Voter ID Legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Voter ID Legislation - Essay Example It is obvious why many would favor a voter ID law. A voter ID law obviously prevents voter ID fraud but it also make for more honest politics. Voter ID laws ensure that the one running does not run as a waste of their time. If voter ID fraud can be eliminated, voting becomes more honest. Some may oppose voter ID law for budget reasons and discrimination issues. There may not be money available to pass the law to uphold the new requirements. Voter ID law requires for photo ID which will make it harder to illegally vote. This means immigrants may not be able to vote but still contribute to the economy and pay taxes. It is an honest opinion that I support the voter ID bill. I think that it is very important to have an honest election. Photo ID is required for many different less serious concerns and should also be required to vote. It is necessary for a voter to provide photo ID, voter registration and a possible verification of

Education System in Desperate need of Change Essay Example for Free

Education System in Desperate need of Change Essay Sir William Haley once said, â€Å"Education would be so much more effective if its purpose were to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they don’t know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it†. If students were guaranteed to leave school with knowing of what they don’t know and the desire to continue learning, the method of learning will be correct. Today’s education system does not give students the opportunity to enjoy what they are learning. The banking method, where students are empty vessels which educators must deposit knowledge into, deprives them of creativity and the desire to learn. No child is given the chance to shine and be unique. Students today are simply being placed on a conveyer belt, sorted, and then labeled according to their so called intelligence. We need an education system that provides a slower learning method, a method where you focus on what is being learned instead of zipping through it, and the freedom to make mistakes as this will electrify and stimulate students to fulfill their potential. We must recognize students as individuals and keep in mind their diverse backgrounds. In â€Å"Lives on the Boundary,† Rose states, â€Å"The canon has intended to push to the margins much of the literature of our nation: from American Indian songs and chants to immigrant fiction to working-class narratives† (100). The messages that are received from the text are crucial. The students need to be able to relate to what they have before them. One of the problems with today’s education system is we are given material to read, memorize, and expected to repeat it back at the snap of a finger. But without the ability to relate and connect with the material, the learning doesn’t take place. Everything that is read or being said is just going through one ear and out the other. By adding relatable texts, you add life to learning. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life,† Jon Spayde states, â€Å"people cannot learn what they do not love† (69). When students are reading or learning about a subject they love, they are inspired and motivated to learn more. This alone can benefit the learning process for students. It becomes much easier to grasp concepts learned in class. Today’s education system does not allow all students to thrive in their own way. It is fast paced with limited space for creativeness. We are given large amounts of information at a time and attempt to move as quickly as possible through all that we can. There is never â€Å"time† to stay longer on a topic. The instructors try their hardest to keep the pace, but this way of teaching does not benefit any student. In â€Å"Learning in the Key of Life†, Jon Spayde states, â€Å"†¦we are focusing far too much of our energy and resources on fast knowledge, ignoring all the richness and meaning slow knowledge adds to our lives† (68). When the focus is on just getting through the material, we are skipping over the value and richness of slow knowledge. Instead of zipping through a lesson because it needs to be done by a certain day to move onto the next, the focus needs to be on what is being learned than making a time requirement. Spayde also states, â€Å"You can figure out what you can do pretty quickly, but the ethical understanding of what you ought to do comes slowly†. We need to adopt the slow learning method, without it we are missing out on more than we think. There is so much more to learning than getting through the material, the purpose of it is to benefit and gain from it. With slow knowledge we will achieve this. One of the most important changes that needs to be done is the view on mistakes. In the article, â€Å"How to Make Mistakes,† Dennett states, â€Å"Mistakes are not just golden opportunities for learning; they are, in an important sense, the only opportunity for learning something truly new†. When fear is being put into a student to never make a mistake, their education is stunted. They lose the ability to explore and take the chance of being wrong because they are repeatedly punished for being incorrect. When a mistake is made, students will learn where they went wrong and will then grow from it. The key to progress is making mistakes. The reason we are in school is to learn, but with this opportunity taken away from students their ability to learn is ripped from their grasp. Daniel C. Dennett also states, â€Å"You should seek out opportunities to make grand mistakes, just so you can then recover from them†. Instead of using all of their energy to attempt to be perfect and run from being inaccurate, every student should look for every opportunity to be wrong. Without errors, the students can not accomplish much. If you look at Todays’ education system is in desperate need of change. No student is given the opportunity to show what they are fully capable of. Instead they are told what they can do. They are simply labeled and placed where they â€Å"should be†. But when students begin to pursue their mistakes and soak in the richness of slow knowledge, they will begin to truly learn. Maria Montessori once said, â€Å"If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of mans future. For what is the use of transmitting knowledge if the individuals total development lags behind? †. If many students are having difficulty learning in the method we have created ages ago, why not change it? The time is now and there is no time to waste. We must refocus this outdated system to insure that the students will have a secure future and keep the standard of living that we have today.

Time to Wake Up :: essays research papers

Time to Wake Up As society becomes more Mcdonaldized or methodical in order people lose meaning to live and people’s quality of life is diminished. There is no wonder why suicide levels are the third leading cause of death for youths (ages 15-24) because when you take away creativity you taking away meaning. Although this order has brought efficiency it has caused humanity to lose focus of what separates us from all other animals. Humans are not met to be robotic, there is a reason why we have feelings, emotions, and passions and don’t act on everything by instinct. Since these special traits have been suppressed humanity now runs around like chickens with their heads cut off and does whatever society tells them to do. It is my belief that this trend to Mcdonaldize everything will eventually lead to mankinds destruction and the only way to prevent this is for us all to wake up. People need to realize that we are not in a race to win or to see who finishes the strongest, so there is no point to join societies rat race because all it is an illusion. People need to stop for one second and ask themselves what are they doing and why. When people can finally answer those questions then humanity will finally wake up. The question I have for everyone is, where are you going and what is the hurry? Can’t you see that we are all in this together! My suggestion to anyone who reads this would be not to join the band wagon but instead be unique or different. Sit outside the box and look in it and then you will see what I am talking about, people are like lost sheep that have gone astray and don’t know who they are, so instead of searching who they real are they submit to society and do whatever is in. So they key is to search within yourself to find out who you really are and to live this out you all the days of your life. Time to Wake Up :: essays research papers Time to Wake Up As society becomes more Mcdonaldized or methodical in order people lose meaning to live and people’s quality of life is diminished. There is no wonder why suicide levels are the third leading cause of death for youths (ages 15-24) because when you take away creativity you taking away meaning. Although this order has brought efficiency it has caused humanity to lose focus of what separates us from all other animals. Humans are not met to be robotic, there is a reason why we have feelings, emotions, and passions and don’t act on everything by instinct. Since these special traits have been suppressed humanity now runs around like chickens with their heads cut off and does whatever society tells them to do. It is my belief that this trend to Mcdonaldize everything will eventually lead to mankinds destruction and the only way to prevent this is for us all to wake up. People need to realize that we are not in a race to win or to see who finishes the strongest, so there is no point to join societies rat race because all it is an illusion. People need to stop for one second and ask themselves what are they doing and why. When people can finally answer those questions then humanity will finally wake up. The question I have for everyone is, where are you going and what is the hurry? Can’t you see that we are all in this together! My suggestion to anyone who reads this would be not to join the band wagon but instead be unique or different. Sit outside the box and look in it and then you will see what I am talking about, people are like lost sheep that have gone astray and don’t know who they are, so instead of searching who they real are they submit to society and do whatever is in. So they key is to search within yourself to find out who you really are and to live this out you all the days of your life.

Rapid Urbanization Upsurge Noncommunicable Diseases Health And Social Care Essay

Rapid urbanisation, modernisation and population growing in developing states has led to an rush of non-communicable diseases which are associated with important morbidity and mortality. Metabolic Syndrome besides described as â€Å" Deadly Quartet † and X syndrome ( 2, 3 ) is one of these disease entities defined by bunch of cardiovascular hazard factors which to a greater extent is influenced by ethnicity/race. This encompasses atherogenic dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, dysglycemia and splanchnic fleshiness and pro coagulator province. Apart from increasing prevalence, the age of oncoming is besides worsening among South Asiatic ( SA ) population due to familial sensitivity, ingestion of easy available energy dense nutrients from an early age. This tendency has got major wellness deductions since South Asians constitute one fifth of population all over the universe ( 4 ) and the wellness attention system is non really fit to cover with this medical crisis. Evidence sugge sts that it non merely amplifies the hazard of coronary bosom disease ( 5 ) but besides gives rise to cerebrovascular diseases. Five diagnostic standards have been put frontward since the origin of this syndrome which has created perplexity among practicians. In 1998, World Health Organization ( WHO ) ab initio proposed a definition for metabolic syndrome ( 6 ) with chief accent on gluco-centricity. In 1999, the European Group for the survey of Insulin Resistance ( EGIR ) recommended more or less similar standards with lower cut offs for high blood pressure ( 7 ) . Thereafter in 2001, National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III ( NCEP ATP III ) proposed another definition for the diagnosing of metabolic syndrome with less focal point on insulin opposition as compared to WHO standards but non turn toing separate cut off points of waist perimeter for Asiatic population ab initio ( 8 ) . In 2003, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist ( AACE ) proposed another set of standards for the diagnosing of metabolic syndrome. The chief restriction of the above mentioned standards is that the diagnosing is based on clinical judgement alternatively of presence of specific figure of hazard factors ( 9 ) . Sing that SA have a higher per centum of organic structure fat chiefly in the signifier of abdominal adiposeness at a lower BMI in comparing with other population, International Diabetes Federation ( IDF ) in 2005 suggested separate cutoff points of waist perimeter for Asiatic population and defined cardinal fleshiness as waist perimeter of more than 80 centimeter for adult females and 90 centimeter in work forces based on local statistics from the corresponding country ( 10 ) . The revised NCEP ATPIII modified for South Asiatic population incorporated the same cut off points for Asiatic population as given by IDF ( Table 1 ) . Apart from the cut off differences, NCEP ATP III gives equal weight to each constituent of metabolic syndrome as compared to IDF for which abdominal fleshiness remains a requirement for the diagnosing ( 10 ) . Furthermore, microalbuminuria which is a controversial variable of WHO criteria is non included in other definitions. Among these definitions, WHO, NCEP ATPIII & A ; IDF have been the chief 1s which are used most widely ( Table 1 ) . Type 2 diabetes is besides emerging as a planetary epidemic with increasing prevalence in developing states. Pakistan is among top 10 states estimated to hold the highest figure of diabetics busying 6th place on the diabetes prevalence naming presently ( 11 ) and it is estimated that prevalence would be doubled by 2025. Metabolic syndrome in combination with diabetes increases the hazard of both macro vascular, micro vascular complications and coronary artery disease patterned advance due to associated high blood pressure, lipoprotein abnormalcies and splanchnic fleshiness ( 12 ) . There are surveies that have looked into the differences in most widely used definitions of metabolic syndrome in general ( 13-17 ) , but merely few surveies have compared these definitions in the diabetic population ( 18-20 ) . Therefore we decided to find the frequence of metabolic syndrome in Type 2 diabetics harmonizing to NCEP ATPIII, IDF and WHO definitions and so to compare and contrast these traits within Pakistani population. Methods: This survey was conducted at the out-patient clinics of one of the big third attention infirmaries at Karachi, Pakistan. Data was collected retrospectively of type 2 diabetic patients sing clinics between June till November 2008 by utilizing a questionnaire which included demographic features and single constituents of metabolic syndrome i.e. weight, tallness, waist perimeter and BMI etc. Both hip and waist perimeter were recorded in centimetres and waist/hip perimeter was calculated ( WHR ) . BMI was calculated as a ratio of weight in kilogram to height in metres squared.Lab checks:All the research lab trials which are routinely done for patients with type 2 diabetes including triglycerides and high denseness lipoprotein ( HDL-C ) were recorded. Patients already on anti hypertensive and anti lipid medicines specifically in the signifier of fibric acid derived functions and nicotinic acids were taken as instances of high blood pressure and hypertriglyceridimia severally irrespective of their blood force per unit area and lipid degrees. Since all the patients in the survey were diabetics, insulin degrees were non taken into history. Statistical Analysis: The information was analyzed individually harmonizing to NCEP ATP III, IDF and WHO definitions and the consequences were so compared. The frequence of Metabolic syndrome was calculated with 95 % CI based on three different standards ‘s. The informations were presented as the mean A ± SD or per centum ; uninterrupted variables were compared by agencies of independent sample t-test and categorical variables were compared by chi-square. All analyses were conducted by utilizing the statistical bundle for societal scientific disciplines SPSS 14. A kappa trial was done to find the concurrency between three definitions. In univariate analyses, comparing between metabolic syndrome and without metabolic syndrome was done for each variable of involvement. Multivariable logistic arrested development analysis was conducted to place the factors associated with metabolic syndrome. All P values were two tailed and considered statistically important ifA a†°Ã‚ ¤ 0.05. Out of entire 210 type 2 diabetic patients, 112 ( 53.3 % ) were males and 98 ( 46.7 % ) were females. Their average age ( standard divergence ) was 53.35 A ± 11.46 old ages. The mean ( SD ) continuance of diabetes mellitus was 8.48 A ± 7.18 old ages. One hundred and ninety three ( 91.9 % ) were found to hold metabolic syndrome harmonizing to NCEP ATP III in comparing to 182 ( 86.7 % ) based on IDF standards. Lower frequence was documented with WHO standards of 171 ( 81.4 % ) . The frequence increased to 179 ( 85.2 % ) by WHO by utilizing the new cut offs for specifying corpulence ( BMI of 23 vs. 30 ) . The grade of understanding ( kappa statistic ) between WHO and ATP III and WHO and IDF definitions were 0.436 95 % CI 0.26-0.60 and 0.417 95 % CI 0.25-0.57respectively. In contrast kappa statistic between IDF and ATP III definitions was found to be 0.728 95 % CI 0.57-0.87.The overall understanding between three definitions was 0.37 ( 95 % CI 0.26-0.51 ) .The cardinal fleshiness was present in 162 patients ( 77 % ) by WHO followed by 197 ( 90.5 % ) based on IDF & A ; NCEP ATP III. Hypertension was found in 116 patients ( 55.2 % ) harmonizing to WHO in comparing to 147 ( 70 % ) by NCEP & A ; IDF cut off of blood force per unit area. Presence of low HDL cholesterin once more differed being present in 77 ( 36.7 % ) when WHO definition was applied and 144 ( 68.6 % ) by ATP III and IDF. Furthermore, gender wise dislocation of frequence of metabolic syndrome by WHO showed that 84 ( 85.7 % ) of females suffered from metabolic syndrome as compared to 87 ( 77.7 % ) in males a difference non statistically important ( p=0.13 ) . However, by all other standards metabolic syndrome was significantly more common among females as compared to males, 95.9 % vs. 88.4 % ( p=0.04 ) by ATP III & A ; 95.9 % vs. 78.6 % ( p & lt ; 0.001 ) by IDF. For prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia, no statistically important difference between both genders was found. However, for low HDL cholesterin, prevalence was higher in males 44 ( 57.14 % ) than in females 33 ( 43 % ) by WHO standards ( P & lt ; 0.001 ) . In contrast on the footing of ATP III and IDF definitions, prevalence of low HDL cholesterin degrees was higher ( p=0.009 ) in females 77 ( 57.46 % ) than in males 57 ( 42.53 % ) . Likewise, cardinal fleshiness was found to be more common among female patients based on IDF & A ; NCEP ( ATPIII ) cutoffs 64.8 % females vs. 35.2 % ( & lt ; 0.001 ) but demoing rearward form with WHO criteria,57.14 % males vs. 43 % females ( p-value & lt ; 0.001 ) . Discussion: Our survey showed a high frequence of metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetics based on NECP ( ATPIII ) and IDF standards. This frequence was rather high ( 91.9 % ) as compared to 46 % found in another infirmary based survey from Pakistan ( 21 ) . This difference could non be merely attributed to the different waist cutoffs used based on modified NCEP ( ATPIII ) in our survey because even comparing with WHO categorization revealed important difference between two surveies from the same part. This difference in frequence is really interesting maintaining in position that both of these surveies were done in the same part but different vicinities. The disparity could be due to low frequence of fleshiness found in the old survey ( 30 % ) in comparing to our survey ( 90.5 % ) . It is speculated that this intra regional difference could be due to the fact that certain communities have high inclination to develop fleshiness and metabolic syndrome despite of belonging to the same state due to differences in life manner, eating wonts and degree of physical activity. On the other manus, another infirmary based survey another metropolis revealed comparable frequence of metabolic syndrome harmonizing to NCEP standards ( 22 ) . In infirmary based survey from Iran the prevalence in type 2 diabetics on footing of NCEP ( ATPIII ) standards utilizing BMI alternatively of waist perimeter was found to be 65 % ( 23 ) .This difference highlights the importance of abdominal adiposeness which is a better marker of metabolic syndrome as compared to BMI. A multicenter infirmary based survey in Brazil showed instead close frequence ( 85 % ) in type 2 diabetics ( 24 ) although the survey population was rather different being white people of European descent. Likewise, in Finnish survey prevalence was found to be 91.5 % in diabetic work forces and 82.7 % in adult females ( 25 ) . Our information was besides consistent with Indian survey demoing prevalence of 91.1 % ( 16 ) utilizing the same NCEP ( ATPIII ) definition. However, separate constituents of metabolic syndrome were found to be more common in our population as compared to South Indians ( 16 ) . The higher frequence of metabolic syndrome in diabetic population fou nd in our survey is a beginning of major concern since diabetes itself is an of import hazard factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ( ASCVD ) and presence of metabolic syndrome in combination plants as a two border blade. Evidence suggests that combination of the constituents of the metabolic syndrome is associated with both micro and macro vascular complications and distal neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus ( 24 ) . In position of the high frequence, type 2 diabetic patients should non merely be screened for this deathly syndrome but besides offered intensive direction in order to avoid complications. Similarly highly high frequence of cardinal fleshiness ( 90.5 % ) in our diabetic population is besides unreassuring since there is ample grounds associating cardinal fleshiness with coronary bosom disease ( 26 ) and insulin opposition is besides significantly associated with waist girth ( 27 ) . The higher frequence of metabolic syndrome in adult females harmonizing to all standards besides consistent with other surveies from South Asiatic states ( 28 ) could be attributed to less physical activity in adult females due to cultural and cultural limitations on out-of-door activities. This besides highlights the importance of instruction of our adult females in footings of bar of the development of metabolic syndrome with life manner intercession which would indirectly act upon life manner and eating wonts of whole household. The presence of multiple definitions of metabolic syndrome has been really confusing and argument ever exist which standards should be used in footings of diagnosing of metabolic syndrome particularly in diabetic patients. The somewhat higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome by ATP III definition in comparing to IDF ( 91.9 % vs. 86.7 % ) was likely due to the comparative flexibleness of the ATP III definition in footings of non taking abdominal fleshiness as a requirement for the diagnosing. Except for this difference the ATP III and IDF definitions are basically indistinguishable reflected in the grade of understanding ( kappa statistic ) between the two definitions which was in a good scope at 0.728. Harmonizing to this, NCEP ( ATPIII ) and IDF are the most dependable standards ‘s for naming metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetic patients, with NECP capturing more patients in comparing with IDF definition. In contrast WHO showed lower frequence of metabolic syndrome due to different cutoffs used for HDL degrees and fleshiness. This difference remained important even after seting it with BMI cutoffs for Asiatic population of 23 vs.30 endorsed by WHO expert audience every bit good ( 29, 30 ) pointing towards the fact that waist perimeter or cardinal fleshiness is more valuable tool for sensing of metabolic syndrome in Asiatic population.Decision:On the footing of these findings NCEP ( ATPIII ) modified standards should be sooner used in Pakistani population since do ing waist perimeter as an obligatory standard would still lose out 5.2 % of the instances of metabolic syndrome harmonizing to our survey. But to farther validate these recommendations we need surveies to gauge the prognostic power for micro vascular and macro vascular complications to set up the most appropriate definition of metabolic syndrome to be used in South Asiatic population with a diagnosing of type 2 diabetes. The alarmingly high frequence of metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetes found in our survey points towards the fact that our wellness attention system needs to take emergent stairss in bar of this syndrome through life manner intercession plans.

Marketing Concept and Marketing Segmentation in Practice Essay

INTRODUCTION Haagen-Dazs were the pioneers in the market for creating distinctive and indulgent taste experiences by marketing to an untapped segment – the adult ice cream lovers. The Haagen-Dazs brand quickly developed a loyal following. Its early success was created by word of mouth and praise. Without the benefit of advertising the story of an incredibly rich and creamy confection spread rapidly. At first, it was only available at gourmet shops but soon distribution expanded In 1983 Haagen-Dazs was sold to The Pillsbury Company , which remained committed to the tradition of superior quality and innovation on which Haagen-Dazs was founded. Since then, it has become a global phenomenon. Ice Cream lovers the world over now recognize the unique Haagen-Dazs logo as synonymous with the ultimate super-premium ice cream. However, for the company to reach where it is today, a sincere marketing effort was undertaken from its early days to understand customers and their needs. Since the beginning, Haagen-Dazs has kept a keen focus on developing an internal & external marketing orientation. They obtained their current competitive strengths to establish premium pricing from: *Developing the brand with an attached history of perfection and luxury *Using the finest ingredients to deliver product excellence *Invested in consumer research to understand tastes and preferences of customers *Used selective distribution and did not mass market until the minimum critical mass of opinion leaders were established *Did not change their objectives in between *Used creativity and innovativeness to support brand identity This report will discuss in detail the evidence that Haagen-Dazs does, indeed, practise the marketing concept of keeping customers needs as a priority for the rest of the business to follow. COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Year by year, new products and their competing items have entered into the field and have successfully created a slot for themselves. This phenomenon is greatly supported by the open down policy of the local government to the people coming from other lands for settlement and tourism. Ice creams are a product that has not seen their prime in the U.A.E. Its potential is tapped in a meagre form. Not that the commodity is in short supply. There is ample ice-cream available even at the moment. But, there is great scope of habitualizing the inhabitants of this place to consume more of the product, by exploiting the U.A.E. climate to its best potential. The United Arab Emirates has an ice cream market of Dh140 million, yet it has one of the lowest consumption (6.00 per capita/ pints) of ice-cream when compared to Australia which consumes 36.87 per capita / pints and USA 30.04 pints . In spite of these low figures, Haagen-Dazs began its Middle East venture by opening its outlet in Al Diyafa Street in Satwa and from then on rapidly opened up cafes in Deira City Centre, Rigga Street, Palm Strip Shopping Mall and Thunderbowl. However, prior to their entry into this market, a proper industry analysis was undertaken, similar to the one described below using the Porter’s Industry Analysis. Rivalry in the Industry – Medium Rivalry is strong due to a number of factors. Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs dominate the global super-premium ice cream market. Each of these competitors has approximately 42% of the market, with the remaining 15% being divided up between a number of smaller firms that compete on either a local or national basis . However, within the U.A.E., Haagen-Dazs made its entry while Ben & Jerry’s was still concentrating on Europe. Globally, Haagen-Dazs was competing for a larger slice of what was a shrinking pie. The ice-cream sector has been stagnating in the recent years. In addition to this, new government labelling regulations, a rise in consumer price sensitivity, and other factors have led to further slow growth. In the U.A.E. however, the major competitor at the time was the highest priced ice-cream at that stage, namely Baskin Robbins. Baskin Robbins ice-cream parlours are still not considered direct competitors because they do not portray the image and class associated with a Haagen-Dazs cafà ©. Further, industry lead times for copying a new flavour are lowering, making it harder to maintain a competitive advantage in this area. Haagen-Dazs has been facing intense competition from a relatively similar priced entrant ‘London Dairy’ which has positioned itself as a premium ice-cream but still made itself accessible at every petrol station and convenience store in town. Haagen-Dazs quite readily imitated them and are now available in select petrol pumps and supermarkets. Threat of new entrants – Weak Though there are a significant number of competitors in the market, the largest firms still have such large market shares that they are somewhat â€Å"insulated† against smaller competition. Barriers to entry into this market are relatively low, especially since a firm that already competes in the premium or standard ice cream market could easily convert to the super-premium market (though not with guaranteed success). There is not a significant threat for a new firm to enter the market and establish itself as a rival to the main competitors though brands like Unikai, Kwality and London Dairy have been introducing ice creams to attract this market. Substitute Products – Weak This is not a significant force, even though there are a number of substitute products for this market. Because this is the super-premium ice cream and yogurt market, and the products have prices that reflect this super-premium  standard, the buyer who is interested in this type of product is probably going to be an ice cream lover that is willing to pay the extra price to receive the higher level of quality . One of the driving forces in this industry is the ability to produce a range of flavours, and to keep introducing new ones. Many sales could be attributed to the buyer attempting to satisfy a craving for some unconventional flavour of ice cream. Such a buyer would probably not be satisfied with a substitute product. Though there is sure to be some competition from products such as high quality cakes and cheesecakes, other frozen dessert products, and other snack products such as chips and dips, these products are not a significant factor to this super-premium ice cream market . Power of Suppliers – Weak This force is also weak since, in some cases, Haagen-Dazs is paying well above market prices in an effort to stay true to their mission of producing super-premium quality ice-cream and exotic flavours. Should the need arise, it would be quite easy for them to find a new supplier for any of its products. The advantage the Haagen-Dazs and Baskin Robbins have over the smaller producers are that since they purchase on a global scale, being such a large buyer, gives them more power in the supplier/buyer relationship. Power of Buyers – Strong This is obviously not a product that is necessary to the consumer. There is a declining level of the price elasticity of demand. This puts more of the power in the relationship into the hands of the consumer. Producers in this market must respect this and be sensitive to consumer attitudes concerning their products or face declining sales. Most of this revolves around flavours that they produce and for this reason, Haagen-Dazs is continuously innovating on newer and more exotic flavours to keep their customers continuously attracted to them. FOCUS ON CUSTOMER NEEDS Haagen-Dazs continuously researches its market because this is exactly what got them into the business in the first place. Effective marketing is based on three key elements, the marketing philosophy, market segmentation and consumer behaviour. Haagen-Dazs has been noted to practise the consumer-driven philosophy whereby they rely on research to discover consumer preferences, desires and needs before production actually begins. This philosophy stresses the need for marketing research to be conducted in order to better understand where or who a market is and to develop a strategy targeted toward that group . The core business they are in is production of ice-cream. This industry primarily focuses on consumer tastes and preferences and only research can help identify these. However, it is not enough that research is conducted only prior to production of a particular flavour. They need to constantly research the movement of this flavour in the market and get feedback from customers about this. Market research has given Haagen-Dazs many advantages, such as, *Unique environmental insight, which they used to spot opportunities others overlooked – Reuben Mattus found a segment in the market he believed to be un-served, namely, the adult ice-cream lover segment. While other companies focussed on enticing kids with ice cream, Mattus decided to tap the older, mature segment that had the disposable income to ‘indulge’ themselves. *Are proactive to competitor moves by following them closely – Haagen-Dazs quite readily met all of competitors’ Ben & Jerry’s moves by continuously introducing new flavours focussing on their niche while others lost focus and were mass marketing heir ice creams. This helps makes them fiercely competitive constantly striving to defend their turf. *Identify customer wants thus focussing energies on giving them exactly what they want – research helped them realise that Japanese love tea and hence introduced the Green Tea flavour which was an instant success in that market . They are not the only ones undertaking market research. The UK Super Premium  ice cream market had a retail value of  £56 million in the UK in February 2000. Ben & Jerry’s accounted for fully 83 per cent of the overall growth in the UK Super Premium market in 2000. Multiple grocers account for 70 per cent of all Super Premium ice cream sold in the UK, and in September 2000 Ben & Jerry’s secured parity with Haagen Dazs in terms of sales through this channel, with Ben & Jerry’s securing a 52 per cent share of the market as against 48 per cent for Haagen Dazs . In the U.A.E. though, despite being of reasonably higher price, the brand established itself quite comfortably as a ‘must try’ product among the elite and middle-class. This is exactly what Haagen-Dazs had hoped to achieve when it first came here. The management were counting on the expat population of the U.A.E. who were already familiar with the brand to spread word of mouth about its high quality, unique flavours and prestige associated. MARKET SEGMENTATION As simple as it looks, every little detail of the ice cream is meticulously planned for the final consumer to buy the product. Of the money that goes into paying for the ice cream, nearly 80% is returned into marketing costs for the company. The rest of the 20% represents the actual production costs. Consumers are an integral part of the industry and the market research helps identify the core market segments that Haagen-Dazs caters to. Market segmentation is the process of identifying a specific set of characteristics that differentiate one group of consumers from the rest. In respect to ice creams, although many people eat them, the market can quite easily be segmented on bases of taste and price. Some individuals prefer high-quality ice cream made with real sugar and cream because of its taste while others cannot tell the difference in quality and would buy primarily based on price and availability. Lower-priced competitors are into mass marketing while premium priced ice creams makers have followed a niche strategy to target that one single segment consisting of affluent upper-middle to upper class segment. Haagen-Dazs uses a few main segmentation bases for dividing their market,  namely, demographic, socio-cultural and psychographic. Under demographic segmentation, they focus on the income bracket of consumers. Their products are mainly aimed at the affluent with higher disposable income to spend on frivolous luxuries like super-premium ice cream. Although they do not segregate flavours by gender they do tend to highlight he romantic and sensuous image of ice-cream by featuring couples in all their international adverts. They tend to link their ice creams directly to sex in order to highlight that the indulgence and pleasure felt is similar in both cases and just as fulfilling for inner desires. This leverage gives it extreme importance among the adult population as they can understand this feeling and hence relate consumption of this product directly to this feeling. The socio-cultural segmentation looks at various cultures and nationalities and their preferences. Certain cultural groups tend to have similar needs especially when it comes to food, confectionery and drinks. For this, Haagen-Dazs has taken into account various national tastes and preferences in their innovative product line by introducing flavours like Cheesecake ice cream for the UK, Green Tea ice cream for Japan, Belgian chocolate for those in East Europe, and so on . Finally, probably the most important type of segmentation bases in this case is the psychographic segmentation. To be attracted to eating super-premium ice cream, people need to be part of a particular lifestyle segment. They should technically be among those that enjoy the luxury and indulgence associated with the brand. Haagen-Dazs has been portrayed to be a reflection of pleasure and for this reason, the brand creates an ambience behind its cafes too by ensuring that furniture is cozy and in deep shades of browns, burgundy and red to add a feeling of cocooning and intimacy . Using these segmentation means, Haagen-Dazs has narrowed down its business to cater to specifically two main target markets, namely, *Affluent, pleasure seeking adults who are generally brand conscious, innovators & trend followers *Health conscious, young adults who are interested in desserts but prefer natural ingredients and low fat substitutes By identifying only two target segments and focussing on a small but profitable segment of the market, Haagen-Dazs is practising a niche market strategy. They have been fairly successful in identifying and catering to this segment and this can be determined by their growth from gourmet stores in New York City to its global presence now in over 54 countries. Identification which segments are profitable to market to is not enough. Companies need to design a marketing mix to cater to each of these segments. The next section discusses Haagen-Dazs current marketing mix for the mentioned segments. MARKETING MIX INDULGENT & AFFLUENT ADULTSHEALTH CONSCIOUS ADULTS PRODUCT – All products made with exotic ingredients to add to the luxury and fine taste by sourcing nuts from Hawaii, vanilla from Madagascar, and chocolate from Belgium, etc. – Ice cream flavours ranging from Bailey’s Irish Cream and Blueberry Cheesecake to Cherry Vanilla and Chocolate Caramel, etc. Velvety Gelato in flavours from Cappuccino to Raspberry. Ice cream, sorbet, gelato bars for the adult palate in all flavours of the tubs – Frozen yoghurts where the fat content is derived directly from fresh cream and fresh egg-yolk. Sorbets are sweetened only with ‘pectin’ which is derived from fruit sugar thus ensuring no extra artificial sweeteners – All low-fat bars & tubs are marked with accurate calorie counts and fat content on the packaging to ensure that this segment knows exactly what it’s eating PRICE – premium priced at AED 7-10 a scoop while regular ice-creams are only priced at a maximum of AED 5 per scoop – no price discounts or special offers to keep in line with the luxury and prestige associated with the brand – for the health conscious, Haagen-Dazs have not reduced price to try and attract them simply because this segment already exists and they are willing to pay the same amount and purchase the product PROMOTION – although initially advertising was only through word of mouth, today Haagen-Dazs uses its print adverts to entice customers worldwide. Due to regulations in the Middle East region, they have refrained from linking their product attributes to sex, intimacy, alcohol, etc. and have focussed on highlighting the pleasure of eating ice cream made from the finest ingredients in the world – advertising for this segment has focussed on the fact that you can still maintain a great body and still treat yourself to an occasional ice-cream and not add on pounds for it – in store displays of the actual number of calories in each scoop and endorsements from fitness conscious stars are evidence enough of how Haagen-Dazs is continuously trying to attract people from this segment. PLACE – cafes with comfortable seating for couples, bar stools, dim lighting, rich colours all help to create an ambience of intimacy & love – all cafes are located on prime streets or malls where young adults tend to hang out or socialise thus enabling maximum accessibility for the elite – focus for this segment has moved away from actual cafes where they may be tempted by the non-low fat products and towards supermarkets, petrol pumps and other convenient areas where they can pick a scoop while their on go. The current marketing mix does quite effectively meet the needs of the target segment and my only recommendation to Haagen-Dazs would be to start targeting emerging segments such as the affluent teenage segment that would have more time to spend in cafes an who would be more easily convinced to experiment with flavours. Haagen-Dazs major success factor was the way it positioned itself in the minds of the consumer. It took a strategic marketing outlook to achieve this positioning. All said and done, Haagen-Dazs core business is still in the production of ice cream. However, differentiation using the finest products and developing of a premium ice cream brand was the positioning they portrayed. The next section will look into how they achieved this. POSITIONING Superior flavour and texture are principal to Haagen-Dazs and their definition of quality extends much further. From the ingredients they choose to the recipes they develop, from the packaging materials they select to the care with which they deliver the ice creams, from the ambience of each Haagen-Dazs cafà © to the attention with which they serve, the Haagen-Dazs brand quite obviously signifies its commitment to perfection. However, it is not enough that they believe they have done this. At the end of the day, the customers would base their decision on the tangible aspects of the brand such as the taste of the products, the quality of service offered at the cafes and so on. Product-wise, Haagen-Dazs ensures to maintain the high quality and luxurious taste associated with the brand by using best-selected ingredients from  around the world and ensuring that fresh cream is used for a rich creamy flavour, fresh skimmed milk for body and texture and fresh egg yolk for delicate flavour As a matter of differentiation, they advertise that their ice cream is ALL ICE CREAM by ensuring that the ice cream is perfectly rich because it contains no excess air. Further, unlike mass marketed brands, no artificial flavourings or colours are used. Haagen-Dazs prefers to find better natural alternatives and make sure that their customers know about this. Although most companies limit their product quality testing only within their manufacturing process, Haagen-Dazs takes it a step further to ensure that quality tests take place at every stage of production by visiting and testing ingredients suppliers, checking manufacturing processes and equipment daily, tasting ice cream in-store on a regular basis for temperature and taste. From this we can see how Haagen-Dazs positioning is based primarily on product & image differentiation. For this to be understood by customers, Haagen-Dazs has tried to convey this through every available communication vehicle such as the deep maroon & gold logo, to the Scandinavian name and lettering, and the seductive adverts mentioning the various exotic flavours. The only possible aspect that they need to modify with regards to their positioning would be to start co-branding the product in the U.A.E. with luxury events, shows, etc. Although currently premium ice creams like Godiva and Haagen-Dazs are served at all the major five-star hotels in town, they have not really ventured into sponsoring or conducting events. Locally held international-level fashion shows, horse races and golf tournaments are splendid opportunities to link the brand with the ‘best of the best’. Being primarily based on an actual product and its augmented offerings, Haagen-Dazs has not been very successful in differentiating its products from its services. The next section will look at this in further detail. SERVICE VS. PRODUCT ASPECTS Haagen-Dazs product aspects have already been discussed and this section will now concentrate on the services that they offer that acts as evidence of their marketing orientation. Haagen-Dazs has a global website that offers customer information on all the newest flavours, special recipes, current promotions, events, links to other Haagen-Dazs international websites and even access to their loyalty programme called REWARDS . This is a free membership to all their loyal customers who like to enjoy the uncompromising quality and indulgent taste of their products. This gives customers VIP access to all Haagen-Dazs sponsored events, fashion and art shows, early announcement of all new products, trial coupons and free gift vouchers. An excellent means to keep their customers coming back to them time and time again. The website also gives investors information on how to open a franchise outlet and company highlights which gives a better understanding of the company’s early beginnings. The primary mode of service at Haagen-Dazs was through their numerous high-street cafes. The website is a feature that was established of late but to actually receive the welcoming, customer-friendly service, one must visit a cafà ©. All Haagen-Dazs cafes are staffed with well-trained staff whose primary concern is to keep their customers feel relaxed in the cozy ambience of the outlet. The staff are always impeccably dressed in fine uniforms and are sure to be there at every customer’s beck and call whether asked for or not. The feeling is almost as if being served in a five star hotel. Even within the various cafes, club memberships are offered for all regular customers . These customers get free privileges like attending flavour launches, sample testing and focus group meetings. All these features help Haagen-Dazs continuously cater to its niche affluent segment who are willing to pay that extra premium for this high grade of service. Extra services offered at the cafes are the free ‘love’ postcards and mugs that are given as giveaways to promote the feeling of love, intimacy, sensuousness and passion that the brand is directly linked to. CONCLUSION Haagen-Dazs’ main challenges will be faced from the growing media effect on consumer preferences and tastes. New segments are emerging constantly and they need to continuously innovate and broaden their target market to incorporate these. In the 1980s, the premium brands were faced with intense competition from consumers changing preferences to low-fat, fat free and light ice-creams . Now, the media is actually convincing people that they deserve to indulge and this has resulted in many ice cream marketers to come up with products that are both indulgent, yet not high in calories. Currently, Haagen-Dazs just has frozen yoghurts and sorbets to cater to this segment, but they need to come up with newer recipes and ideas for getting this segment to eat more of their ice-cream. Haagen-Dazs need to realize that the world is moving to a general economic trend of higher earnings, more disposable income and leisure time and they need to understand that its not just the affluent that are eating their ice-creams but also those of the lower and upper middle-income segments. They have focussed on capturing the innovators in the market but need to start developing their marketing strategies to include the early and late majorities into this segment because they pose as a larger market. The brand has repositioned itself from being exclusive to being accessible yet high-class and quality. This needs to be further capitalised on by convincing the market move it from being something to be eaten at the cafà © to something in all family fridges to indulge in when important guests come for dinner. Their clear marketing orientation has given them an established brand. They managed to educate their customers on how they should indulge themselves occasionally even if it means buying a relatively more expensive ice-cream. Now they need to change focus to monitor international tastes and trends to better predict changing customer tastes and preferences. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Lancaster, G., and Massingham, L., 1993, Essentials of Marketing, 2nd edition, McGraw Hill Book Company Dickinson, P., 1994, Marketing Management, The Dryden Press ARTICLES Business News Publishing Group, September 2001, Sales Flat, Prices up for Top 12 Ice Cream brands, Dairy Foods Liebman, B., May 2002, Frozen Desserts Fatten Up, Nutrition Action Healthletter Reyes, S., 7th February 2000, Haagen-Dazs Extends Dulce’s Reach, Brandweek Wallace, K., 4th July 2002, Consumer Reports has the Scoop on the Best Ice Cream, Consumers Union of U.S. WEBSITES www.haagendazs.com www.finadarticles.com/cf_0/m0BDW/6_41/59779529 www.finadarticles.com/cf_0/m0813/4_29/85915465 www.finadarticles.com/cf_0/m3301/9_102/79007885 www.hauserbeiten.de/faecher/hausarbeit/bwu/5732.html www.wral.com/money/1544486/detail.html

Free Essays on Roses From My Friends

Roses From My Friends I could have treated you better but you couldn't have treated me worse but it's he who laughs last is he who cries first Sometimes I feel I know strangers better than I know my friends why must a beginning be the means to an end The stones from my enemies these wounds will mend but I cannot survive the roses from my friends When the last word has been spoken and we've beared witness to the final setting sun all that shall remain is a token of what we've said and done When all we've had has been forsaken distant church bells no longer ring that's the sound of a heart taken and the story of tears from a king The stones from my enemies these wounds will mend but I cannot survive the roses from my friends This may be the last time I see you forgive me for holding you close this may be the last time that I see you so of this moment I will make the most This may be the last time I see you but if you keep me in your heart together we shall be eternal if you believe we shall never part The stones from my enemies these wounds will mend but I cannot survive the roses from my friends... Free Essays on Roses From My Friends Free Essays on Roses From My Friends Roses From My Friends I could have treated you better but you couldn't have treated me worse but it's he who laughs last is he who cries first Sometimes I feel I know strangers better than I know my friends why must a beginning be the means to an end The stones from my enemies these wounds will mend but I cannot survive the roses from my friends When the last word has been spoken and we've beared witness to the final setting sun all that shall remain is a token of what we've said and done When all we've had has been forsaken distant church bells no longer ring that's the sound of a heart taken and the story of tears from a king The stones from my enemies these wounds will mend but I cannot survive the roses from my friends This may be the last time I see you forgive me for holding you close this may be the last time that I see you so of this moment I will make the most This may be the last time I see you but if you keep me in your heart together we shall be eternal if you believe we shall never part The stones from my enemies these wounds will mend but I cannot survive the roses from my friends...

Walsh, Winterich and Mittal

Walsh, Winterich and Mittal Summary Walsh, Winterich and Mittal (2010) wanted to find out whether logo redesigning help or hurt the brand or attitude towards it. They wanted to determine its effect on brand commitment. They defined a logo as a graphic representation of a brand that acted in such a way as to trigger the memory of the customer towards that particular brand. There are various brand elements that are essential for the success of a product and it to be recognized by customers but the brand logo has been identified as the most noticeable visual element.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Walsh, Winterich and Mittal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The shape of the logo has been determined to have an impact on the brand commitment. Many brands are emulating those of Asian countries. The bulbous designs with round shapes are preferred to those with more angles. In order to investigate whether the round shape of a logo has an effect, the authors investigated the effects of logo redesigning. In the investigation, they were to check on three categories. The first consisted of those that experienced no change in shape, the other category consisted of those logos that had been redesigned to consist of an angular shape and the last category consisted of those that were initially angular but redesigned to be more rounded. The results showed that fifty percent of all the logos that had been investigated changed in shape and sixty-eight percent of them had been redesigned to contain more rounded shapes. Research has suggested that the reactions of the customers towards the shape of the logo differ with the shape of the logo, whether rounded or angular. It has been suggested that the more rounded logos create a perception of approachability, harmony and friendliness. On the other hand, the angular logos depict strength, toughness and energy. This means that the visual effects of a logo would have an implication on the percep tion of the customers. However, the authors did not try to justify that a particular shape is better than the other is. They only tried to explain that if the logo was previously more angular and was redesigned to be more rounded, the customers would spot the difference. They also examined the effects that the magnitude of change in the design of the logo had to the level of commitment by the consumers to the brand. The authors suggested that those consumers who are strongly committed to a particular brand would be affected negatively in the event that the shape of the logo is changed. This is possible due to the importance of logos as the element that represents that particular brand. This is likely lead to negative brand attitudes. In the same line of reasoning, those consumers who previously had a weak brand commitment would most likely develop positive brand attitude towards the redesigning of a brand logo.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This research proved that the visual elements of a brand such as the logo have a significant implication on the brand. The roundedness of a logo was also more desired by those who considered redesigning a logo. The authors warned managers and explained that managers make a mistake when they think that their most committed customers would be most receptive in the event that the logo is changed. On the contrary, such customers might have a negative brand image when the logo is changed. For example, Apple failed to advertise the new logo effectively but only made its appearance in products and packaging. This might be the reason why the strongly committed consumers responded negatively. They might have been caught by surprise and disappointed by the new look that they had not anticipated. Critique Walsh, Winterich and Mittal (2011) also performed research to investigate how the customer’s response t o the redesigning of a logo from its previous angular shape to a more rounded shape was consistent with their commitment to the brand. The authors argued that the level of commitment of the consumers to the brand moderated the effects on the attitudes towards the brand that are likely to be brought about by the process of redesigning the logo. However, they argued that as much as the commitment to the brand had a positive impact towards brand attitudes of individuals who were previously accustomed to the angular logos, the same commitment had a negative effect towards the brand attitude in the event that the logo was redesigned to be more rounded. The authors also found that brand information was supposed to be consistent with the shape of the logo since inconsistence would affect brand attitudes. Therefore, the authors advised managers to be careful when redesigning logos since inconsistent information would jeopardize brand commitment. Opinion Every company should be careful to en sure that the most committed consumers are maintained. Such activities as the redesigning of the logo should be approached at a certain perspective and be considered wisely. The mere changing of the shape of the logo either to be more rounded or angular has an effect on the brand attitudes and generally toward brand commitment. Managers should understand the implications of logo redesigning before considering performing it. Twitter contribution Social media has increasingly become an important tool for marketing and the promotion of personal relations over the internet. Twitter is one of the social tools that have been used by marketers and other individuals in marketing their products. Individuals have used it to advertise or inform others about certain things that are of concern to them and related to business. Twitter is one of the most widely used application by marketers due to the number of people that use it, hence a large number of potential customers.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Walsh, Winterich and Mittal specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a new member of twitter, I have developed a great interest in this application and I have been able to share some of the interesting topics in marketing. This has been made possible by the availability of the hash tag utility. This enables people to share common views and ideas concerning a certain subject. I have personally shared web pages on topics such as advertisement. The advertisement that I shared was on YouTube and it was an Audi commercial. The company was advertising its products, which are the various models of the Audi brand of vehicles. Another important tweet I made was on the topic concerning the new ways of reaching the customers. This was whereby the customers could do some shopping while they waited for the subway. Marketers used that opportunity to sell their products. I was also able to tweet on the topic, marketing and s ocial responsibilities and it was about the Zain Company. I also tweeted and shared the article summary and critique. This way, I was able to participate in the global venture of marketing. Twitter is a great tool for communicating and sharing information since it is very effective and fast. I was also able to follow some of my favorite people such as Derrick Daye and Philip Kotler who are well known marketers. Twitter is a great experience and I am looking forward to doing more marketing through it. References Walsh, M., Winterich, K., Mittal, V. (2011). How re-designing angular logos to be rounded shapes brand attitude: Consumer brand commitment and self-construal. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 28(6), 438-447. Walsh, M., Winterich, K., Mittal, V. (2010). Do logo redesigns help or hurt your brand? The role of brand commitment. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 19(2), 76-84.