointed out that there should be enough cooperation between the various professionals in healthcare field for the success of this profession. But unfortunately this fact is not included in the curriculum of the different medical schools in USA. Inter professional teams are more effective in rehabilitating the patients than individual health care professionals. The number of patients having positive impact by the inter professional service is larger than those by individual service providers. A very strategic role played by nurses is highlighted now. The nursing tutors face the dual challenge of preparing their students enter into nursing profession as well as equip them to cooperate effectively with other health practitioners (Lattuca, 200l;  Newell, 1998). An interprofessional team is working to provide service in a properly planned and systematic manner. In the health care sector inter professional teams are meant to develop groups that works towards efficiently rendering care to the patients. These teams include nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals. For a team to be efficient role clarity to inevitable and this will help them define their own duties and responsibilities avoiding conflicts (West and Markiowicz, 2004). A team essentially will have a team leader who will lead the team and motivate them to render good service working together (Martin and Rogers 2004). A health care team will work effectively if there is stability in the team, this will make the team member in the group work with shared trust and understanding (West and Slater (1996); Gair and Hartery, (2001)). Interprofessional teams are of various types, they include multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary etc. In case of multidisciplinary teams the members are from various teams. These members set their own discipline specific goals and work towards achieving it. But ultimately the result is calculated as the total of all the disciplines (Dean and Geiringer 1990). The position of team members in the team hierarchy will affect the way in which the team functions and how it will render the service (Cotts, 1998). In case of a multidisciplinary team there exist subgroups of doctors, social workers, therapists and also subgroups which had nurses and other junior staff. Her study also unveiled the idea that the different subgroups had different perceptions about the inter professional teams. Inter professional team work is highly essential in operation theatres and intensive and trauma care units. Since these are the emergency units of a hospital the situation of such units cannot be predicted and thus highly challenging. The interprofessional team may have to work highly efficiently and together. There exists a high rate of tension and stress in the team members in such emergency situations. According to McWilliam et al (2003), interprofessional working is a very difficult task for health care professionals. The patients didnt get the full benefit of interprofessional working due to the misunderstanding between the health care professionals regarding the policies and procedures in it. Mistreatment of elders is a serious issue and its growing day by day. It is the responsibility of nurses to identify and prevent such occurrences (Baker Heitkemper, 2005). The nurses have a variety of roles to play in an Inter-professional elder mistreatment team. At present the roles involve screening and assessment, mandatory reporting, direct care, and complaint investigation. Elder mistreatment (EM) is a very complicated issue and can be effectively solved through inter-professional association. Critics like Bion (1961) say that the interprofessional teams fail to focus on the real task they should be doing. The primary tasks for which they have come together is forgotten most of the by the interprofessional teams. Whenever there is an issue the teams to fail to reach at a consensus and they do not take proper decisions on the issue (Strokes 1994). The meetings conducted in order to take decision on the matter are just a waste of time. These assumptions are based on the work group mentality theory. Critics of interprofessional team have questioned the values of the team. It is said that the teams are not well managed and they do not work properly and responsibily. Negotiation theory puts forward the perspective of negotiating the personal and professional goals. (Strauss, 1978) The negotiations by professionals in the health care field have played a critical role in molding the characteristics of an interprofessional team. Loss and change theory reiterates that the health care professionals like doctors and nurses lose their professional identity as they are working in a team, this will lead to developing an improper relationship and improper behavior in the team (Atkins, 1998). Thus it critically points to the inter professional teams in that it wouldnt serve the purpose of forming a team the unhappiness of the team members can lead to inefficient functioning. The increase of cost in hospitals will also result if there is lack of proper communication between the professionals like doctors, nurses and staff and also if they are not coordinated well (Gavett, Drucker, McCrum and Dickinson, 1985). The roles played by nurses in the interprofessional teams are fast evolving. The importance of specialist skills for nurses is now recognized and new role have come up. The Macmillan nurse is an example of such new roles and they possess skills in palliative care and are expected to look after patients with terminal illness. Another group called night practitioners literally run the hospitals at night. They are skilled to assist any department and are sometimes considered better than junior doctors too (Martin Rogers, 2004) While working in an interprofessional team, there is an increased chance of conflict between the team members regarding the superiority in the team. The truth is everyone is equal while working in a team and nobody should themselves subordinate to anyone. But sometimes the nurses and their opinions are ignored in an interprofessional team. Such events makes them reluctant to be a part of such teams (Martin Rogers, 2004). Task shifting is a common practice among the professionals now days (Reeves et.al, 2010). This would help the traditional professionals to relieve of their heavy workload. The nursing practitioners and physician assistants are such roles (Hooker McCaig, 2001). The multiplicative effects model of interprofessional working views it more than the sum of its parts. Here the synergy obtained from such work is described (Leathard, 1994). According to this model, interprofessional working improves the contributions of individual team members and thus will help in the overall development of team. Decision making is an essential in ingradient of all teams; it measures the efficiency of the group. Decision making in case of an interprofessional team also play key role deciding its service delivery process. The usual situation that happens in such teams is the unavailability of proper team leader and also reaching at a common consensus. The decision taken in team has the idea input all the members that needs to driven well in one direction for increasing effectiveness of the work the team does. Most of the important decisions concerning the activities of the team are taken mostly by the Doctors, or the medical staff in an inter professional team in hospitals. Solving important problems and resolving conflicts are the aims of masking decisions (Neil, 1978). There are a few hindrances for nurses to be part of interprofessional teams. The health care sector has shortages or less number of nurses, and those nurses who are available have increased amount of work. As a result of which there is a limitation in case of inter professional support and collaboration (Mckay Crippen, 2008). Another barrier that can be highlighted is the disinterest on the part of other departments to participate and actively involve in the team and work together. The culture and hierarchy of the organization also plays a role in the formation of teams in the organization. According to Henneman.et.al (1995) Collaboration involves a partnership characterized by mutual goals and commitments in which participants willingly become involved in planning and decision making. Henneman.et.al (1995) also proposed that collaboration is a process by which members of various disciplines (or agencies) share their expertise. Accomplishing this requires these individuals understand and appreciate what it is that they contribute to the whole. Many authors have suggested ways to make the intercollaboration more effective. According to Fullan (1993), effective collaborations operate in the world of ideas, examining existing practices critically, seeking better alternatives and working hard together at bringing about improvements and assessing their worth.   The National Network for Collaboration (NNC) put forward a frame work for effective collaboration and advocated that it should possess a common vision, problem, a desired outcome etc. NNC also pointed out that the members of the collaboration must share this vision and contribute equally. The NNC sees collaboration as an inclusionary process which should be constantly engaged and must strengthen the commitment and must identify that relationship building and maintaining is the key factor for the success of collaborations and they must try to sustain a win-win relationship. According to Garner (1995) and Hoeman (1996), it should be by means of collaborative communicatio n rather than shared communication that the interprofessional team approach evolves. Efforts were made from the part of many authors for increasing the literature on interprofessional education for health professional students. But Cooper, Carlisle, Gibbs, and Watkins (2001) pointed out this literature to be diverse including a relatively small amount of research data and much larger amounts of evaluation literature. There were almost thirty works done on interprofessional education and all of them aimed to increase the level of co-operation and understanding between the members in interprofessional teams as well as to encourage a high quality care for the patients. There are a number of social science theories that explain the concept of interprofessional team work. Merton (1968) put forward theory in three modules. They are the micro, mid range and macro theories. The social sciences approaches that come under these three groups include: Micro: psychodynamic perspective by Bion, Menzies, Marris, social psychological perspective by Tejfel and Turner, Brown Interactionism by Goffman and strauss All the above approaches that come under the micro group are of the rational type that consolidates the team functions, identities and interactions. Midrange : Activity theory by Engestrom Institutional influence by DiMaggio and Powell Professionalization by Freidson These three approaches or theories are processual, organizational and contextual. Their task is to understand team activities, relation and performance, the relations between professions respectively. Macro: Discourse theory and surveillance theory by Foucault They are of the contextual type that deals with the impact of society and social interaction of with respect to the interprofessional team work. There are a set of models supporter by theories that help provide the inter professional education well in the health care sector that enables the health care professionals perform well and deliver quality service. These models are whilst behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism (Schunk D 2003). I will working for the betterment of the service provided to a patient using the things I learned. Working in an interprofessional team is has made me get involved with the Doctors and other professional in the field and has helped to build a strategy that elevates the level of service rendering process. As a nurse am able to act in the right way a right direction in case of any emergency and otherwise. From now I will be able to put into practise the concept I learned. The model that I would use is the Kolbs model of reflection. It is a process whereby, individuals, teams and organizations attend to and understanding their experiences and consequently modify their behaviour. The model mainly has 4 important aspects: Experiencing means really doing the task and experiencing the whole process. Reflecting- in this step the work is reviewed in terms of experience and the real process. Conceptualisation- here the various important occurrences and tasks are analysed and their connections among the events are noted. Planning- the events that have been understood will be analysed well in order to envisage the occurrences in future. This will help to prevent any improper events happening and build a proper strategy to do the next task. The Kolbs reflection model if one of the best models for teams. In case of a team there are aspects like: Doing- same as experience, where the team does the task or the action. Reflection- after the action, the team members openly discuss the whole process and share their views and experience. Interpretation- the members of the team now work with common identity and culture and as a team by leaning behind individual interests. Planning- in the final step team works according to the joint decisions and plan out ways to committing the action. Finally I would say that in any sector especially the health care there is an elementary requirement of having an inter professional team. The team in all ways will help in providing superior service since the decisions are taken as a team and under common grounds.

Customer Based Brand Equity

Customer Based Brand Equity If all Coca Colas assets were destroyed overnight , whoever owned the Coca Cola name would walk into a bank the next morning and get a loan to rebuild everything. VP Corporate Communications, Coca Cola Abstract: The Purpose of this paper is to highlight the major contributions in the process of developing and measuring customer based brand equity (CBBE) models by looking into the contributions of different researchers in this field. From the outset this paper, then, becomes a comparison of different CBBE models. Starting from Aaker (1991) to Keller (2003), it compares four CBBE models. This paper considers Agarwal and Raos (1996) model to be the best suited one for Pakistani environment because it integrates the customers decision making process with customer based brand equity. Introduction: This paper highlights major contributions in the process of understanding different customer based brand equity models. The focus on customer based brand equity is because of three reasons: 1. it allows the assessment of equity at the brand level; 2. researchers in marketing heavily use this concept; and 3. marketing practitioners find this concept of brand equity easier to understand than other brand equity concepts (Agarwal Rao, 1996). Literature Review: A traditional definition of a brand was: the name, associated with one or more items in the product line, which is used to identify the source of character of the item(s) (Kotler, 2000) (p.396). The American Marketing Association (AMA) definition of a brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors (p. 404). Keller (2003) defines brand as technically speaking, whenever a marketer creates a new name, logo, or symbol for a new product, he or she has created a brand (Keller, 2003) (p. 3). Before the shift in focus towards brands and the brand building process, brands were just another step in the whole process of marketing to sell products. For a long time, the brand has been treated in an off-hand fashion as a part of the product (Urde, 1999) (p. 119). Kotler (2000) mentions branding as a major issue in product strategy (p. 404). Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) mention that within the traditional branding model the goal was to build brand image; a tactical element that drives short-term results (Aaker Joachimsthaler, 2000). Kapferer (1997) mentioned that the brand is a sign -therefore external- whose function is to disclose the hidden qualities of the product which are inaccessible to contact (Kapferer, 1997) (p. 28). The brand served to identify a product and to distinguish it from the competition. The challenge today is to create a strong and distinctive image (Kohli Thakor, 1997) (p. 208). Concerning the brand management process as related to the function of a brand as an identifier, Aaker and Joachmisthaler (2000) discuss the traditional branding model where a brand management team was responsible for creating and coordinating the brands management program. In this situation, the brand manager was not high in the companys hierarchy; his focus was the short-term financial results of single brands and single products in single markets. The basic objective was the coordination with the manufacturing and sales departments in order to solve any problem concerning sales and market share. With this strategy the responsibility of the brand was solely the concern of the marketing department (Davis Aaker, 2000). In general, most companies thought that focusing on the latest and greatest advertising campaign meant focusing on the brand (Davis Dunn, 2002). The model itself was tactical and reactive rather than strategic and visionary (Aaker and Joachimsthaler 2000). The brand w as always referred to as a series of tactics and never like strategy (Davis and Dunn 2002). Kapferer (1997) mentions that before the 1980s there was a different approach towards brands. Companies wished to buy a producer of chocolate or pasta: after 1980, they wanted to buy KitKat or Buitoni. This distinction is very important; in the first case firms wish to buy production capacity and in the second they want to buy a place in the mind of the consumer (p. 23). In other words, the shift in focus towards brands began when it was understood that they were something more than mere identifiers. Brands, according to Kapferer (1997) serve eight functions shown in Table 1 below: the first two are mechanical and concern the essence of the brand: to function as a recognized symbol in order to facilitate choice and to gain time (p. 29); the next three are for reducing the perceived risk; and the final three concern the pleasure side of a brand. He adds that brands perform an economic function in the mind of the consumer, the value of the brand comes from its ability to gain an exclus ive, positive and prominent meaning in the minds of a large number of consumers (p. 25). Therefore branding and brand building should focus on developing brand value. Table 1 The Functions of the Brand for the Consumer Function Consumer Benefit Identification To be clearly seen, to make sense of the offer, to quickly identify the sought-after products. Practicality To allow savings of time and energy through identical repurchasing and loyalty. Guarantee To be sure of finding the same quality no matter where or when you buy the product or service. Optimization To be sure of buying the best product in its category, the best performer for a particular purpose. Characterization To have confirmation of your self-image or the image that you present to others. Continuity Satisfaction brought about through familiarity and intimacy with the brand that you have been consuming for years. Hedonistic Satisfaction linked to the attractiveness of the brand, to its logo, to its communication. Ethical Satisfaction linked to the responsible behavior of the brand in its relationship towards society. Adapted from Kapferer (1997) Kapferers view of brand value is monetary, and includes intangible assets. Brands fail to achieve their value-creating potential where managers pursue strategies that are not orientated to maximizing the shareholder value (Doyle, 2001) (p. 267). Four factors combine in the mind of the consumer to determine the perceived value of the brand: brand awareness; the level of perceived quality compared to competitors; the level of confidence, of significance, of empathy, of liking; and the richness and attractiveness of the images conjured up by the brand. In Figure 1 the relationships between the different concepts of brand analysis, according to Kapferer (1997), are summarized. Figure 1 From Brand Assets to Brand Equity Brand Awareness + Image + Perceived Quality + Evocations + Familiarity, liking Brand Assets Brand added value perceived by customers Costs of branding Costs of invested capital Brand financial value (BRAND EQUITY) Kapferer (1997), P 37 Brand Equity Many researchers, while discussing brand building models, have referred to brand equity. Urde (1999) in his model of brand orientation, Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) in their model of brand leadership, Davis (2002) in his model of brand asset management, de Chernatony in his model of corporate branding (De Chernatony, 1999), and Kapferer (1997) have discussed brand equity in their respective models of brand building. But what exactly is brand equity? Brand equity, as first defined by Farquhar , is the added value with which a given brand endows a product (Farquhar, 1989) (p.24). Apart from Farquhars first definition of brand equity, other definitions have appeared. According to Lassar, Mittal, and Sharma (1995), brand equity has been examined from a financial perspective (Farquhar, Han, Ijiri, 1991), (Simon Sullivan, 1993), Kapferer 1997, Doyle 2001), and a customer-based perspective ((Keller 1993; (Shocker, Srivastava, Ruekert, 1994); and (Chen, 2001)) (Lassar, Mittal, Sharma, 1995). In other words, financial meaning from the perspective of the value of the brand to the firm, and customer-based meaning the value of the brand for the customer which comes from a marketing decision-making context (Kim, Kim, An, 2003). Brand equity has also been defined as the enhancement in the perceived utility and desirability a brand name confers on a product (Lassar, Mittal and Sharma 1995, p.13). High brand equity is considered to be a competitive advantage since: it implies that firms can charge a premium; there is an increase in customer demand; extending a brand becomes easier; communication campaigns are more effective; there is better trade leverage; margins can be greater; and the company becomes less vulnerable to competition (Bendixen, Bukasa, Abratt, 2004). In other words, high brand equity generates a differential effect, higher brand knowledge, and a larger consumer response (Keller 2003), which normally leads to better brand performance, both from a financial and a customer perspective. Financial value-based techniques extract the brand equity value from the value of the firms other assets (Kim, Kim, and An 2003). Simon and Sullivan (1993) define brand equity as the incremental cash flows which accrue to branded products over and above the cash flows which would result from the sale of unbranded products (p. 29). These authors estimate a firms brand equity by deriving financial market estimates from brand-related profits. Taking the financial market value of a firm as a base, they extract the firms brand equity from the value of the firms other tangible and intangible assets, which results in an estimate based on the firms future cash flows. Along the same line of thought, Doyle (2001) argues that brand equity is reflected by the ability of brands to create value by accelerating growth and enhancing prices. In other words, brands function as an important driver of cash flow. Customer Based Brand Equity (CBBE): Aaker (1991) provided conceptual scheme which link brand equity with various customer response variables. He suggested using repurchase rates, switching costs, level of satisfaction, preference for brand, and perceived quality on various product and service dimensions as potential measures of CBBE (Aaker, 1991). Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) define brand equity as brand assets linked to a brands name and symbol that add to, or subtract from, a product or service. According to them, these assets, shown in Figure 2, can be grouped into four dimensions: brand awareness, perceived quality, brand associations, and brand loyalty. Figure 2 Aakers Model of Customer Based Brand Equity Brand Equity Brand Awareness Perceived Quality Brand Associations Brand Loyalty These dimensions have been commonly used and accepted by many researchers (Keller 1993; (Motameni Shahrokhi, 1998); (Yoo Donthu, 2001); Bendixen, Bukasa, and Abratt 2004; Kim, Kim, and An 2003). Brand awareness affects perceptions and taste: people like the familiar and are prepared to ascribe all sorts of good attitudes to items that are familiar to them (Aaker and Joachimsthaler 2000, p. 17). Perceived quality influences brand associations and affects brand profitability. Brand associations are anything that connects the consumer to the brand, including user imagery, product attributes, organizational associations, brand personality, and symbols (p. 17). Brand loyalty is at the heart of brands value. The concept is to strengthen the size and intensity of each loyalty segment (p. 17). The simplest way in which the brand equity can be considered is that it can be understood as the incremental value a brand name grants a product (Srivastava Shocker, 1991). According to Lassar, Mittal and Sharma (1995), brand equity can be configured against five dimensions: 1) performance, 2) value, 3) social image, 4) trustworthiness, and 5) attachment. They agree to the views of Srivastava and Shocker (1991) who believe that customers evaluate brand equity on the basis of two components; 1) brand strength and 2) brand value. Since they believe that the source of brand equity is customer perceptions, as described by Keller (1993), it is important for the managers to be able to measure and track it at the customer level (Keller, 1993). Figure 3 below explains the model. Figure 3 Lassars Model of Customer Based Brand Equity Brand Equity Performance Social Image Value Trustworthiness Attachment Keller (2003) introduced the Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) model, which approaches brand equity form the perspective of the consumer -whether an individual or an organization (Keller 2003, p. 59). The model is based on the premise that the power of a brand lies in what customers have learned, felt, seen and heard about the brand as a result of their experiences over time (p. 59). He defines CBBE as the differential effect that brand knowledge has on consumer response to the marketing of that brand (p. 60), which emerges from two sources: brand awareness and brand image. According to Keller (2003), brand awareness consists of brand recognition -the consumers ability to confirm prior exposure to the brand when given a brand as a cue (p. 67)- and brand recall -the consumers ability to retrieve the brand form memory when given the product category, the needs fulfilled by the category, or a purchase or usage situation as cue (p. 67). On the other hand, brand image is created by marketing programs that link strong, favorable, and unique associations to the brand in the memory (p. 70). These associations are not only controlled by the marketing program, but also through direct experience, brand information, word of mouth, assumptions of the brand itself -name, logo-, or with the brands identification with a certain company, country, distribution channel, person, place or event. The way to build a strong brand, according to the CBBE model, is by following four sequential steps, each one representing a fundamental question that customers ask about brands: 1. Ensuring the identification of the brand with a specific product category or need in the customers mind -who are you? 2. Establishing the meaning of the brand in the customers mind by strategically linking tangible and intangible brand associations with certain properties -what are you? 3. Eliciting customer responses to the brand identification and meaning -what about you? 4. Converting the response into an active, intense and loyal relationship between the customers and the brand -what about you and me? The CBBE model is built by sequentially establishing six brand building blocks with customers (Keller 2003 p. 75), that can be assembled as a brand pyramid, shown in Figure 4. Brand salience relates to the awareness of the brand. Brand performance relates to the satisfaction of customers functional needs. Brand imagery relates to the satisfaction of customers psychological needs. Brand judgments focus on customers opinions based on performance and imagery. Brand feelings are the customers emotional responses and reactions to the brand. Brand resonance is the relationship and level of identification of the customer with a brand. Figure 4 Kellers Model for CBBE Resonance Feelings Judgments Imagery Performance Salience Identity Who are you? Meaning What are you? Response What about you? Relationships What about you and me? Another model of customer based brand equity was presented by Agarwal and Rao (1996), who linked various components of CBBE to examine their convergent validity. To measure CBBE, they used a framework based on the perception-preference-choice paradigm and the hierarchy of effects model of McGuire (McGuire, 1972). This framework measures the stages through which a consumer passes before making a purchase decision (Agarwal Rao, 1996). The hierarchy model for CBBE is shown in figure 5 below. Figure 5 Agarwal and Raos Model for CBBE Awareness Actual Choice Perceptions and Attitudes Preferences Choice Intentions Unaided Recall Familiarity Value of Money Quality of Brand Name Explicit Preference Implicit Preference Likelihood of Buying Past Purchases Current Purchases Customer Based Brand Equity The model suggests appropriate indirect brand equity measures as conceptualized by Aaker (1991) and Keller (1993). These measures can be considered as the sources that can lead toward creation of brand equity. Conclusion: After discussing above four models to measure customer based brand equity (Aaker 1991; Lassar et al 1995; Agarwal and Rao, 1996; Keller, 2003) it is concluded that the model presented by Agarwal and Rao (1996) seems to be more appropriate to fit Pakistani environment. In addition to measuring CBBE, It seems to incorporate recent theoretical advances and managerial in understanding and influencing consumers decision making process. They have also provided a validated instrument (with Cronbachs Alpha above 0.85) to support their model of customer based brand equity.

The Absurdity of Consumeristic Truth :: Essays Papers

The Absurdity of Consumeristic Truth Imagine a world devoid of a God, where tangible objects and experiences such as clothing and movie watching have come to define and fulfill an entire society. Imagine a culture lacking any philosophical truth, where each individual is running wildly about in their isolated schedules, gleaning comfort and love from any inanimate object that can provide such, in whatever shape or form. Imagine a world where imperfect humans turn to themselves in the search for perfection, and the ultimate source of perfection is blatantly denied for the simple reason that it is too perfect to be understood. Such is the world according to Camus, such is the world that surrounds those that believe in a perfect God, and such is the American world in which you and I live. If one were to understand the purpose and mystery of human life as the coping with ultimate fear, whether it be death, pain, or meaninglessness, then it is possible to discuss the drastically different coping mechanisms that Camus and Christianity set forth. Both present a method in which to approach the phenomenon of fear, yet when it comes to actualizing a solution to the mystery, they turn to very different ends. The result is a society that has been left all the more confused, and has turned to both solutions in order to deal with the overwhelming fear and fundamental lack of truth that is prevalent in today’s post-modernistic philosophy. Of the many themes and philosophies that Camus struggled with during his life and presented to the world through his writings, one of the more prevalent was that of the absurd. According to Camus, the world, human existence, and a God are all absurd phenomenons, devoid of any redeeming meaning or purpose. Through Mersaults’ epiphany in The Stranger, where he opens himself to the â€Å"gentle indifference of the world†, we see how Camus understands the world to be a place of nothingness, which demands and desires nothing from humans. He further explores this philosophy in The Plague, where the world of indifference is understood as a world of fear, which takes a symbolically tangible form in the plague itself. In The Plague the citizens of Oran fear that which they cannot control, understand or fight. They are faced with the most fundamental experiences of life and death, and it is only in the end that a very few find a way to cope with and understand these two ultimatum s.

Causes of the American Revolution :: Essays on American Revolution

During the late seventeen hundreds, many tumultuous events resulted in Colonial opposition to Great Britain. The conditions of rights of the colonists will slowly be changed as the constriction of the parliament becomes more and more intolerable. During the Seven Years' War England was not only alarmed by the colonists' insistence on trading with the enemy, but also with Boston merchants hiring James Otis in order to protest the legality of the writs of assistance (general search warrants) used to hunt out smuggled goods. "let the parliament lay what burthens they please on us, we must, it is our duty to submit and patiently bear them, till they will be pleased to relieve us....". This is a very strong dictum, that in 1764, the colonists were of a submissive nature, and were weakly pleading for self-autonomy. This small fire of anger will become a huge conflagration as the rights are slowly rescinded. On October 19, 1765 the Stamp Act Congress and Parliamentary Taxation committee's passed some laws that attempted to strengthen the grip of the English crown. "I.That his Majesty's subjects in these colonies, owe the same allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain that is owing from his subjects born within the realm, and all due subordination to that august body, the Parliament of Great Britain." This statement can be used as a summation of the entire document that the Stamp Act Congress had initiated. The statement depicts the colonists has having to be submissive and servile in the view of Great Britain, this policy angered the colonists very much, and was another component of the transition of the colonists' rights and liberties. When the Declatory Act was passed in March of 1766, many colonies were attempting to claim that they were "seceding" from England. "Whereas several of the houses of representatives in his Majesty's colonies and plantations in America, have of late, against law, or to the general assemblies of the same, the sole and exclusive right of imposing duties and taxes upon his Majesty's subjects in the said colonies....be it declared ...., that the said colonies and plantations in America, have been, are, and of right ought to be, subordinate unto, and dependent upon the imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain;". The Parliament of course denounced the attempt at independance and still dogmatilcally passed the following law to show that the colonists were still british subjects. Again, the colonists were infuriated and later will resist the british imperialism on the colonies. "All before, are calculated to regulate trade, and preserve prpromote a mutually beneficial intercourse between the several constituent parts of the

Mobile Phone and Gadgets Essay

Introduction Background of the Study Academics across the pond are warning of a growing and increasingly serious trend for folks to get addicted to gadgets such as a Blackberry or iPhone. In this case, the definition of â€Å"addiction† seems to have a lower threshold for damaging one’s life than other, more popular roads to ruination. Signs of gadget holism, according to Professor Nada Kakabadse of Northampton University, include waking up at night to check your messages, neglecting friends and family to tinker with a device and anxiety when one is separated from the item of besottment. Says the professor: We are creatures of habit and we can get addicted to quite unusual things. Feel free to explain now how you can give up your chosen telecomm thingies any time you want. The Modernization of our technology was good because it can help us a lot to make our work easy in our daily lives. But too much use of it are not good that is why it goes bad because some of us are use this in a wrong way. And because of this we possibly to be harm. The modern world of technology creates a several attractive gadgets that convince us to use. That is why some of the user turns to be addicted into those gadgets such as cell phone, computer or laptop, tablet, psp, and others. There so many people using those gadgets like adults and also young person. But almost between ten years old to twenty years old are addicted to those gadgets. The estimated number of users in 100% is 50% of that is young user. And worst out of 10 users 6 of them are obsessed. The obesity among gadgets, obesity among children, teens, and adults is growing at a rapid rate globally. Obesity is alarmingly high among individuals that are addicted to gadgets or gizmos. Individuals that are addicted to social networks are seldom unaware about their intake of snacks and sodas. Lack of physical activity is the reason why a number of children from different parts of the world are obese. When was the last time you’ve seen your child run or play outdoor games? In today is times a child’s new playground is his/her room. Children and young adults spend most of their time with smart phones, tablets, gaming consoles or laptops, or are found glued to the TV. Chatting on line with friends and playing games are considered children’s favorite activities. But there are positive and negative effects especially on learning and work as well. According to technology experts gadgets have side effects on users. Users can have eye complications due to blue light and can also become ill due to radiation. Good Effects With this new technology we encounter our loved ones in any corner of the world. Video games can help children practice following directions and problem solving, and refine motor and spatial skills. It helps to broaden the student’s knowledge through research using the technology can be used in research. Listening to music can help youth when performing boring and repetitive tasks. Bad effects Among the youth are restlessness and irritability when not playing on the computer or when they not handling their gadgets. Most of them are giving more time on the computer or video games over family, friends or social activities. It can cause social isolation, aggressive behaviour, violence, confusing reality and fantasy, and poor grades. It can also cause financial trouble Objective It did more research to extend our knowledge on new technologies. And to reduce considerably the youth obsessed with the use of the gadget. Aside from reducing gadget addiction it will also reduce the use of electricity. And to more correctly we use our technology because it is important that our actions to facilitate daily. As well as the communication in our relationship. Instead of playing with our gadgets we can make a healthy lifestyle by doing recreational activities. Help your child find some activity that he likes and a place where he can do it. Scope and Limitation Significance of the Study They conquered all types and categories of people: men, women, children, high society or mid level, educated or not. Our mobile phone alarm is waking us in the morning, our iPod makes traffic wasted time easier, our laptop and wireless mouse are waiting us at the office. Those are already necessities and not long time ago they were gadgets. The industry is growing and manufacturers spend huge time and money to create new, wonderful, amazing products and features that charm us. The consumerism is no longer targeted to branded clothes and fancy shoes, average people can afford them and actually they don’t satisfy our need of new, innovation, progress and glitter as fast as gadgets do. So should we resist temptation? I say no (it might be expensive but doesn’t affect your health and for sure no government in the world will prohibit it). More than 60% of eleven to eighteen year olds surveyed by Cranfield said they were â€Å"very† or â€Å"quite† addicted to the internet, and over 50% were addicted to their mobile phones. Students spend, on average, one to two hours a day on social network sites, the research revealed. 39.3% said that texting damaged the quality of their written English, particularly in terms of spelling. â€Å"Shockingly, a high proportion of teenagers (59.2%) admitted to inserting information straight from the internet into schoolwork, without actually reading or changing it. Almost a third (28.5%) deemed this as acceptable practice despite recognizing that such behavior is considered plagiarism,† said Andrew Kakabadse, professor of international management development at Cranfield. â€Å"Our research shows that technology obsession hinders spelling skills, implicitly encourages plagiarism, and disrupts classroom learning. Despite school policies restricting mobile phone usage, students use the phone frequently, with the majority making calls from the toilets. The mobile phone continues to be a prime channel of social communication during the school day.† The survey found that youngsters start to access the internet between the ages of five and ten, get a mobile phone between the ages of eight and ten, and start accessing social networks between the ages of eleven and thirteen. Chapter II REVIEW OF RELATED CONCEPTS, STUDIES AND SYSTEM An addiction starts as a habit and gradually becomes an integral part of our lives. All gadgets are only our luxury but it is useful, resourceful and helpful. So we are convinced to buy and use this gadget although we all know the ill effects of all this gadget, yet many a time the withdrawal symptoms are so severe that we choose to continue the habit rather than giving it up. We still were using it in a wrong way. Misuse of Gadget What are the warning signs of a gadget addict? John O’Neill, director of addictions services for the Menninger Clinic, identifies these five: 1. You had rather text than talk face-to-face. 2. You cannot leave home without it. You cannot relax without constantly checking for email or messages; a cell phone ear piece becomes a permanent part of your wardrobe. 3. Your family or friends ask you to stop, but you cannot. The Internet becomes a more powerful draw than spending time with family or friends or other favorite activities. 4. You miss important life moments. 5. You cannot stop even after it gets you in trouble, like being in a car accident while talking on the cell phone. â€Å"All these gadgets, the phone and the computer, they expose the inside of your brain in a way that’s bad† by Michel Gondry. Advancement in technology and communication has resulted in numerous gadgets. Every second a new gadget is being introduced in the consumer market. People have come to a point where they cannot live without these gadgets. As a result, gadget addiction has become a serious problem in the world especially among the youth.