Cornish Villages 4G Trial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cornish Villages 4G Trial - Essay Example It is the aim of the Government to establish the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015 (BIS, 2010), and to meet the EC target for all citizens to have access to basic level of broadband of 2 Mbps by 2013 (EC, 2010). The wireless technology is envisioned to best benefit the ‘notspots’, or internet blackspots that cannot be reached by the traditional fibre-optic cable networks, since the 4G network relies on satellite dishes and the mobile phone network (McDonnell, 2011). The following discussion shall treat on the technical aspects, the social and user background, and the legal and policy frameworks that support and impact upon the UK broadband connectivity project. 2. Technical Background 4G refers to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards in the telecommunications industry, next to the 2G and 3G technologies. What the technology comprises exactly is difficult to define, and for a long time before the true 4G technology existed, its forerunners (LTE & WiMAX) were marketed as 4G. For instance, 4G has been described ‘as having peak speed requirements†¦ at 100 Mpbs for high mobility communication (such as from trains and cars) and 1 Gbps for low mobility communication (such as pedestrians and stationary users,’ which definition, however, has been observed to applying to two technologies in particular. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) stated that the term 4G may also apply to its forerunners (LTE & WiMAX) and evolved 3G (HSPA+), which enabled said technologies to advertise themselves as 4G (Broadband Expert, 2011). Most of the networks that currently support 4G capability are backed by LTE (referring to Long Term Evolution) technology, particularly in the US and being introduced in the UK. This technology is theoretically rated to have a maximum download speed of 300 Mbps and top upload speed of 75 Mbps. In the US where LTE networks are in use, however, one can realistically expect download s peed to be within 6 and 12 Mbps due to simultaneous user traffic. The other technology, WiMAX, is currently used by US carrier Sprint and others, but is not planned to be used in the UK. According to Sprint, WiMAX is capable of real world download speed of between 3 and 6 Mbps. WiMax has a theoretical top download speed of 128 Mbps and 56 Mbps for upload speed (Broadband Expert, 2011). HSPA+, the evolved 3G which now markets as 4G technology, presents itself as a quick and easy, cost-effective near term solution for upgrading presently existing 3G networks. It is much slower than LTE, with theoretical top download speed of 21 Mbps and realistic speeds from 2 Mbps to 4 Mbps (Broadband Expert, 2011). More recently, the advanced versions of WiMAX and LTE have emerged in the market, which both have theoretical capability of 1 Gbps download (ISPreview, 2011). As implied by the differences between theoretical and real world speeds, nearly all broadband services suffer from highly variable speeds. The current range of download speed in the UK is between 1 and 2 Mbps. There are several advantages, in present-day 4G broadband technology, though. ‘Mobile Broadband is often described as being the only real alternative to fixed line services because it has the advantage of being both affordable and widely available, from almost anywhere, to a significant portion of the UK population’

Organizational Changes and the Future in Policing Essay

Organizational Changes and the Future in Policing - Essay Example This paper will draw round Riordan's PR campaign together with its defined target audience, an impression of public relations issues, and insinuation of ethical issues. In adding up, Riordan has put into practice a marketing research plan and sought to bring into line its marketing and public relation approach According to the expert analysis Operations management for new firm is the methodical way and control of the processes that change inputs into ended goods and services. The operations function comprises an important proportion of the employees and bodily assets in the majority organizations. In such organizations operations managers are anxious with each step in as long as a service or product (Kogut, B. 2004, 151-167). They choose what should go into an in service system such as gear, labor, tools, facilities, materials, power, and information and how these inputs can finest be attain and used to please the requirements of the market place. Managers are also liable for serious activities such as excellence management and control, ability planning, materials management, procure, and preparation. The significance of operations management for a company like Nokia in market has augmented radically in latest years. Important foreign competition, shorter product and repair life-cycles, improved skilled and quality-conscious consumers, and the abilities of new technology have placed growing pressures on the operations function to get better efficiency as given that a broader array of high-quality products and services. By the globalization of markets, firms are familiar with that the operations function can be used as a spirited weapon to make stronger their location in the market place. Managers in operations management play a planned, as well as a strategic role in pleasing customer wants and making their firms sturdy international competitors (Kotabe, M., 2003, 10-31) According to the latest analysis if a new company want to enter in market then at least as volatile as the Middle-East situation, but not as famed in the headlines, is the appearance of worldwide operations as a main force that is reshaping the earth of commerce. By the prospect of latest business opportunities that escort it, we need to believe how these worldwide opportunities will be communal by U.S. businesses (Kotabe, M. 2003, 107-119). Personally, I describe public relations as the image that an organization works to portray to the public. Moreover, I have been in healthcare for 25 years as well as all the hospitals that I have worked for try to depict a positive image of healing and caring to the group of people. Portraying this image assist hospitals to gain new commerce and continue to grow. Nowadays, healthcare is commerce and mainly hospitals are vying to be number one in the area. every one in hospitals offer adequate care to an extent that is satisfactory to the public, but certain hospital systems stand out in areas of healthcare. When hospitals do extremely well in an area, such as cardiac care, the hospital

Two Cultural Practices Among The Yanomamo Essay

Two Cultural Practices Among The Yanomamo - Essay Example He describes them as a society constantly â€Å"living in a state of chronic warfare† (p. 22). The purpose of this paper is therefore to show that contrary to popular portrayal of the Yanomamo as a community dominated by senseless violence, instances of warfare are only sporadic and waged for specific purposes (Harris, 1979). In expounding on this view, the paper will look at two main cultural practices among the Yanomamo society that shapes their beliefs and practices as a people. Festivals as a cultural practice Festivals play an important role among the Yanomamo people, and are part and parcel of their culture. They are important to the Yanomamo people because they serve both social and political functions. They are held to cultivate and reaffirm friendships among the villages. Feasting among the Yanomamo involves the sharing of meals, which in a larger extent, symbolizes the sharing of goods through trade and other economic practices that are prevalent among the Yanomamo. These festivities are therefore used to form a social bond among the tribes, despite their warring nature, and to honor and appease the spirits of their ancestors. The Yanomamo people practice a lot of festivities and rituals which include hunting rituals, marriage festivals, songs and dance festivals, and the hugely shocking endocannibalist ritual, which involves the consumption of a deceased’s ashes. ... The hunting festival plays an important role among the Yanomamo culture. They practice two main hunting festivals, the â€Å"rami† which provides them with meat, and the â€Å"heniyomou† which is practiced by the whole community collectively for special guests (Micheli, 2011). The festival is carried out in the evenings and is characterized by songs and dances. Here the young men are required to compose songs amidst laughter from the older members of the society. Whereas the Yanomamo consider marriage to be an important event in their culture, they have no actual marriage ceremonies. The Yanomamo marriage is basically a handing over affair as the suitors were already predetermined by the parents of the girl when she was at a tender age (Micheli, 2011). Such marriages are usually organized as a means of creating alliances with the men and other tribes. Perhaps the most elaborate and well organized festivity/ritual among the Yanomamo is their funeral ceremonies. To the Ya nomamo, death is a great source of grief and anger, no matter the age, gender or position of the deceased, to the whole society. This is because they believe the cause of such death results from sorcery or witchcraft from the rival tribes (Fergusson, 2001). They thus mourn their dead with passion, and mark a ritual where they cremate their dead and ingest the remains of the deceased. This form of endocannibalism is a unique feature among the Yanomamo, who believe by ingesting the remains of the dead member of the society they are preserving his spirit within the society. The major significance of these festivities among the Yanomamo was that they acted as social activities where the community

Lessons for Auditors and Regulators from the WorldCom Fraud Essay

Lessons for Auditors and Regulators from the WorldCom Fraud - Essay Example The fraud was undertaken by representing line costs as capital, rather than expenses and inflating revenue on the financial statements. However, a team of internal auditors later on came to discover the fraudulent representation of financial statements and notified the Company’s board of directors and audit committee, who acted swiftly although the company had already become bankrupt (Albrecht, Albrecht, Albrecht & Zimbelman, 2011, 457). Lessons from WorldCom Fraud Lessons learnt from WorldCom fraud presents a broad range of issues to put into consideration such as, the importance of fraud auditors to have knowledge and an understanding of corporate systems and processes. Lessons have it that routine internal audit processes may not expose fraud, since auditors focus on providing assurance with respect to effective controls, rather than detecting irregularities as `possibilities of fraud. Fraud auditors should actively seek to identify irregularities and anomalies as indicator s of fraudulent behaviors among financial executives and general corporate staff, and use the knowledge to undertake further in-depth analysis to root out fraud. Fraud detection in corporate organisations relies on the knowledge and understanding of auditing and detection by officials of the fraud background, fraud schemes, principles, and indicators (Singleton & Singleton, 2010, p.145). WorldCom internal auditors were well conversant with the organisation’s culture and choices of recording the financial statement, which helped them immediately to recognise the $2 billion operating cost recorded as a fixed asset. This came out as a red flag unlike the normal culture of the organisation, more so when an official referred to the expenditure as prepaid capacity. Auditors’ understanding of the normal organisations culture was able to detect the omission of lease line cost in the operating expense account as a fraud (Rezaee & Riley, 2010, p.212). However, new loopholes in f inancial statements often require auditors to improve and devise new ways of detecting fraud, since past indicators may not be applicable in future fraud cases. Corporate fraud has continuously advanced with the computerisation of operations, and thus requires fraud auditors to be proactive in improving their fraud detection schemes. Corporations need to put in place mechanisms for assessing fraud as an organisation’s risk, and approach the risks using relevant internal audit methodologies. Fraud auditors should also be seen with regard to the presence of indicators of fraud, and design relevant controls and prevention methods of fraud. However, proactive fraud seeking auditing activities may be costly for organisations, though not comparable to extent of loss in case of successful fraud. Cost involved may include knowledge expansion in the area of fraud detection and more so, the use of electronic-detection tools. Internal auditors have the mandate to understand an organisat ion’s corporate culture, conditions, and choices that may have been used by fraudsters in engaging in financial statement fraud. Such an understanding would go a long way in providing accurate indicators of fraud and possible fraud in future of the organization's inconsistency with fraud risk levels that organizations face (Rezaee & Riley, 2010, p.213).  

The Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystems Essay Example for Free

The Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystems Essay Buy custom Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystems essay In this paper am going to examine the factors contributing to oil spills, and their effects on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. This addition of phytoplankton leads to depletion of oxygen levels in water, making it hard for survival of animal and plant population in the water. These oil spills do not only affect the marine system but also the chronic urban contamination and the economic loss. The oil spill has total effect on marine life despite the distance from the oil spill. The closer the oil spill is to the shoreline, the more damage it causes. The effects are also felt toward the offshore and the coastal environment. Oil spill is an accidental or intentional release of liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment. The environment is onshore or offshore leading to pollution. Mostly the key pathway of oil spills is through the marine oil spills. In this pathway, oil is released into the aquatic environment. The process is through spills from tankers drilling rigs and wells. Naturally oil may enter the marine life through oil seeps. The effects of oil spills are in many cases long-term effects. The short-term effects, though, can also be disastrous. Oil spills are dependant on wind and currents for faster spreading. When oil mixes with the water, it forms a sticky substance known as mousse. This substance clings to whatever it comes into contact with since it is sticky. Some marine animals mistake it for food. Birds usually have a hard time flying after coming into contact with the mousse. The mousse makes the birds’ feather heavier, making it impossible for the bird to fly thus drowning. The bird also becomes vulnerable to predators since it cannot fly. Predators that feed on these dead birds also end up dying due to poisoning by the mousse (McCoy Salerno, 2010). The oil enters into the plumage structure of the bird and reduces the insulation capability. The bird is thus exposed to temperature fluctuations and less buoyant in water. The birds ingest the oil on the feathers, and this causes kidney damage and malfunction of the liver. A very small percent of birds exposed to oil spills survives unless there is an intervention by a human (Peter Smithson, 2002). The marine mammals that are largely affected by oil spills consists of the Seals, sea lions, polar bears, sea otters, whales, dolphins, and manatees. This is due to their adaptation main power in fur and blubber. The mammals living in a cold environment are mostly affected by hypothermia. Other effects include organ malfunction due to toxic exposure. The organ malfunction consists of interstitial emphysema gastrointestinal ulceration. The mammals encounter a lot of stress due to restriction of diet and continuous exposure to oil. Seals are highly vulnerable to oil spills since they spend much of their feeding time near the surface of the water. Fur seals are exposed to oil adhering to the fur. The adhering leads to the fur loosing insulation ability. The oil coating on fur seals results also in reduction in swimming ability and a lowered mobility of the seals on land. The seals are also affected by poisoning caused by feeding on already contaminated prey and inhalation of oil droplets. Sea otters usually spend their time on the water surface and are totally dependant on fur for isolation and float ability. The famous Exxon Valdez disaster is blamed to be the main cause of 15,000 otters, due to ingestion of oil. Polar bears depend on blubber and a thick under fur for insulation. They often groom their fur. While grooming oil contaminated fur, polar bears may swallow oil, resulting to death due to intoxication. The intoxication damages the kidney and lowers the ability to produce red blood cells in polar bears. Whales are rarely affected by oil spills as they are always on migration. Baleen whales are the only whales affected as oil stick to the whales when they are filtering their feed. They take a large amount of water in order to select their catch. A dolphin is a smooth-skinned and hairless mammal. Therefore, there is less possibility of oil sticking to their skins. In this case, the dolphins are affected by the inhalation of oil vapor. The inhalation damages the dolphins’ airways and lungs. The other minor effect is the dolphins’ eyesight and unending stress. Manatees and dugong are found in areas with warm waters; also depend on a layer of blubber for insulation. Their effect by oil spills is similar to that of the dolphins. Oil spills damages the turtle airways when they surface on top of water contaminated by oil slick. Their feed is affected also affected by oil spills and thus poisons the turtles. The areas that the turtles nest in the beaches are sandy. Oil contamination on the nesting sites leads to contamination of the eggs inhibiting proper development. Fish, one of the largest populations in the marine life ingest oil through their gills. This ingestion often leads to enlargement of the liver and reproduction capacity. In the Gulf of Mexico, there is an alarming rate at which the fish are dying due to the effect of oil spills and contamination. The death of fish is due to skin lesions, fin rot and liver blood clots in the fish surrounding the environment (Margaret Judith, 2010). The only effect on shellfish is not direct. The effect is indirect, since the affected is the person feeding on the shellfish. Shellfish exposure to oil spills leads them to acquiring an extremely unpleasant taste and makes it impossible to be eaten. The effects of oil spills on plants vary with every species of plant. The most common effect in all the species is the coating effect. This is because almost all plants depend on their leaves for production of food. The coating of oil on the leaves makes it impossible for the plant to have proper exchange of gas with the environment and production of food. This effect leads to slower growth rate of plants and in some cases quick death of the plant. Oil spills contamination leads to the death of algae and plankton. The large number of plants dying leads to excessive addition of ammonia and nitrites in the water. Conversely, levels of dissolved oxygen lower just as the pH levels. The changes in water chemical composition lead to toxicity of environment as a whole. Oil spills contribute in extremely large portion of polluting the environment. Proper measure should be put in place to avoid such mess. The measure accounts from government policies proper and self-regulatory measures per each person. This can be achieved through proper education of the society on the dangers of oil spill pollution and strict government policy to ensure that person complies. The hotel industry should also be cautious with the type of sea food that they sell. Proper Seafood Sensory Training is recommended for them to enable them detect oil in seafood. Float oil barriers should be used around the affected area, especially the ones with strong currents. Any incidence of oil spillage leads to possible death of either the marine animal or plants. Therefore, the source of this pollution should be dealt with as it may take many years to clean the effect.

Consumer behaviour regarding luxury product consumption

Consumer behaviour regarding luxury product consumption From guilt-free fair-trade products and free-range eggs, to cruelty-free shampoo and chemical-free paint, a revolution seems to be occurring in wealthy capitalist societies. And this is happening not at the margins of society but at its heart, in the shopping centers and homes of ordinary people (Lewis and Potter, 2010). Mainstreaming of ethical concerns around consumption is on the rise and companies are extending their fair-trade range over more products, in a bid to catch the ethical consumer. But is this phenomenon also apparent in luxury product consumption? The discussion in this paper is aimed towards analyzing the role of ethics in the luxury industry where consumption, to much extent, is based on hedonistic values. It is also quite uncertain whether luxury brands actually target ethical consumers. The role of ethics in luxury product consumption is complex and thus requires an intricate analysis. This paper will initially discuss about ethical consumerism as a whole. Comparing and contrasting various research studies and surveys; it will present the current global trends in consumer behaviour. Moving into the luxury sector, it will analyze the values and motivations behind luxury product consumption and examine if sustainable development can co-exist with luxury products. Finally, it will highlight some of the steps big luxury groups such as BVLGARI, LVMH and Versace are taking to integrate ethics into consumption by working on issues such as animal welfare, child labour, education and environmental protection. The question arises whether these measures motivate consumer behaviour de facto. This paper will demonstrate that consumer motivations behind luxury purchases are hedonism and social recognition, rather than ethical values. Purchase of a product that concerns a certain ethical issue such as human rights, animal welfare, child labour or environment protection can be termed as ethical consumption (Doane, 2001). In general, ethical consumption is reflected when a consumer feels responsible towards society and expresses these feelings by means of his or her purchase behaviour (De Pelsmacker, Driesen and Rayp 2005). Consumers can translate their ethical concerns by either buying products that contribute towards ethical concerns or by boycotting products that are unethically produced. Ethical consumers are therefore aware of the consequences of production, consumption and disposal, and expect companies, producing the products they buy, to conform to ethical standards. Recent studies indicate that consumers increasingly care about ethics while purchasing regular household goods and are willing to pay a premium for socially acceptable products (Auger, Burke, Devinney and Louviere, 2003). For example, they prefer to buy fair-trade coffee, organic foods, products free from child labour and legally logged wood. The Edelman Goodpurpose consumer survey (2010) shows that 86% of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on societys interests as on businesss interests. According to the survey, emerging markets have taken the lead consumers in Brazil, India, China and Mexico have outpaced their peers in the west in purchasing and promoting brands that support good causes. Hence, there is cultural variation in behavioural intentions, but the group of consumers most interested in socially responsible products is growing across the world. The Edelman study also suggests that after 4Ps Product, Price, Placement and Promotion, Purpose is the 5th P of marketing. In order to retain their customer base, marketers need to understand and act on the social issues that matter to their customers and are a best fit to their business. Whilst a lot is indicated about increasing socially conscious consumer attitude, it does not reflect in actual consumer behaviour. Research indicates that a consumer attitude towards making ethical purchases is more positive than behaviour (De Pelsmacker, Driesen and Rayp 2005). For example, Cotte and Trudel (2010) demonstrate that 44% consumers indicated an intention to change their buying behaviour to consume ethical products, however only 18% actually did. General ethical attitude or even surveys intent on measuring consumption ethics are almost completely unrelated to actual behaviour since there is pressure to answer in a socially desirable way (Auger and Devinney, 2007). So consumer purchasing behaviours are not nearly as high as these attitudes would predict (Carrigan and Attalla, 2001) and consumers will buy responsible products only if quality, performance and prices are equal (Deloitte, 2008). This ubiquitous attitude behaviour gap is due to various factors. It may be the consumers perception of having to compromise on attributes such as convenience and quality of the product they value (Roberts, 1996) or could be the lack of knowledge about the firms ethical behaviour. Consumers are more aware of a firms unethical behaviour and rather have little knowledge about its ethical initiatives (Carrigan and Attalla, 2001). Another reason is widespread consumer scepticism and cynicism (Roberts, 1996). Marketers who try to oversell their firms offering as better on socially conscious dimensions, risk being accused of what is now called green washing (Cotte and Trudel, 2009). Hence, the most important factors affecting buying decision are still price, quality, convenience, and brand. Therefore, there is clearly a lack of conclusive and empirical evidence that consumers will pay more for socially responsible products (McWilliam and Siegal, 2000), but at least there seems to be a constant effort by both consumers and companies to be ethically conscious in consumption and production respectively. There is a trend towards more consumer activism with respect to the social behaviours of organizations, especially large and well-known multinational corporations (Auger, Burke, Devinney and Louviere, 2003). Despite the ethical markets strong growth, consumers have blasted Nestlà ©, Coca-Cola, Cadbury, McDonalds and Tesco for failing to do enough to champion ethical values, according to new market research (Britton, 2010). But traces of such efforts can rarely be found in the luxury sector. It is observed that for higher priced products, only those consumers, who have a strong favourable attitude towards charity, are ready to pay the premium (Anderson and Cunningham, 1972) . In order to verify this behaviour, it is important to explore the motivations behind luxury purchases. Analyzing consumers perception of luxury products, a survey conducted by Synovate (2009) demonstrates, 35% people feel that luxury is everything over and above what is needed and 17% associate luxury as a lifestyle. Whether consumers define luxury as a feel of cashmere on their skin, the joy of time to spend as per their wish or the pleasure of showing off their success, actually depends on where they live. For example, in developing countries like India and Brazil, luxury is about flashing your wealth with big designer logos, its away of life. Whereas in countries like France, where people are certainly hedonistic, and enjoy the small pleasures like a good smell, or the softness of a scarf, and of course cooking and eating, luxury is about making them feel good and not about flaunting a brand. Luxury purchases are motivated by hedonistic values associated with instant gratification (Szmigin, Carrigan and OLoughlin, 2007). These values stimulate a consumer to purchase a $3500 Louis V uitton bag whose function is the same as a handbag at $250. Essentially, at the core of luxury consumption are three key motivations: indulgence, exclusivity and status. Danziger (2004) highlights two reasons behind buyer behaviour to solve problems and to make them feel good. She classifies consumer purchases into 4 categories Utilitarian, indulgences, lifestyle luxuries and aspirational luxuries, each motivated by different values (represented at the ends of each axis in fig.1). Utilitarian purchases include items such as blenders, food processors and microwaves, which essentially focus on practicality. Indulgences represent lifes little luxuries that provide emotional satisfaction and which consumers can buy without guilt. Cosmetics, entertainment products, games and costume jewellery are appropriate examples. Lifestyle luxuries are luxury cars (Mercedes, BMW), designer clothes (Armani, Ralph Lauren), Watches (Rolex). They are extravagant and provide material satisfaction, along with the prestige and image conferred by the brand. And finally there are aspirational luxuries that have no practical need and are purchased largely for the pure joy of owning them. Theses include Art, antiques, vintage collectibles, yachts, fine jewellery, etc. Consumers buy these items to make a statement about them in society, express their values, interests and passions. Fig1: Consumer purchase categories and motivations behind each Having discussed that a consumer buys anything to satisfy a concrete need, in purchasing luxury items, the act of consuming, rather than the product itself, satisfies this need (Danzigner, 2004). In fact, tracking the roots of luxury product consumption and marketing, we find it to be based on sheer unethical values (Sylvester, ND). Back in the 1840s in Manchester England (The worlds richest city then), the cotton mill owners were at the top of the social ladder and usually showed off their wealth at dinner parties where they served wine instead of beer and the wealthier class served champagne. For the most affluent class this was a problem as champagne was no longer exclusive. As a solution, the French marketers, keeping the product unchanged, created a much more expensive drink called vintage champagne. The rich mill owners were flocked to it. Hence, within a few years, the world was buying more bottles at higher prices. The anecdote above is a good example that shows how the concept of luxury is based on un-ethical selling and consumption, of which marketers are well aware. This view is supported in the 21st century as marketing strategist, Sergio Zyman (2000), provides in his book, the end of marketing Marketing is how to sell more things to more people more often for more money. In fact, French marketers are the leaders in marketing luxury brands and even the puritan roots and guilt dont prevent them from behaving in unashamedly elitist ways and producing items that no ordinary person will ever be able to afford. Marketers are concentrating their efforts on selling things that people dont need, but want. Different values that motivate consumers to make a low value purchase as compared to a luxury purchase. Empirical evidence suggests that materialism is negatively correlated with consumer behaviour, i.e. unethical behaviour is associated with greater amounts of materialism (Barrett, 1992 cited in Muncy and Eastman, 1998). The more materialistic consumers might be willing to bend ethical rules to gain possessions and when faced with an ethical choice, the acquisition of the goods may begin to take primacy over ethical values (Muncy and Eastman, 1998). Thus, the factors that may cause a person to be more materialistic may also cause him or her to be less ethical. In fact, marketers may have self-interest in encouraging materialism. Even if we consider that some people do behave ethically while purchasing luxury products, their decisions are not necessarily dependent on ethical values. People, while shopping in public, like to be seen as altruistic and thus are more likely to choose green products, that maybe expensive and low quality but benefit the environment (Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh, 2010; Telegraph, 2010). So their purchases are often motivated by status, especially when these products cost more relative to non-green products. The Toyota Prius is a prime example of a self-promoting mobile billboard for environmentalist beliefs. A compact hybrid Sedan with moderate features and performance, considered a Green product due to high fuel efficiency. In a survey, 40% of hybrid owners indicated that they bought a green car as an alternative to a traditional luxury car such as a BMW (Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh, 2010). Yet, the top five reasons why the Prius was so successful and environmental conservation was last on the list (Maynard, 2007). The number 1 reason was, that it made a statement about the consumer, a statement that the owner cares about the environment. So consumers are willing to spend on ethical products but at the cost of earning a public status or reputation. In the privacy of ones home, luxury and comfort is still the winner (Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh, 2010). Having discussed that hedonism and materialism as motivators of luxury purchases, it is evident that sustainability and luxury are quite incompatible terms. To drive a Rolls Royce, a Bentley or a Mercedes S Class would radiate a message that the owner couldnt care less about gas overconsumption and the warming of the atmosphere (Kapferer, 2010). Luxury is about excellence: more than any other, luxury brands guarantee zero risk. Now there are more and more pressures from lobbies and animal defense groups to forbid testing skin care products on animals. But without testing, the brand cannot ensure that its product is harmless for consumers. If all fashion luxury brands adopt a minimalist look, they would lose all capacity to differentiate and thus lose their integrity. Elliott and Freeman (2001 cited in Belk, Devinney and Eckhardt, 2005) found relatively high price elasticity of demand for products made under bad labour conditions but low price elasticity for products made under good conditions, implying that companies can potentially lose from having their products identified as being made under bad conditions but have little to gain from marketing their products as being made under good conditions. Modern revelations of how Prada and Dolce Gabbana bags were being stitched by clandestine Chinese workers in workshops-costing a mere à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬20 to produce, have signaled the need of ethical behaviour in manufacturing, in order to retain customers. Luxury brands are advancing fast to meet the demands of sustainable development. Some brands are actually working on philanthropic endeavors, but their motive is not quite clear. For example, since 2009, BVLGARI has raised more than 6 million Euros to support Save the Childrens quality education programs and are hosting several special events to support quality education for the worlds neediest children (Bvlgari, 2010). LVMH has been auditing its carbon imprint since 2004 and has taken as a managerial motto the four words: renew, recycle, reduce, and review (Kapferer, 2010). The same holds  true for Tiffany. Dior (LVMH) gets their handbags made in Italy (excellent leather suppliers and their know-how that produces less CO2 than if it was made in China) and the leather comes from bio farms. Versace has an Art Unites initiative where the brand makes one-of-a-kind handbags out of each work of art drawn by a child. The bags are sold for about $250 through its global boutiques and all p roceeds go to childrens foundation or other charities. Having analyzed the extent to which consumers value ethics in the luxury sector, as well as explored the same issue from the perspective of the luxury companies, one can conclude that that people care more about ethics if the people around them can recognize them for doing so. There is a big attitude behaviour gap that demonstrates that consumers still make important purchase decisions on the basis of price, quality and durability of product rather than ethics. Thus, the intentions of both consumers and producers are to some extent unethical in its roots and motivated by further recognition to be doing whats right rather than for the outcome and effect of those ethical decisions on the people that they are benefitting. What is evident is that firms have realized that need of ethical conduct to retain its customers if not gain more.

Case Study Russell Hobbs Marketing Essay

Case Study Russell Hobbs Marketing Essay Now a day in this business word everyone wants to be a global company. To expend the business in a new area this module (International marketing strategy) help us to make a clear view how to enter a new market and what criteria have to follow to be successful in international market. By following these organizations can achieve the position within a short possible time. It may be valuable for the organization and also easier for them to understand the facts what they are doing, what they need to do. So they need to develop a strategy what tell them how they can enter in a new market and what the need to change or develop to be successful in foreign market. Because of the competitive business world and economic developments organizations always try to capture the market. And they always look for a new place to do business that increase their business profit. In here I am going to examine the new market environment, market mix strategy and strategy for entering in a new market for Russell Hobbs. This module will help a lot to examine the new market environment, mix strategy and how to enter in a new market. About Russell Hobbs: Russell Hobbs ltd is a UK based private company established in 1952 by Bill Russell and Peter Hobbs. In 1952, they designed the worlds first automatic coffee percolator, the CP1.(  About us  Official Russell Hobbs website) Russell Hobbs has been tantamount with quality, style and innovation for the kitchen and home for over fifty years. The brand led the way by introducing products which offer real consumer reimbursement and technological advancements to make life in the home easier and more enjoyable.   Throughout the decades, in kettles and toasters manufacturing they took the No 1 place, and today they admitted themselves as a leading brand in this area. With this superior track record and legacy, they have since become a leading brand in  irons, food preparation and now floor care. And they extend their business in other markets, such as heating, cookware and bake ware. (http://www.russellhobbs.co.uk/about/#1) Today Russell Hobbs boasts an extraordinary product portfolio and is continuing to develop into new categories. From kettles  and toasters to cooking, cleaning and garment care, each and every product is intended with the consumer in mind to offer the decisive in performance, practicality, ease of use and style.( http://www.russellhobbs.co.uk/about/#1) The name of Russell Hobbs recognised as a leading small kitchen appliance brand in the UK by nine out of ten consumers and has won many awards and product accreditations by leading institutes and organisations. From day one the company was always in profit. It because of the understanding capability of customer needs and demand. And also the new product innovation through introducing new technology their products are always successful in the market. From last 50 years they are the leading kettle maker in Great Britain. And from the foundation of their business they always try to make product which is easy to use and more appealing to their customers. Selection of international market: Selection of foreign market is one of the basic and important factors to launch a product for any company, so the choice of mode of entering in a foreign market is another major issue by which now a days international businesses must tussle. To select an international market company have to understand the business environment of that country it will help them to be successful in foreign market. As per my interest I am going to choose Bangladesh as a foreign market and UK based company Russell Hobbs ltd. is the host country. I am going to choose Kettle one of the best product of Russell Hobbs ltd. So, to do business in Bangladesh its market environment is more feasible. To justify this comment, I am going to use an analytical process that called PESTLE analysis. It will give us a clear idea that the environment of Bangladesh is feasible or not to do business for Russell Hobbs ltd. PESTLE analysis: PESTLE ECONOMICAL SOCIOLOAGICAL TECHNOLOGICAL LEGAL POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL A PESTLE analysis is a useful tool for understanding the big picture of the environment in which an organisation is operating. Specifically for understanding risks associated with market (the need for a product or service) growth or decline PESTLE analysis is useful tool, and as such the position, potential and direction for an individual business or organisation.   Political: Bangladesh is a  unitary state  and  governmental democracy. (Constitution of Bangladesh. Parliament.gov.bd. Retrieved 2010-11-28.) In here direct elections took place every five years for the  unicameral  parliament known as  Jatiya Sangsad. Aged 18 or over, can vote to choose a democracies government. The President is the head of state but mainly a ceremonial post elected by the parliament. There are two  major parties  in Bangladesh. They are the  Bangladesh Awami League  and the  Bangladesh Nationalist Party  (BNP). Student politics is particularly strong in Bangladesh, a bequest from the liberation movement period. Almost all parties have exceedingly active student wings, and student leaders have been elected to the Parliament. In the last few years has been consistently good. Bangladesh has most astutely and foresightedly chosen to set up itself as a secular democracy.( BY- Ishtiaq Ahmed, http://www.defence.pk/forums/bangladesh-defence/71487-view-political-economy-bangladesh-ishtiaq-ahmed.html) Economical: Since her independence in 1971, Bangladesh has made significant strides in her economic sector. Although the economy has improved vastly in the 1990s, in the area of foreign trade in South Asian region Bangladesh still suffers a lot. Bangladesh has made some development improving the climate for foreign investors and liberalizing the capital markets; for example, it has negotiated with foreign firms for oil and gas exploration, better countrywide supply of cooking gas, and the construction of natural gas pipelines and power stations. Progress on other economic reforms has been halting because of opposition from the system of government, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. Bangladesh has seen a remarkable increase in  foreign direct investment. A number of  multinational corporations  and local big business houses such as  Beximco,  Square,  Akij Group,  Ispahani,  Navana Group,  Transcom Group,  Habib Group,  KDS Group,  Dragon Group  and multinationals such as  Unocal Corporation  and  Chevron, have already made a major investment, with the natural gas sector being a main concern. Fiscal Year Total Export Total Import Foreign Remittance Earnings 2007-2008 $14.11b $25.205b $8.9b 2008-2009 $15.56b $22.00b+ $9.68b 2009-2010(Set Target) $17.6b N/A $10.87b Bangladeshs textile industry, which includes knitwear and ready-made garments by the side of with specialized textile products, this area is considered as the nations number one export earner, accounting for 80% of Bangladeshs exports of $15.56 billion in 2009.(Sandeep Mahajan, Bangladesh: Strategy for Sustained Growth, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network, World Bank (July 26, 2007). Web.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2010-07-03)  Bangladesh considered as 3rd in world textile exports behind Turkey, another low volume exporter, and China which exported $120.1 billion worth of textiles in 2009. The industry employs almost 3.5 million workers in this country. Till date current exports have doubled since 2004. The economy of Bangladesh is constituted by that of a developing country. ( Population Division dourboyz.com. 2010. Retrieved, 03-12-03-2010.) Its per in 2008 was est. US$1,500 (adjusted by purchasing power parity). Bangladesh ranked as the 48th largest economy in the world in 2009, (According to the International Monetary Fund) with a gross domestic product of US$256 billion. Over the past few years the economy has grown at the rate of 6.7% p.a. Sociological: Bangladesh is the most densely populated no island nation in the world. With approximately 125 million inhabitants living in an area of 55,813 square miles, there are about 2,240 persons per square mile. The majority of the population (98 percent) is Bengali, with 2 percent belonging to tribal or other non-Bengali groups. Approximately 83 percent of the population is Muslim, 16 percent is Hindu, and 1 percent is Buddhist, Christian, or other. Annual population growth rate is at about 2 percent. (http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Bangladesh.html) Bangladesh has a number of excellent universities in its largest urban areas that offer both undergraduate through post-graduate degrees. The most prominent universities, most of which are state supported, include: Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Jahngirnagar University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and Bangladesh Agricultural University. Now days in Bangladesh there are a number of good private universities that provides world class education as well. Technology: The need for faster technological development is gradually more felt in Bangladesh. Development plans of Bangladesh have emphasized science and technological research to develop technologies through espousal of imported technology as well as development of aboriginal technologies. As the country is heavily dependent on imported technologies, proper planning is required for its effective transfer through acquisition, absorption and adoption.   Government has been formulated and adopted new science and technology policy. It has laid down the directions for S and T activities and research, institutional and manpower development, dissemination and documentation facilities.   Legal: LEGAL SYSTEM III.C.1. Common Law System The legal system of Bangladesh is based on a common law system. On the other hand, unlike other common law jurisdictions, Bangladeshs Supreme Court has the power to not only construe laws made by the Parliament but to also declare them null and void and enforce fundamental rights of the citizens. Although founded on the English common law system, the laws of Bangladesh take a statutory form which are enacted by the legislature and interpreted by the higher courts. The govt. regulations or the legal condition of Bangladesh is also not a big obstacle at starting new business or to launch new product. But in terms of introducing new consumer product, a company must obtain the approval of BSTI (Bangladesh Standard Testing Institute). So to launch a product the company must obtain BSTI approval. FOREIGN INVESTMENT INCENTIVES IV.A. General Incentives for Foreign Investment The government has been keen in promoting foreign investment and continues in its efforts to attract such investment as a means of alleviating the economy. In addition, the government has liberalised the industrial and investment policies in recent years by reducing interfering control over private investment. Investment Incentives: Tax Exemptions: Generally 5 to 7 years. However, for power generation exemption is allowed for 15 years. Duty: No import duty for export oriented industry. For other industry it is at 5% ad valorem. Tax Law: Double taxation can be avoided in case of foreign investors on the basis of bilateral agreements. Exemption of income tax up to 3 years for the expatriate employees in industries specified in the relevant schedule of Income Tax ordinance. Remittance: Facilities for full repatriation of invested capital, profit and dividend. Exit: An investor can wind up an investment either through a decision of the AGM or EGM. Once a foreign investor completes the formalities to exit the country, he or she can repatriate the sales proceeds after securing proper authorization from the central bank. Ownership: Foreign investors can set up ventures which are either wholly owned or in collaboration with a local partner. (www.lexmundi.com/images/lexmundi/PDF/guide_bangla.pdf) Environment: Environment of Bangladesh is more feasible. Though, Bangladesh is a central point of reference for the inequality of climate change. Its per capita energy utilization is the equal of about 1 litre of oil per week, causative a small fraction of 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet the country is listed in various risk assessments as  one of the most susceptible in the world to the effects of climate change. Rising sea levels intimidate inundation and salty interference in the southern coastal area, the risk accentuated by prediction of larger cyclone intensity. In a climate pincer movement from the north, melting Himalayan glaciers may disrupt the flows of the three great rivers, first with excess flooding and ultimately with diminished volume. Unreliable monsoon patterns and longer periods of deficiency in the north complete the roll call of climate predictions for Bangladesh. (http://uk.oneworld.net/guides/bangladesh/climate-change?gclid=CIaE58-6xqYCFQ8f4QodOTBuIA) Marketing Mix Marketing Mix  is the set of marketing tools that the firm uses to follow its marketing objectives. Marketing mix has a classification for these marketing tools. These marketing are classified and called as the Four Ps: Product Price Place Promotion The most fundamental marketing tool is product which includes product design, quality, features, branding, and packaging. An essential marketing tool is price which determines the amount of money that customers pay for the product. It also includes discounts, allowances, credit terms and payment period. Place is another important marketing mix tool. And it includes a range of activities that the company undertakes to make the product easy to get to and available to the customer. Some factors that choose the place are transport facilities, channels of distribution, coverage area, etc. Promotion is the last marketing mix tool which includes all the activities that the company undertakes to converse and promote their product to target market. Promotion includes sales promotion, advertising, sales force, public relations, direct marketing, etc. (http://www.scribd.com/doc/8719148/Pepsi-Marketing-Mix) Product In marketing, a product is everything that can be presented to a market that might assure a want or need of customers. There is of two types of product, Tangible (physical) and Intangible (non-physical). Since services have been at the front position of all modern marketing strategies, some intangibility has become important part of marketing offers. All products offered in a market can be placed between Tangible (Pure Product) and Intangible (Pure Service) range. Russell Hobbs product: Russell Hobbs introduces a lot of quality products to their customer. And because of the quality and new technology uses on their product these are most successful being the time those introduced. It is a multinational company and it is not limited to one product. Through the years they have invented and introduced many products than their main Kettle product. They are offering a range of household products like Kettles, Toasters, Irons, Coffee maker, Food preparation, Cooking Baking, Floor care, Cookware etc. Price In economics and business, the price is the assigned numerical pecuniary value of a good, service or asset. To develop a marketing plan price is one of the essential variables in the marketing mix model. Pricing is a big part of the marketing mix. Choosing the right price and the right pricing strategy is decisive to the marketing process. The price of the product is not always fixed. On the other hand the price of the product depends on lots of other factors. Some times the price of the product has got nothing to do with the real product itself. The price may proceed as a way to catch the attention of target customers. Russell Hobbs price: It was a company that ruling the markets before others entered. Previously the price of its product was cost based. It was decided on the cost which was exhausted on making the product plus the profit and other expenses. But after the appearance of other companies it started with a pricing strategy based on the basis of competition. Nowadays additional expenses are spent on advertising products of the company relatively than on manufacturing. Place Place is a term that has a diversity of meanings in a lexicon sense, but which is principally used in a geographic sense as a noun to denote location, though in a sense of a location identified with that which is located there. In marketing, place refers to one of the 4 Ps, defined as the marketplace. It can mean a geographic location, an industry, a group of people (a segment) to whom a company wants to sell its products or services, like a young professional women (for selling cosmetics) or middle-aged family men (for selling family cars). Promotion Promotion is one of the four aspects of marketing. Promotion comprises has four subcategories: Advertising Personal selling Sales promotion Publicity and public relations The arrangement of these four variables creates a promotional mix or promotional plan. A promotional mix specifies how much awareness to pay to each of the four subcategories, and how much money to budget for each. A promotional plan can have a large range of objectives, including- sales increases, new product reception, creation of brand equity, positioning, competitive retaliations, or creation of a corporate image. Foreign market entry strategy for Russell Hobbs: To enter any foreign market there are some strategy that should be follow to be successful. After doing the market analysing by using pestle analysis and doing marketing mix strategy I have come to know the market and what will need to capture a new market. Now I am trying to evaluate a market entry strategy for Russell Hobbs to enter Bangladesh Market. My approach to develop a market-entry strategy follows a proven and structured process, based on extensive industry experience and in-depth understanding of all aspects that feed into a commercial launch. To enter a new market they have to analysis the market first. And also have some approach like: Decrease the financial ambiguity that derives from lack of comprehensive market analysis and a structured strategic plan Make a possible business plan collaboration and financial planning Preliminary business case assumptions need to be revisited to superior communication with market conditions and chosen market position Create launch competence by delivering a structure for consequent planning of strategic launch activities, coordinating and prioritising tasks for launch team Make a contingency plan for risk management and market perception control Launch organisations face immense pressures on market entry, created by internal and external prospect. Some of these pressures can be relies by developing a clear and planned market-entry strategy and efficient functional plans. Market entry strategy Vision and Mission Objective Overall strategy Positioning Brand Target segment Strategic decisions Pricing Brand and communication Sales and distribution Products and services Customer service Launch phasing Tactical launch plan Contingency plan Products services Pricing Brand and communication Sales distribution channels Customer service Internal and external factors Conclusion: So from the above finding I am came on conclusion that for making entry in any international market we should follow the rules and enter in a market with perfect strategy, and my focused on launching my product, and I am focused on market mixed strategy and from the depth of the research which I do for my launching of the product so I find that Bangladesh is the best place for launching my product, because it is the place which fulfil all the requirements which I am looking for, This involved, marketing plan marketing strategy and a sound marketing mix decision. Having completed this, the report then concluded of what best entry strategy Russell Hobbs can undertake to successfully launch business in Bangladesh.