Human resource career field Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human resource career field - Research Paper Example Hence, a HR generalist has to perform daily tasks such as keeping track of the various activities in the HR department as well as monthly reporting and annual or semi-annual participation in the appraisals and other tasks. The dimensions of the HR generalist job that interest me are to do with the sense of being in charge of the HR function and the ringside view that the job offers in terms of participating in the recruitment, training and performance evaluation of the employees. The most exciting thing about the HR generalist job is that one can get involved with the various activities of the HR function and get a chance to apply some of the theoretical knowledge gained during the education and also get a chance to hone one’s skills by practising the art of HR management. The dimension of the HR generalist’s job that does not interest me is the rather generic nature of the job when compared to the specialist role that has a more direct and deep involvement. The nature of the HR generalist job is such that it requires the person to be knowledgeable about the various activities that are typically performed during the conduct of the job. Hence, I would be interested in playing the role of an observer cum evaluator that is part of the HR generalist’s job. Further, what interests me about the HR generalist’s role is that the job entails hands on involvement for certain aspects and an indirect involvement for other aspects. The functions of recruitment and performance evaluation are some of the functions that I perform well. The functions that I need additional training are the training and development function. The recruitment and training functions interest me a lot and I am confident that I can perform well in these functions. I have a natural affinity towards recruitment and performance evaluation activities since I have devoted considerable time towards learning the appropriate theory in

Body Image and the “Double Bind” Essay Example for Free

Body Image and the â€Å"Double Bind† Essay Society and mass media has always been in charge of creating and setting standards and categorizations by which America and the rest of the world is supposed to live by and live up to. In this country, image is of the utmost importance, and who we presume to be is more important than who we actually are. How we view ourselves, and how we think we should look like is largely affected by society in its creation of the â€Å"ideal† men and women. But it is mostly women, who appear to be on the receiving end of such â€Å"ideal† standards which society imposes on the rest of us on a daily basis, through magazines, television shows, commercial ads, and practically the whole of mass media. I talked to my friend, Seunghye Lee, regarding this issue, and her answers provided a significant but alarming insight on the effect mass media has on women of every race and culture, and the unfortunate success which the said system apparently has on influencing womens standards regarding self image and body issues. Seunghye Lee, as evident from her name, is Korean. After graduating from elementary school in Korea, she left for the United States, and has since been studying in this country. She is now twenty years old, majoring in biology, with a minor in psychology. But Seunghye is considering shifting to chemistry because she believes the field requires a greater amount of logical thinking, as opposed to plain memorization, which, from experience, she believes is what biology is limiting her to. Despite the length of time she has been staying in America, and how she appears very American, Seunghye understands a lot about her roots and the Korean culture. I met her at the main library for interview, and appearing relatively tall, healthy, as well as cheerful and with a sunny and optimistic view and disposition, I did not think she would be affected by the oppressive standards of media, nor would she feel bad about her body. I was wrong. When asked how she feels about her body, Seunghye replies, â€Å"I feel like I need to lose a little bit of weight because since I entered college, I gained some weight. People say that I am pretty tall, and I look healthy. † She confesses to feeling more conscious of her body when she turns to fashion magazines like Cosmopolitan, and admits wanting to hit the gym more often when she looks at images of beautiful and skinny girls on the magazine. But since shes entered college, shes had fewer times in which she needed to look at magazines anymore. Like probably most adolescents and women of her age, Seunghye feels that she needs to lose weight, even when peeople tell her that she has a relatively normal and healthy body. Her idea of happiness, where her physical features, and wher body is concerned, is â€Å"losing a few pounds† and â€Å"having a toned body. † But unlike others, she believes in exercise, work-outs, and hitting the gym, as a healthier means of losing weight, as opposed to starving oneself to death by not eating. When asked ultimately, if women today feel pressured, and if she feel pressured regarding her body image, Seunghye relates, â€Å"Yes, yes it affects me. Im pressured to not look fat. † Despite such statement, she admits, â€Å"I do not want to be too skinny, but I want to be fit and toned. It would be nice to have a body like Angelina Jolie. † It is clear from Seunghyes response, and by the way the rest of adolescent women across America choose to dress, or behave, and regard themselves, that body issues and image affects all involved. Mass media unfortunately exploits this particular weakness which most, if not, all of us are prone to falling trap into. Women are torn in the â€Å"double bind,† between standards set by society which dictates we should be â€Å"sexy† and â€Å"feminine† by wearing the type of clothes designers choose to put on models and celebrities, and in conventional standards which asks that we should also appear â€Å"chaste† and â€Å"virginal. † How we should regard and relate to our body should not be affected by the crassness of images and ideas being peddled by media. There exists a struggle and a need to break free from these standards, stereotypes, and maybe even cliches, regarding our body images. We need to create our own standards and not let media, society, or any system force feed ideologies regarding how we should act and who we are to become: for our sake, and for the benefit of all involved.

The Formation of Personality through Socialization Essay -- Social Psy

The Formation of Personality through Socialization The process by which personality is formed as the result of social influences is called socialization. Early research methods employed case studies of individuals and of individual societies (e.g., primitive tribes). Later research has made statistical comparisons of numbers of persons or of different societies; differences in child-rearing methods from one society to another, for example, have been shown to be related to the subsequent behaviour of the infants when they become adults. Such statistical approaches are limited, since they fail to discern whether both the personality of the child and the child-rearing methods used by the parents are the result of inherited factors or whether the parents are affected by the behaviour of their children. Problems in the process of socialization that have been studied by experimental methods include the analysis of mother-child interaction in infancy; the effects of parental patterns of behaviour on the development of intelligence, moral behaviour, mental health, delinquency, self-image, and other aspects of the personality of the child; the effects of birth order (e.g., being the first-born or second-born child) on the individual; and changes of personality during adolescence. Investigators have also studied the origins and functioning of achievement motivation and other social drives (e.g., as measured with personality tests). Several theories have stimulated research into socialization; Freudian theory led to some of the earliest studies on such activities as oral and anal behaviour (e.g., the effect of the toilet training of children on obsessional and other "anal" behaviour). Learning theory led to the study of the effects of rewards and punishments on simple social behaviour and was extended to more complex processes such as imitation and morality (e.g., the analysis of conscience). The self Such concepts as self-esteem, self-image, and ego-involvement have been regarded by some social psychologists as useful, while others have regarded them as superfluous. There is a considerable amount of research on such topics as embarrassment and behaviour in front of audiences, in which self-image and self-esteem have been assessed by various self-rating methods. The origin of awareness of self has ... ...problems involved. Similarly, the causes of delinquency and crime have been extensively studied, but it is not feasible to manipulate the factors influencing crime, such as genetic factors, methods of upbringing, and inequalities of opportunity. Social psychology has made some contribution to education; sociometry is quite widely practiced as a means of grouping children, and evidence is growing about the optimum styles of teacher behaviour. (M.Ar.) (Ed.) << Previous | Next >> Contents of this article: Introduction Research methods Social perception Interaction processes Small social groups Social organizations 20th-century approaches Personality Socialization The self Attitudes and beliefs Various specialties in social psychology Bibliography Information about this topic in other articles: social psychology assessment of attitudes attitude from attitude contribution by Lewin Lewin, Kurt from Lewin, Kurt Mead Mead, George Herbert from Mead, George Herbert development as social science Social psychology from social science use in definition of prayer Origin and development from prayer

Swot Analysis of Jollibee Foods Corporation

Introduction Jollibee Foods Corporation Company Background Tony Tan Cacktiong founder of Jollibee Foods Corporation tells a story about the success story of his company. There are many other stories about Tan and Jollibee that many people didn’t know about, and that would have remained unknown, If Tan hadn’t bested successful entrepreneurs from 30 other countries to win the â€Å"World entrepreneur of the year† Award in Montecarlo, Monaco, on May 28, 2004. Tan had always been low-key and media-shy.He was quiet happy to let his lieutenants do the talking for him to the press, actually – but his winning the award from the accounting firm Ernst & Young had forced him to agree to so many newspaper, magazine, and TV interviews later to tell them the story about the Jollibee story. After all it was he who won the award – not any of his lieutenants. Still, if Tan had always been reticent about telling the Jollibee story beyond his immediate circle of frien ds and acquaintances, he had been equally reticent-if not more so-about revealing his personal history to the outside world. This reticence comes from humility.Unlike many corporate leaders who trace their lineage to wealthy Chinese clans, and who had studied in the more prestigious schools, Tan had comparably very humble beginnings, with his family exactly mirroring the stark circumstances in which the early Chinese immigrants found themselves in Manila. His father had been an immigrant cook in Binondo’s Seng Guan Buddhist Temple on Narra Street before he opened a small Chinese restaurant in Davao City, where Tan and his siblings helped clean tables and get water to customers. It was his experience in his father’s restaurant that set Tan and his siblings on the road to entrepreneurship.In 1975, when he was set to graduate as a chemical engineer at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Tan and his family pooled P350, 000 to open 2 Magnolia ice cream parlors: Cubao I ce Cream House near the Coronet Theater, in the middle-class shopping area of Quezon city, and Quiapo Ice Cream House under the Quezon Bridge in Quiapo, Manila. The siblings themselves manned the cash registers and served as waiters. After two years, the siblings began serving chicken and hamburger sandwhiches, and in 1978, when they already had six ice cream parlors, they decided to convert their stores into hamburger restaurants and called the chain Jollibee.By that time McDonald’s entered the market in 1982, Tan was already entertaining dreams of growing the business outside the Philippines, and was neither interested in getting a McDonald’s franchise nor afraid of competing with the U. S. giant. Tan found McDonald’s very good at everything, but he thought it would not find favor with the customers because it served bland food (though McDonald’s has since started serving chicken, spaghetti and other great tasting value meals).McDonalds didn’t kn ow the culture like the Tan’s did, and they used that knowledge to advantage to thrive and eventually become the Philippines’ top fast-food chain. Paulino cheng, a Jollibee franchisee in Greenhills, San Juan, says the fast food chain owes it success to its great tasting food and its advertising campaigns extolling the brand and its mascot as part of the Filipino pop culture. Indeed, with affiliates Chowking, Greenwhich and Delifrance, the Jollibee group now counts over a thousand outlets here and abroad, 50, 000 employees and about P30 billion to 50 billion annual sales.Tan’s success in transforming Jollibee into a Filipino icon has led many entrepreneurs to dream about following in his footsteps, and analysts to heap praise on his entrepreneurial and people skills. Ernst & Young’s chairman, James S. Turley, has called his story â€Å"a truly inspirational one. † Howard Stevenson, professor of entrepreneurship at the Harvard Business School, descri bes Jollibee as a success story â€Å"based on solid foundations, not a meteor that will burn itself out. Says Lance Gokongwei, president of JG Summit Holdings: The success of Jollibee can be attributed to good leadership, vision and corporate culture. Company Logo Company’s Trademark Jollibee is known for its trademark: â€Å"BEEDA AND SARAP! † Proposed Picture Capital According to Mr. Chaze the service manager of Jollibee Foods Corporation at Dasmarinas Central Mall as I’ve made an interview with him, he said that before you enter this kind of business you have to consider so many facts to be able to have a business franchise like this.First you should have the enough capital of franchising this company raging from 30 million to 50 million pesos. Second fact is that, the company will take a look at your proposed location or best to say that they will make an ocular inspection on where you plan to put up the business to check out if it will have a great amount of customer, and the last one and the most important fact to consider is that the company will take a look at your income or budget and to your other properties to see if it will fit or will be able to raise or support the franchise when crisis came.The 4 P’s of the Business Product As history tells about Jollibee, It was once an ice cream parlor before, until the time that Tan and his family came to see the opportunity to come up with new products to serve. On 1977, they began selling chicken and hamburger sandwiches, and in 1978 the family of Tan decided to convert their 6 ice cream parlors into hamburger restaurants. As time came by, after all the successful years of Jollibee, In this new generation, they were widely known for their best selling products the â€Å"chicken joy†, and the Jollibee’s hamburger which is also known as the â€Å"Yumburger†.Tony Tan Cacktiong used his knowledge of Filipino taste and culture to turn Jollibee into a true Filipi no icon. Place One of the important factors to consider before you can have this kind of business is the place or location, before you can say that this spot is best for the location of your franchise you should ask these question, â€Å"who are the target customers in this site? †, â€Å"what are the possible threats in this location? †, â€Å"Who are the competitors in this area? †, â€Å"Is the place suitable for the kind of business I will establish?Or vice versa†, If you are able to answer all of these presiding questions then you are now on your road to survival in establishing a business. Of course in minding your four P’s, the place is the most critical among the four. You have to consider everything. According to Mr. Chaze, you have to make sure that the place where your business franchise will be built should be in a very crowdy place. Given the examples are near the schools, malls, market place, subdivisions and etc. Price Franchisees ar e given the right to use the franchiser’s trademark in franchising.Then franchisers are providing full support to franchisees in terms of staff training, research and development, advertising and promotion. However, franchisees follow strict standards and run their outlets by the book. So in terms of pricing, franchisees needs to abide the rules and regulations in price setting according to the book of rules of the company. If the company changes their price on the products, so will the franchisees be. Overall, the prices in all Jollibee stores are based on the main office of the company. PromotionIn terms of promotion, the Jollibee foods corporation promotes their products through advertising in TV commercials and radio stations, Sponsorship, tarpaulins, and promo’s like tipid cards. If they have new offers in purchasing their product, they made it through personal or suggestive selling. Like their latest offer now the â€Å"happy plus card†, this card is a rel oadable card wherein you can buy their product without paying cash. You can also earn points for rewards. The bigger points you have, the bigger reward you may get. SWOT Strengths of the company 7-Eleven convenience storeCompany History The 7-eleven chain of stores started when an ice dock operator in Dallas, Texas began selling bread, milk and eggs to customers on Sundays and evenings-when grocery stores were closed- apart from the ice blocks they bought to keep in their boxes at home. The idea for the convenience store chain began in 1927 at the Southland Ice Company in Dallas, Texas. 7-elevens first outlet was known as tote’m stores because the customers â€Å"toted† away their purchases (some even lugged Alaskan totem poles in front The name 7-eleven originated in 1946; when the stores were open from 7a. . to 11 p. m. It wasn’t long before 7-eleven stores were open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Company logo Company Trademark 7-eleven is known for it†™s gulp and Slurpee products. It is open 24/7. Capital In getting a franchise of a 7-eleven store, you should have at least a starting capital of 5 million to 10 million, this is only for the name of the company. For the stocks, you should have an another million for sustaining the needs of your store in order to meet also the needs of the customers.

Discuss the various roles of social work which need to be employed in addressing ‘transphobia’

Transphobia is a recent phenomenon in the forum of Social Work and inequalities; a term that's tagged on at the end of the line of inequalities faced by people from the differing community factions that don't fit into the mould of societal norms of traditionally white, patriarchal expectations. Despite the profusion of papers on wider transgender issues, there is a paucity of research discussing Social Worker and Mental Health practitioner interventions and their considered roles; this is given the emergence of trans issues in the UK thus highlighting the nascent need for debate. Consideration has to be given to the conflicts that exist on the use of the transgender label, and specifically how it fits in with existence of the bi-polar binary gender system (Monro 2002); practitioners ought to consider a wider remit that includes not just the traditionally considered core elements of transsexual and transvestite people, but notably, the three different spheres of transgenderism which embraces those who are biologically, socially or morphologically transgendered (Laframbiose 2003), moreover, the realisation that the philosophies and politics behind the issues of transgenderism no longer belongs to a small community that practitioners will rarely come across in their careers, but instead on a daily basis to a whole range of individuals that do not adopt society's typically patriarchal expectations of male and female, including those that fit outside the bi-polar gender binary system but who do not adopt the trans label. The new reality that practitioners face is that, daily, there is increasing potential of working with individuals who deviate from the traditional notion of gender binaries, including those people who arguably deviate to a trans role, but who don't adopt the label though non-the-less experience transphobia; a contradiction in terms requiring pause for constructive reflection. Initial stages of practitioner intervention In order to ascertain practitioner roles, there is a need for full appreciation of the barriers in conforming to the norms of the wider society in general. Traditional psychological paradigms are starting to move with mental health providers working towards de-pathologising trans individuals as having ‘normal' mental health (Cole and Meyer, 1998 in Raj, 2002); the inference here is that transgender is not a psychological problem, but more that the problem is handed over to individuals in society who fail to recognise the unconventional variations of gender roles and identity; a similar pattern follows with the social model of disability, which argues that it isn't the impairments that causes the problems of disability, but that the responsibility for disability is placed squarely on society (Oliver, 1990); I argue that this lateral notion is no different, perhaps pioneering a new definition and need for nascent debate for a ‘Social Model of Transgenderism'. Practitioners should adopt clear aims to apply the ‘core values' of Social Work (Thompson, 2000), thus ensuring they work within an anti-oppressive framework which empowers trans individuals to access a range of services to which they are entitled. According to observations by Raj (2002), there is the requirement to express an attitude that is respectful, sensitive, accepting, validating, affirming, empathic, caring, compassionate, encouraging, supportive, and mutually trusting and trustworthy; the Social Model notion mentioned earlier would benefit the relationship between the ‘service provider and customer'; Raj goes on to add that this approach ensures an honest negotiation for services that is informed by a mutual contract of respect and trust for each other; this is currently negated by the specific experiences of transsexual people in the UK who are subjected to various hoops to obtain the treatments they desire, as according to Eyre in her work for Charing Cross, she advises the need for gender identity clinics to become more client focused (1999), signifying that potential conflicts still exist between professionals and differing trans client groups who fear personally negative outcomes of practitioner interventions, an issue that should to be addressed to ensure that the needs of transgender people are being considered appropriately and respectfully. Roles within practitioner intervention The three main areas of work with which practitioners are concerned with are to work effectively and efficiently with trans individuals following standards of conduct laid down by the GSCC (2002), to work effectively with the agencies who can assist trans people and thirdly, to use a pertinent role enabling individuals to move forward with their lives, roles that are important to enable individuals contend with feelings of despair and a lack of self worth, some even attempt suicide; furthermore, according to Monro (2000), she broadly writes; ‘Economic exclusion is one example of transphobia, unless gender ambiguous people are able to successfully ‘pass' as male or female, are frequently victims of violence and abuse and like intersex people, are socially invisible with hardly any representation in the media, social policy and sexual minorities, and lack service provision in areas such as education, the family and the penal system.' If trans people regularly experience these ranges of prejudices, the urgency becomes clear for practitioners to engage trans individuals in resolving these injustices, therefore facilitating their rightful integration as equal citizens; furthermore, the ‘National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors' indicates that not all trans individuals are at the same stage of self-acceptance and identity development (1999); this suggests that there are issues to be addressed in terms of trans people's comfort levels in coming out and disclosing their minority status. Any practitioner's intervention should assess for individual's development in terms of their mental health, stress levels, self concept and access to social supports. Recognising that discrimination against trans people is pervasive in this society (T.A.P. 1999), practitioners are faced with issues of prejudices experienced on a daily basis by individuals which includes being denied housing, employment, medical treatment, legal protection or some aspects of ‘hate crime' in the community. During 1999, transsexual individuals met with key figures at a local health authority to look at patient's clinical needs as they would for any other group (PFC, 1999); this experience contributed to the development of initial recommendations to the Parliamentary Forum, which resulted in the ‘Report of Interdepartmental Working Group Transsexual People' in April 2000 (Home Office). This experience simply highlights how by acting in a significant ‘activist' role and engaging individuals in small, localised issues of concern, can prove to be a stimulating and empowering experience and shows how such efforts by trans people can be used to good effect in proposals for a national governmental initiative thus helping to further break down the barriers of transphobia. As ‘advocates', it is essential to recognise the difficult positions that some trans individuals find themselves. Given that advocacy is something we approach others to take on board (Scottish Executive 2002) trans people become vulnerable as a result of the transphobic prejudices they face whether on a national scale via bad media experiences, or more directly from incidents within the local community. Some trans people do not have the close connections of friends and family to give the support that is required. The practitioner's role in this case would be to ensure that trans individuals have a facility to speak out so that their views and feelings can be expressed in a safe environment without prejudice, and being an effective advocate that sees things from a trans persons perspective can empower individuals to make their own decisions, work a way forward and make some waves to resolve their difficulties. This has to be done on their terms and allows them to be in control of the whole process; for example, it is easy for advocates to do everything on an individual's behalf, though is it only true advocacy if the trans individual was given the power to decide whether the practitioner acts on their behalf, or acts as an influential professional enabling the individual to do things for themselves. Practitioners effectively act as the link between individuals and the agencies and resources available to them. An example of the work of a ‘broker' is perhaps that of the financial advisor, familiar with the availability of financial packages; in this respect, the practitioner needs to have a very clear knowledge of the agencies, services and packages available to the trans individual. Despite scant resources, there are important organisations including, but not limited to, the Gender Trust, Beaumont Society, GIRES and PFC, each offering specific roles to trans people. One of the aims of GIRES (2003), is to provide education on gender identity issues; they offer financial support for the educational work carried on at local level by trans people who are unemployed or on low incomes. Understanding the eligibility of these funding resources is just as important as realising the different target groups that each of the remaining organisations are aimed at. In carrying out day to day work, the ‘Trans-Yorks Project (2003) gives inspirational examples of work undertaken by trans people within Yorkshire and Humberside; Trans-Yorks is an organisation run for and by trans people, though needless to say, many lessons can be learnt from observing a project giving ideas for practitioners to take on board in other areas. The founding ‘coordinator' also acted as the ‘initiator' who was responsible for bringing together the components of the voluntary organisation in so many different ways, which ranged from providing a telephone support helpline, discussion e-mail list, resourceful website, newsletter, information library, fundraising and social events. What resulted was the development of a constitution and a committee of trans people charged with the daily running of the groups' activities forging what is a forward thinking voluntary organisation which empowers local trans people to partake in the wider community and raise their own sense of identity, confidence and self esteem. Much can be learned here in developing the same resources elsewhere in the UK. ‘Educating' others about the issues of transphobia and trans lifestyles requires practitioners to become fully informed; they need to be ‘knowledgeable' in order to be effective, and can certainly provide a useful role in highlighting to trans individuals that the problems they have may well not be of their doing; certainly, being ‘told' that they have been the subjects of ‘victimisation', ‘bullying' and ‘harassment' can be empowering, and moreover, engages individuals to realise that there are acts, resources and agencies that can assist in overcoming the problems they face. An example is that the Protection from Harassment Act (1997) can be a powerful tool in engaging the individual with their local police force to resolve issues of ‘hate' crimes that have been made against them. Issues arise if the practitioner is not able to communicate this information effectively so that it is easily understood. Practitioners are often engaged in an ‘Enabler' role with individuals; enabling a trans individual to cope with ‘transitional' stress from one gender to another, in being able to come to terms with, find and accept their own sense of gender identity, along with developing their place in the community is an important role to acknowledge. CCETSW (in Thompson 2000) explained the process of ensuring people have opportunities to explore their own strengths, and then break down the problems that they have into components so that they could be tackled more easily; this process will generally include establishing some aims and goals such as ascertaining access to education, obtaining and maintaining work, or simply finding new friends in the local community. Issues arise in overcoming trans people's sense of poor self esteem and confidence, and so counselling skills formed from social work theories can be used in collaboration with other agencies and community projects, proving of benefit to the trans individual. It is worth noting that the majority of trans people, once they have settled their identity along the gender spectrum, often feel quite happy and contribute to society; however, there are some individuals who would benefit from being informed about the benefits of social work interventions at a level that best suits them, but which does not oppress them into an interventionists ‘contract'. A key task for practitioners is being involved with facilitating activities with local client groups, thus encouraging people to bring their ideas together either in brainstorming sessions, or opportunities that contribute to policy development or new initiatives to benefit the trans community and self defined by the group itself. As the ‘facilitator' in these situations, the essential part of a regular role for practitioners. According to Iowa State University (1992), developing a partnership of trust and ensuring everyone is fully involved in unity to achieve an agreed objective is the most essential task. This is a process that worked very well for Bockting et al (1999) who were charged with the task of getting together community representatives to develop an educational HIV prevention package for transgender people; the effective facilitation of this project resulted in increased partnership which led to a more effective campaign working towards promoting better health amongst transgender people. As in any other community, conflicts and problems do arise, and one of the key practitioner roles in any case is that of ‘mediation' in order to resolve conflicts and problems not just for the trans individuals, but also those closely related to them; one example specifically relates to a call in mediation in relation to trans parents, their partners and their children and often, Social Work practitioners are called in by the Children's a Families section to make an assessment in terms of The Children Act 1989 and the Family Law Act 1996. According to Press for Change (2002) when a custody battle develops, the courts reluctantly award custody to the trans parent thus frequently place very severe restrictions on access, sometimes wholly forbidding access; this relates well with the fact that s.1 of The Children Act (1989) considers the interests of the child as being paramount and commonly, the trans birth parent will often feel oppressed and discriminated against; this is further compounded by the fact that the other parent and their social worker might assess that children could be disturbed by contact with a parent that has a trans identity. This therefore necessitates the role of mediation which enables the practitioner to educate and explain the situation to the close relations and friends to ensure contact is not lost and that access to their children is not prevented. In much of this, the role of ‘negotiator' is often called for, and is not dissimilar to that of the neutral mediator. Getting a consensus even between the different factions of the trans community, and the agencies charged with providing a service to them does involve fighting for a middle ground that all sides can settle down to in order to achieve a consensus between all sides; the question is, just what is there to negotiate? A look back on all the different roles that practitioners play will reveal the deep seated transphobia that trans people face in their lives, and in every aspect of intervention with trans people will mean coming to the bargaining table to achieve the one thing that trans people seek to achieve, a sense of fairness, justice and most all, the right to equality and respect. Conclusion Raj (2002) made some important recommendations in working towards an overall goal of providing a ‘transpositive and therapeutic' approach that is ‘trans affirmative' and which considers individual trans individuals using a ‘best fit' approach; the suggestion here is that rather than perhaps working to a gender binary approach, that instead a reflexive role be taken on which accommodates and appreciates the needs of the specific gender that an individual feels to be, even if it doesn't fit in with societal norms thus eliminating any opportunities for transphobia to occur in the relationship with practitioner and the individual Indeed, the practitioner can apply their role appropriately depending on the practice setting, and that the needs, wishes and feelings of the individual trans person are taken into consideration first and foremost, and certainly before those of the practitioner; Furthermore, the recommendations given by Raj are significant in that suggestions are given for ongoing professional development ensuring that practitioners are ‘aware' of current trends and issues in transgenderism. Not only will such an approach ensure a more effective collaboration between practitioner and individual, but also assures the individual will not only receive the best quality professional response, but that the agency can report an increasingly value for money service which responds to, and is accepted by the trans community.

Global Marketing and RD Essays

Global Marketing and RD Essays Global Marketing and RD Paper Global Marketing and RD Paper Global Marketing and R D Chapter Outline OPENING CASE: Dove – Building a Global Brand INTRODUCTION THE GLOBALIZATION OF MARKETS AND BRANDS MARKET SEGMENTATION Management Focus: Marketing to Black Brazil PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES Cultural Differences Economic Development Product and Technical Standards DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY Differences between Countries Choosing a Distribution Strategy COMMUNICATION STRATEGY Barriers to International Communication Management Focus: Overcoming Cultural Barriers to Selling Tampons Push Versus Pull Strategies Management Focus: Unilever- Selling to India’s Poor Global Advertising PRICING STRATEGY Price Discrimination Strategic Pricing Regulatory Influences on Prices CONFIGURING THE MARKETING MIX Management Focus: Castor Oil in Vietnam NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT The Location of RD Integrating RD, Marketing, and Production Cross-Functional Teams Building Global RD Capabilities SUMMARY CRITICAL THINKING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS CLOSING CASE: Levi Strauss Goes Local Learning Objectives 1. Explain why it might make sense to vary the attributes of a product from country to country. 2. Articulate why and how a firms distribution system might vary among countries. . Identify why and how advertising and promotional strategies might vary among countries. 4. Explain why and how a firms pricing strategy might vary among countries. 5. Discuss how the globalization of the world economy is affecting new-product development within the international business firm Chapter Summary This chapter focuses on the marketing and RD activities of global firms. The chapter begins with a re view of the four elements that constitute a firms marketing mix: product attributes, distribution strategy, communication strategy, and pricing strategy. : A firms marketing mix is the set of choice that if offers its customers. Many firms vary their marketing mix from country to country depending on differences in cultures, levels of economic development, product and technical standards, the availability of distribution channels, and so forth. The chapter discusses the strategic implications of each element of the marketing mix for an international firm. The link between marketing and RD is also discussed. The author stresses the point that selling a product on a global scale may require that a firm vary its products from country to country to satisfy local preferences. This may require a firm to establish RD centers in different parts of the world, and closely link RD and marketing in each region to ensure that the company is producing products that its overseas customers will buy. Opening Case: Dove – Building a Global Brand Summary The opening case explores how Unilever’s reconfigured its marketing mix for its Dove brand. Historically, Unilever had customized its products and marketing campaigns for each market, a strategy that not only resulted in duplication of effort, but also in organizational complexity. In 2003, Unilever shifted its strategy to develop a more globally standardized approach for Dove. The company now uses a basic message for the brand, and allows some customization at the local level. Discussion of the case can begin with the following questions: QUESTION 1: How would you describe Unilever’s approach to international markets prior to 2003? What were the advantages of this strategy? What were the drawbacks of this approach? ANSWER 1: Prior to 2003, Unilever more or less approached each market individually. The company often developed entirely different products and marketing campaigns for each market. In India for example, the company developed a shampoo designed to clean hair that had been oiled. But it also developed entirely different products for both Hong Kong and China. This strategy of customizing products, packaging, and messages to individual markets while allowing the firm to cater to the individual needs of customers also led to high costs, complexity, and confusion within the organization. QUESTION 2: In 2003, Unilever adopted its Real Beauty strategy. Explain how this new strategy differed from its traditional approach to foreign markets? How should this new approach help Unilever’s international sales? ANSWER 2: Unilever’s Real Beauty strategy involved establishing a basic product and message that could be used across several markets, but that allowed for tweaking at the local level. So, rather than developing a Dove shampoo and message for the Indian market, and for the Chinese market, and so on, the company used a basic message that Dove stood for the beauty of all women, and then the product and message was adapted to local markets. So, while the basic message is the same, in the Latin America, ads might show women touching each other, but in the United States, the ad might show women standing apart from each other. Moreover, the Real Beauty message was carried through other products like body gels and skin creams allowing Unilever to further reduce its costs. So far, the new strategy seems to be working. Dove is now a leading brand in the global market place. Teaching Tip: To see learn more about Unilever’s international operations and its Real Beauty strategy, go to { unilever. com/}. Lecture Note: To extend this discussion to Unilever’s efforts to market a new shampoo in several countries, go to { businessweek. om/globalbiz/content/feb2008/gb20080215_454648. htm? chan=search}. Chapter Outline with Lecture Notes, Video Notes, and Teaching Tips INTRODUCTION A) This chapter explores how an international business can perform marketing and RD activities to reduce the costs of value creation and add value by better serving customer needs. B) The tension that exists in most international businesses between the need to reduce costs and the need to be responsive to local conditions is pa rticularly predominant in this chapter as we look at the development and marketing of products C) The four elements that constitute a firm’s marketing mix, or set of choices the firm offers to its targeted markets, are product attributes, distribution strategy, communication strategy, and pricing strategy. THE GLOBALIZATION OF MARKETS AND BRANDS A) Theodore Levitt wrote lyrically about the globalization of world markets. Levitt’s arguments are worth quoting at some length since they have become something of a lightening rod for the debate about the extent of globalization. B) The current consensus among academics is that although the world is moving towards global markets, the continuing persistence of cultural and economic differences among nations acts as a major brake on any trend toward global consumer tastes and preferences. In addition, trade barriers and differences in product and technical standards also constrain a firms ability to sell a standardized product to a global market. Teaching Tip: Some firms area in the business of helping firms go global. One example is Global Reach { glreach. com/eng/intltrade/index. hp3} which focuses on international Internet marketing. MARKET SEGMENTATION A) Market segmentation refers to identifying distinct groups of consumers whose purchasing behavior differs from others in important ways. Firms must adjust their marketing mix from segment to segment. The goal is to optimize the fit between the purchasing behavior of consumers in a given segment and the marketing mix. B) International managers need to consi der the existence of segments that transcend national borders and understand differences across countries in the structure of segments. C) For a segment to transcend national borders, consumers in that segment must have some compelling similarities that lead to similarities in purchasing behavior. D) Where such similarities do not exist, there must be some customization if the firm is to maximize performance in the market. This customization may be in the product, the packaging, or simply the way in which the product is marketed. E) Global market segments are much more likely to exist in industrial products (e. g. , memory chips, chemical products, and corporate bonds) than in consumer products. Management Focus: Marketing to Black Brazil Summary This feature explores how companies are marketing to Brazil’s black population. Although Brazil is home to a sizable racial minority, to date companies have essentially ignored the market segment. Now however, companies are beginning to target the group using products and promotions specifically developed for the market. Discussion of the feature can begin with the following questions: Suggested Discussion Questions 1. Describe the differences between the black population in the United States and the black population in Brazil. What are the implications of these differences for the Brazilian culture as a whole? Discussion Points: Racial discrimination in the United States has made the country’s black population an identifiable subculture. In contrast, in Brazil racism has been more subtle, and the black population has not been excluded in the manner found in the United States. In fact, Brazil has encouraged marriages between blacks and whites. In the end, most African-Brazilians think of themselves as part of a culture that transcends race, rather than as black or white. Most students will probably suggest that this attitude promotes a more cohesive culture where biases toward or against certain groups are not prevalent. 2. How has Unilever targeted the black population in Brazil? How does the company’s strategy in Brazil differ from its strategy in other countries? What does your response tell you about Unilever’s overall global marketing strategy? Discussion Points: Because Brazil’s blacks think of themselves as falling into a range of skin tones, rather than being simply black, Unilever’s approach to the Brazilian market has been to target the entire population rather than certain segments. The company’s advertisements show people with different skin tones, not just blacks or whites, and its products are labeled as being for tan and black people so as to cover a greater range of consumers. Students will probably note that this strategy indicates that Unilever is using a localization approach for its marketing. Teaching Tip: Unilever’s web site { unilever. com/} is an interesting one to visit. You can click on countries and brands to see how the company sells its products in different markets. Lecture Note: To extend this discussion to include some of Unilever’s other efforts in foreign markets, consider { usinessweek. com/globalbiz/content/sep2007/gb20070926_123492. htm? chan=search} and { businessweek. com/globalbiz/content/aug2007/gb20070824_230078. htm? chan=search}. ? PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES A) Products sell well when their attributes match consumer needs. If consumer needs were the same the world over, a firm could simply sell the same product world wide. But consumer needs vary from country to country depending on culture and the level of economic development. In addition, firms are limited by countries differing product standards. Cultural Differences B) Countries differ along a whole range of cultural dimensions, including tradition, social structure, language, religion, and education. At the same time, there is some evidence of the trends Levitt talked about. Tastes and preferences are becoming more cosmopolitan. Economic Development C) Just as important as differences in culture are differences in the level of economic development. Firms based in highly developed countries tend to build a lot of extra performance attributes into their products. Consumers in less developed nations do not usually demand these extra attributes, instead the preference is for more basic products. Product and Technical Standards D) Notwithstanding the forces that are creating some convergence of consumer tastes and preferences, Levitts vision of global markets may still be a long way off due to national differences in product and technological standards. DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY A) A critical element of a firms marketing mix is its distribution strategy, the means it chooses for delivering the product to the consumer. B) Figure 15. 1 in the text illustrates a typical distribution system consisting of a channel that includes a wholesale distributor and a retailer. If the firm manufactures it product in the particular country, it can sell directly to the consumer, to the retailer, or to the wholesaler. The same options are available to a firm that manufacturers outside the country. Differences between Countries C) The four main differences between distribution systems are retail concentration, channel length, channel exclusivity, and channel quality. Retail Concentration D) In some countries the retail system is very concentrated, whereas in other countries it is fragmented. In a concentrated retail system, a few retailers supply most of the market. A fragmented retail system is one in which there are many retailers, no one of which has a major share of the market. Channel Length E) Channel length refers to the number of intermediaries between the producer and the consumer. If the producer sells directly to the consumer, the channel is very short. If the producer sells through an import agent, a wholesaler, and a retailer, a longer channel exists. F) In recent years, the Internet has helped to shorten channels as has the entry of large discount retailers to some markets. Channel Exclusivity G) An exclusive distribution channel is one that is difficult for outsiders to access. Japans system is often held up as an example of a very exclusive system. Channel Quality H) Channel quality refers to the expertise, competencies, and skills of established retailers in a nation, and their ability to sell and support the products of international businesses. The quality of retailers is good in most developed countries, but is variable at best in emerging markets and less developed countries. Choosing a Distribution Strategy I) The choice of distribution strategy determines which channel the firm will use to reach potential consumers. Since each intermediary in a channel adds its own markup to the product, there is generally a critical link between channel length and the firms profit margin. J) A long channel also has benefits. One benefit of using a longer channel is that it economizes on selling costs when the retail sector is very fragmented. Another benefit is increased market access. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY A) Another critical element in the marketing mix is communicating the attributes of the product to prospective customers. A number of communication channels are available to a firm. They include direct selling, sales promotion, direct marketing, and advertising. B) A firms communications strategy is partly defined by its choice of channel. Barriers to International Communication C) International communication occurs whenever a firm uses a marketing message to sell its products in another country. The effectiveness of a firms international communication can be jeopardized by three potentially critical variables: cultural barriers, source effects, and noise levels. Cultural Barriers D) Cultural barriers can make it difficult to communicate messages across cultures. The best way for a firm to overcome cultural barriers is to develop cross-cultural literacy. Source and Country of Origin Effects E) Source effects occur when the receiver of the message (the potential consumer) evaluates the message based upon the status or image of the sender. Source effects can be either positive or negative. A subset of source effects is referred to as country of origin effects (the extent to which the place of manufacturing influences product evaluations). Lecture Note: The class can be stimulated to think of some positive and negative source effects (German autos vs. German wine, Italian cuisine vs. British cuisine). Noise Levels F) Noise tends to reduce the chance of effective communication. In this context, noise refers to the amount of other messages that are competing for a potential consumers attention. Management Focus: Overcoming Cultural Barriers to Selling Tampons Summary This feature examines Procter Gamble’s (PG) efforts to bring tampons to the world. After purchasing Tambrands in 1997, PG found that marketing strategies that were successful in the United States failed to generate sales in many other parts of the world. PG, in an effort to reach new customers, has developed a new marketing strategy that is based on direct selling and relationship marketing. The strategy is currently being tested in Mexico, and if successful, will be implemented in other South American markets. Discussion of the feature can begin with the following questions: Suggested Discussion Questions 1. How has culture affected PG’s efforts to sell tampons around the world? Discussion Points: Culture has played a significant role in PG’s effort to sell tampons. While tampons are commonly used in North America and much of northwestern Europe, sales are almost nonexistent in other parts of the world. Many cultures link the use of tampons with a loss of virginity. The company has been forced to take a personal approach to marketing, and include education as part of its strategy. 2. PG has resorted to direct selling and relationship marketing to sell tampons. In your opinion, would these methods work in the United States? Why or why not? Discussion Points: Most students would probably argue that direct selling and relationship marketing would not be necessary in the United States where tampon usage is already high. Teaching Tip: To further explore Procter Gamble’s international marketing efforts, go to { pg. com/en_US/index. html}, and click on â€Å"PG Global Operations. † To see how PG changes its marketing mix across countries, click on several countries and follow a few products. Push versus Pull Strategies G) The main choice with regard to communication strategy is between a push strategy and a pull strategy. A push strategy emphasizes personnel selling whereas a pull strategy emphasizes mass media advertising. The choice be tween push and pull strategies depends upon product type and consumer sophistication, channel length, and media availability. Product Type and Consumer Sophistication ? H) A pull strategy is generally favored by firms in consumer goods industries that are trying to sell to a large segment of the market. In contrast, firms that sell industrial products or other complex products favor a push strategy. Channel Length I) Using direct selling to push a product through many layers of a distribution channel can be very expensive. In such circumstances, a firm may try to pull its product through the channels by using mass advertising to create consumer demand. Media Availability J) A pull strategy relies on access to advertising media. A push strategy is more attractive when access to mass media is limited. Video Note: China now has more Internet users than any other nation in the world – a situation which is sure to attract the attention of many companies that market or advertise their products using this medium. However, as the iGlobe Growing Internet Use in China Reflects Changing Society points out, Internet users in China tend to be quite different from Internet users in other countries like the United States. The Push-Pull Mix K) Push strategies tend to be emphasized more in the following circumstances: for industrial products and/or complex new products, when distribution channels are short, and when few print or electronic media are available. L) Pull strategies tend to be emphasized more in the following circumstances: for consumer goods products, when distribution channels are long, and when sufficient print and electronic media are available to carry the marketing message. Management Focus: Unilever- Selling to India’s Poor Summary This feature explores Unilever ’s innovative global marketing strategy. Unilever maintains a substantial presence in many of the world’s poorer nations where low-income levels, unsophisticated consumers, illiteracy, a fragmented retail distribution system, and unpaved roads make marketing difficult. Still, the company has managed to succeed thanks to its efforts to customize its marketing strategy to the local market. Discussion of the feature can begin with the following questions: ? Suggested Discussion Questions 1. Discuss the effects of India’s culture on each of the components of Unilever’s marketing strategy. What can Unilever learn from its experiences in India? Discussion Points: In India, Unilever faces numerous challenges to its marketing strategy. Income levels are low, consumers are unsophisticated and illiterate, the retail distribution system is fragmented, and the road system is poor. However, by adapting to the environment, Unilever has built a small, but successful business in the country. Because most consumers do not have access to television, the company posts advertisements in common meeting areas such as village wells and marketplaces. The company also takes part in weekly markets where it not only sells its products, but it also gives away free samples. Unilever has also made a strong effort to fit in with the country’s retail system, and stocks its products in small size packages in about 3 million stores, many of which are very tiny. 2. Is Unilever’s strategy in India a push strategy or a pull strategy? Explain. Discussion Points: Most students will suggest that Unilever’s strategy in India is a push strategy. The country has few mass media options, and consequently has been forced to take a unique approach to developing awareness of its products among consumers. Unilever representatives frequently establish a presence in locations where people tend to congregate such as riverbanks where clothes washing takes place, or the village well or marketplace. Teaching Tip: As noted earlier, Unilever’s web site { unilever. om/}is worth a visit. Go to the company’s Indian site by selecting it from the list available on the homepage and compare the company’s marketing efforts there to the strategy used in other countries. Global Advertising L) In recent years there has been much discussion about the pros and cons of standardized advertising worldwide. For Standardized Advertising M) The suppo rt for global advertising is threefold. 1) It has significant economic advantages. 2) There is the concern that creative talent is scarce and that one large effort to develop a campaign will produce better results than 40 or 50 smaller efforts. ) Brand names are global. Against Standardized Advertising N) There are two main arguments against globally standardized advertising. 1) Cultural differences among nations are such that a message that works in one nation can fail miserably in another. 2) Country differences in advertising regulations may block implementation of standardized advertising. Dealing with Country Differences O) Some firms have been experimenting with tactics that allow them to capture some of the benefits of global standardization while recognizing differences in countries cultural and legal environments. PRICING STRATEGY A) International pricing strategy is an important component of the overall international marketing mix. Issues to consider include the case for pursing price discrimination, strategic pricing, and how regulatory factors influence prices. Price Discrimination B) Price discrimination exists whenever consumers in different countries are charged different prices for the same product. Price discrimination can help a firm to maximize its profits. C) For price discrimination to work the firm must be able to keep national markets separate and different price elasticities of demand must exist in different countries. The price elasticity of demand is a measure of the responsiveness of demand for a product to changes in price. Demand is said to be elastic when a small change in price produces a large change in demand. Demand is inelastic when a large change in price produces only a small change in demand. D) The elasticity of demand is determined by a number of factors, of which income level and competitive conditions are probably the most important. In general, price elasticity tends to be greater in countries with lower income levels and greater numbers of competitors. Strategic Pricing E) The concept of strategic pricing has three aspects, which we will refer to as predatory pricing, multi-point pricing, and experience curve pricing. Predatory Pricing F) Predatory pricing involves using the profit gained in one market to support aggressive pricing in another market. The objective is to drive competitors out of the market. ? Multi-point Pricing Strategy G) Multi-point pricing strategy becomes an issue in those situations where two or more international businesses compete against each in two or more distinct (national) markets. H) The concept of multi-point pricing refers to the fact a firm’s pricing strategy in one market may have an impact on their rival’s pricing strategy in another market. In particular, aggressive pricing in one market may elicit a competitive response from a rival in another market that is important to the firm. I) The managerial message in all of this is that pricing decisions around the world need to be centrally monitored. Experience Curve Pricing J) Many firms pursuing an experience curve pricing strategy on an international scale price low worldwide in an attempt to build global sales volume as rapidly as possible, even if this means taking large losses initially. Firms using experience curve pricing believe that several years in the future, when they have moved down the experience curve, they will be making substantial profits and, moreover, have a cost advantage over less aggressive competitors. Regulatory Influences on Prices K) Firms abilities to engage in either price discrimination or strategic pricing may be limited by national or international regulations. Antidumping Regulations L) Dumping occurs whenever a firm sells a product for a price that is less than the cost of producing it. M) From the perspective of an international business, the important point is that antidumping rules set a floor under export prices and limit firms’ ability to pursue strategic pricing. Competition Policy N) Most industrialized nations have regulations designed to promote competition and to restrict monopoly practices. These regulations can be used to limit the prices that a firm can charge in a given country. CONFIGURING THE MARKETING MIX A) Standardization versus customization is not an all or nothing concept. In reality most firms standardize some things and customize others. When looking at the overall marketing mix and message, one often finds some aspects of standardization and some aspects of customization in all products depending on local requirements and overall cost structures. Management Focus: Castrol Oil in Vietnam Summary This feature focuses on the strategies and experiences of Castrol Oil in marketing its GTX brand of motor oil around the world. Castrol Oil is the lubricants division of the British chemical, oil, and gas concern Burmah Castrol. Castrol Oil’s GTX brand of motor oil is marketed as a premium brand. The feature focuses on the company’s entries into the lubricants markets in Thailand and Vietnam . Castrol has a unique strategy of appealing to consumers who drive motorcycles, in hopes of developing brand loyalty and retaining these customers as their countries develop to the point where cars are more common. This strategy worked well in Thailand, and is currently under way in Vietnam. Discussion of the feature can begin with the following questions: Suggested Discussion Questions 1. In underdeveloped countries like Thailand and Vietnam, the conventional forms of media that are common in developed countries, like glossy print media and television, are often absent. This problem is particularly pronounced in Vietnam. Describe how Castrol Oil overcame this challenge. Does the company’s approach seem prudent to you? Explain your answer. Discussion Points: In Vietnam, Castrol Oil has focused on developing consumer awareness through the use of billboards, bumper stickers, and signs that are displayed at roadside garages and motorcycle cleaning shops. In addition, Vietnam was one of places visited by soccer star David Beckham as part of a global marketing campaign for the company. Students will probably argue that given the lack of alternatives, Castrol Oil has done well with its communications strategy in Vietnam. 2. Would you describe Castrol Oil’s communications strategy in Vietnam as a push or a pull strategy? Explain your answer. Discussion Points: Students will note that a pull strategy generally relies on access to advertising media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and the Internet. Because mass media options are limited in Vietnam, Unilever has turned to alternate communications methods such as stickers, billboards, and gas station signs. Accordingly, students will probably conclude that Castrol Oil is using a push strategy in Vietnam. ? 3. Castrol Oil emphasizes a premium pricing strategy. What elements of the company’s communications and distributions strategies support this premium pricing strategy? Discussion Points: Castrol Oil has priced its product at about three times the cost of cheaper imports from Taiwan and Thailand. Accordingly, the company has developed a slogan that indicates that Castrol Oil is the best quality lubricant in the market. Students will probably note that the company is currently focusing on targeting motorcycle users based on the assumption that consumers in this market will start driving cars when they become more affordable. Teaching Tip: To see more about how Castrol Oil handles its international marketing, go to { castrol. com}and click on the various country options to compare the products and services that are offered in different markets. Lecture Note: To get an applied look at how two companies market their products around the world consider visiting the web sites of Cadbury { cadbury. com/Pages/Home. aspx}and Kraft { kraft. com/default. aspx}. Both companies sells their products in many countries around the world, and by clicking on the various country locations, students can get a feel for which elements of the marketing mix have been standardized, and which have not. NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT A) Firms that successfully develop and market new products can earn enormous returns. Firms to need build close links between RD, marketing, and manufacturing. Video Note: One issue which firms must contend with is protecting their proprietary property. The iGlobe China Rising: Intellectual Piracy in China explores how many companies have been negatively affected by intellectual piracy by China. The Location of RD B) Ideas for new products are simulated by the interactions of scientific research, demand conditions, and competitive conditions. Other things being equal, the rate of new-product development seems to be greater in countries where: )More money is spent on basic and applied research and development. ii)Demand is strong. iii)Consumers are affluent. iv) Competition is intense. Integrating RD, Marketing, and Production C) The need to adequately commercialize new technologies poses special problems in the international business, since commercialization may require different versions of a new product to be produced for different countries. D) A firm’s new product development efforts need to be closely coordinated with the marketing, production, and materials management functions. This integration is critical to making certain that: product development projects are driven by customer needs, new products are designed for ease of manufacture, development costs are kept in check, and time to market is minimized. Cross-Functional Teams E) One means of achieving cross-functional integration is to have cross-functional product development teams. Effective cross functional teams should be led by a heavyweight project manager with status in the organization, include members from all the critical functional areas, have members located together, have clear goals, and have an effective conflict resolution process. Building Global RD Capabilities F) The need to integrate RD and marketing to adequately commercialize new technologies poses special problems in the international business because commercialization may require different versions of a new product to be produced for various countries. G) Integrating RD, marketing, and production in an international business may require RD centers in North America, Asia, and Europe that are closely linked by formal and informal integrating mechanisms with marketing operations in each country in their regions, and with the various manufacturing facilities. H) Some companies allocate product development responsibilities using a global network of RD centers that develop the basic technologies for new products which are then picked up by RD units attached to global product divisions and used to generate new products to serve the global marketplace. Critical Thinking and Discussion Questions 1. Imagine you are the marketing manager for a US manufacturer of disposable diapers. Your firm is considering entering the Brazilian market. Your CEO believes the advertising message that has been effective in the United States will suffice in Brazil. Outline some possible objections to this. Your CEO also believes that the pricing decisions in Brazil can be delegated to local managers. Why might she be wrong? Answer: While babies’ behinds serve the same function in all cultures, and the products technical standards may be similar, sensitivity to bodily functions does vary across cultures. Thus, the advertising message may need to be changed for different attitudes towards what is appropriate advertising. Likewise, where it might be progressive to show an ad with a male changing a diaper in some countries, in other countries this message could be lost or misinterpreted. Another consideration would be the noise level created by the advertising message of competitors products, which may well be different in Brazil. While local demand and price elasticity decisions should play an important role in Brazil, pricing should not be left solely to the discretion of the local managers. Since this is a global business, your firm will likely be competing in Brazil with some of the same competitors as elsewhere. Thus pricing decisions in one country can have an impact on pricing and competition in other markets. Similarly, your firm may want to position and price the brand similarly across different South American countries. 2. Within 20 years we will have seen the emergence of enormous global markets for standardized consumer products. Do you agree with this statement? Justify your answer. Answer: One could either choose to agree or disagree, while the best answer would likely hedge it somewhere in the middle. There are already enormous global markets already for products like Coke and Levis, but it is questionable whether there will ever be a global consumer market for Norwegian lutefisk. More global consumer markets will likely emerge, but there will continue to be national distinctions for many products. Lecture Note: In the fall of 2008, Levi Strauss was set to launch a global marketing campaign for its 501 jeans. 3. You are the marketing manager of a food products company that is considering entering the Indian market. The retail system in India tends to be very fragmented. Also, retailers and wholesalers tend to have long-term ties with Indian food companies, which makes access to distribution channels difficult. What distribution strategy would you advise the company to pursue? Why? Answer: The firm should sell to either wholesalers or import agents. Because the retail system in India is very fragmented, it would be very expensive for the firm to make contact with each individual retailer. As a result, it would be more economical for the firm to sell to wholesalers or import agents. Import agents may have long-term relationships with wholesalers, retailers, and/or other import agents. Similarly, wholesalers may have long-standing relationships with retailers and, therefore, be better able to persuade them to carry the firm’s product than the firm itself would. 4. Price discrimination in indistinguishable from dumping. Discuss the accuracy of this statement? Answer: In some specific instances this statement is correct, but as a general rule it is not. When a firm is pricing lower in a foreign country than it is in its domestic market, it can be difficult to distinguish dumping from price discrimination unless it is clear that the firm is selling at below cost in the foreign market. Yet when costs are reasonably well known and all prices are above these, or if the firm is pricing lower in its domestic market than in foreign markets, it can be reasonably concluded that price discrimination rather than dumping is occurring. . You work for a company that designs and manufactures personal computers. Your company’s RD center is in North Dakota. The computers are manufactured under contract in Taiwan. Marketing strategy is delegated to the heads of three regional groups: a North American group (based in Chicago), a European group (based in Paris), and an Asian group (based in Singapore). Each regio nal group develops the marketing approach within its region. In order of importance, the largest markets for your products are North America, Germany, Britain, China, and Australia. Your company is experiencing problems in its product development and commercialization process. Products are late to market, the manufacturing quality is poor, and costs are higher than projected, and market acceptance of new products is less than hoped for. What might be the source of these problems? How would you fix them? Answer: The dispersion of activities makes sense products are produced in the lowest cost location and marketed by people familiar with local conditions. (The RD in North Dakota must be a historical fluke. Yet this makes the coordination task extremely complex, and information required for successful commercialization is likely not being effectively communicated among all the appropriate people. Greater cross-functional integration in the new product development process should help to improve product development and commercialization. Closing Case: Levi Strauss Goes Local Summary The closing case explores how Levi Strauss, the manufacturer of blue jeans, changed its international marketing strategy to regain its competitiveness in the mid-2000s. Levi Strauss had watched its sales fall from $7. 1 billion in 1996 to just $4 billion in 2004. The company had failed to keep up with changes in the fashion market, and was out of touch with its consumer. A three part turnaround strategy was implemented, and by 2006, the company was beginning to see some improvements. Discussion of the case can begin with the following questions: QUESTION 1: What marketing strategy was Levi Strauss using until the early 2000s? Why did this strategy appear to work for decades? Why was it not working by the 2000s? ANSWER 1: Prior to implementing its turnaround strategy in 2005, Levi Strauss had been selling essentially the same product the same way around the world. The company was able to standardize its marketing mix because differences between markets were not well defined, and it was able to capitalize on its trademark name. However, during the 2000s, competition became more intense, and variations between markets more distinct. Levi Strauss, with its one-size-fits-all approach to markets saw sales drop significantly. QUESTION 2: How would you characterize Levi’s current strategy? What elements of the marketing mix are now changed from nation to nation? ANSWER 2: Most students will probably suggest that Levi Strauss is trying to pursue a transnational strategy that allows it to standardize some parts of the marketing mix, yet gives national managers the ability to tailor other parts of the marketing mix to local markets. One of the first issues Levi Strauss addressed as part of its turnaround strategy was reducing its domestic cost structure. The company closed its remaining domestic factories and shifted production to low cost locations. Levi Strauss also introduced additional products such as its Signature line that could be sold in low priced outlets like Wal-Mart. Finally, the company decentralized its marketing to local managers giving them flexibility to adapt to local market requirements. As part of the new strategy, new styles were introduced to meet differing style preferences. In addition, the company also revamped its promotion to reflect regional differences. Price and distribution were also changed. Pricing is now done on a market-by-market basis according to the competition in each market. QUESTION 3: What are the benefits of Levi’s new marketing strategy? Is there a downside? ANSWER 3: The changes Levi Strauss made to its strategy seem to be working. Growth is expected to be especially strong in developing markets. Most students will probably note that the decision to give national managers more autonomy meant that while the company lost the benefits of economies of scale in advertising and production that it had previously had, consumers’ demands were better met. However, some students may point out that the new strategy means that differences between national markets became are now more pronounced- a change that could be an issue further down the road. QUESTION 4: What does the Levi Strauss story tell you about the â€Å"globalization of markets†? ANSWER 4: Theodore Levitt suggested that consumer tastes and preferences are becoming more global, and that standardized consumer products will become the norm. In fact, Levitt might argue that in the world of blue jeans there are strong similarities in groups such as the teen market that run across national borders. However, he might be surprised to find that strong cultural preferences also seem to exist in the market. For example, Japanese consumers prefer skinny, black jeans, while women from South Africa prefer jeans with a little more room in the backside. Many students might conclude that while there are some similarities in markets, many of the similarities are too broad to allow for a standardized marketing mix around the world. Teaching Tip: To see how the recovery at Levi Strauss has progressed, go to { levistrauss. com/} and click on â€Å"International† then explore the various topics including values and vision, and company transformation. Lecture Note: Levi Strauss seems to be taking a more standardized approach to its marketing campaign. The company began a new campaign in the fall of 2008. More details can be found in the Wall Street Journal July 18, 2008, p. B7 â€Å"Levi’s Marketers Hope One Size Fits All†. Continuous Case Concept As automakers seek to expand their market share in foreign countries, they are challenged by the age-old question of whether they can sell the same model everywhere or whether a new model must be developed to meet the needs of each individual market. Some companies like BMW and Mercedes believed, when they made North American expansion a priority, that they needed to be closer to the market in order to get a real feel for local design preferences, and so consequently moved their production to the United States. Other companies like Hyundai and Kia have established design centers in Germany to take advantage of like minds and knowledge of the local market. Honda is predicting that buyers in India will be more attracted to motorcycles than traditional vehicles. Honda, together with its Indian partner, sold more than 4 million two-wheelers in India in 2007. In Japan, automakers are trying to figure out how to get younger drivers interested in actually owning cars. Japan’s younger generation is seemingly indifferent to the notion of car ownership, preferring instead to spend their money on other things entirely. ? Ask students to discuss how Ted Levitt would view the world’s auto markets. Would he believe that standardization of the marketing mix is possible, why or why not? Did Henry Ford have the right idea (you can buy the car in any color as long as it is black)? Next, develop a list of attributes that might be important in a car. What do Europeans consumers want in a car? How does this compare to the average American or Japanese consumer? For example, does the rugged pick-up truck driver image work in Japan? Does the sleek, powerful European car work in China? Then, consider the notion of a world car- a car that could be successful in any market. What factors could prevent the development of such a product? Consider issues related to culture, distribution, a country’s level of economic development, and so on. Finally, consider mistakes foreign automakers could make when designing their cars for foreign customers. How could the presence of a joint venture partner help the company avoid these mistakes? This exercise can be used as a summary discussion for this chapter, or it can be broken down into segments. For example, the second question of this exercise works well as an introduction to international marketing. The first question can be addressed after discussing the notion of standardization of the marketing mix, and at this point, you might also revisit the second question. Finally, the third question allows you incorporate previous discussion of the benefits of a joint venture to international marketing. globalEDGE Exercises Use the globalEDGE Resource Desk {http://globalEDGE. msu. edu/ResourceDesk/} to complete the following exercises. Exercise 1 You are the marketing manager of a diversified food and beverage company. Preliminary market research indicates that Peru holds significant opportunities for your products. Using an analysis of the Food and beverage industry in Peru that you found on Austrade, the Australian government’s trade portal, prepare a short report identifying the factors that need to be considered when formulating the marketing strategy for this country. Answer: The information can be gathered by searching the phrase â€Å"Austrade† at http://globalEDGE. msu. edu/ResourceDesk/. The Austrade site is found under globalEDGE category â€Å"Research: Multicountry. † Once on the website, click on â€Å"Export Markets† menu and select â€Å"Industries within Countries,†. Then select â€Å"Food and Beverage to Peru. Search Phrase: â€Å"Austrade† Resource Name: Austrade Online Industry and Country Information Website: austrade. gov. au/Industry-overviews/default. aspx globalEDGE Category: â€Å"Industry: Industry Specific† Exercise 2 A. T. Kearney publishes an annual study to help retailers prioritize their global development strateg ies by ranking the retail expansion attractiveness of emerging countries based on a set of criteria. Find the latest version of this Global Retail Development Index. What criteria are used to identify the attractiveness of the retail environment in emerging countries? Are there any countries in the top 10 that surprise you? Answer: The A. T. Kearney report can be accessed by using the search term â€Å"Global Retail Development Index† at http://globalEDGE. msu. edu/ResourceDesk/. The PDF report has the top 30 countries listed. The web page as well as the report describes in detail the criteria used. Search Phrase: â€Å"Global Retail Development Index† Resource Name: A. T. Kearney: The Global Retail Development Index atkearney. com/main. taf? p=5,4,1,131 globalEDGE Category: â€Å"Research: Rankings† Additional Readings and Sources of Information The Arab World Wants its MTV businessweek. com/magazine/content/07_43/b4055067. htm? chan=search Jack Daniel’s International Appeal businessweek. com/innovate/content/oct2007/id20071010_651037. htm? chan=search One World, One Car, One Name businessweek. com/magazine/content/08_12/b4076063825013. htm? chan=search Jaguar: Finally Ready to Roar? businessweek. com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/mar2008/db20080325_325999. htm Avoiding Faux Pas When Exporting businessweek. com/smallbiz/content/jun2007/sb20070627_897013. htm? chan=search

Imporant Decisions In Huck Finn Essays - English-language Films

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Know More About Consonant Sounds and Letters in English

Know More About Consonant Sounds and Letters in English A consonant is a  speech sound thats not a vowel. The  sound of a consonant is produced by a partial or complete obstruction of the airstream by a constriction of the speech  organs. In writing, a consonant is any  letter of the alphabet except  A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes  Y. There are 24 consonant sounds in English, some voiced (made by a vibration of the vocal cords) and some voiceless (no vibration). Consonants Versus Vowels   When spoken vowels have no obstruction in the mouth, as opposed to consonants, which do. In his book Letter Perfect, the author David Sacks described the difference between speaking consonants and vowels this way: Whereas vowels are pronounced from the vocal cords with  minimal  shaping of expelled breath, consonant sounds are created through obstruction or  channeling  of the breath by the lips, teeth, tongue, throat, or nasal passage.... Some consonants, like B, involve the vocal cords; others dont. Some, like R or W, flow the breath in a way that steers them relatively close to being vowels. When consonants and vowels are put together, they form syllables, which are the basic units of pronunciation. Syllables, in turn, are the foundation of words in English grammar. Phonetically, however, consonants are much more variable. Consonant Blends and Digraphs When two or more consonant sounds are pronounced in succession without an intervening vowel (as in the words dream and bursts), the group is called a consonant blend or consonant cluster. In a consonant blend, the sound of each individual letter can be heard. By contrast, in a consonant digraph,  two successive letters represent a single sound. Common digraphs include G and H, which together mimic the sound of F (as in the word enough), and the letters P and H, which also sound like an F (as in phone). Silent Consonants In a number of cases in English, consonant letters can be silent, such as the letter B  following M (as in the word dumb), the letter  K  before  N  (know), and  the letters B and P before T (debt and receipt).  When a double consonant appears in a word,  usually only one of the two consonants is sounded (as in ball or summer). Stop Consonants Consonants can also serve as a means of bracketing a vowel, stopping their sound.  These are called  stop consonants  because the air in the vocal tract is completely stopped at some point, usually by the tongue, lips, or teeth.  Then to make the consonant sound, the air is suddenly released. The letters B, D, and G are the most frequently used stops, though P, T, and K also can serve the same function. Words that contain stop consonants include bib and kit. Stop consonants are also called plosives, as their sounds are small explosions of air in the mouth. Consonance Broadly,  consonance  is the repetition of consonant  sounds; more specifically,  consonance  is the repetition of the consonant sounds of accented syllables  or important words.  Consonance is frequently used in poetry, song lyrics, and prose when the writer wants to create a sense of rhythm. One well-known example of this literary device is the tongue twister, She sells seashells by the seashore. Using A and An   In general, words that begin with vowels should be introduced by the indefinite article an, while words that start with consonants are set off with an a instead. However, when the consonants at the beginning of the word produce a vowel sound, you would use the article an instead (an honor, a house).

Week 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Week 3 - Essay Example ccessful undertaking while taking particular considerations to the current economic conditions and so as to develop contingency plans in that respect. In essence, it is a plan of thriving in the market. While there are different types of business plans, they all can serve either of the two purposes: internal and external (Schwetje & Vaseghi, 2007, p. 1). When a business plan has an internal function, it presents strategies and tactics which can be utilized to effectively manage the internal operations and other domestic affairs of the company. A business plan could also be structured for an external purpose when it presents feasible means of financing (e.g. bank loans, venture capital, strategic alliances) for the continuous operation of the business. The marketing plan is probably the meatiest feature that a business plan could have since it presents how the company’s products should be sold to the target market (even if the market is oligopolistic or in a form of perfect competition though except in a monopolistic structure) or in brief the influx of a real good cash that could support the business operations for a long term (Jaret, et al., 2010, p. 153). The marketing plan typically includes the current market situation, product positioning and/or promotional tactics (Jaret, et al., 2010, p. 154). Apparently it can be said that a product is not doing any good in the market at all either because of a poor marketing strategy or simply because it lacks value and features. However, sometimes a bad product can guise a good image through strategic marketing. A good marketing strategy permits the aspiring businessman to roughly know how to compete in market through a thorough market research. Without a marketing strategy, the business idea is a fail no matter how well established the company’s reputation is. For someone new in the market, everything will be much worse. The financial overview is also an important aspect in a business plan. Defining the financial

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