Operations Management (please refer to uploaded file) Essay

Operations Management (please refer to uploaded file) - Essay Example On the other hand, a service supply chain deals with the intangibles due to which little physical inputs are required. Even the number of suppliers in a service-based supply chains are limited to an extent. Raw materials required by the internet service providers are limited to only offices and servers. The costs incurred by the service supply chain are less as compared to the product supply chain (Veronneau and Roy, 2009). Logistics is essential in product-base supply chain as the manufacturing industry highly depends on the transportation of physical goods from one destination to another. If the raw materials are not transferred from one place to another, the supply chain will be broken which halts the operations of the company and the company is forced to use different modes of transportation; land, sea or air. Furthermore, the cost of logistics is quite high depending on the size and weight of the raw material that is being moved (Min and Zhou, 2002). On the other hand, for a service industry logistics is irrelevant as the industry directly deals with the intangibles. The cost incurred by the product-based industry for logistics are utilised by the service-based industry for upgrading servers and for maintenance (Veronneau and Roy, 2009). This upgrade and maintenance allows enhancement in the speed and communication between the clients and the internet service providers. In a traditional product-based supply chain, finished goods are those products that have been completely transformed from raw material to products that are ready to be sold (Simatupang and Sidharan, 2002). For Coca Cola Company, a finished good represents a chilled bottle of coke ready to be served to the customers to meet their demand. In a service industry, a finished good represents quality service to the clients. This means that the customer should be satisfied with the internet

Strategic Management and Marketing for the Luxury Goods Vivienne Assignment

Strategic Management and Marketing for the Luxury Goods Vivienne Westwood - Assignment Example In such context, Luxury Goods Company Vivienne Westwood has been selected sample organization in the paper and study will conduct marketing audit in order to help the sample organization to decide marketing strategy. McDonald and Wilson (2011) suggested that organizations should use both strategic and tactical marketing plan in order design marketing strategy. According to these scholars, strategic marketing includes situational analysis, customer segmentation, and macro environmental audit while tactical marketing plan includes implementation marketing strategies. The paper will follow the mentioned approach while doing marketing audit for Vivienne Westwood. Before going to the main discussion, the study will analyze the business situation and macro environment for Vivienne Westwood in order to create background for marketing audit. Situational Analysis There is no doubt that primary operational hub for Vivienne Westwood is UK and therefore the study will concentrate on macro enviro nmental parameters of UK which can influence business dimensions of Vivienne Westwood. ... ion in UK (British Fashion Council, 2012) The above diagram is showing the rise of luxury consumption expenditure in UK while the following diagram will depict the structure of designer and luxury fashion industry in UK. Figure 2: Industry Structure (British Fashion Council, 2012) It is evident from the diagram that retail luxury clothing and footwear are the primary revenue generating option for designers like Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Burberry, Stella McCartney, Mulberry etc. In such context, PEST (Political, economic, social and technological) analysis can be done in order to understand macro environmental aspects of UK. Political Government of UK follows trade policy as directed in NATO or North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However, in recent years the UK government has taken steps as budget cuts (more than 20%) in entertainment, fashion and sports sector which negatively affected growth of fashion and designer merchandises manufacturing sector (British Fashion Council, 201 2). The government has also reduced corporate tax to 23% and such reduction would bound to increase operating margin for fashion retailers like Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Burberry and others. Economic Spending capacity of people is being negatively affected by the trailing effect of Economic recession started in 2008 and Sovereign debt crisis. For example, the industry growth has been dipped by almost 0.2% in recent years (Marketline, 2012). However, British Fashion Council (2012) reported that economic slowdown might have increased cost of manufacturing for luxury retailers like Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Burberry and others but it has hardly any impact on luxury consumption in UK. This divergence occurs due to the fact that generally affluent class purchases luxury products and

Organization Balanced Scorecard Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organization Balanced Scorecard - Assignment Example re is revenue growth by proposing income generating projects, operation on the profit growth and ensuring determining the short term solvency of the company. These objectives are in line with the vision of the company as they ensure which is offering low prices to the consumers. The company makes sure that it capitalizes on the large market by selling its products at lower prices. The need for a balanced scorecard in order to determine whether the company is headed in the right direction in terms of profitability cannot be understated. Therefore, this is done by measuring each objective in the financial sector with a quantified target metric that is associated with it. This process has helped companies understand their position and the weak and strong areas in the organization. In this way, the priority of the objectives can be understood in the organization and therefore, it becomes easier for the management to understand which objective should be implemented first based on its impo rtance. Further, it shows how the different sectors of the company are performing in relation to the vision and the mission of the company. Traditionally most federal agencies measure their managerial presentation by mainly focusing on internal process performances; they also looked at factors such as the number of full time equals that were allotted. However, on the other hand the private sector has always focused on the monetary procedures as their bottom line; this includes return on investment, earnings per share and even market share. It is imperative to understand that alone, neither of the approaches can be able to give stipulation for the full viewpoint of an organization’s routine. However, by ensuring that there is a balance that exists between the internal process as well as results from financial measures, managers can be able to have a complete picture as to whether the company should be able to make improvements. For this reason, the balanced score card was used as it

Democracy and Technology Essay Example for Free

Democracy and Technology Essay While technologies such as the use of internet and e-democracy have made the dissemination of ideas quicker, they have also resulted in the increase in a groups power to manipulate general opinion. The technologies aiding democracy today, such as computers, satellites, radio, telephones and television have undeniably changed the face of modern democracy. What constitute positive spill outs of these technologies for democracy also in some cases have a detrimental effect on it. While it increases the reach among people and nations, enriching both formal and business communication, it also provides these opportunities to fundamentalists to create rumours and channels individuals or a group of people against democracy. However a little caution such as verifying the news from multiple sources will easily reveal these elements and thus the negative influence of misleading a large group of rational individuals can be easily curtailed. The rise in literacy level and the positive trend of e-democracy deepens the process of democracy and empowers the individuals not only to have a say in the election of their government as earlier, but also empowers the citizens to have greater say in the decision making process of the government. With increasing literacy levels, as the citizens become more aware of the power of technology, they will find it easier to organise themselves for pressing on social, economic and political reforms from the government at helm thus ushering a truly democratic era where the citizens role is not only limited to electing their representatives but also to correct them if they are being found negligent in fulfilling their duties. However for this to happen in the future, it should be ensured that technology and their benefits are not limited to a select few in the upper echelons of society and that they are made available to those at the lowest level for complete integration of the masses to the democracy. References Allison, Juliann Emmons. (2002). Technology, development, and democracy. SUNY Press.

specific and general crime prevention approaches and strategies

specific and general crime prevention approaches and strategies In this unit, we will explore specific and general crime prevention approaches and strategies, employed to reduce and control the occurrence of crime in the society. The role of the citizen and the community will be differentiated from the role of the state through the institutions of the criminal justice system. Unit Objectives To appreciate the need for citizen participation. To discuss the role of the Police. To describe the role of Policy Makers. To examine the methods used by the criminal justice system to influence reform and rehabilitation. To analyze at least four approaches to crime prevention employed by the criminal justice system. Readings and Online Resources Reid, Oral (1998) Community Policing: A Philosophical Approach to the Study of Community Building. Reid, Oral. Policing by Consent. The Copper 97 Vol. 1 No. 1 http://www.schererville.org/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=257Itemid=58 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTYIPBoeGaU Session 4.1 Community Crime Prevention Approaches Learning Objectives: By the end if this session the student should be able to: Define the elements of the crime prevention triangle Discuss the elements of the crime prevention triangle Describe the crime prevention triangle Define the roles of the elements in the crime prevention triangle Discuss the participation of the elements in the crime prevention triangle Understand the need for citizen participation. Appreciate the role of individual and community groups in the prevention of crime. Explain the need for the Crime Prevention Practitioners in building a community team Introduction In this session we will examine specific crime prevention approaches intended to highlight the critical role of the citizen, the police and policymakers in their effort to address crime control or reduction both at the local level of the community and the state in general. The Crime Prevention Triangle Figure 4:1 The Community Crime Prevention Triangle Effective crime prevention requires a closer relationship between the police, policy makers, and the community at large. It is necessary for all sides to open lines of communication and work to define their respective roles in such a way that they understand their responsibilities to the overall cooperative effort. The task of bringing these key sectors of the community together is not easy neither can one be effective without the other. The challenge is often that each sector has specific viewpoints that appear to be inconsistent with the needs and expectations of others in the triangle. For instance, the police have traditionally been one of the most closed groups in Caribbean society. This position has been influenced by several factors among which are the following; Police Forces in the region boost a paramilitary in structure; Many of the social and professional problems they encounter cannot be discussed with persons outside their profession; and the nature of police work frequently confines them to persons working within their respective formations. The factors listed all support a growing trend towards police isolation from the people they are intended to serve. On the other hand, most citizens have very limited knowledge of police work. Such views are often further distorted by television programmes that suggest glamorous and unrealistic means of solving crimes and social disorder. Hence a typical citizens impression of the police is associated with issuing traffic tickets, or arresting felons. The citizen is not likely to be in a pleasant mood in either of these circumstances, and frequently learns to associate officers with enforcement and authority. The police spend most of their time dealing with the less desirable elements of Caribbean society inasmuch as they deal with suspects and vagrants on a regular basis, and sometimes tend to associate the uncooperative behaviour of these elements with the general public. It is not uncommon for the police to threat with suspicion volunteers who want to aid in the management of crime. Politicians or policymakers are given labels that hold them up to public scrutiny and ridicule. Views expressed during heated campaigns or unrealistic expectations by the public that an official has the power to wave a magic wand and cure the ills of society have served to strain the relationship between the elected officials and their constituents. All of the above realities show that each side of the triangle has an important part to play in the community crime prevention process but that there are challenges which, if not carefully managed could deepen the divide between each sector. The strength of a triangle depends on strong linkages. If one of these three groups does not participate, the chances for success will be seriously diminished. Defining the Roles in the Crime Prevention Triangle Citizen and Community Participation The need for citizen participation in community crime prevention is critical to the establishment of a crime-free society. Two essential ingredients are a well-trained police force and an informed and cooperative citizenry. It is often the case that too few citizens have made a commitment to actually participation. Participation in community crime prevention efforts is not merely desirable but necessary. Police and crime prevention specialists alone cannot control crime; they need all the help the community can give them. Despite the later there seems to be an irreversible trend, in recent years, towards less involvement by citizens and increased responsibilities being delegated to the police. Increased specialization in various police forces coupled with increased taxation has encouraged citizens to look to the police, as professionals, to assume the responsibility of community safety. Subsequently, calls for service to the average law enforcement agency have increased steadily as citizens looked for assistance, not only with criminal matters but also for a wide range of service endeavours, such as invitations to speak to the wayward boy or girl that failed to comply with house rules, retrieving trapped cats and dogs and transporting mental patients to the hospital for treatment. It would be r easonable to assume that as much as 80 percent of police calls relate to noncriminal conduct as opposed to actual investigation or the apprehension of criminals. Community ranges from isolated individuals to diverse community groups. The levels of expertise vary from novice to accomplished professionals. The motivation to participate is as diverse as the community itself. Yet the secret to changing public attitudes and ultimately behaviour lies within this vast and primarily untapped resource. The following are various levels of involvement in crime prevention efforts with which citizens feel comfortable and choose to identify. It is helpful to first look at the role an individual can play, and then expand the base for involvement to group roles or collective citizen action. The Role of the Individual Practitioners know that a vast majority of a communitys population does not belong to an identifiable group but still participates in a wide range of activities. These citizens have concerns regarding crime and should be reached and encouraged to participate in crime prevention programmes as individuals. A few of the ways an individual can participate include: 1. Contributing volunteer time to programme efforts 2. Being an advocate for crime prevention concepts 3. Reporting suspicious activities to the police 4. Taking initiatives to practice opportunity reduction strategies at home/work and while moving about the community, such as: a. installing secure, deadbolt locks b. providing good security lighting c. trimming shrubbery away from doors and windows d. always locking car doors and windows e. using common sense and awareness when traveling alone f. marking all valuables with a personal identification number g. not carrying or displaying large amount of cash h. avoiding walking alone after dark Activity: Crime Prevention Tips View the Youtube videos below, they offer some useful crime prevention tips for individuals http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTYIPBoeGaU Activity 4:1 Collective Citizen and Group Roles: The communitys role is strengthened when group initiatives are added to individual citizen initiatives. If Crime prevention is to be effective in improving quality of life, the role of the community-at-large must be expanded to include supportive efforts from a broad base of existing private sector groups-businesses, industries, churches, etc. within a jurisdiction. Organized groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, P.T.A., Scouts, Girls Guides, Kiwanis, Womens Clubs, and Church Groups lend their support to community crime prevention programming and bring with them an existing pool of volunteer time, talent, energy, and the additional clout and resources of established organizations. They also bring with them the organizational goals, policies, and procedures, resolutions on community issues, and reputation that may or may not precisely fit everyone elses agenda. The role these groups must play is sometimes difficult to define and mobilize, and always difficult to manage. Yet it is vitally important to reach and involve citizens within their own context. The task is to reach people where they are and with the tools they are accustomed to using. This does not simply mean that everyone has to join Neighbourhood Watch Programmes. It does mean that every citizen can participate in crime prevention doing whatever a citizen is a part of-Boys Clubs, a tenants organization, the insurance industry etc. The trick to citizen involvement is to provide them hope within their own familiar environments. The experiences gained in community crime prevention programmes across the Caribbean region have helped define the following points in the community-at- large role: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The community at large must accept the responsibility for organizing a community crime prevention programme. They have the biggest stake-and ultimately they have more to lose than either the law enforcement or policymaker segments. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The community must identify committed leadership for an organized crime prevention effort. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The community must provide the necessary resources (time and funds) for the leadership to receive basic crime prevention training. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The community must plan organized training for other volunteers in the program. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The citizens must identify the problems of the community through cooperative efforts with law enforcement agencies, using such tools as surveys, opinion polls, and actual crime data. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The members of the community must plan a coordinated approach to crime prevention efforts by designing and matching projects to the interests of various volunteer groups. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The leaders must establish an effective mechanism for outreach and input so various groups know what others are doing. This will help ensure coordination, and is frequently termed networking. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The community group must solicit commitments from various groups supporting crime prevention efforts to ensure programme continuity. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The group organizers must provide opportunities for all groups or individuals to participate in the community-wide programmes (while allowing groups to retain their separate identity). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The group organizers must establish an ongoing process of obtaining and assessing project information for evaluation purposes to aid further decision-making. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The organizers must identify and obtain resources to properly fund a sustained crime prevention effort. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The leaders of the crime prevention unit must facilitate the wise use of collective citizen power to influence public policies that promote crime prevention concepts. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The community group must serve as a strong advocate for increased communication between the various segments forming the crime prevention triangle. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The groups must ensure the participation of the media as a partner in the total community crime prevention programme. Community volunteers have learnt much about their role in crime prevention during the last decade. Their role will become even more clearly defined through the next decade as volunteers acquire additional knowledge in organizing and maintaining community crime prevention programmes. Police Participation The attitudes of the citizens towards the police service are generally inconsistent. The police are appreciated when they are needed but often feared because they are perceived as the states representatives of power and authority. The reality is that only rarely is the real nature of the police service broadcast and very rarely is the man inside the uniform understood or known. Yet we understand his role to be critical. What is generally agreed is that when faced with trouble, people expect quick police response and victims want and expect the effective service of a professional. Based on the wide range of service demands there is little wonder that both citizens and police alike are sometimes unclear about the definition of the role of the police in the prevention rather than the detection of crime. The following points are essential: The police are not separate from the people. They draw their authority from the will and consent of the people. The police are the state appointed instruments through which citizens can achieve and maintain public order. Police officers are decision makers and often decide whether to arrest, to make a referral, to seek prosecution, or to use force. Police officers are just as accountable for their decisions as the magistrate or judge is for decisions deliberated for months. The police officer must understand complex cultural and social problems and relationships to be efficient and effective. A police officer is a part of and not apart from: a. The community served b. The criminal justice system that determines what course society will pursue to deter lawbreakers or rehabilitate offenders in the interest of public order c. The government that provides the formal base of authority. The police officer initiates the criminal justice process through arrest of suspects and can be held accountable where they fail to take action. The police are the criminal justice element in closest contact with the public (and therefore are frequently blamed for failures in other parts of the system). The police are helpless to control crime without the cooperation of a substantial portion of the people. The role of the police thus becomes: to anticipate that crime will occur when risks are high, to recognize when a high-crime risk exists to appraise the seriousness of the particular risk to initiate action to remove or reduce the risk. Educational, technical and supportive resource- an enabler rather than a primary doer. The police role in crime prevention strategies should: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Utilize the patrol function to create and maintain efforts to identify and arrest suspects à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Serve as a source for public information and training regarding crime prevention programs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Coordinate crime prevention activities in their respective jurisdictions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Share information with the public gathered through police data analysis capabilities concerning the kinds of crime and the methods being used by perpetrators against citizens à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Take initiative to develop organized crime prevention functions within each department Policymakers Participation Many earlier efforts to establish crime prevention programmes carefully skirted the issues of assessing the role of the public sector or seeking to involve the policymakers. This hesitancy was brought about in part because notions of crime prevention were seen as new and untested and hadnt been accepted as a viable response to long-standing social and economic problems. Very few programmes have been able to document specific successes in actually demonstrating a reduction of crime. Additionally, some communities had experiences with receiving political support for crime prevention programmes during the course of a political election, only to be quietly swept under the rug when elections were over and the difficult job of meeting budgets was underway in the face of declining resources. Slowly, isolated experiences surfaced that demonstrated a positive relationship between renew citizen participation in crime prevention/opportunity reduction programmes and a lower residential burglary or vandalism rate in neighbourhoods. Policymakers were willing to take a closer look. Such closer scrutiny led in Barbados to the establishment of the National Task Force on Crime Prevention in June 1996. This agency collaborates with the Royal Barbados Police Force on the analysis of national crime statistics and initiate programmes aimed at reducing crime in selected residential communities. In 1968 in the United States of America, Congress established a legislative priority and provided monetary resources to jurisdictions for mounting crime prevention efforts and funded them through the Justice Department Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA). Activity: A Caribbean Perspective The aforementioned has been the American experience. Can you think of ways this approach can be adapted to match the Caribbean reality appropriate for your country. Post your suggestions in the discussion forum and react to suggestions posed by your classmates. Activity 4:2 As a result of this increased interest by officials in the public sector and the interaction within communities, there is now a more clearly defined role of the policymakers in the community crime prevention process. Practitioners are confident that this role will continue to evolve and clarify over time, but for the present, I offer the following points on the role of the policymaker: 1. Provides leadership in setting public policy that establishes a jurisdiction-wide crime prevention programme. 2. Encourages coordination and cooperation between government agencies to maximize existing resources and avoid duplication of efforts. 3. Develops and adopts building security codes. 4. Actively promotes opportunity reduction practices for public owned properties, such as: a. marking all valuables with property identification numbers b. providing adequate, security lighting c. installing deadbolt locking devices 5. Promotes crime prevention education and training for employees within the public sector. 6. Provides financial support for crime prevention programmes. 7. Publicly supports crime prevention programmes to encourage other groups and individuals to participate. 8. Designates a permanent public agency to serve as an organizational base for crime Prevention programmes. 9. Demonstrates a long-term commitment to crime prevention by passing a formal resolution to sanction the crime prevention programme. 10. Requires accountability of programme efforts. The Crime Prevention Practitioner: Building a Community Team Even after the various elements within a community have a basic understanding of their role and responsibilities in a community crime prevention effort, there still remains vital work to be done in order to establish a promising crime prevention programme in a community. Much effort has been virtually wasted in the past as various groups go about well-meaning attempts to establish programmes for prevention without a coordinated approach. Likewise, a community crime prevention team doesnt just happen. The various elements that exist in your community must be linked together before any game plan can be written. This task requires specific attention. One or more individuals must be identified to play the coaching role and to mold representatives from various sides of the triangle into a working team. These specialists are called crime prevention practitioners. Who are they and what do they do? Practitioners across the country represent a wide cross-section of our population. Some are criminal justice professionals, some are elected officials. Many are business people, school teachers, or civic club volunteers. Crime prevention practitioners sometimes volunteer while others arc elected. In either case, they play a significant role in the community crime prevention process. A profile of successful practitioners would include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ willingness to contribute a significant amount of time to crime prevention efforts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the enthusiasm to motivate others à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a basic knowledge of the criminal justice system à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a comprehensive understanding of the concepts of crime prevention and the ability to teach and advise others . . à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ capability of assessing skills and resources within the community à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the ability to relate to all interested groups and match these interests to the overall program effort à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the expertise to facilitate links that achieve a coordinated approach to programming à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ good organizational skills à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ an understanding of the nature of the political process and the guidance that enables public support to be translated through decision-makers into public policy Above all, the successful practitioner will possess two primary attributes: COMMITMENT to the cause, and the PERSISTENCE to continue the commitment over time in the face of obstacles that are sure to arise. Activity: Mini Investigation Identify and categorize the crime prevention practitioners in your territory. Report your findings to the course coordinator or tutor. Activity 4:3 Summary: In this session we have examined specific crime prevention strategies focused around the crime prevention triangle. In this session we highlighted the critical roles of individuals as a sub-sect of organizations, at one end of the continuum and the community as whole. The role of the police, and policy makers were also highlighted as essential to the construction of good crime prevention policy and practice. In the next session we will look at the role of the criminal justice system in the control of crime and acts of unsocial behaviour.

Essay on Maggi

Essay on Maggi Background Maggi Noodles In the last 20 years we have Just asked 2 minutes of your time. The Brand which clearly comes to mind on first recall is Maggi Noodles. Maggi Noodles is manufactured by Nestle under instant noodles portfolio. It was introduced with Maggi 2 Minute Noodles in India in 1982 when the only place to get noodles was Chinese restaurants. Maggi has undoubtedly has been the lifeline of many teenagers when in home or away from home. Maggi, as a brand, has seen many competitions in its Lifecycle. The brand has also diversified itself with launch of product ranges like soups, tomato sauce, seasoning, cup noodles, various flavours of maggi noodles like atta, rice, mized grains etc. Nestle remains its market leader position with 59.84% of retail sales in India,2009 (Source: Euromonitor International). But its market share is constantly eroded by new entrants like GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Health with Foodles,Capital Foods with SmithJones Instant noodles, HUL launching its Soupy Noodles under Knorr B rand umbrella. Brand Identity Kapferers Model Picture of Sender Physique Yellow Coloured Pack, 2 minute Noodles, fast to cook good to eat, Maggi Logo, Healthy Snack between meals Relationship Taste bhi Health Bhi, providing convenient food within 2 minutes with health and hygiene factor, caring and nurturing Reflection Health Conscious individual who is Hard pressed for time, Young and Fun loving, living with family Personality Enthusiastic, simple, uncomplicated, easily accessible, Fun loving, carefree, On the move, busy schedule Culture   Reliable, Innovative, Aspirant Lifestyle for rural areas, Sharing happiness, responsible Self-Image Young, trendy, fun loving, Independent, Healthy inspite of Sedentary Urban Lifestyle Picture of Recipient Stages in PLC Maggi Noodles is currently in growth stage after passing through maturity stage for brief period in mid 1990s. Introductory and Initial Growth Stage Maggi Noodles brand was in introductory and growth stage in 1982 1990s.Maggi took advantage of its early movers advantage in closed economy scenario prevalent in India during 1980s. The brand faced less competition due to few similar products available in the market. Brand Maggi made best use of the time to increase its brand awareness by focussing on product advertisement. The communication which was initially mis-directed towards women was shifted rightly towards children Maggi Noodles sponsored Hum Log, Indias first indigenous soap opera which began telecast on July 7, 1984. Maggi was launched with total advertisement slots of just 5 minutes during the breaks of serial which ran for over 156 episodes. This helped Maggi to establish as a popular breakfast and snack food across the country. This was also one the first instances of introduction of Fast Food in India. Growth Stage Maggi Noodles brand was in their growth stage in 1990s till late 2006 with brief period of declining sales due to faulty product innovation and formulae change from conventional maggi noodles in the form of launch of Dal Atta Maggi Noodles to noodles similar to TopRamen Noodles, noodles from stable of IndoNissinFoodLtd. Maggi was quick to revert back the original formulae to minimize damage. Product: New Product Variants like Atta Noodles, Mixed Grain Noodles and Rice Mania were introduced Source: http://www.maggi.in/maggi_multigrainz_noodles.aspx There was change in packaging for different variants of the noodles and launch of new variants Image Source: http://www.maggi.in/two_minutes_maggi_noodles.aspx Image Source: http://www.maggi.in/vegetables_atta_noodles.aspx Price Price was kept competitive with other launches in the market like Nissins Top Ramen Promotion Maggi was launched in different packages of 50 and 100 gms to increase the consumer base and attract the first time consumers Variants like Cuppa mania was launched to cater to mobile population, office goers Source: http://www.maggi.in/cuppamania.aspx Offering freebies like collectible foreign stamps, other freebies with maggi packs Maturity Stage Post 2009, there has been host of new entrants in the instant noodles market in India. ITC Launched its instant noodles under Sunfeast brand. GlaxoSmithKline consumer health and HUL also introduced instant noodles in 2010. The communication from Maggi has shifted from 2 minute noodles to Taste bhi Health bhi through introduction of variation in instant noodles. The competition has led to gradual fall in market share vis-a-vis other new entrants. New players are innovating in product packaging like launching noodles in circular shape so as to enable users to enjoy their noodles in full length. Market Scenario/Challenges Major challenge is to maintain the market leadership of Brand Maggi in increasing market with varied new entrants having strong market presence in other product variants. To be increasingly viewed as the most preferred snack by new generation Strategy to increase Rural market share through launch of Maggi Rasile Chow targeting low income population Change of consumer taste from taste to health conscious Masala Flavour is the leading flavour in instant noodles in India All new players have also introduced masala flavour in their brand Chicken is the second favoured flavour followed by vegetable and tomato Horlicks Foodles claim to provide five essential vitamins in their noodles which forces the major market players to stress heavily on the health factor associated with their brands HUL Knorr Soupy Noodles claim to be healthy snack between meal for children Need for elaborate Market research for Maggi Brand on attributes like Brand Image, Prefered Price, Taste, packaging, Health, Availability, Ingredients, product variety etc. Steps taken at different stages Extensive media advertising to increase the consumers familiarity with new product launches Wider flavours/varients being offered to cater to wide range of consumers Increased product penetration through availability in supermarkets, hypermarkets and kirana stores Product line extensions and repositioned products launched to engage new and changing consumer demographics Market Research was conducted to understand the General promotional strategies were implemented to increase brand visibility Events Online Maggi recipe Challenge, innovative entries were compiled into e-cookbook Launch of Me and Meri Maggi Campaign enable consumers to share their experience with Maggi and creating a nostalgic effect by letting them share their moments with Maggi . Launching Maggi goodies like Computer Wallpapers and ScreenSavers to increase Brand recall , Website- http://www.maggi.in/ Preity Zinta was roped in for brand endorsement. Maggi was tried to position it as lively brand with zing Summary The Brand Maggi is strongly established as a Family Brand with crisp brand equity in Indian market. The brand has always been known to have the first movers advantage in the portfolios like noodles, ketchups, soups, sauce, etc. The parent brand Nestle has been the strong symbol of family, shelter and warmth which brand Maggi has innovatively capitalized. Evolution in communication Brand Maggi has changed its communication from convenience factors ie Bas 2 Minute to Taste Bhi Health Bhi to stress on health factors along with taste and convenience. There was a shift from TG from women to children as their consumers. To increase the Point of Purchase Sales, Maggi innovated in Shelf placing by placing Maggi in lower shelfs to increase the visibility by Kids who accompany their mothers to shopping. Maggi has launched Chota Maggi worth Rs 5/- to increase product trail. Maggi was positioned as snacks for between meals to boost sales and attract new customers without changing their conservative food habits during meal time. Maggi also introduced contests for posting best recipes to be made with Maggi. The future of noodles sectors seem good with growth in retail sales of 19% in 2010 in value terms and forecasted to grow at12% CAGR over next few years.Being a sector with low entry barrier, the segment share is vulnerable to new entrants like in-house brands of BigBazaar retail chains of Future group, More of Birla Group, Star Bazaar from TataGroup etc. and host of foreign players entering the market lately. Major Noodles manufacturing firms market share: (Source: EuromonitorInternational Report) Figure : Market Forecast for Noodles market in India Recommendations for Brand Maggi Proliferation into untapped rural markets through strong distribution channel available in India Product line extension with variants for varied markets Innovation in Product, packaging and pricing of Maggi Noodles through investment in Market Research Launching health awareness campaigns, publish health information, sponsor health camps etc. to educate the customers about benefits of health foods To engage customers more through evolving mediums like social networking sites etc.This would enable the Maggi Brand Managers to listen to reviews from their customers and improvise any other suggestions if needed.

What´s Ocean Acidification? Essay -- Impacts, Causes, Solutions, Ocean

Introduction The oceans of the earth are a massive part of the natural cycles that make this planet habitable. They regulate global temperatures, absorb carbon dioxide, provide a home for millions of plants and animals that make up various levels of the food chain, and so much more. They are a resource given for us to use and benefit from, however, it is also a resource that needs to be protected. It is the fountain of life for the planet and drastic changes to the makeup of the oceans could be detrimental to life as we know it. Ocean acidification is a problem which has come to light in the last decade, but is becoming increasingly concerning to many scientists (1). In this essay I will attempt to direct your attention to some of the possible and observed impacts of global ocean acidification, present some of the likely causes and suggest possible solutions to the problem. The essay will also deal with the possibility that the evidence can be interpreted differently in order to not implicate hum ans as the primary cause responsible for the observed destruction occurring in the acidified waters. Defining Ocean Acidification Ocean acidification is when carbon dioxide is absorbed into the water of the oceans. This causes a chain of chemical reactions leading to the formation of carbonic acid in the water. (2) Furthermore, many animals in the oceans use calcium carbonate ions to build their shells, however, in the process of forming carbonic acid, these ions are destroyed creating a deficiency in calcium carbonate and preventing these animals from forming their life sustaining and protective shells. (1) The reaction occurs when carbon dioxide, which is heavier than air, sinks in large clouds over the oceans and is absorbed into th... ...gain recognition both by environmental organizations and governments, but also by individuals who need to be aware of the impact their actions and energy usages. Whether it be a new form of energy or an old one refined, continued research and work needs to be done to ensure that we are being good stewards of the earth we have been given to live on. Works Cited http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/What+is+Ocean+Acidification%3F http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-ocean-acidification/ One Ocean documentary http://oceanacidification.noaa.gov/WhatsNew.aspx http://www.pnas.org.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/content/105/45/17442.full http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/deadzone.html http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/noaa-scientists-embark-voyage-asses-ocean-acidification/ http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/68/6/1019.abstract