Mkt week

Do you agree with Virgin's market diversification strategy? If so, what other markets should they pursue? If you disagree, what should be their business focus? Diversification is most commonly understood through the financial world, where one should have a diverse range of investments. Mixing funds that are countercyclical – the performance of certain funds is not correlated to the performance of others.Usually when one set of funds are down, the value of another set of funds is up. This is where companies like the Virgin Group have adopted this kind of strategy to diversify their product line. Dixon (2009) explains what when building a customer base, it is a good idea to begin cultivating multiple customers in different industries. Then, this approach is modified to include target markets that have the countercyclical method that has been proven to work in the financial field.After targeting diverse groups of customers, companies (like the Virgin Group) should then engage in â€Å"aggressive marketing and sales efforts to win new customers in the targeted markets† (Dixon, 2009). In order for Virgin to pursue other markets they should 1) gain clear understanding of the wants and needs of perspective customers ND markets, and 2) show that they have a unique capability for meeting these requirements (Dixon, 2009). I believe the Virgin Group should get involved with renewable energy projects, even on small scale targeting consumers.Sustainability and being green are hot topics right now that consumers like to get behind. Since they have so much information already on current electronics customers, they can use this to target items like solar chargers or recycled material packaging for electronic items. 2. How about some other examples of companies that have built their value proposition around the image variable? Other companies that have been successful are for example Apple, who undoubtedly has created value to its customers who are very loyal to t he brand.Customers recognize the â€Å"bitten apple† image across the spectrum and identify it with quality. BMW and Mercedes Benz are other companies that have used their image to build value for customers. Whenever anyone thinks of these two brands, they immediately think luxury and high end/high quality vehicles.

My Hands That Close To Your Neck

In anticipation of an upcoming Ethical Dilemma, I was striving to prepare myself for a choice I might have to make. I wanted to make the choice that gave an accurate impression of who I am; and who I am is someone who wants to be ethical, evolved, yet not at all a oilpan for the machinations of the morally corrupt. Here's the situation: I lived in a small town, where all your actions can affect how you are viewed, your ability to function in that town, or do business, or simply exist in harmony; and that view can be reflected back to you with dizzying speed. I was to be involved in a public event, and worried that I might cross paths with a particular person, whom I'll call the Big Eraser. This person lived in my home, used my things, brought no belongings, and in fact had none–only a white garbage sack of items†¦not due to youth (this person is pushing 40), and not due to an inability to be self-supporting. I had been loving, generous and supportive to B.E., and what I got in return was sloth, abuse, lies, deceit and eventual admissions of hatred after I removed B.E. from my home. This person had treated me with disregard, cost me money, frustration and stress, and managed to get away with it for various reasons. I learned some important lessons–I believe that everyone with whom we cross paths can be seen as a teacher. We don't have to like them for that to be true. So, this was a small town, as I mentioned, and I was set up to provide a service, and fully expected B.E. to attend this public event, and that it might necessarily put me in a position to provide this service to B.E., should that request be made. It's important to note that this service is Therapeutic Touch Treatments, and therefore requires me to impart love and healing–the last thing I feel I am capable of giving to this person. My response to this hypothetically anticipated request will also be rather public, and while I didn't want to seem hostile, I also didn't want to appear a doormat, nor did I wish to impart â€Å"reward† or seem to condone or approve of B.E., only for the sake of social graces. I was not disingenuous enough to pretend I had affection for this person. Add to this, the fact that B.E. has repeatedly avoided karmic debt, and it irks me that B.E. has been able to charm around and over everyone until they personally experience the truth of who B.E. really is. This is a person who was a self-confessed former drug dealer/maker, who damaged or perhaps was responsible for the deaths of an unknown number of people–maybe even kids–and had the unmitigated gall to brag about it. This is a person who has lied to others (including myself, initially) about burn scars, stating that they were received in some heroic gesture, when really the burns were received in a drug lab fire while cooking Methamphetamine. Yet B.E. had managed to snow everyone else, and also land a great job that paid well and offered security–this, with a criminal past, with a history of dodging taxes, and without a GED or High School Diploma. So in regard to my response to B.E. in this scenario, I have a generalized angst attached, i.e., â€Å"Why do good things happen to bad people?† These are examples of possible skewing of perception, as well as Internal Noise. Now, an argument can be made that The Wheel of Karma spins on its own, and does not require that we manually turn it. If a karmic debt is due, it will be paid, one way or another, and it is the most healthy thing for me to keep my hands off that wheel. I remind myself of this frequently, when I have to deal with people like B.E. Back to the Public Event in which I might cross paths with this person: Should B.E. approach my area and say, â€Å"I'd like a treatment,† my response is crucial for many reasons. In my mind, I had conjured possible responses to such a request (testing hypothesis): â€Å"F*** you.† (anger) â€Å"Are you out of your mind? Get out of my face, Loser.† (anger + judgment) (suggested by my best friend:) â€Å"I would love to give you a treatment†¦but for you, it will cost $700, because that's one of the debts you left for me.† (sarcasm + bitterness) â€Å"It's not a good idea for me to have my hands that close to your neck.† (sarcasm + veiled threat) â€Å"I don't think that would be a good idea.† (avoidance + statement of fact) â€Å"Sorry, I'm on a break.† (avoidance + a lie + non-confrontation)) â€Å"Let me think about that for a while.† (avoidance + stall + nonconfrontation) It is important to me that I make choices rooted in an evolved mind†¦my more primitive side wants to lash out. My intellectual side wants to take a firm stance and my spiritual side wants to put only loving things into my environment and those around me, because that's what I want to get back. I am a great fan of having all those parts of myself satisfied, yet I suspect this isn't possible. I have to choose. If I choose the â€Å"High Road† and say, â€Å"Sure, sit right down here and let me give you some love and healing.† Then I feel I have chumped myself, compromised my integrity, become spineless, have condoned reprehensible choices, and somehow validated B.E.'s evil ways. Why would I want to assist someone in their misbehavior? If I allow myself to become angry, I'm ultimately just hurting myself with stress, and giving B.E. power I don't wish B.E. to have. If I avoid B.E. and the situation, I feel cowardly, yet B.E. will probably order another beer and wander off, and I won't have to deal with it further†¦ Of course, this scenario might never unfold, but I don't feel my consideration and energy is moot; I still need to understand how to deal with it, and I still need to ask myself these types of questions. Since B.E. never appeared at the event, my angst and ethical hand-wringing became a moot point. I still don't know the answers to these questions. I never got the chance to act on the decision, even though I was relatively sure what my decision would be. If I had to say how I might handle it now (and how I would have handled it then, had I gotten the chance) I would say that I would have chosen the last response: â€Å"Let me think about that for a while.† This non-confrontational approach avoids conflict, defuses the situation, and also doesn't feel like it costs me any of my own integrity. I had an idea of expected behavior in that my choice of responses would have caused B.E. to wander off, without any provocation. It's quite possible that I would have been met with unexpected behavior, in that B.E. could have continued to engage me in a confrontational way, rather than to wander off. Either way, in order to create a list of responses, I had to understand my own mental models, and making the list alone was enough to inform me of my own place in this ethical dilemma, and it forced me to consider the type of person I wanted to be.

Describe why high constraint research is needed to determine Essay

Describe why high constraint research is needed to determine causeandeffect relationships and why variability is critical in aiding in this determination - Essay Example This is because it indemnifies that if a supposed cause is purposely influenced and, thereby, precedes the observed effect incorporate procedures that help finding out if the cause is connected to the effect incorporate methods or not. This helps in reducing and evaluating the influence of inappropriate factors that could create the effect supposed to be attributed to the cause. High constraint research has helped in controlling extraneous variances. To control external influences the subjects are separated into an experimental and a control group. This control group helps in comparing the data and it remains ideal. It also assigns random units to situations to give variability to the situation. This variability helps in determining the causes and effect of the situation if it appears in a different way. For example while performing an experiment different control or variables are taken to ensure the perfect conclusion in different situations. By further comparing the results the tre atment effects are determined. It takes the overall view of a situation and then derives its constants. All the values or situations are put together and the research is conducted. This research helps to forecast the consequences of future cause and effect relationships. Performing experiments is one form of High constraint research. "The experiment provides the most rigorous test for

African-American Culture and Reconstruction in America Essay

African-American Culture and Reconstruction in America - Essay Example The paper focuses on African American culture in America and the reconstruction process reflecting on every aspect that comes with it.  The development of the African American culture was as a result of the process of giving and taking. Cultural influence depended on the class to which someone belonged to, age, and class status in Africa. Especially young people who were taken as slaves adapted so fast to the language and culture of the Americans. There were intermarriages that took place as well as the development of religion. During the reconstruction process, African Americans took part in the political social and economic processes. There were many people who were allowed to hold public offices allowing for interaction. The interactions led to intermingling and, therefore, led to the African American culture.This discussion declares that  during the reconstruction process, African slaves were allowed to get an education and were assimilated to the religion they believed in. A llowing Africans to interact with the Americans and Europeans, in general, meant that there will be proximity that would lead to an agreement as well as marriages and adoption of each other's culture. The type of religion preached by the Americans and Europeans led to a top in slavery practices as well as any form of mistreatment. The reconstruction process led to the growth of the African American culture, merging both the African and American culture.  

My cultural identity and intercultural awareness Essay

My cultural identity and intercultural awareness - Essay Example As a native of Iran, I was accustomed to Iranian ways of thinking, feeling, reacting, dressing etc, all of which can be described as the Iranian culture based on Hofstede’s (2001) definition of culture. By nature, I am emotional and quiet, but not shy, female that loves to socialize, make friends, and self-confident as well as determined young person. My determination and focus helped me in earning admission in UK to study English Language. My experience in the UK has been very different from what it had been when I was growing up in Iran, which made me feel different about myself and my nature. Initially, I felt confused, lost, and low in confidence. Subsequently my self esteem lowered and I also started feeling disgusted and rejected because of low acceptability among my peers. The learning from intercultural awareness seems to provide solutions to the challenges that I am faced and also the answers to most of the questions that I had. With time passing in the UK, I started to realize that people around me are different and have different belief systems, behaviours, and attitudes, which probably is the UK culture. I learnt that culture and language are usually associated with unique ideologies that become the basis for judgment as well as relationship development (Piller, 2011). Judgements that are usually formed on the basis of ideologies lead to the formation of differential opinions about people from other cultures due to differences in their behaviour, attitude, personalities etc (Lewis, 2003). I can understand why it took more than two weeks for me to earn a good friend; my way of dressing clearly indicated that I was from the Middle East, which probably made my classmates to form opinions that I am from a different world and a different kind of perso n that they could not relate to. These opinions together result in stereotyping the individuals or groups based on prior knowledge and understanding related to some

Law of business association.Understanding company law Case Study

Law of business association.Understanding company law - Case Study Example This means that this partnership agreement will be in line with the partnership act of businesses operating in Australia. Further, they inform the solicitor that they are equal partners Partnership Act 1963 (ACT, section 6(1). John and Jenny are in partnership as the formation of a partnership requires a written or verbal agreement. This two people have a written agreement of partnership prepared by their solicitor. They open a joint account in which they use for the business transaction. This is not a requirement of a partnership. However, for the success of the business it is necessary to have a business account. A partnership is not a legal entity thus a business account will have to be a joint account of the members (Bentley v Craven (1853) 18 Beav 75; 52 ER 29). After a partnership formation, there are legal consequences. The liability of the partner is unlimited. This means that, in the case of Jenny and John they are responsible for the business debts. The recovery of business debts wills extend to the personal properties of the two partners. This will happen in the event that shares in the business are inadequate to cover business liabilities. This partnership between Jenny and John, it is jenny who involves in the day to day running of the business. Therefore, Jenny works as a general partner while John operates as a dormant partner. The two partners meet regularly to discuss the progress of the business. This means that John is aware of how the business if fairing on though he is not an active participant in its operation. John as a partner in this business is liable for the decisions that Jenny makes on a daily basis. If the business, incurs loses or profits the two partners will share them equally. The two partners have been sharing the proceeds of the business from time to time on an equal basis. They share the profits equally though Jenny works full time in the business and does not receive a salary while John works irregularly on weekends. This business is failing in its operation. In addition, the relationships between the two partners deteriorate. They decide to dissolve the business, and ask their solicitor to terminate the partnership. However, the two partners continue to operate the business much the same way as before dissolution. In effect, this implies that the partnership has not been dissolved. This is because, for a partnership to be dissolve the partners withdraw their shares and the business operation ceases (Lipton et al., 2012). Alternatively, the partners sell their shares and t he business continues to operate, but as a new partnership. John had ordered for fixture and fitting for use in the business, in his own name but did not make payment for them. This he did in anticipation of the start of the business. The fixture and fitting have been in use, in this partnership business. John wants Jenny to participate in payment of this debt. Jenny declines, saying she has been working for the partnership without payment and that John should settle the debt (Lipton et al., 2012). Legally John and Jenny are in a partnership though they assume that they have dissolved. Accordingly then, they are both liable to make payment for this debt though its acquisition is in the name of John. This is because the fittings and furniture acquisition was for business purpose. The partnership act stipulates that debts incurred by a partner even without the knowledge of the other partner are the responsibility of all partners. Therefore, Jenny as a partner in business with John can be sued individually for this debt Partnership Act

Intenational finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Intenational finance - Assignment Example management) is tasked to handle the resources of another (i.e, the investor). In financial undertakings, the existence of moral hazard comes in many forms, such as where management pays itself excessive compensation out of the funds it manages on behalf of its investor, or where it makes decisions to take on risks that the other has to bear. Where interests of management and investor are not aligned, then there is a potential for moral hazard. From its very definition, moral hazards are inevitable; the key is to keep them under reasonable control, which is the major objective of institutional design. The link between risk-taking and moral hazards runs according to this rationale: if I am faced with the option to take risks that may be potentially rewarding for us both, but you bear the burden of the risk, then I have the incentive to take them. However, if I were to bear the potential loss, then I will act more responsibly and cautiously (Dowd, 2009). The moral hazard lies in taking the risk for which another has to bear the consequence. The recent subprime crisis was replete with instances of moral hazards gone uncontrolled. One was the creation of mortgages to subprime borrowers who had little or no capacity to repay the loan (Brummer, 2008), and then selling this loan to Fannie Mae (the Federal National Mortgage Association) which then securitizes the risk and sells it out as mortgage backed securities (MBS).

Proctor & Gamble Marketing Mix Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Proctor & Gamble Marketing Mix - Research Paper Example The paper attempts to explore how each element of the â€Å"marketing mix† such as product, price, place and promotion were understood, and practiced by the company during two different time periods. The Concept of â€Å"Marketing-Mix† during Pre-1964 Era With a humble beginning in the 1830, P&G spearheaded its growth through forward thinking and by 1890 the company was selling more than 30 different types of soap. Varieties of soaps were produced to meet varied consumer needs and the innovative techniques were used to market those products that include product sampling, and radio "soap operas". A way back in 1924, the company realized the importance of the market research department and formed the one to study consumer buying habits and their preferences – perhaps the only one of its kind during those days. In 1926, Camay, a beauty shop, was introduced in the market as an outcome of the in-house research that spoke about the consumer preference toward perfumed s hops. In 1931, the company establishes a marketing department to manage various brands in the competitive market. Dedicated groups of people were given responsibility to formulate marketing strategies for each brand and perhaps that is how the brand management system came into being. P&G launched Tide detergent in 1946 and the product became highly successful in the market due to its superior quality. The product provided much needed growth to the company into many new markets of the world. Between 1947 and 1952, the company launched a wide range of products such as shampoos, household cleaning products, granulated and liquid detergents that were largely liked and accepted by the consumers. Crest, a fluoride based toothpaste became an all time success soon thereafter fulfilling a long need of the customers. The product was endorsed by the American Dental association. The company came along with the several other products such as toilet tissue paper, disposable diapers called Pampers during 1961. It is astonishing to learn that though no marketing guru had firmly established the philosophy of marketing mix by then as effective marketing tools in the form of product, price, promotion and place in the market place yet P&G was already practicing the marketing philosophy mixing these four elements successfully for last several decades (P&G 2012). Kotler (2010) emphasizes that the firm uses various marketing patterns in the form of product offering, the pricing structure, the distribution system (place) and the promotion activities so as to satisfy the market needs and thereby the organizational objectives. Accordingly, various combinations of these elements of marketing mix were harnessed strategically by P&G to spearhead the growth of the company. P&G's success in the market place is attributed to its business model that derives its strength from its ability to discover what consumers need and want. With this insight, they develop noticeably superior products. Jus t developing a product is not enough if its superior quality is not communicated to the target customers effectively and P&G has been quite successful in doing so through various means such as advertising, demonstrations and visuals. If the product is not priced appropriately, then the very purpose of developing a superior product is defeated and P&G has always priced them most

A comparison of wine cultures between United Kingdom and Hong Kong Literature review

A comparison of wine cultures between United Kingdom and Hong Kong citizens - Literature review Example They further stated that the production of food and wine is a global phenomenon. Varriano (2011) added that wine had manifested its uniqueness in the culture and history of food and drink that first started in the ancient Greece and Rome civilizations. It is further essential to almost all forms of religion as they use this in their worship (Deutsch and Saks 2008). Today, the wine industry is rapidly growing along with the rise of the globalization (Anderson & Nelgen 2008). Indeed, wine has played a significant role in the lives of wine consumer’s way back in the past and up to the present. According to the work of Estreicher (2004), wine has played an essential role in the foundation of Western civilization. He further added that wine is a magical special ancient alcoholic beverage due to its associations with gods and religious and spiritual traditions. Sanchez (2008) further added that wine is considered by the ancient people such as the Greeks, Romans, Cretans and Egyptian as their daily commodities dated before Christ. These people are used to conducting grape brewing in their respective households. In the ancient history of the invention of distillation, wine is considered to be the best and most effective antiseptic. Furthermore, it is also considered as one of the most in-demand commodities for trade in the early Western civilization along with vine. Therefore, wine can be cited as a very significant in terms of religion, medicine, and trade (Estreicher 2004). Such notions and claims are further supported by the article of Squicciarini and Swinnen (2010) as the authors had revealed that, even back in the old times, wine has been used by the ancient people in several ways and within different purposes. For instance, in China, Chinese folks are using wines for spiritual purposes. This is also the same with the Indian people in which they used wines for