The competitive advantage strategy for Diageo, Castel of brewery in Essay

The competitive advantage strategy for Diageo, Castel of brewery in Africa - Essay Example Africa is such an important region for Diageo due to the rich prospects that are found in Africa such as presence of mineral resources and its improvements in governance. Secondly, Africa provides diversity that matches Diageo’s needs. The global, financial, and economic situation, which has greatly affected Europe, has made the company to invest in the developing countries due to the increased prospects of driving growth. The company plans to invest in additional capacities to fuel growth in the continent such as adding more plants and equipments for brewing and differentiating their brands. Innovation is also considered by the company as a very good avenue for growth as well as having the right people who are motivated and interested in improving and fuelling growth in Diageo. Additionally, the company is committed to acquisitions and entrance into new markets as part of the strategies of facilitating its growth in the continent (Wehring 2012, np). The company enjoys a disti nct brand in its employment practices which promotes its ability to attract high caliber talents that are vital to its growth. The company further grows and develops talents as well as creating value chain in production and distribution process which highly contributes to their growth. Diageo are further involved in social economic development such as engaging in water projects and other agricultural projects which is integral in their business growth. Diageo has put unique strategy of growing the African talents in the continent to run its business by developing the current talents locally and bringing other Africans outside the continent. The company has embarked on a full year program to identify prospective African leaders who can take on senior positions in the company. The company is committed in its growth plan to develop a strategy that is capable of filling the gap between the talent required for growth and the current existing talents as well as attracting both the externa l talent and developing the internal talent. The company also ensures that they have dedicated talents that would add value to its operations as well as maintaining an effective and efficient operation (Wehring 2012, np). SWOT and PESTLE Analysis Diageo is the world leader in alcohol that comprises of beer, spirits and wine and enjoys a worldwide presence. The company, with its sound financial base, is capable of ruling the market by investing in R&D and acquiring other firms thus enjoying wider market share. The company usually manufactures the best brands and normally ensures best brands in its African market such as Scotch whisky. The company enjoys a wider market in Africa especially the rapid growth of 300m-consumers who due to the increase in the middle income earners in Africa. Diageo largely depend on the raw materials especially in Ethiopia and Kenya which is very vital for their growth in east Africa as well as wider market in that region of Africa. The company however, is faced with a number of challenges in some regions in Africa such as the unstable governments and lack of highly qualified expertise that they can depend on. There are also competitions from the local companies within the African region especially in Kenya and Tanzania that offer very low priced alcohol hence imposing a little threat to the

Where we were, Where we are, Where we going Essay Example for Free

Where we were, Where we are, Where we going Essay Introduction In the aftermath of major scandals and bailouts in the United States, the world`s and the public’s confidence in public corporations, has been shaken. With the publicized scandals of Enron and other corporations in the United States, the faith in public corporations fell as fast as the stock market. Investors had no confidence in corporations or in their boards. Measures needed to be taken to form regulations to provide stronger accountability, to prevent these types of scandals from happening and to rebuild the confidence of investors. Corporate governance of publicly traded companies was no longer an option, it became a must. The public and the media demanded laws to protect future investors and shareholders (Colley, Jr, Doyle, Logan, Stettinius, 2005). With most of the world’s financial markets in crisis and recession, the public has become much more aware of corporate executive compensation plans. Executive compensation has been an on-going issue for many years. There has been a great amount of controversy over how executives’ pay structure is designed and who judges, oversees and determines executives’ pay. As the scales get tipped on what executives are getting paid versus employee standard wages, the public is always on the watch for the next corporate scandal. Boards are always challenged by what executives’ pay should be based off of; this could be performance, industry standards or percentage of revenue. Boards need to determine the base salary, benefits or short term and long term options that will be offered (Colley, Jr, Doyle, Logan, Stettinius, 2005). This paper will look at the past trends of executive compensation that lacked disclosure and transparency, current trends that are being used today in pay in the United States and Canada and future trends that should be used when it comes to executive compensation and executive pay methods. This paper will also give some recommendations that Canada should adopt. Past Trends in Executive Compensation From the â€Å"original opening of the New York Stock exchange in 1792 executive compensation† (Bruvik Whitney Gibson, 2011, p. 74) existed. In the early 1900’s stock options of stock awards, stock purchases, stock appreciation rights (cash bonuses) and freestanding dividend equivalents were formed (Bruvik Whitney Gibson, 2011) and still exist today. During this time executive compensation was very private and did not have transparency or regulations. It was not until the market crashed in 1913 that the public was becoming more aware of executive inflated wages, and compensation for executives. In 1933 Securities Act legislation was passed that required disclosure of stock sales to the public. Then came the introduction of laws that limited â€Å"fringes† (perks) this made executive compensation more transparent and created more awareness for the public. But in 1983 Ronald Regan’s administration dropped regulations and this changed the level of transparency once again and this would eventually lead to indiscretions in executive pay. This caused an artificial rise in stock market values and increased misuse of stock options thus the elevation of executive’s salaries. The United States Government`s lower marginal tax to 33%, which changed the quality of management, because as long an executives increased shareholders wealth the salaries of executives had very little regulations (Bruvik Whitney Gibson, 2011). In 2001 the Enron scandal, executives inflated their earnings and overvalued their stock prices when they knew the company was going under. Senior executives cashed their stock options profiting while investor and employees of Enron lost everything. The numerous corporate scandals such as Enron, Jack Welsh CEO of General Electric, TYCO, and WorldCom created distrust in public corporations and â€Å"cost investors billions† (Bruvik Whitney Gibson, 2011, p. 78). In order to increase confidence in public firms, a change was needed in regulations and legislation. This led to the Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002. SOX focused on corporate governance issues within a firm and led to rules of practice for boards of directors. Although SOX does not have mandates for executive compensation it does address how the compensation committee should be independent and how they should govern themselves. This has become very critical legislation to aid in ethical practices in public corporation executive compensation (Bruvik Whitney Gibson, 2011). Current Trends in Executive Compensation The main foundation of executive compensation has not changed, it is designed to attract, inspire, motivate and in the end retain the superior talent in the management world. In 2008 a government fund TARP was â€Å"created to purchase troubled assets from financial institutions† (Bruvik Whitney Gibson, 2011, p. 79). TARP funds put restrictions on executive compensation by; restricting paying out bonuses, limiting the â€Å"Golden Parachutes†, denial of benefits and used clawbacks if executive compensation was based on misleading statements (Bruvik Whitney Gibson, 2011). In order to receive TARP funding, firms have to practice the US mandatory â€Å"Say on Pay† which was implemented in January 2011. The United Kingdom has also implemented the â€Å"Say on Pay† concept. The â€Å"Say on Pay† is a concept that â€Å"shareholders should be given a nonbinding vote on board of director’s recommendations on executive pay† (Mangen Magnan, 2012, p. 86). â€Å"Say on Pay† concept â€Å"increases shareholders activism within when it comes to the pay policies and practices† (Geddes, n.d, p. 22). Current trends for public corporations for executive pay is to use polices and committees that structure the compensation. This pay should be transparent and increase the long-term shareholder value. Stock option incentives should be restrictive, meaning they cannot be sold for a set amount of years or until after resignation. Corporations have still not restricted the pay of top executives and the total compensation is still quite elevated compared to that of the regular employee. A great number of firms feel that to retain good quality CEO’s some pay incentives have to be competitive. Corporations feel that â€Å"superior incentives for executives (and traders whose actions can substantially impact an organization) to manage firms in investors longer-term interest† (Romano Bhagat, 2009, p. 1). Corporations continue to struggle with the balance of reward based compensation that ensures future results and increases shareholders wealth in the short and long term (Colley, Jr, Doyle, Logan, Stettinius, 2005). Executive compensation packages will continue to need to be governed by compensation committees to hold the confidence of the public, shareholders and the market. How Canada Measures Up As discussed earlier the United States along with United Kingdom has adopted the mandatory practice of â€Å"Say on Pay† which has increased shareholder involvement in the pay structure of their executives. Canada has not implemented this practice to be mandatory, even though it is, recommended as the best practices for firms. The five big banks in Canada have adopted the â€Å"Say on Pay† methodology (Mangen Magnan, 2012). In January 2012 the Huffington Post stated that Canadian CEO`s are reluctant to discuss that executive compensation has got out of hand in Canada. The article discusses that executives` incomes have continued to increase even though the wages of average Canadians have remained stationary. The article interviewed Fraser Institute’s Niels Veldhuis and he stated â€Å"When you call for a policy that limits CEO pay what you are doing is you’re signaling that we’re going to have even more regulations on how businesses operate here in Canada, and unfortunately, that will cause businesses to relocate or locate elsewhere† (Mendleson, 2012). One could make the assumption that because Canada does not have the volume or the stability that the United States does in the their corporations, that Canada is not implementing stronger regulations because of fear of losing what they have already and want to attract more corporations to Canada. At this time Canada uses a principles-based approach to governance in which standards are set and corporations are encouraged to meet them. Compared to the United States that uses a rules-based approach that requires corporations to meet the practices and legislation (Milne, 2006). In Canada the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (CCGG) was formed to promote to good governance practices and recently the CCGG released the 2013 executive compensation principles. Corporations need to hold to the following principles: 1. A significant component of executive compensation should be â€Å"at risk† and based on performance. 2. Performance should be based on key business metrics that are aligned with corporate strategy and the period during which risks are being assumed. 3. Executives should build equity in the company to align their interests with those of shareholders. 4. A company may choose to offer pensions, benefits and severance and change-of-control entitlements. When such perquisites are offered, the company should ensure that the benefit entitlements are not excessive. 5. Compensation structure should be simple and easily understood by management, the board and shareholders. 6. Boards and shareholders should actively engage with each other and consider each other’s perspective on executive compensation matters (Moncrieff, 2012). The principles above are the best practices for boards and corporations and are recognized to be the superior standards, but as of yet Canada does not rules or regulations to enforce these practices. The Canadian government at this point has no plan to put caps on executive compensation. At this point the Canada`s tax laws are not in line with the compensation governance and reform is needed (Geddes, n.d). Future Trends for Executive Compensation Corporations, shareholders and boards are faced with meeting higher standards when it comes to executive compensation. This will mean adopting the â€Å"Say on Pay† and this trend is what is needed. Compensation committees must remain independent, transparent and must continue to ensure their programs attract, retain and motivate executive talent. Committees must ensure they are paying for performance that ensures long term profitability and value for both executives and shareholders (Stikeman Elliott, 2009). Recommendations for Canada Canada needs to focus on moving towards rules and regulations and not principles and guidelines. Canada will need to reform their standards to be more unified with the rest of the world`s expectations. If Canada wants to attract more corporations to develop in Canada then they need to be the benchmark of standards and practices and set even higher rules and regulations to maintain level, of integrity. Executive compensation could become out of hand and it cannot just be the banks that maintain the higher standards. Canada needs to adopt the â€Å"Say on Pay† and make it mandatory and also move to regulations that are superior to SOX and align the tax laws to levels that keep up with executive compensation packages. Canada needs to embrace being the ethical governance leaders. Conclusion There will always be unethical practices in executive compensation packages and it is not likely to decrease as long as there is competition and the need to retain talented CEO`s, but Canadian businesses can set higher benchmark when it comes to corporate governance, executive compensation and our regulations and practices for boards of directors. We have to remain ethical, transparent and continue to disclose. This is the only way we are going maintain the public and shareholders confidence and continue to attract investors to invest. References Bruvik, K., Whitney Gibson, J. (2011). The past, presentand future of executive compensation. Business Studies Journal, 3(1), pp. 69-83. Colley, Jr, J. L., Doyle, J. L., Logan, W. G., Stettinius, W. (2005). What is Corporate Goverance? New York, NY: Mcgraw-Hill. Geddes, G. (n.d). Executive pay packages: Compensation planning in light of increased scrutiny. Retrieved 02 08, 2013, from Gowlings: http://www.gowlings.com/knowledgeCentre/publicationPDFs/Executive%20Pay%20Packages%20Compensation%20Planning.pdf Mangen, C., Magnan, M. (2012). Say on Pay: A wolf in sheeps clothing? Academy Of Management Perspectives, 26(2), pp. 86-104. Mendleson, R. (2012, 01 04). Canada CEO Compensation: Companies Hesitant To Debate Executive Pay. Retrieved 02 08, 2013, from The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/04/canada-ceo-compensation-companies-resist-debate_n_1183800.html Milne, J. A. (2006, May). Good corporate governance, good performance. Benefits Compensation Digest, 43(5), 3 4-38. Moncrieff, J. (2012, December 18). CCGG Releases 2013 principles of executive compensation. Retrieved 02 08, 2013, from Canadian Securities Law: http://www.canadiansecuritieslaw.com/2012/12/articles/corporate-governance/ccgg-releases-2013-principles-of-executive-compensation/ Romano, R., Bhagat, S. (2009). Reforming executive compensation: Focusing and committing to the long-term. Faculty Scholarship Series. Stikeman Elliott. (2009). Topics and trends in executive compensation: wealth accumulation analysis. Retrieved 02 08, 2013, from Canadian Securities Law: http://www.canadiansecuritieslaw.com/2009/05/articles/continuous-timely-disclosure/topics-and-trends-in-executive-compensation-wealth-accumulation-analysis/

Artisitc License: Color Vision and Color Theory :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Artisitc License: Color Vision and Color Theory Imagine yourself in an art museum. You wander slowly from cold room to cold room, analyzing colored canvases on stark white walls. When you reach a particular work, do you prefer to stand back and take everything in at once? Or do you move so close to the painting that the individual brushstrokes become apparent? Several different sensory processes occur in your brain during this trip to the art museum; the majority of them involve visual inputs. How does your brain put together all the information that your eyes receive? This raises questions ranging from depth of field to color. The ideas of color perception and color theory are interesting ones. How do humans account for color and does it truly exist? I think that by examining not only the neurological on-goings in the brain, but by learning about color through philosophy, and even art, a greater understanding of it can be reached. Before delving into the philosophy of color and the questions posed by different pieces of art, the biological basis process of HOW color is seen should be explained. The retina is a neural sheet, containing the photoreceptors called rods and cones that is located at the back of the eye. Between the retina and the optic nerves leading to the brain are a series of cells that create a lateral inhibition network of the light/dark signals from the photoreceptors (1). This throws away a lot of the information generated by the photocells and gives the brain a "picture" of the edges of light and dark. The contrasts are created, leaving the brain to fill in the rest. Color vision is even more complex. Cones (the light adapted photoreceptor) contain three different photopigments, red, green, and blue, each corresponding to a particular wavelength of light (2). Color is a property of three things: the ratio of red/green activation, blue response, and value or lightness (3). The brain utilizes visual inputs to determine each of these, thus generating the characteristic color. One of the most important (and most interesting) conclusions of the biology of vision is that color is not technically generated by physical reality. Color appears to be a mental construct, and therefore, everyone views color differently. The rationale one is often given for the color of particular objects is the following: light consists of all colors. When light strikes an object in absorbs most of the wavelengths of light, but those that it reflects correspond to the color one sees.

Essay on Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide -- Euthanasia Physicia

Understanding Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide    This paper will address some of the more popular points of interest involved with the euthanasia-assisted suicide discussion. There are less than a dozen questions which would come to mind in the case of the average individual who has a mild interest in this debate, and the following essay presents information which would satisfy that individual's curiosity on these points of common interest.    Euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal in the state of Oregon and in the country of the Netherlands; these are the only two jurisdictions in the world where laws specifically permit euthanasia or assisted suicide. Oregon permits assisted suicide.(Oregon) The Netherlands permits both euthanasia and assisted suicide.(Review) In 1995 Australia's Northern Territory approved a euthanasia bill.(Rights) It went into effect in 1996 but was overturned by the Australian Parliament in 1997. Also, in 1997, Colombia's Supreme Court ruled that penalties for mercy killing should be removed.(Republic) However the ruling does not go into effect until guidelines, still to be drafted, are approved by the Colombian Congress.    The difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide is seen this way: One way to distinguish them is to look at the last act - the act without which death would not occur. Using this distinction, if a third party performs the last act that intentionally causes a patient's death, euthanasia has occurred. For example, giving a patient a lethal injection or putting a plastic bag over her head to suffocate her would be considered euthanasia. On the other hand, if the person who dies performs the last act, assisted suicide has taken place. Thus it would be assisted suicid... ...1 Medscape. Available at http://www.medscape.com/Medscape/psychiatry/clinicalMgmt/CM.v03/pnt-CM.v03.html, citing Jamison K.R., Night Falls Fast, New York, NY: Alfred Knopf; 1999. Accessed 3/19/01. Oregon's "Death with Dignity Act" (ORS 127.800-897) passed in November 1994 and went into effect in 1997. Republic of Colombia Constitutional Court, Sentence # c-239/97, Ref. Expedient # D-1490, May 20, 1997. "Review of cases of termination of life on request and assistance with suicide" was approved in April 2001. "Rights of the Terminally Ill Act," Northern Territory of Australia (1996). Wanzer,Sidney H. M.D. et al., "The Physician's Responsibility toward Hopelessly Ill Patients: A Second Look," 320 The New England Journal of Medicine (March 30, 1989), p. 848. Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second edition (1976).

Mix Marketing Plan Essay

The mix marketing plan below is for the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander compact all wheel drive (AWD) priced under $40,000. This market plan below describes the target market and objectives that are necessary to capture the target market. Furthermore, the plan offers recommendations and some of them methods necessary to promote the Mistubishi Outlander and create awareness of its release on to the market in 2009. Also in the mix market plan is situational analysis that is broken down into four parts. The first part is the current product which describes the brand and core product which in this case is the Mistubishi Outlander. The second part discusses the factors that will affect the price of the Outlander such as competition and demand. The third aspect talks about the current distribution and method in which to distribute the Outlander. This part also talks about the intensity of distribution and the intermediaries used to distribute the Outlander and the factors that influence the distribution such as storage and transport of the Outlanders from point of manufacture to the point of sale. The fourth situational analysis aspect is the promotional theme and the elements integrated in the promotion mix. The theme is that of cross between an all wheel drive and a sports utility vehicles that is both excellent as urban cruiser as well as an off road medium sized vehicle. The recommended target market for the Outlander is mainly the medium sized family that enjoys occasional family trips out of urban localities. The age group of the consumer interested in purchasing the Mistubishi outlander will range between 25 to the 50 years of age. This demographic will most likely reside in the upper middle class suburbs of Perth. The main aim of this mix marketing plan is to make consumers familiarise themselves with the Outlander, promote the outlander to all intermediaries through workshops and seminars. Increase volume of promotional content of the Outlander through media channels such as online advertising, email promotions, radio and television advertisements. The customers are made of the Mistubishi Diamond Advantage. Situational Analysis Current Product: The Mistubishi outlander is a cross over all wheel drive (AWD) from the product line of the Mitsubishi Motor Company. The Outlander is a shopping type of consumer product that is in its Introduction stage. It is a compact AWD that can be driven in urban areas as well as off road. However, the Outlander does not have Electronic Stability control system (ESP) but does come with an expandable row making it a seven seater and a bisected rear door for easy accesses to the rear cabin space. The ESP can always be added on to the future cars by adopting the system that is used in other Mitsubishi models. Current Pricing: The current influences on the price of the Outlander include demand, competition and other external factors such as economic situation and good value pricing (Kotler et al.2007, 350). The Mistubishi Outlander is in the monopolistic market as they are many sellers offering alternatives (Pierre and Toulemonde 2009, 1347) .AWDs such as the Toyota Rav Four and Nissan Extrail. The pricing objective of the Outlander is based on the price of competitor’s model of SUVs and the mix of models of the Outlander offered by Mistubishi under $40000. Current Distribution: The outlander is distributed indirectly from the factory through intermediaries such as the dealerships. Intermediaries provide a link between the manufacturer and consumer (Ansari, Mela and Neslin 2008, 60).The dealers include organisations that specialise in Mistubishi vehicle sales and services. Distribution of the outlander is selective for easier negotiations and one tone customer interaction. Some of the factors that may affect distribution include transport and Storage of the Mistubishi outlanders from the point of manufacture to the point of sale. Current Promotion: The main objective is to get the consumers familiarise themselves with the new Mitsubishi Outlander. The theme is that of a sports utility vehicles that is both excellent as urban cruiser as well as an off road medium sized vehicle. Advertising, direct Marketing sales promotions are some of the methods used to show to the customer the sporting side as well as its ability to use as urban vehicle through events such as the Dakar Rally. Recommended Target Market The recommended target market for the Outlander is mainly the medium sized family that enjoys occasional family trips out of urban localities. The age group of the consumer interested in purchasing the Mistubishi outlander will range between 25 to the 50 years of age. The consumer will most likely come from middle class urban setting and enjoys showing off the off-road capabilities of their car while being a comfortable and stylish car to drive around town. This target market has the most potential because the outlander is an urban sports vehicle that has an extra row of seats to accommodate a total of 7 passengers as compared to its rivals on the market within the same price range. The outlander also comes with a lot more standard features as compared to its rivals on the market. Some off the unique features include interchangeable all wheel drive that can be selected at any driving speed. The outlander also has a compact third row seat that does not compromise boot space and is still accommodate two extra passengers. Recommended Marketing Objective:’ In order to keep the Mitsubishi Outlander ahead of the other brand of cross over AWDs on the market, some short term marketing strategies will have to be put in place. These include : Making the consumers familiarise themselves with the Outlander, promote the outlander to all intermediaries through workshops and seminars. Increase volume of promotional content of the Outlander through media channels such as online advertising, email promotions, radio and television advertisements. Another approach would be to promote the Outlander through competitions, sponsorships of sporting activities and discounted sales to the first few customers. Boost the appeal of the outlander by offering membership to outlander car club through the Mitsubishi Diamond Advantage as part of a package deal for the purchase of an Outlander which is a 10 year 160 000 km drive train warranty and the 5 year unlimited 130 000 km warrant plus roadside assistance. Product recommendations Since the product at hand is a motor vehicle, the product packaging will not be required however all other aspects of the product such as branding extensions will be taken into consideration. The product at focus is the Outlander which comes from the product mix of Mitsubishi motor company; it only has one product lines with a narrow width. Therefore, only the depth of the product mix can be explored to give the consumer a variety to pick from the range of Outlanders available. The Mitsubishi Outlander is offered in three models namely the LS, XLS and the optional XLS Luxury pack. The Three models offered come with different options and at a varied price range depending on the added extras. However, the base model still has a starting base price of $31,990 that is fixed depending on whether the customer chooses to add extras to the vehicle. The base model of the outlander is the Ls which comes with 2.4 litre 4 cylinder MIVEC engine, driver and passenger side airbags. The LS models also comes with All Wheel Control 4WD (AWC), air condition, cruise control, Keyless entry, power windows, a steering wheel with audio controls, Stability and traction control. The XLS model has added on features that the LS does not have such as: Continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), INVECS Smart Logic and 6 steps Sports Mode, Paddle gear shifts, Smart Key, Bluetooth voice activated phone connectivity, chrome grill surround, 18† alloy Wheels, Reverse parking sensors, Adaptive Front Lighting system, High intensity Discharge Head Lamps (HID), Fog Lamps and Privacy Glass. The third model of the outlanders is the optional XLS Luxury pack. This model has additional feature to the XLS model. These key features include 18† 7 spoke wheels, chrome exterior highlights, electric sunroof, Rockford Fosgate premium sound system with 9 speakers, Rear entertainment system, Mitsubishi Multi Communication system (MMCS) including satellite navigation and reverse camera, automatic dusk sensing head lamps, automatic rain sensing wipers, leather seats facings, power driver seat and heated front seat. Pricing recommendations The pricing recommendations for the Mitsubishi Outlander will include the product line price, product bundle pricing and optional –product pricing. The product line price in this situation is considered because the product line width is narrow and limited to the Outlander models namely the LS, XLS and The Optional XLS model. Therefore, the pricing of the models will also be affected by what model is being sold through the intermediaries to the consumer. The purpose is to insure profit maximisation of the base model LS by mass distribution to the companies and leasing companies. With the LS having least of the features, making it the level entry model of the Outlander models. The second thing that is considered when it comes to product line pricing is the optional product line pricing. This will help increase the Mitsubishi profits from the sale optional accessories that can be added to the features of the Outlander’s base model the LS. Some of the features intended for the target market include, 18† alloy wheels, reverse parking sensors, High intensity Discharge Head Lamps (HID), Fog Lamps and Privacy Glass, electric sunroof, chrome exterior highlights, Rockford Fosgate premium sound system with 9 speakers and rear entertainment system. The perceived value of the extras is reasonable priced as all extras added on to the Outlander models come with a 5 year 130000 km warranty. The last recommendation for product line price is product bundle pricing, where the Outlander models are sold as bundles. This can be achieved when either selling the Outlanders with just the basic features at a much lower price as compared to the base models. The target market is leasing companies, private and government organisations in bulk. Furthermore, pricing adjustments can be made to increase sales such as discounts on bulk buys and end of financial year sales and further discounts for early or cash payments. The Outlander is not new to the car market, therefore the new product pricing strategy that is recommended is the market –penetrating pricing strategy to attract a large number of buyers and share market as it’s a medium quality and medium price product. Distribution recommendations The recommend method of distribution channel is using indirect channel through intermediaries such as agents, retailers and wholesalers. The intermediaries act as the third party link between the Mitsubishi and the consumers. The involvement of intermediaries allows the Mitsubishi to reach geographical dispersed groups and avoid direct investment. The Mitsubishi car company does not have to have a direct involvement with credit facilities or have local knowledge of customers. Furthermore, Mitsubishi can earn a greater return by investing in their main business rather than in direct marketing. The intermediary can deal directly with the customers at a more efficient and effective level often provide a supplier or manufacturer more returns than the manufacture can achieve on their own. This due to the amounts of contacts they have in the industry, experience, specialisation and scale of operation. Therefore, the channel of distribution is the retailer channel. That is from the manufacturer to the retailer then the consumer. The retailers sell the Outlander directly to the customers by so doing making the level of distribution intensity selective. This enables Mitsubishi deal directly with a few selected dealers that sale and provided services of goods manufactured by the Mitsubishi motor company. Channel conflict is minimised by dealing directly with intermediaries who are responsible for delivery and sale of the Outlanders. By doing so the conflict most likely to arise is between the Mitsubishi and the exclusive distributors. Promotion recommendations Before any promotional recommendations can be made in terms of promotions for the Mitsubishi Outlander, a number of things have to be considered. The major decision that has to be made includes objective setting, advertisement budget, advertising strategy and evaluation. When it comes to setting the budget, the product life cycle (PLC) has to be taken into consideration. From the introduction of the new Outlander where light advertising and pre introduction publicity to heavy advertising and awareness. This is the growth stage where brand loyalty and personal selling are greatly enforced. The maturity stage involves the decrease in sales promotion personal selling and the decline stage is where advertisements and promotions reduce with limited sales. These stages will determine the over head for the budget. The other promotional recommendation is the public relations mix and media selection through which to do the advertising. The media strategy includes selecting the media format. For example the newspaper has mass audience following and is good for targeting a specific audience via quick distribution. Magazines are mainly for segmented audience however, the information is intensive and highly visual. Television combines both sight and sound however most ads are ignored and only good when trying to build brand awareness and if there are adequate financial resources for the advertisement. However, radio has immediate delivery and good for stimulate impulse purchasing, cheap to advertise but does not have a visual impact. Last, there is outdoor advertising at the car dealership on the lawns where there is great traffic flow. Sales promotion is also another way to attract new customers to the Mistubishi Outlander. This also helps retain loyal Outlander customers and also regain past purchasers who have no longer purchase Mistubishi Outlander. This can be achieved through cash – back offers, competitions, premium offers offering more test drives of the Outlander models. Promotions can also be done through personal selling and interpersonal communication with target consumer groups. This involves two way communications between sales people and individual customers. The sales people are the link between the Mistubishi motor company and the customers and vice-versa. Another method that can be used is direct communication using electronic network tools and technologies via the internet. Telemarketing, telesales other forms of direct marketing that can be used to promote the sale of the Outlander. Other unconventional methods of promotions that can be used are: viral marketing by passing on information to others creating exponential growth in the messages response. Viral communications incurs very little expenses however there is limited control over receipt of the messages. The forms of passing information and advertising that are becoming popular blogs. Blogging is one method of creating hype for a product with no costs and also be able to facilitate communication between organisations and their stakeholders. Endorsements by celebrities via paid verbal testimonials or physical association with a brand. The upside is that advertising air time is practically free and the public is often not informed whether the celebrity is renumerated by the company. Conclusion. The above mix marketing plan is designed for the 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander all wheel drive AWDs. The mix market plan describes the target audience and recommends ways in which to capture the intended market. The plan has further recommendation on how to create awareness for the 2009 Outlander and methods of price, distribution and promotion. The mix market plan also has situational analysis that breaks down the recommended mix marketing strategy into four aspects that current product, current pricing, current distribution and the current promotion. The mix market plan also explains the chosen theme that is a cross between an all wheel drive and sports utility vehicle that is also excellent as an urban cruiser. Furthermore, there is emphasis on the outlander’s unique features for vehicles whose base price is under $40,000.

Biography of Ashoka the Great, Indias Mauryan Emperor

Biography of Ashoka the Great, India's Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great (c. 304–232 BCE) was the emperor of Indias Maurya Dynasty from 268 to 232 BCE and is remembered for his remarkable conversion to nonviolence and his merciful reign. In 265 BCE after witnessing the devastation of his own attack on the Kalinga region, he converted from being a brutal conqueror of a vast empire to a benevolent emperor who successfully ruled according to nonviolent principles. His edicts encouraged the protection of animals, mercy for criminals, and tolerance of other religions. Fast Facts: Ashoka the Great Known For: Ashoka was the ruler of Indias Mauryan Empire; after an epiphany, he became a promoter of Buddhist non-violence.Born: 304 BCE in Pataliputra, Mauryan EmpireParents: Bindusara and DharmaDied: 232 BCE in Pataliputra, Mauryan EmpireSpouse(s): Devi, Kaurwaki confirmed; many others allegedChildren: Mahinda, Kunala, Tivala, JalaukaNotable Quote: Dharma is good. And what is Dharma? It is having few faults and many goods deeds, mercy, charity, truthfulness, and purity. Early Life In 304 BCE, the second emperor of the Maurya Dynasty, Bindusara, welcomed a son named Ashoka Bindusara Maurya into the world. The boys mother Dharma was only a commoner. She had several older children- half-brothers of Ashoka- so Ashoka seemed unlikely to ever ascend the throne. Ashoka grew up to be a bold, troublesome, and cruel young man who was always extremely fond of hunting. According to legend, he killed a lion using only a wooden stick. His older half-brothers feared Ashoka  and convinced his father to post him as a general to distant frontiers of the Mauryan Empire. Ashoka proved to be a competent general, putting down a rebellion in the Punjabi city of Taxshila. Aware that his brothers viewed him as a rival for the throne, Ashoka went into exile for two years in the neighboring country of Kalinga. While he was there, he fell in love with and later married a commoner, a fisher-woman named Kaurwaki. Introduction to Buddhism Bindusara recalled his son to Maurya to help quell an uprising in Ujjain, the former capital of the Avanti Kingdom. Ashoka succeeded but was injured in the fighting. Buddhist monks tended to the wounded prince in secret so that his eldest brother, the heir-apparent Susima, would not learn of Ashokas injuries. At this time, Ashoka officially converted to Buddhism and began embracing its principles, though they were in direct conflict with his life as a general. He met and fell in love with a woman from Vidisha called Devi who also attended to his injuries during this period. The couple later married. When Bindusara died in 275 BCE, a two-year war for the throne erupted between Ashoka and his half-brothers. The Vedic sources vary on how many of Ashokas brothers died- one says that he killed them all while another states that he killed several of them. In either case, Ashoka prevailed and became the third ruler of the Mauryan Empire. Imperial Rule For the first eight years of his reign, Ashoka waged near-constant war on surrounding regions. He had inherited a sizable empire, but he expanded it to include most of the Indian subcontinent, as well as the area from the current-day borders of Iran and Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh and Burma border in the east. Only the southern tip of India and Sri Lanka  and the kingdom of Kalinga on the northeast coast of India remained out of his reach. In 265 BCE, Ashoka attacked Kalinga. Although it was the homeland of his second wife Kaurwaki and the king of Kalinga had sheltered Ashoka before his ascent to the throne, the Mauryan emperor gathered the largest invasion force in Indian history and launched his assault. Kalinga fought back bravely, but in the end it was defeated and all of its cities were sacked. Ashoka had led the invasion in person, and he went out into the capital city of Kalinga the morning after his victory to survey the damage. The ruined houses and bloodied corpses of nearly 150,000 slain civilians and soldiers sickened the emperor, and he experienced a religious epiphany. Although he had considered himself more or less a Buddhist prior to that day, the carnage at Kalinga led Ashoka to devote himself completely to Buddhism, and he vowed to practice ahimsa, or nonviolence,  from that day forward. Edicts Had Ashoka simply vowed to himself that he would live according to Buddhist principles, later ages would likely not remember his name. However, he published his intentions for the whole empire to read. Ashoka wrote out a series of edicts, explaining his policies and aspirations for the empire and urging others to follow his enlightened example. The Edicts of King Ashoka were carved onto pillars of stone 40 to 50 feet high and set up all around the edges of the Mauryan Empire as well as in the heart of Ashokas realm. Dozens of these pillars can still be found in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In his edicts, Ashoka vowed to care for his people like a father and promised neighboring people that they need not fear him- that he would use only persuasion, not violence, to win people over. Ashoka noted that he had made available shade and fruit trees for the people as well as medical care for all people and animals. His concern for living things also appeared in a ban on live sacrifices and sport hunting as well as a request for respect for all other creatures, including servants. Ashoka urged his people to follow a vegetarian diet  and banned the practice of burning forests or agricultural wastes that might harbor wild animals. A long list of animals appeared on his protected species list, including bulls, wild ducks, squirrels, deer, porcupines, and pigeons. Ashoka also ruled with incredible accessibility. He noted that I consider it best to meet with people personally. To that end, he went on frequent tours around his empire. He also advertised that he would stop whatever he was doing if a matter of imperial business needed attention, even if he was having dinner or sleeping. In addition, Ashoka was very concerned with judicial matters. His attitude toward convicted criminals was quite merciful. He banned punishments such as torture, removing peoples eyes, and the death penalty, and he urged pardons for the elderly, those with families to support, and those who were doing charitable work. Finally, although Ashoka urged his people to practice Buddhist values, he fostered an atmosphere of respect for all religions. Within his empire, people followed not only the relatively new Buddhist faith but also Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Greek polytheism, and many other belief systems. Ashoka served as an example of tolerance for his subjects, and his religious affairs officers encouraged the practice of any religion. Death Ashoka the Great ruled as a just and merciful king from his epiphany in 265 until his death at the age of 72 in 232 BCE. His body was given a royal cremation ceremony. Legacy We do not know the names of most of Ashokas wives and children, however, his twin children by his first wife, a boy called Mahindra and a girl named Sanghamitra, were instrumental in converting Sri Lanka to Buddhism. After Ashokas death, the Mauryan Empire continued to exist for 50 years before going into a gradual decline. The last Mauryan emperor was Brhadrata, who was assassinated in 185 BCE by one of his generals, Pusyamitra Sunga. Although his family did not rule for long after he was gone, Ashokas principles and his examples lived on through the Vedas and his edicts, which can still be seen on pillars today. Sources Lahiri, Nayanjot.  Ashoka in Ancient India. Harvard University Press, 2015.Trainor, Kevin.  Buddhism: the Illustrated Guide. Duncan Baird, 2004.

Introduction to Folklore Folklore Genres and Analysis

Introduction to Folklore Folklore Genres and Analysis Folklore is a complex term, whose definition has stirred up mixed thoughts and ideologies in the folklorists’ world. There is no single definition that is universally accepted since different folklorists- in the past and current- have different thoughts. But, these varied thoughts are interlinked with Alan Dunde’s list of folklore, which entails different genres that are difficult to categorize (Oring, 1989).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Introduction to Folklore: Folklore Genres and Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, varied definitions have been developed to help understand the genres better. To some extent, the two words that give rise to the general term â€Å"folklore† influence the folklorists’ work in coming up with a definition. The meanings associated with the words â€Å"folk† and â€Å"lore† should be envisaged in the general definition of the word. According to Newell (1890), folklore is â€Å"oral tradition and belief handed down from generation to generation without the use of writing† (Oring, 1989, p. 7). Initially, folklore referred to survivals such as legends that enabled the continuation of a practice over time. The use of tales and beliefs was associated with some kind of mythology and coming up with an articulate distinction between mythology and folklore was fundamental. However, this cause became weak when Newell’s redefinition of folklore surfaced. Folklorists link folklores to peasantry because the primitive and less privileged people tend to value their cultural practices and values, which are passed on from one generation to another, compared with civilized people. Natural and spiritual facets of folklore have been eroded among the urban civilized people. The peasantry still value their natural and spiritual lives that have not been distorted by urbanization. A typical example is the current world we are living in, which due to technological change and development has placed more focus on making life better rather than dwelling on maintaining the authenticity of folklore. A visit to communities that have not been polluted by westernization and its ramifications shows that these societies are still entwined into their ancient practices. I therefore believe that despite the varied definitions of folklore, it is inclined to a particular group sharing a particular â€Å"ancient factor†.Advertising Looking for report on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Folklore never dies; it somehow finds a way to relive even though not in its original state as long as it thrives in some way. However, it is argued that its value lies in its connection to common daily experiences of the people despite the transformation. Folklore should not merely emanate from institutions. When folklore evolves over time and is transformed to fit into the contemporary society, then it loses its traditional and ancient aspects that are fundamental in defining folklore. A typical example is in Frank’s (1985) literature that shows Cape Bretoners as people, who have been rapidly expanding their livelihood activities to suit the changing times. The history of Cape Breton as an industrial society dates back to the 1820s. During this time, mining may have been the traditional economic activity for the people around the coal mines. However, the high demand for labour when civilization permeated resulted in drawing people from their typical livelihoods as farmers and fishers (folklife). Under such circumstances, the folklife of the people was swept away by the domineering coal companies leading to a change of belief systems and way of life. In addition, the operations of these companies were legislated and structured in a manner that gutted the natural expressions and folklife of the people. The expressions exhibited by the coal miners â€Å"voting for labor candidates, joining co-operatives and building unions† are not folklore. These activities were not voluntary expressions. The people were compelled by harsh treatment from the coal companies to come up with strategies that would safeguard their human rights (Frank, 1985, p.203). Folklores are meant to pass on specific messages/practices that are relevant to the society in which they are developed over time without themselves getting altered. For example in rural Cape Breton, songs and stories were highly appreciated and valued in the region. In this region, there was a high rate of immigration and ethnic ties were salient. American anthropologists argue that ethnic ties (folk society) bound people of the same community together. It was difficult for an outsider to penetrate into the folk societies. Folklore domains are a form of cultural identity. Therefore, people with the same background orientation share simil ar stories, delimit their folk society and they have a similar understanding of issues.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Introduction to Folklore: Folklore Genres and Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The church was an important social institution for the Cape Bretoners. Despite the fact that the church does not qualify to be folklore, the sentiments, attitudes and belief systems of the people towards the church are folklore (Frank, 1985, p. 204). Merely 23 individuals could not state the religion they were affiliated to hence, an indication that the people had strong faith and belief in the church. Regardless of people’s strong belief in the church, the formulated and documented activities by the clergymen were not part of the people’s folklore because they were not a true reflection of the followers’ thoughts and ideas. Instead, the church’s activities were aimed at deriving som e form of benefit as the church imposed its doctrines on the people. In his writing, Frank clearly demonstrates this through a folklore genre (joke), â€Å"I had to take my hat off every time I saw him and go to church twice on Sunday to hold my position† (Frank, 1985, p. 208). This quote is folklore but at the same time shows how the church, the foundation of people’s faith did not qualify to be folklore. The quote represents an individual’s attitude towards the church. Most of folklore genres are mainly used for amusement and entertainment like tales, songs, jokes and dances. The ancient characteristic they possess makes them peculiar to the eye, thereby creating a feeling of excitement. In Cape Breton, there was a mixture of music and songs as indicated by Frank (1985). However, music becomes folklore only if it is congruent with the definition of unwritten traditions. Cape Breton community is an illustration of the role played by music in creating harmony de spite its diversity. The songs sung had a common theme shared by the coal miners: â€Å"that they did not have a slave-spirited soul† (Frank, 1985, p. 206). The above discussion on understanding folklore shows that folklore forms a basis for cultural identity. Culture is very important because it gives an individual a sense of belonging. According to â€Å"The Intangible Heritage Messenger† (2003), there is a strong link between intangible cultural heritage and folklore. UNESCO defines intangible cultural heritage as â€Å"the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills- as well as instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith- that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage† (What is Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003, p.1).Advertising Looking for report on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reasons discussed in this paper form a basis for explaining why UNESCO uses the phrase â€Å"intangible cultural heritage (ICH)†. To begin with, the domains under the intangible cultural heritage are abstract systems that different cultures take pride in irrespective of their history. Some cultures are associated with farming while in others, fishing is the livelihood. Therefore, UNESCO acknowledges the diverse nature of cultures and thus is bent on ensuring that each culture’s intangible heritage is well protected. Folklore on the other hand delimits the genres and especially when transformation is apparent. Manipulated genres are not absolute folklore and more so if they are not part and parcel of people’s lives. UNESCO does not place restrictions on ICH. Hence, every intangible domain that defines culture, irrespective of its nature and subsequent manipulation, is part of the ICH. An example is the ancient farming society compared with the contemporary farmin g society. The current use of workers and machines for commercial production has disrupted the traditional practice of farming, which was fundamental in people’s daily lives because they solely relied on it. While modern farming falls under ICH, it is not folklore. In addition, literature indicates that the domains listed by UNESCO are not an exhaustive list of folklore hence, it would be misleading to use it as a collective term. Folklore is a more complex term and using it would require the convention to delve deeper into the past to get all those genres that define ancient people and their practices with the least possible transformation in comparison with UNESCO’s ICH (What is Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003). References Frank, D. (1985). Tradition and Culture in the Cape Breton Mining Community in the Early Twentieth Century. In K. Donovan (ed.), Cape Breton at 200 (pp. 203- 221). Sydney: University College of Cape Breton Press. Newell, W. (1890). The Study of Folklore. Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences, 9, 134-36. Oring, E. (1986). On the Concepts of Folklore. In E. Oring (ed.), Folk Groups and Folklore Genres (pp. 1-22). Logan: Utah State University Press. The Intangible Heritage Messenger. (2003). Web. What is Intangible Cultural Heritage. (2003). Web.