Ethnic Market Essay

With mounting western influence and focus on revival of traditional Indian fashion elements, diversity in India sees many faces. To maintain the dignity of the culture and to provide a platform to small Indian brands, future group initiated ethnocentrism concept by opening ethnicity store in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This initiative has provided new format insights to organized retailers to expand their horizons in highly volatile Indian consumer oriented market. A new format has always been a challenge to any retailer to sustain into the market. In the changing face of market, to regain preference of consumers towards nationalized brands, can be looked from a confronting angle. This created an anxiety in the mind of researchers and inspired them to undergo the research to understand the ethnicity concept. Ethnicity format is studied based on the first ethnicity store set up in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat and glimpses are taken from the second and third store set up in Mumbai and Pune respectively. Research is secondary followed by primary in nature. This paper gives insights into the overall set up of ethnicity format that includes differentiating Criteria’s of ethnicity in comparison to regular retail formats based on observation at the store. Questionnaire based survey is also performed to get opinion on ethnicity store and paper gives insights into preferential category for purchase for future developments Consumers have given a very good response to the new concept. Along with shopping, experiences of consumers’ with the format have given a lasting impact on their mind-set. Further Raja market, Rani Market, Thoda aur market are found attractive to consumers and have gained good preference of consumers followed by Sona-chandi market Chota India and Ghar aangan market. The insights into concept development and suggested potential extended formats of ethnicity may readily work as a pillar to stand into the market for new retailers. Keywords: Ethnicity, Ethnocentrism, Organized Retail, Nationalized brands. Introduction Indian fashion industry is moving towards westernization due to high level of acceptance of foreign brands by the consumers. Due to this ,western brands are getting a wider platform than the ethnic brands across the country. As a result, national/ethnic products are even overlooked by consumers and time may come that such products may disappear from the market. To protect the Indian heritage, Future group took up the maiden initiative to provide a space to Indian products and brands under its own name and fame Future Group, India’s leading business house with strong presence in retail sector, launched a new retail format, family lifestyle store – Ethnicity, in Ahmadabad to market ethnic brands and products of India in 2008. This chain is a major family format developed after the launch of *Professor, G. H. Patel Post Graduate Institute of Business Management, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar. **Assistant Professor, N. R. Institute of Business Management (GLS-MBA), Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad. Pacific Business Review International 2 highly successful family formats like Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, and Home Town. The new store format that has been billed as ‘Everything Indian, seeks to promote ethnic brands, ranging from ethnic and fusion wear, Jewellery, handicrafts, home decor, beauty products to accessories and gifts. ‘ Thus ethnicity showcases a large number of small Indian brands under one roof. Ethnicity besides promoting the culture of ethnic products, provide a modern platform to augment the presence of the retailers into the industry. Research Objectives †¢ †¢ †¢ To understand the concept of ethnicity as a new retail format To understand differentiating factors of ethnicity store in comparison to the modern retail stores. To understand the consumers’ preference towards the new format. Scope of the Study The study has explored the concept of ethnicity. In includes understanding of the theme and concept development, merchandise development and differentiation criteria of format in comparison to existing formats. Further to understand acceptance of the new format, consumers’ preference towards the offerings has also been analyzed Data Collection Sources Secondary data sources have been used to understand the concept the ethnicity. Information has been taken from leaflet provided by ethnicity store of Ahmedabad, and Company website to get insights into ethnicity store of Pune and Mumbai. Articles kept on the websites are also used at the launch of ethnicity. Primary data has been collected through questionnaire to know consumers preference towards the new format. Respondents were the consumers of Ahmedabad who visited ethnicity store. Sample of 100 respondents was administered out of which 94 responses identified as valid sample for the study. Literature Review Ethnic origin has been defined as a group of people who share a common descent, a sense of collective identity and usually a shared cultural heritage and tradition (Crysdale and Bettie, 1973). Ethnicity implies common customs, values, and attitudes within a group of people who are bound by a common cultural identification. Because values reflect a standard or criterion that people use in the guidance of behavior, they act as a norm for ethnic consumer behavior and an influence on many consumption motives. Ethnic Marketing Ethnic marketing is an important aspect of lifestyle marketing, a strategy that tailors a company’s products and services towards the customer’s lifestyles. According to Technopak Analysis, the current market of sarees and ethnic wear stands at Rs 31,000 crore and is projected to grow at 10 per cent to reach Rs 45,000 crore in 2014. Views expressing rationale towards ethnic marketing Mr. Arvind Singhal, chairman of management consulting and retail specialist firm Technopak Advisors (201011) said, â€Å"Overall apparel category spends are rising, with special focus on ethnic wear brands, where many new brands have emerged as market heroes. They sensed the vacuum in the market, ease of entry, and attracted women – the most interesting target consumer, which places the Indian ethnic wear market at Rs. 56,800 Crore, growing at 9% annually†. Govind Shrikhande, customer care associate and managing director, Shoppers Stop said â€Å"Branded ethnic Volume 5 Issue 5 (November 2012) wear is one of the top selling categories in our stores. For the past few years this segment has seen double digit growth,† Mr. Gaurav Mahajan, CEO, Westside, a Tata group company said ,†Indian ethnic wear is an integral part of our customer promise. We widened the Westside range and introduced Zuba, which offers silks and authentic handlooms. This autumn will see the launch of two more brands,† Mr. Rakesh Biyani, joint managing director, Future Group said ,†There is a significant rise in demand for women’s ethnic clothing. There is a big gap between the opportunity and what is being delivered today by organized players. This gap identification generated a lead to cover the untapped ethnic market and future group took up the initiative to establish ethnicity store as a revolution in the existing apparel format. Concept development of Ethnicity Store by Future Group. Store Design Future Group has launched the first of a chain of stores aimed at retailing Indian wear in 2008 in Ahmedabad city. It is the branded ‘Ethnicity’ store that keeps the a range of ethnic and fusion wear, jewelry, handicrafts, home decor, beauty products and accessories and gifts. All the products are India inspired. The store is having a spread over an area of 25,000 to 30,000 sq. ft. Store Objective The apparel labeled as traditional and indoor clothing a decade ago, has laid the foundation for today’s contemporary Indian ethnic chic. Ethnicity proudly follows the Indian values of being sensitive to Ahmedabad city, environment and community. It provides a platform to bring together traditional or ethnic 3 retailers and consumers. It recreates the know-how of a traditional ethnic market in a modern retail format and is an aggregator of the multi-faceted ethnic merchandise and traditional selling practices. It revives and rejuvenates anything and everything that is Indian. It aims to truly open out the urban ethnic market and redefine the scale of ethnic merchandising. Ethnic-Theme Positioning at the Store The concept Ethnicity is not limited to ethnic clothing but it is a destination to get the unique experience. The key differentiator for Ethnicity lies in its 360-degree shopping experience. Ethnicity’s store design reflects a distinctly ethnic character – visual merchandising tools include artifacts, paintings and decor pieces from Rajasthan, Orissa and Gujarat. â€Å"Visual merchandising at ethnicity is like the synopsis of a story book†. Ethnicity has gone the â€Å"Desi way (Highly traditional)† to become attractive and communicative. It is vital to not only be a differentiated retailer but also to draw out the true essence of the products. Branding in ethnic wear has been led by region of origin of the product like Benaresi sarees, Lucknowi kurta, Kutchchi Bandhani. The store is colorfully designed and the flashiness gives it an ambience of luxury and festivity. Atmosphere at Ethincity Store Atmospheric at ethnicity store is a reflection of Indian heritage. Instead of halogen lights, everywhere light is reflected by lanterns. Instead of room freshener or perfumes, a raw fragrant of essential oil from flowers known as attar is used to mesmerizes the entrant and bring them to the Indian culture. All the racks for display of merchandise are developed from wooden and outside decoration is of handicraft, which gives a reflection of Indian art. Instead of having all the racks or shelves for display, few of the merchandise is displayed on cot. Store assistants are dressed in ethnic kurtas for refreshments, Coconut water is served in a lorry (Cart) which gives a flavor of typical Indian culture, on the road serving. Pacific Business Review International 4 Use of multi colors, art and fancy designs, air fragrance and traditional lightings give all time festival feeling experience. market. Chosen name for the market is based on arterial language of India. With the theme of ethnocentrism, the collection represents only Indian brands in all the merchandise. Merchandise at Ethnicity Store All the offerings are divided into a â€Å"Niche name† of Overall Analysis of Ethnicity Store Table 1 Store Sections Generic category name Ethnic name at ethnicity store Women’s wear category Rani market-everything ethnic for women Men’s wear category Raja market-everything ethnic for men Kid’s wear category Chota India market Jewellery/ accessories Sona –chandi market- ethnic Jewellery Home accessories Ghar –aangan- ethnic ideas for your home Stationary/medical items Thoda aur- ethnic accessories and more Source: http://www. indiaretailing. com/organising-ethnic-retail. asp Data Analysis Regular formats of organized retail stores have their specific offerings. While ethnicity store has differentiated the same to give a new experience to the consumers. Based on observation at ethnicity store, the following comparison has been made to derive the differentiation criteria Table 2 Comparative Analysis: Organized Regular Retail Format V/s. Ethnicity Format Parameter Organized Retail Organized retailOutlet outlet Theme A move culture Objective To give exposure to western To give platform to Indian brands culture dynamics and appeal to ethnocentrism Size of the outlet Large size Comparatively small size Structure Vertical departmentation Horizontal departmentation. Availability of brands Global brands Only Indian brands Atmospheric Exclusive halogen lights lantern /yellow lights towards Ethnicity Store Ethnicity store western A move towards Indian legacy Volume 5 Issue 5 (November 2012) 5 Decoration No additional decoration Fully decorated with colors, lamps, handicraft ,puppets etc. -looks like all time festival Music Western songs Indian instrumental Fragrance Room fresheners Raw fragrant of essential oil from flowers known as attar Shelves Racks Along with racks Traditional village themed cots with four legs Merchandise division Products are separate Gender wise product bundling. Apparel gets displayed in one section, accessories other section, footwear another section and so on e. g. Raja market includes apparel ,accessories ,footwear addressing men. Rani market includes apparel, accessories, footwear for women Merchandise name English names Traditional Indian names Store assistant’s dressing Western formal wear Traditional Indian kurta Packaging Plastic printed bags Paper bags with traditional look Merchandise Western outfits western designs and indo- Indian traditional embroidery work outfits with Shoes Mojaris and chappals Indo-western painting Handicraft Cosmetic products. Natural ayurvedic products and aromatherapy Perfumes Incense stick, fragrances Light chandelier Candles and Lantern Artificial jewellery Stone work, Kundan jewellery Refreshments Food court with multi cuisine Small push cart/lorry with coconut water Deliverable Shopping Experience attar, natural Source: Primary data collection through observation Analysis of Consumers Preference Towards Ethnicity Store: Consumers survey has been performed to get insights into their experience towards the format with the help of questionnaire. Respondents were the consumers who visited the ethnicity store. Pacific Business Review International 6 Figure 1 Consumers’ Preference towards the Market based Merchandise at Ethnicity Store with Mean Rank ( where 1 is least and 5 is maximum) 0 1 2 3 4 5 4. 25 Raja Market 4. 02 Rani Market 2. 80 Chota India 3. 20 Sona Chandi Ghar Aangan 2. 05 4. 15 Thoda aur Source: Primary data collection through questionnaire Consumers’ preference towards the ethnic theme based markets is analyzed to know the preferred market. This analysis is aimed at developing the market to increase the preference †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Consumers are highly satisfied with Raja Market offerings followed by Rani market and thoda aur market. New introductions in thoda aur market like lamps, candle and fragrances, ayurvedic products etc have grabbed attention of people which gives a lead to introduce more unique and Indian traditional items. Sona chandi market has got a good response. Thus it can be interpreted that fashion accessories in ethnic look are keeping tune with the ethnic garments. As per consumers opinion, Chota India is yet to gain preference may be because of traditional designs that are not preferred more for kids in †¢ comparison to western attractive outfits with cartoon characters Again as per consumers opinion, Ghar aangan is also yet to gain preference may be because of bed sheets, utensils, toys , purchase for rituals like puja ka saaman etc. have pre-existence of established unorganized market. Volume 5 Issue 5 (November 2012) 7 Consumers’ Preference towards Ethnic Products for Three Most Preferred Markets Figure 2 Preference has been Analyzed towards Offerings for Females as Rani Market Source: Primary data collection through questionnaire Fusion wear and Mix & Match are able to attract consumers as it is a new and unique base of ethnic products. As Saari, salwaar kamiz have become a common purchase and many platforms are available to address the demand, preference is found at the moderate level. Figure 3 Preference has been Analyzed towards Offerings for Males as Raja Market Source: Primary data collection through questionnaire In men’s wear traditional wear in the form of Jodhpuri, Chudidar and kurtas along with traditional mojaris have attracted consumers to larger extent Pacific Business Review International 8 Figure 4 Preference has been Analyzed towards Offerings for Thoda Aur Market Source: Primary data collection through questionnaire Full range of Fragrances and Candles & Incense has been introduced by ethnicity store. It has got extra ordinary preference of consumers. Thus it has contributed towards maintenance of Indian legacy Consumers preference towards Aromatherapy Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical wellbeing. Aroma therapists blend therapeutic essential oils especially for each individual and suggest methods of use such as topical application, massage, inhalation or water immersion to stimulate the desired responses. Aroma therapy oils may include : †¢ Peppermint – Digestive disorders †¢ Rosemary – Muscular pains, mental stimulant †¢ Sandalwood – Depression, anxiety and nervous tension †¢ Sweet orange – Depression and anxiety. †¢ Tea tree – Respiratory problems, antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral †¢ Lavender – Headaches, insomnia, burns, aches and pain Ethnicity store has provided the platform for Aromatherapy. Full range of essential oils has been displayed to generate the awareness and preference towards the same. It is aimed at generating awareness towards ayurvedic medicine in the arena of allopath for better and secure treatment. Ethnicity has taken maiden initiative to mould the consumers psychology towards naturopath. (Graph on next page) It can be interpreted from figure-5 that first hand response has been satisfactory with 49% for. Aromatherapy and thus it enjoys the potential to increase the preference in future. The atmospheric of traditional products is supporting the purchase of traditional way of health supplements. The advice and explanation given along with the product has played important role in making realization to go for natural products Volume 5 Issue 5 (November 2012) 9 Figure 5 Preference has been Analyzed for Aroma Therapy Source: Primary data collection through questionnaire Figure 6 Analysis of Consumers’ Satisfaction towards Ethnicity Store: Consumers’ level of satisfaction towards the differentiated offerings has been analyzed. Such analysis is aimed at identifying the most appealing differentiation for future positioning of the store and developing the strategies that may lead to future satisfaction Competitive Assessment Matrix with Mean Rank ( Where 1 is least and 5 is maximum) Regular Organized Retail Formats and Ethnicity Store Consumers’ satisfaction on competitive assessment matrix 0 1 2 3 4 5 4. 05 4. 95 Theme 2. 30 2. 60 Price 3. 25 4. 00 Variety 3. 94 4. 35 Display 4. 00 Experience Source: Primary data collection through questionnaire Keys : Regular organized retail outlets Ethnicity store 5. 00 Pacific Business Review International 10 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢. Competitive assessment matrix depicts that ethnicity theme is highly appealing to the people. The differentiation point of giving experience to the consumers than only to provide a platform for shopping is getting correct positioning in the mind set of consumers as it is applauded by consumers with the mean rank of 4. 95. Unique display of ethnicity is highly appreciated by consumers in comparison to regular organized retail formats. On the dimension of variety ethnicity is lagging behind in comparison, the contributing reason may be limited number of Indian brands into each category. As far as pricing is concerned none of the outlets satisfied the consumers expectation. It brings out the fact that price structure is too high. Here opportunity lies with ethnicity store to discriminate pricing strategy to get competitive edge over other formats. It might be feasible to reformulate the pricing strategy due to nationalized brands. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Suggestions †¢ Major Findings †¢ †¢ †¢ Ethnicity is indeed a revolutionary move towards consumers’ ethnocentrism. National players have also joined hands with the big retailer and accepted the opportunity to address the mass market. Thus it has contributed to a greater extent in providing a wider platform to small retailer of India. Further is has contributed towards generating awareness of ethnic products and brands of allover India which were not noticed by the consumers and importance was not realized by consumers. It is an absolutely unique model into organized retail formats. Everything starting from atmospherics to collection of brands, merchandise display and packaging is uniquely positioned with the nationalized theme. It provides a feel-good factor and thrilling experience to the consumers. Consumers are getting attracted by the theme and getting exposed and penetrated by ethnic products. Today consumers look for fashionable clothes. National brands which were not recognized earlier, have provided a platform of fashion to explore Consumers are highly satisfied with Raja Market offerings followed by Rani market and thoda aur market. Fusion wear, Mix & Match, Jodhpuri,Kurtas, Chudidars, Mojaris and fragrances ,candles and incense are able to get preference of people. Aroma therapy is able to get good welcome form the consumers. Ethnic designs are getting acceptance in the form of novelty. In all this innovative concept well applauded by consumers as they are getting exposed to all the variety and designs of products of all the corners of India under one roof. †¢ †¢ †¢ More Indian retailers should be motivated to provide huge collection of ethnic products in the categories of mens’ wear and women’s wear to provide more varieties. There is a need to increase the range of aroma therapy offerings to increase the awareness and consumption. Fragrances, candles and incense offerings have brought Indian values back in the preferences. This has showcased a very good business potential as a whole. There is a need to provide more and more offerings into the segment with more and more varieties. Potential revolutions into existing format of ethnicity for India. Format can be expanded by introducing specialties of major states/cities of India †¢ Rajasthan market – Art & craft †¢ Jamnagar market-Bandhani Volume 5 Issue 5 (November 2012) †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Bangalore -Silk garments Chennai- Pearl jewellery Kerala market-Spices Format can be expanded by introducing specialty food of major states/cities of India it may help to give a back shift to the consumer trend which is moving towards western food Gujarati food Punjabi food South Indian food Rajasthani food North Indian food Kathiyawadi food Potential revolutions into existing format of ethnicity for other countries. It has been witnessed that countries are getting specialized into technological innovations but spread of such innovations into the same continent reflects questionable behavior of consumers. Many a times it is because of lack of awareness. Such type of format may provide a common platform to explore the small innovative products at consumer end E. g. European countries. Fashion based Ethnicity- As fashion industry is one of the major growing industries in Europe, all fashion statements can be displayed under one platform †¢ Fashion statement of Italy †¢ Fashion statement of France †¢ Fashion statement of United kingdom Technology based ethnicity- Technical Research. & innovation driven countries, all innovations can be displayed under one platform †¢ Big to small innovative products of Finland †¢ Big to small innovative products of Germany †¢ IT & Renewable technology based products from Sweden †¢ Electric technology innovations of Netherland E. g. Asian Countries 11 Technology based ethnicity. †¢ Robotic technology based innovative small to big products from South Korea & Japan References Crysdale and Bettie, 1973, Retrieved from, http:// www. manifolddatamining. com /html /products/ ethnicmarketing. htm on 15/02/2012 Anuradha Shukla, Ethnic wear market booms in India retrieved from http://wonderwoman. intoday. in/ story/ethnic-wear-market-booms-in-india/1/ 88440. html http://indiatoday. intoday. in/story/ethnic-wear-marketto-grow/1/124981. html retrieved on 06/02/2012 koregaonparkplaza, pune (2011) retrieved from http:// w w w. k o r e g a o n p a r k p l a z a . c o m / s t o r s details. asp? id=77&catid=1&st=1 retrieved on 06/ 02/2012 Runul Vashistha, (2009) retrieved from http:// www. indiar et a iling. com/ R et ailC oncep t _ details. aspx? Id=58 retrieved on 02/02/2012 Pooja nair, (2009). retrieved from http://ahmedabad. metromela. com/Lamps+and+ethnic+ wear+at+. Ethnicity/article/3183 retrieved on 15/02/2012 Shailesh Shah, (2012). Ethnicity: Towards organising ethnic retail, retrieved from http: // www. indiaretailing. com/organising-ethnicretail. asp retrieved on 02/02/2012 http://www. pantaloonretail. in/pdf/ethnicity_karigari. pdf Reference Book Jr. Churchill Gilbert A. , Lacobucci Dawn, Israel D. , (2009),†Marketing Research- A South Asian Perspective†, India Edition, Delhi: Cencage Learning. Additional material Leaflet circulated at ethnicity store 12 Glossary Attar: A fragrant of essential oil typically made from rose petals Ayurvedic: It is a Hindu system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. Ayurveda can be defined as a system, which uses the inherent principles of nature, to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual’s body, mind and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature Bandhani: A process of patterning cloth by tie-dyeing in which the design is reserved on the undyed cloth by tying small spots very tightly with thread to protect them from the dye especially popular in Rajasthan and India Chappal: An item of Indian footwear, similar to a flipflop with a toe strap Chota (India market): Younger, junior child related products. Pacific Business Review International Kundan Jewellery: Kundan is a traditional Indian gemstone jewelry, a method of gem setting in a jewellery piece, consisting of inserting gold foil between the stones and its mount, usually used to create elaborate necklaces believed to have originate in royal courts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. It is the oldest form of jewellery made and worn in India Kurta: A knee-length, collarless shirt worn over pajamas by men in India Mojaris: A style of South Asian handcrafted footwear mostly using vegetable-tanned leatherproduced in India Organized retail: Organized retail has been defined as a network of similarly branded stores with an element of self service Raja (Market): A prince, chief, or ruler related products in India Rani (Market): Indian princess related products Ethnicity: Ethnicity implies common customs, values, and attitudes within a group of people who are bound by a common cultural identification Saree: a dress worn primarily by Hindu women; consists of several yards of light material that is draped around the body Ethnic groups: A group of people who share a common descent, a sense of collective identity and usually a shared cultural heritage and tradition Sona-chandi (market)-Gold & silver related products/jewellery Ethnic Marketing: Ethnic marketing is an important aspect of lifestyle marketing, a strategy that tailors a company’s products and services towards the customer’s lifestyles Ghar -aangan (market):Home decoration related products Handicraft: Items made by hand, often with the use of simple tools, and are generally artistic and/or traditional in nature . They are the objects of utility and objects of decoration. Incense stick: It is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned Thoda aur (market): somewhat more than the existing here in the context of more than the regular offerings.

Abnormal assessment Essay

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Social Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Security - Essay Example Full employment does not mean zero unemployment but means a situation where an economy experiences only structural and frictional unemployment and an absence of cyclical unemployment. This is because structural and frictional unemployment are considered unavoidable and work positively to some extent too. The rate associated with full employment is known as the full-employment rate of unemployment or as the natural rate of unemployment (NRU) and is considered to be consistent with a level of unemployment that predominantly comprises voluntarily unemployed workers.1 An economy at its natural rate of unemployment is said to be producing a non-inflationary potential output.2 Zero unemployment is not a desired state, because at this level inflationary pressures start to build in form of rising wages. This increases costs, which are in turn passed on to customers as higher prices, and this leads to inflation. Unemployment is an excess amount of labor on the labor market. An unemployed person is defined as one who is willing to work but is out of work. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed workers divided by the civilian labor force, this includes both the unemployed and those with jobs. Frictional unemployment is unemployment which results from people moving between jobs and new workers entering the labor force.3 Frictional unemployment refers to workers who are searching for jobs and those that are waiting to work in the near future. A certain amount of frictional unemployment is unavoidable and inevitable, however this type of unemployment can be reduced to some extent by providing better information about job opportunities and availability of workers. Structural Unemployment Structural unemployment is more likely to be a longer term phenomenon than frictional unemployment and consequently have a greater impact. 2 Barbiero Thomas, Brue Stanley and McConnell Campbell. Macroeconomics: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, (2002): 160 3 James, Elijah M. Macroeconomics: A Problem Solving Approach. Prentice Hall Canada Inc. (1997): 419 Structural Unemployment is caused by a mismatch between the skills (or location) of job seekers and the requirements (or location) of available jobs. It is the type of unemployment that arises when there is a decline in the number of jobs available in a particular region or industry, and this is caused by changes in the demand pattern of consumers. If there is a permanent decline in the demand for leather shoes, the

What is critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

What is critical thinking - Essay Example It also involves the observation of things in open-minded ways and examining them from various perspectives. Critical thinking allows people to see beyond their view of things and understand the opinions of other people better. Critical thinking is usually used in discussions to form well-rounded and cogent arguments. Critical thinking uses multiple skills such as logic, accuracy, relevance, fairness, clarity, precision, and completeness. Critical thinking has benefits that range from personal life and working place to scientific research and academic education. It is quite unfortunate that most people’s thinking are distorted, uninformed, partial, and biased, which form barriers to effective critical thinking (Moore & Parker 2011). Critical thinking requires the ability from an individual to approach situations and problem in a rational manner. Thinking in a rational way requires proper analysis of what is known and deriving conclusions based on evidence or facts rather than feelings or opinions. Reasoning in an honest way requires thinkers to acknowledge motives, personal goals, and emotions that can corrupt one’s thought processes and opinions. Rational thinking should identify and eliminate prejudices that inhibit fresh and objective approaches to situations (Moore & Parker 2011). Critical thinking is important as it generates new avenues of problem solving. Critical thinking requires people be open-minded. Being open-minded permits people to find all possible answers to an obstacle and accept solutions and answers different from the initial expectations. Being open-minded requires people not to assume their ways of providing solutions are always right or the best. Scientists, for example, should be aware that the results of research or experiment will not always meet their expectations. Results obtained from such experiments can be challenging, but will eventually lead to meaningful discoveries (Moore & Parker 2011). Critical thinking

How has the use of ICT has enhanced the quality of learning and Essay

How has the use of ICT has enhanced the quality of learning and teaching across the curriculum at Key Stage3 - Essay Example The UK is hardly alone in asking these questions. Other countries such as Singapore and the United States have had similar government-led initiatives for investing in hardware, software, connectivity, content, and teacher training. Singapore’s Masterplan for Information Technology (IT) in Education was launched in 1997 with the aim to â€Å"continually anticipate the future needs of society and work towards fulfilling those needs† (SeokHoon, 2003, p.283). IT-based teaching and learning was envisioned as a means to â€Å"facilitate such development, and open possibilities for designing new curricula and methods of assessment to meet educational objectives† (SeokHoon, 2003, p.283). IT was also seen as a key enabler for â€Å"more effective education administration and support for communication and collaboration among schools and the community† (SeokHoon, 2003, p.283). The first Masterplan covered four key â€Å"dimesions† in achieving these objectives: (1) curriculum and assessment; (2) learning resources; (3) teacher development; and (4) physical and technological infrastructure (SeokHoon, 2003, p.284). After a five-year investment of two billion Singapore dollars by the Singapore government from 1997 to 2002, and strategic partnering with key industry players for hardware and content development, Singapore’s Masterplan was considered a phenomenal success. A second Masterplan has thus been created with the following goals: (1) Children will use IT for active learning; (2) IT will enhance the connections among curriculum, instruction, and assessment methods; (3) Teachers will use IT effectively for professional and personal growth; (4) Schools will have greater capacity and autonomy in the use of IT for school improvement; (5) An active research program in IT in education will be developed; and (6) A dependable and flexible infrastructure will promote widespread, effective use of multimedia resources

Nucleons Stocks in the Stock Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nucleons Stocks in the Stock Market - Essay Example In this way, the investors in the stock market will automatically become owners or stockholders of Nucleon. Second, Nucleon can generate cash from loans. This large –sum debt will create a creditor-debtor relationship. The debtor will be Nucleon whereas the creditor will be the company or individual that lends money to Nucleon. The following paragraphs explain why the pilot in-house capital budgeting is the best investment choice in this case study(Louderback, 326). Â  I recommend that the company pursue its plans to set up its own pilot plant. This is the best choice of the three possible alternatives. For, the second alternative is not a good choice because the third party that will be contracted by Nucleon may not have the capacity or the money to produce the CRP -1 gene clone. Furthermore, the most important factor in not choosing alternative 2 is confidentiality. Meaning, there is a possibility, even a small one, that the subcontracted third party will abuse its responsibility not to divulge or abuse the confidential formula or processes in manufacturing the CRP -1 gene clone(Needles, 367). Â  In terms of risk, the third party may then set up its own marketing department and to sell the CRP -1 gene clones without reporting such sales to Nucleon and pocket the profits themselves. Further, the third party will then eat away or pirate many of CRP - gene clone clients. As for the other choice which is to license manufacturing and marketing rights to another biotechnology group, it is worst than the subcontract choice here. For, the chosen biotechnology group could then learn the secret formula and confidential processes of mass producing CRP -1 gene clones. In fact, the upfront cash that the Nucleon will receive in exchange for the secret processes and formulas given to the third party to produce the CRP -1 gene clone is only a small matter.

Social Performance of Organizations Research Paper

Social Performance of Organizations - Research Paper Example 3. Five ways in which the primary stakeholders can influence the organization financial performance 6 4. One (1) controversial corporate social responsibility concern associated with De Beers Company 8 5. Assuming you are the leader of the most influential stakeholder group, outline a plan to form a stakeholder coalition to force the organization to address your chosen controversial issue. The plan should include the key steps that you would take to identify members for your coalition group, the major reasons why you believe that the particular target group can help you to accomplish your goal, and the method you would utilize to foster collaboration among the various groups you target.... 8 6. Assume the role as the leader of the most influential stakeholder group, and indicate three potential challenges that you may face in encouraging stakeholders to form a coalition to help you achieve your goals. Suggest the significant steps that you would take in order to overcome these challenges that you have identified. Justify the response. ... 9 The Business structure of De Beers Diamond Co., is a consortium of miners that merged in order create a monopoly on the production of all diamonds coming out of South Africa. Image below shows diamonds production in 2003 showing featuring Botswana to be the largest diamond producer in the world. Botswana is the biggest source of diamond supply of De Beers. Mergers and acquisitions has been the type of its business structure since it was formed. Its products are rough diamonds. In later years, the company ventured into miniature jewelries

Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard To Find Essay Example for Free

Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard To Find Essay Throughout Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard To Find, hints are given to the readers that foretell what is in store, foreshadowing the grotesque ending that is to come. These insinuations of the forthcoming become coincidences later in the story when they actually do develop into reality, creating mocking irony. The names within the story can be considered foreshadowing themselves. For example, the name of the town where the family is murdered is called Toombsboro. The word Toombsboro can be separated into two words: Tombs and Bury. These are words that signify death. The fact that the author chose this as a name for the town, implies the foul event that will insure later in the story. The first moment that foreshadowed the future was the article about the Misfit that the grandmother showed Bailey. She told him, A Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward FloridaI wouldnt take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it.(368) This moment sets up a major coincidence when the family later runs into the Misfit. Plus, it was an irony because the Grandmother had attempted to persuade the family not to go in the direction the Misfit was heading. Yet, unfortunately only June Star paid any attention to the comment, and the family did run into the criminal. Additionally, a less obvious evidence of foreshadowing occurred when June Star announced, She [The Grandmother] wouldnt stay at home for a million bucks. She has to go everywhere we go(368) This can be read as a direct foreshadowing of the order and occurrence of the grandmothers death. When the family comes across the Misfit, and each family member is taken into the forest, the reader wonders why every time Bobby Lee and Hiram return without the family member. Eventually, one realizes they have all been killed. So, June Stars comment that the grandmother goes everywhere the family goes can be read as a signal that she will meet the same end that they did. Plus, the fact that she follows the family indicated that she would die last.Furthermore, although the grandmother did not want to go to Florida, she still unpredictably dresses up. The grandmother wore, A navy blue straw sailor hat with a bunch of white violets on the brim and a savvy blue dress with a small white dot in the print. Her collars and cuffs were white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. (369) OConnor says that the reason for the grandmothers proper dress was, in case of an accident, anyone seeing her  dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady.(369) She therefore foresaw her own death, or at least foreshadowed it. It also shows how she represents the properness and rich religious beliefs of the south. Yet another foreshadowing is portrayed when the family passed by a cotton field with five or six graves fenced in the middle of it, like a small island (370). It is not an accident that there are five or six graves, which evidently matches the exact number of people in the car. Five people and the sixth is the baby. The baby is not precisely a full complete person, hence the ambiguity of the number of graves. Flannery OConnor uses foreshadowing to give the readers slight hints of what is to come, foretelling the grotesque fate of the family. Insinuations are made through titles, comments, clothes, and sites, setting the scene for surprising irony later in the familys journey.

Symbolism in Lord of The Flies Essay Example for Free

Symbolism in Lord of The Flies Essay What message does Golding attempt to convey through symbolism in Lord of The Flies? In the book Lord of the Flies (LOTF) William Golding tries to convey strong messages through a story of mankind in its purest form. He uses symbols to show * the disintegration of order, leadership and civilisation * the primary disregard for intelligence and childish innocence * the raw presence of savagery, power-hunger and the self gratification in mankind Due to the above themes being those of a very philosophical nature Golding uses simple symbols to represent these actions and relationships which make it easier to understand the basic points he is trying to get at. In LOTF Golding uses a mixture of people and objects to represent these various concepts. In essence this novel represents the struggle between good and evil, civilisation and savagery etc. I will now discuss the various symbols Golding uses and what concepts they represent. Piggy and his Glasses Piggy is the stands for intelligence, Piggy for all his ludicrous body, had brains, and the fact that intelligence, logic and rational play an important part in society. Although mocked and told Fatty/You cant come his glasses are the object on which the groups rescue lies. His glasses are used to start a fire and this luxury is taken for granted, however as homesickness overrules the boys the need for rescue overcomes even the need for food and it is only later on that Jack recognises the importance of Piggys Glasses. Jack steals the glasses and as the oldest boy on the island and leader of the rebel camp he realises the significance of intelligence and innovation to create hope and gain the trust of the boys. However, unlike Ralph and Piggy he uses this power for his own good. Jack realises that strength, power and popularity may not be able to compete in terms of usefulness with intelligence but he resorts to using these attributes to get the intelligence. The Island The island I think that the island is in constant change along with the boys. at first the island represents a fun paradise as many of the boys had associated with such as Coral Island. They had read the books and in many ways had tried to recreate these stories in their time on the island. The island is often described as a living thing and then becomes the unknown to the fact that it may not be adequate protection from the Beast. The island then becomes a place in which anything goes the savage tendencies are allowed there and the boys can forget their values. Often times the island is used as an excuse for this savagery as but for this circumstance the boys would not have to resort to this behaviour. The Conch The conch is the symbol of democracy and is first used to call everyone together for a meeting, another example of civilisation. The conch gives the holder the right of free speech and the holder can have his point heard in relative freedom. As the island sways towards savagery the conch starts to lose its power and influence over the boys and Ralph fears that if he blows it that it will not evoke the slightest of responses. This prophecy becomes reality as the other boys ignore Ralph and throw stones at him when he attempts to blow the conch in Jacks camp. In fact, Jack says that the conch doesnt matter on [his] side of the island. This shows Jacks blatant disregard for democracy an open agenda for a dictatorship with himself at the head. The murder of Piggy also crushes the conch shell, showing the end of civilization and democracy on the island. There is a link between the Conch and Piggy. Earlier in the book he claimed Its ever so valuable but due to his medical restrictions he is unable to use it. His intelligence and knowledge give Ralph the power of the conch. If Piggy had not had these restrictions perhaps the story could have been completely different. Although payed little attention to on the island this is another example of intelligence being key to any society. This being said Golding throughout this novel tries to show us that a mixture of useful skills is needed in any one civilisation. In this instance in spite of Ralphs leadership ability, charm and good looks without Piggys he may not have even got a look in. The Beast/The Parachute Man It is first important to note that there is no beast. The Beast is simply just a figure of the boys imagination, a nightmare. However, as Simon point out, when he says What I meanMaybe its only us. The Beast is each boys individual fear. It encapsulates the fears of the boys concerned including the fact that they are stranded on a desert island with no real hope of getting rescues except for an inefficient fire which they cant even control. As the novel goes on the need to attach this fear to physical object becomes greater. Singling all this fear into one place makes it easier to ignore, live with and the leaders on the island find it easier to control this fear. The do this by making sacrifices to the beast, pretending its not even there and even killing it. If as some of the boys suspect and various titles suggest the Beast is unpreventable e.g. from air or water then the boys would probably die of worry. I also notice that Golding seems to make the importance of the Beast greater the more savage-like the boys become. The Parachute man is simply a physical object to attach the fear to. However Golding writes the story so that the fear of the parachute man is foolish because he is already dead. Fire/Smoke The function of the fire is to alert passing ships of the boys existence and it is key to their chances of rescue. However as the boys become more savage-like the fires main function becomes that of a cooking fire. When boys act as civilised people they have a greater desire to join the world from which they came they do their best to keep the fire going. But when the boys become contented with fun times and feasts the rescue fire becomes a secondary issue. The fire not only has the power to rescue but also to destroy as the boys find out when they set the island alight. Face Paint The face point represents two things. Firstly the uniformity of a savage life under the rule of Jack and secondly a mask to hide behind. Due to the change in atmosphere to that of savagery and uncivilisation the boys hide from the values they know they should keep by putting on the masks. It would seem that when the boys put on the masks they become different people. For example Jack He [Jack] began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. Here we see the different Jack we also see that when Jack becomes the Chief and wears he is able to make decisions such as torture seemingly without remorse.

The Packaged Milk Industry Marketing Essay

The Packaged Milk Industry Marketing Essay Introduction According to Dairy Index 2012, Pakistan is the third largest milk producing and consuming country in the world with 64 percent of the countrys population classified as Deeper in the Pyramid (DIP), which represents 60 percent of LDP consumption. The livestock sector alone contributes 11% of the countrys GDP,  with an estimated 42 billion litres of milk produced per annum. The total revenue from these dairy products is estimated as US$ 26 billion per annum. As per the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2009, Pakistan has a herd size of around 63 million animals, which is the 3rd largest in the world. About 35 million people are involved in dairy farming, deriving more than 40% of their total income from livestock. For these farmers, dairy animals provide milk for domestic consumption as well as meagre income through the sale of milk. In rural Pakistani culture livestock is a storer of wealth. It is viewed as important social capital and offers insurance to the owner in times of financial distress. Pakistan lacks the essential infrastructure that is needed for safe storage and transportation of farm produce. According to the Livestock and Dairy Development Board, 20 percent of the current milk production is lost due to poor infrastructure. Poor research facilities, technological backwardness and lack of processing facilities have resulted in generating fewer jobs and adding virtually no value to its agriculture produce. Of all the milk produced in the country, only 3 percent is processed. Rest of it is consumed as fresh milk which is not treated and is mostly supplied by gawalas. These Gawalas account for around 80-85% of total milk supply in the country. Due to this informal sector most of the milk in Pakistan is of low quality and is untreated. The handling of milk is miserable and no precautions are taken. People involved in this process are mostly uneducated and have low preference to health issues. They do not understand the importance of treatment procedures. Due to this lack of education, the productivity of milk is also low. The methods used for milking are old and no machinery is used. Everything is done purely by hand. In addition the live stock are not properly fed and taken care off. People do not understand the ways through which productivity can be enhanced. The lack of equipment also causes 20% of the milk to be lost during carriage which also lowers the yield and revenue produced by selling the milk. The packaged milk industry comes into picture here. This industry is the opposite of the unprocessed milk dairy industry which is the major chunk. The packaged milk companies have tried to introduce new techniques, use of machinery for milking and setting of health standards. These companies have state of the art plants installed and try to provide the best quality milk. The companies mostly buy milk from these local milk men but a few also have their own farms. The local unprocessed milk is bought by these companies and processed and treated at the standards which meet international quality. So with the increase of such companies and awareness among consumers, the packaged milk industry has started to take effect and gain share of the total dairy industry. Industry background The packaged milk category was originated in 1981 by company named Milk Pak, which  pioneered tetra pack milk in Pakistan. The supply chain involved collecting milk from rural areas across Punjab, processing the milk through UHT (Ultra-High Temperature Processing) treatment, and selling it to consumers in uniquely coloured triangular and rectangular packs designed to prolong the milks quality. Milk Paks Milk Packs were very well-received and the brand soon became synonymous with quality milk. Its first real competition came in the form of Haleeb, which introduced distinctively blue tetra  packs to the market in 1986. Milk Pak later merged with Nestle and continued its growth and leading the new high potential industry. By 2006, the dairy milk category was growing at 20 percent annually, and Milk Pak and Haleeb were well-entrenched brands with distinctive colours and brand  promises of providing high quality, natural and healthy milk. Milk Pak was identified by its green and white packaging-the colours of the country-and offered a brand backed with the strong equity of Nestle, coupled with its own traditional heritage. Haleeb was recognized as the blue brand, and professed to have the naturally thickest milk which was also claimed to give tea the best taste. At that time, market was dominated by these two strong and widely respected brands. The industry looked completely impenetrable for the new comers. But still milk industry in Pakistan had great prospects for growth. However Olpers, new milk brand backed by a powerful company engro, emerged to the scene and with its heavy promotional activities it soon started making its presence felt. The company gained share in the market quite rapidly and in couple of years time accounted for 13% of the market share. Other big companies saw this as the sign of potential profitable market and starting entering the packaged milk business. Good Milk was another brand backed by Shakargunj also launched onto the scene and started making impact. Local companies like Nirala sweets also took the opportunity and launched their milk products. In this growing market some old products such as Nurpur started reviving their brand and started making tetra pack milk. Numerous small brands like Halla, Gourmet and P rime launched their plastic packaged milk too which was cheaper than tetra pack. The industry took real boost in years 2008 and onwards. Countless brands started emerging, many on small scale. People started importing cows from Australia and other countries and marketed their milk. Educated people also stepped into this business. They brought in new techniques, live stocks and feeds to enhance the productivity and sell quality healthy milk. Various brands like Fresh milk, Farm fresh, Anhaar, White gold followed this trend. The industry particularly looks profitable as Pakistan is one of the largest milk producing and consuming country in the world. Milk is one of the main components of Pakistani people diets. Increase in urbanization during these years also helped the industry to boom. People came from rural areas started adopting to new trends. Mass media created an impact as companies used vigorous advertising to influence consumer choices and make them believe that the packaged milk is better, safe and healthy. The fresh milk suppliers also helped the industry as the fresh milk they supplied was constantly lacking quality, rumours of mixing of water into milk, unhygienic treatment of milk and medications given to animals to enhance milk produce led people to give-up fresh milk consumption and avert to packaged milk. Research objectives Identify how many new packaged milk companies have become functional in last five years. What is the growth of milk production in last five years What are the reasons behind the growth What is the projected growth for coming years Why is demand for packaged milk increasing What are potential new markets for packaged milk How many consumers are willing to substitute fresh milk with packaged milk Is the non packaged milk industry slowly transforming into packaged milk industry? What impact does increasing population has on milk demand Is large youth population a driver for growth in packaged milk? Research Question Analysing the growth of packaged milk sector in Pakistan over the last five years. Research Methodology This section will explain what type of research would be conducted and by which means. It covers the details of the research design, methodology for collecting the data, population, questionnaire development and data analysis. Data Type The type of data can be either primary or secondary. In this particular paper both primary and secondary data would be used. The primary data set will be gathered via questionnaire whereas the source of secondary data are published articles from Jstor journal and other credible sources. Further the data can be qualitative and quantitative in nature. Qualitative data refers to data that may categorize items in terms of certain characteristics and / or quality. This type of data can be observed and recorded however, it cannot be measured. Quantitative data refers to data that is numerical and can be measured using various statistical techniques .The majority of the data regarding this paper is quantitative in nature. This is due to the fact that quantitative data is easier to measure and analyze and reduces biasness that can occur in qualitative data. Information with regards to the demographics of the research subjects would be termed as qualitative data; this includes information abo ut the respondents gender, age, etc. Sampling Procedure Convenience, non-probability sampling will be used, based on the ease of access for the researcher. Sampling Frame For the purpose of this research, the list of elements upon which the sample is selected from the population include the fact that they should be easily accessible to the researcher (as convenience sampling is used). The other element of is that atleast 50% of the sample should fall into the SEC B income bracket. This is because research shows this class to be the most frequent users of these products. Time Frame The time frame for this research project is 5 months, starting from August and ending in December. Research Proposal Submission (August 2012) Revisions to Proposal (1st September 2012) Literature Review (8th September 2012) Hypothesis Generation (8th September 2012) Theoretical Framework (8th September 2012) Methodology (8th September 2012) Data Collection (22nd September 2012) Data Compilation (6th October 2012) Data Analysis (13th October 2012) Results and Findings (20th October 2012) Final Submission (3rd November 30th 2012) Literature Review Hussain M et al, researches in his article factors affecting the milk production in buffaloes, a case study the factors that impact the production and yield of milk production in buffaloes. For this research the author has taken dry fodder, green fodder, number of lactations and labour hours as his variables of research. The research tried to establish the link between these variables and the subsequent effect they have of the yield of milk produced. Generally the Pakistani milk industry is not known for high yielding cattle. The yield among the leading milk producing countries is very low. This is majorly due to old techniques, lack of education and improper feed. To study and find the variables that can improve this yield this research proves to be significant. A random sample of farms in jhang was used to monitor the effect of these variables. The research lasted over a couple of months and 60 buffaloes were observed. According to the results of the study increasing green fodder c onsumption in cattles by 1% increases the milk yield by 2.64%. similarly if number of lactations were decreased and made systematic the yield would increase. Currently every lactation is decreasing production by 0.76%. Increase in number of labour hours also significantly increased the yield. So from this research we can see that to improve yield the buffaloes should be fed the green fodder more that is they need to graze the natural land more and number of lactations and labours hours should be made more systematic and routine. However the dry fodder did not have any effect on this yield. M. A. Ali et al in his article prevalence of sub clinical mastitis in dairy buffaloes of Punjab, Pakistan published in journal of animal and plant sciences, identifies mastitis to be one of the major diseases prevailing in buffaloes in Punjab. This disease is not only decreasing the yield and affecting the health of animal but also produces unhealthy or contaminated milk. Mastitis is also the disease that economically hurts the dairy sector. As the dairy sector contributes almost 11% to the GDP of Pakistan, the disease proves to be a setback for the economy as well. Thus researching and finding the prevalence and cure for it is important. The study was conducted in four districts of Punjab including Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal and Okara. Cattles from individual holding, organized and unorganized farms were sampled. The sample was tested with white side test to measure the extent of the problem. According to the results the most problem of mastitis occurred in individual holding (58%) fo llowed by the unorganized farms (42%). This is a major indicator that the practices in most of these farms are unhealthy for animals. About 80-85% farms of Pakistan are under these unorganized farm categories which mean that most of the buffaloes face this problem and hence yield low levels of milk. Mastitis causes production losses in the form of condemned milk, loss in milk yield, earlier culling of animals and replacements (Khan and Khan, 2006). Clinical mastitis can cause 10% or more of milk loss. Moreover in most of the cases of mastitis the milk produced is contaminated. Therefore this problem of mastitis is a key hurdle in high yielding buffaloes which not only hurts economically but also provides low quality milk. this also is a major reason behind lack of quality in our loose milk industry. The packaged milk industry has better quality as the rate of mastitis is low in organized farms and yields better quality milk. this kind of better quality milk also is healthier. These stats at large talk about the standards of our milk industry and highlight the difference between the packaged and loose milk industry. Recently few programs have been carried out in prevention of this disease and are making inroads. The author of the article talks about the increasing trend of consumption of branded or packaged dairy products in urban areas. According to the author the transition of dairy industry from unprocessed loose products to formally treated hygienic packaged products has took a long time. The packaged milk industry initiated in 1981 but till the early 2000s the growth was very slow. People did not adapt to the idea and kept on consuming fresh products. Milk from Gawalas and yogurt from local milk shops were widely preferred. In the last decade the consumers became more aware of the benefits of the packaged milk. People also started knowing about the improper treatment of dairy products by the local milkmen. Germs, mixing of water, poor handling techniques and medications to enhance milk yield from cows contributed to consumers dismay. People suddenly started looking at packaged milk as more healthy, nutritious and safe. According to the figure given in the paper, the packaged milk indust ry is growing at 20% annually. The article researches the reasons behind success of packaged milk in recent times. The industry has boomed in last five years. Many new companies have come and impacted the industry. The fresh milk is being substituted for the packaged milk. According to the author the impact can be seen by studying the marketing strategies of fresh milk producers vs. Packaged milk producers. The author sees advertising as a key factor that has contributed to this boom in packaged milk industry. The marketing strategies and advertising has changed consumers perception. Consumers are made aware of the advantages of packaged milk. The hygienic values, purity and freshness have been promoted massively. The marketing has also shown the dark side of fresh milk. The improper handling, unhygienic and old methods and contamination in the milk have led to change in people preference. Moreover the companies have targeted changing people lifestyles. The convenience of packaged milk, hassle free handling and easy storage has also caused positive attitude towards packaged milk. The packaged milk makers have also successfully promoted milk as essential product for as well as main ingredient for various items. Like the best tea, best desserts and best drinks are made from packaged milk. On the other hand the fresh milk industry being largely unaccounted and informal has failed in this aspect. They are lacking innovation as well as modern techniques. The uneducated milkmen have failed o understand the significance of marketing. They are still surviving on massive demand, price and staunch users who do not want packaged milk. The ever increasing concerns of contamination, germs, bacteria and improper handling of dairy products specially milk has led many consumers to opt for packaged milk consumption. The perception and understanding of packaged milk being more safe and healthy is fast catching the minds of consumers. People are more informed about the hazards of consuming unhygienic loose milk. This change is the a key indicator of huge potential and enormous untapped market that has great potential for growth in packaged milk industry. Keeping in mind this huge potential and changing lifestyles of consumers, the packaged milk companies have come up with different varieties of milk. Consumers now have more choices than they could have imagined previously. Companies like Milkpak and Olpers offer normal pasteurized milk with full fat content as well as low fat, high calcium milk better known as skimmed milk. Consumers specially the ladies are targeted with the skimmed milk categories whereas men and children are promoted the normal brand of milk. Talking about choices and innovation, companies have even made milk a specialized item. For example olpers markets it milk Tarang specially for making tea. It says that Tarang is the best milk for tea. Similarly nestle has done this for many years with its dry milk brand called every day. So with changing consumers need and evolving lifestyles, companies have come up with new and innovative products and have successfully specialized their options. In the dairy sector, milk continues to be the largest consumed commodity. In this category of drinking milk, Khula doodh continues to be the preferred choice of consumers as high percentage of population consumes it. Share of packaged milk is still very low in the dairy industry. The main reason behind this is that still majority of people consider the loose milk to be more fresh, nutritious and affordable. Drinking milk products is expected to see a constant value CAGR of 8% over the forecast period, departing from the high annual growth of 21% seen in 2011 as well as similar high double-digit growth seen in the past few years which had been mainly led by hikes in unit prices. During the forecast period, prices are expected to see only modest growth since companies are concerned about the inability of consumers to cope with soaring food inflation. In this high growth industry, packaged milk has also seen tremendous growth. The competition has increased and new companies have started making impact in the market. In 2010, Engro foods a young company was tied with Nestle Milkpak a pioneering company in packaged milk for the share value of sales which stood at 33%. Haleeb closely followed these companies with 20% value share. The basic objective undertaken in this paper is to activate the resource potential of rural Pakistan and serve as a key engine of economic growth, thus radically changing the landscape of Pakistans agriculture economy through dairy development! the revolution aims at empowering small farmers and providing them with mechanized farms. The revolution is trying to improve the overall infrastructure of the dairy sector so that its full potential can be exploited. By introducing modern techniques, white revolution will influence the lives of millions and enhance urbanization through innovation and quality. The white revolution aims to satisfy consumers by providing quality milk, affordable, wide product range and high nutritional value. To meet the needs of the farmers, white revolution will train, empower, provide resource, improve yield, link to formal markets and provide a thriving pathway to growth. This way the supply chain will become better off, local milk production will adapt to n ew techniques and foreign investors would also be attracted. Overall a standardized industry would take shape. Some stats shared in the paper give us brief of the industry. These stats are as follows: Capture.PNG Capture2.PNG Through these statistics we can clearly see that the dairy industry has great potential for growth. The packaged milk industry is also contributing more and more every year. The growth trend is strong and may lead the industry in near future. All this would be made possible by achieving the objectives as mentioned in the paper. The Gawala system is one of the long standing traditions of Pakistan milk industry. The result of this tradition can be seen by dominance of unprocessed milk which accounts for 93% of all liquid dairy products. From 2006-2009 consumption of LDP has increased with increase in the population, With a CAGR of 2.4% (according to Tetra Pak data). In 2009, LDP consumption reached 18.9bn litres, maintaining its position as the fourth largest LDP consumer after India, China and the US. In the same period, the rate of growth of packaged LDP was at CAGR of 8.4% compared with unpackaged products, which grew at a CAGR of 2.1%. according to tetra pack this trend is going to continue in near future. Tetra Pak expects packaged LDP to continue growing, with a CAGR of 10.4% from 2009-12. The changing demographics of the country are contributing to this change. Emerging middle class, increasing young population and education has caused people to demand safer and healthier products. In the alst decade the urban population of apkistan has increased by 3 percentage points. In 2009, 35.5% (59.9m) more people were living in urban areas. This change or urbanization has limited the supply of good healthy fresh milk as people have moved away from rural areas. Their access to good quality loose milk has been limited due to the lack of a cold supply chain. This has provided packaged milk companies with the opportunity to provide good quality, safe milk in an alternative form. Increasing educational class and sophisticated consumers have demanded more and more packaged products as they perceive it to be healthier and more convenient. From 1999-2009, packaged LDP grew by 19%. In 2010 the article published in tribune raised concerns of dairy industry as government considered applying VAT on packaged milk. According to Pakistan dairy association (PDA) the VAT would seriously hamper the growth of the industry. According to Muzammil Aslam, economist at JS global capital ltd. Government will face difficulty in applying VAT on food industry. The government will face problems in imposing VAT especially in the food sector because this area has been mostly unregulated, If government applied VAT on packaged milk which is around 15%, the prices of milk packs would sharply rise. The difference between loose milk and packaged milk would become extraordinary. Consumers will shift to loose milk and packaged milk which has been growing year to year will suddenly default. Already the packaged milk sector has only 13% share in the dairy market. The industry wont survive and eventually Pakistan would have to import packaged dairy products. The loose milk industry is currently not in tax bracket so it would be unfair to have taxes on packaged dairy products. According to a study conducted by tetra pack in 2012, emerging new markets in the world including Pakistan, India, Brazil, Russia and china will drive the growth of LDP industry. The LDP market is set for accelerated demand in years 2011-2014. Pakistan is currently the third largest milk producing country and has third largest herd size. Most of the population of Pakistan is deeper in the pyramid (60%). This provides great opportunity for companies and local farmers to cash in. Pakistani food producers have made many new innovative products which are affordable and good. One such product is the tea whitener. 32% of milk is used for making tea so it is a very important market. Products like tarang which are cheap and good for tea are ideal to penetrate into DIP segment of the society. Once the packaged foods enter this segment the growth will be enormous. Todays low-income consumers are tomorrows middle class, said Azhar Ali Syed, Managing Director Tetra Pak Pakistan, noting that this is a golden opportunity for dairy processors to cultivate consumer loyalty among a new generation of dairy consumers in developing countries such as Pakistan. The consumption is to incease from 70 billion litres to 80 billion in the year 2014. Many of the loose milk consumers are expected to shift during this period to packaged milk. Low-income consumers represent one of the biggest growth opportunities for the dairy industry. The key to tomorrows success is reaching these consumers today, said Tetra Pak President and CEO Dennis Jonson. They make up almost 40 percent of the worlds population and live in economies driving our industrys growth and they are growing more affluent. Tetra pack also announced that LDP demand worldwide is going to grow at 2.9% CAGR from 2011-2014. The biggest potential markets will be Asia, Africa and Latin America. Competitor analysis The packaged milk industry of Pakistan initially faced slow growth. People did not adapt to the idea of packaged milk and avoided consuming it. In the last decade this trend has changed. People now have become more aware of the packaged products and its nutritional values. The awareness led to consumer testing and liking the packaged milk. Thus the milk consumption started to transform. There are two types of packaged milk available, the tetra pack and the pouch packed milk. In the past five years the growth has been rapid. The industry has prospered in this time period. The boom in packaged milk industry has seen many new competitors enter the market. The competition has increased and suddenly the industry has become fiercely competitive. In the early days, the packaged milk market was dominated by nestle milk pak. Milk pak was like a monopoly. Now with new companies entering, the market share has dropped but still milk pak leads the market. Olpers now has second highest market share, was launched during this period of time by engro foods. The competition within the industry itself has become intense. There are many brands available offering virtually the same product at almost the same price. The taste and nutritional value of the milk brands are also same. Consumers have endless choices. The prominent brands competing in the market include: milk pak, olpers, haleeb, halla, good milk, gourmet, prema, anahar, nurpur, omung, and white gold. The combined percentage share of tetra pack and pouch pack milk brands of the dairy industry is 29% (22% tetra pack, 7%pouch pack). All these brands are fighting to gain maximum of this 29% share of the dairy market that makes the packaged milk industry. Of the 29% share of packaged milk in dairy industry, 22% is tetra pack milk. Currently milk pack has around 40% share of this pie whereas olpers is second at 27%. Other significant competitors in this category are haleeb and good milk. These tetra packed milk brands offer pasteurized milk. It is a little expensive too when compared with other categories. In the other category, Gourmet milk dominates the pouched milk category as it has more than 70% share of the 7% pouched milk market. The main competition in this category is halla and dairy queen. These brands offer UHT milk which come in pouches and are considered economical. Apart from this inside competition faced by packaged milk industry, immense competition is present outside the industry. This competition is given by the fresh milk or unprocessed milk category. This category is by far the most popular and most consumed one. It accounts for 71% of the total dairy market share. The fresh milk has this huge market share due to various factors. Among these factors price, taste, availability and nutritional value are key. The fresh milk is readily available and supplied to households on daily basis. Local milk men who have their own cows supply fresh milk on daily basis. The milk is delivered to consumers doorstep fresh every morning. This ease is also one of the main reasons for its success. The fresh milk also is cheaper to get. As compared to the packaged milk it almost costs Rs. 10/litre less. Another factor that has lead to this huge market share is lack of awareness regarding packaged milk. People still believe that fresh milk is more nutritious wh ereas to them packaged and processed milk is artificial. One key thing to note is that the fresh milk has a 70% share in rural market while in urban its only 30%. Industry analysis According to a study on Milk marketing conducted by FAO in Pakistan in 2003, out of 33.6billion litres of production of milk, 80% of the milk in the country are collectively produced by rural commercial and rural subsistence producers. The semi urban producers account for 15% of the milk production, whereas urban producers contribute 5% to the total milk production in the country. Only 5% of the milk is processed and is marketed through formal distribution channels whereas the other 95% is being distributed by the middlemen in the urban and rural areas. This accounts to be 0.43% contribution of the formal sector to the real GDP of Pakistan in the year 2004-2005. The formal sector (UHT) market are the milk producers in Pakistan which totals to be only 3%, which is only a small percentage, are growing at a stable rate of 20% a year. Initially the dairy sector did not receive much attention. As mentioned before, the packaged milk industry began in Pakistan in 1981. Milk pak became the pioneer by introducing its packaged milk. Later Haleeb and dairy queen and Halla followed Milk pak footsteps. The industry at the beginning never looked promising and was hardly seen replacing the fresh milk. In fact, the concern of adulteration, germs, obsolete and old methods of improper handling of dairy products, particularly loose milk and curd by milkmen and shopkeepers, are forcing a large number of consumers in the country to change their old buying patterns and move away for traditional milkmen delivered fresh milk. Consumer preferences have changed in the favour of packaged dairy products (Austin and Kohn, 1990), which offers better hygiene, nutritional value and good value for money. In the early 90s Tetra pack started their campaign of hygiene bacteria free milk; moreover their main aim was to educate the masses about th e health hazards of loose milk which is supplied by the local milkmen. Also they wanted to build awareness about the quality, purity, freshness of the packaged milk which is free from preservatives. Till the mid of 90s milk production was the least commercialized enterprise in the agricultural economy. It was during the early years of the 21stcentury that the dairy sector became slightly more commercialized with the emergence of two new companies in the sector: Olpers and Goodmilk. The former enterprise emerged as an aggressive player with attractive new ad campaigns emerging after almost every six months and managed to gain second highest market share as a UHT milk producer in Pakistan after Nestle Milkpak. The dairy sector now stands at its turning point. The advertisement campaigns and the competition between the oligopolies of milk enterprises have benefited its consumers the most (Pakistan Dairy Development Company, 2006). A demand shift

Killer Angels - Chamberlain: A True Leader :: American America History

Killer Angels - Chamberlain: A True Leader Michael Shaara presented Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in his The Killer Angels not only as a courageous, heroic soldier with outstanding integrity, but depicted him using tremendous leadership skills in a large variety of situations. When we were first introduced to Chamberlain he gave a remarkably motivating speech to over one hundred starved and angry soldiers. With his passionate and honest plea he was able to break through their barriers of hate and betrayal and inspire them to fight for a belief even they could relate to. This act alone convinced me that this man was a talented leader and would have an impressive impact on The Battle of Gettysburg. After each confrontation where casualties occurred Chamberlain was sure to visit with each individual soldier or group of soldiers and be certain they didnt need the attention of a doctor. He also took time to get to know his men and build relationships with them. Through this act Chamberlain gained more respect, even, than Lee because his soldiers not only knew who they were fighting for, but also knew that if they died fighting for him they would die in honor under the command of a caring and passionate man. To be a good soldier you must love the army. But to be a good officer you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. This is a very hard thing to do. ~Robert E. Lee (The Killer Angels Pg. 191) Chamberlain showed what a good officer he was during the battle on Little Round Top. When he knew his troops were in trouble he had to order his own brother to help fill a spot, risking his life. Throughout the novel Shaara mentions how closely-knit the relationship between the two brothers was yet Chamberlain knew his duty to protect the Union armys flank and was willing to sacrifice both himself and his beloved brother Tom in order to fulfill it.

Unforgettable Experiences in the U.S. Essay -- Essays Papers

Unforgettable Experiences in the U.S. Problems faced by international students who come to the U.S. for the first time are not always easy to overcome. As one of them, I've found it very difficult to handle most of the problems I've encountered. I've experienced a very terrible culture shock that still makes me upset. As a student, I've found that the personal and cultural problems I experience may gravely affect my grades. The three major problems I've encountered deal with independence, homesickness, and loneliness, which really shocked me. Since my culture is completely different from the U.S., I was very surprised and shocked by the U.S. way of doing things independently. For many years, I lived in a totally different culture; I was completely unprepared for American culture. For example, since I first came here in August 1990, I have had to do many kinds of work by myself which I had never done when I was in Indonesia, such as doing laundry, cleaning the bedroom, and getting up early in the morning. In Indonesia, I never had a hard time doing such things since everything w...

My Personal Philosophy of Education :: Education Teaching Teachers Essays

My Personal Philosophy of Education For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a teacher. As a child I taught countless spelling lessons and math problems to classes of stuffed animals and Barbie dolls. Now I am all grown up and I want some real children in those seats not teddy bears and dolls. I can’t wait to begin teaching and working with the students. Until then I am working on honing my skills, developing a suitable philosophy, and planning how I will become the best teacher that I can be. I think all students yearn to learn. Students gobble up knowledge if it is presented to them in an appetizing manner. Students need to be ready to learn something before they will. They can’t really be force-fed knowledge. They have to be willing to take it in and digest it. Only then can something be truly learned. Many time students are taught something just so they can spit it back out on a test. Students need to be able to use what they have learned in a practical way. Lots of times something is learned, tested on, and then the student forgets it. If you can’t remember or use what you have learned then what is the point in learning it at all? Real knowledge comes with applying subject matter to real life and using what you have learned. The overall purpose of education is teaching a student how to think. I want my students to learn how to think critically. To think is to comprehend what has been learned and be able to use it in a real situation. Thinking isn’t promoted when children are trained to be like parrots and repeat what they know without ever using that knowledge. Thinking also includes making thoughtful decisions. I want my students to realize how their actions and decisions affect themselves and others. This would be thinking about the moral value of their thoughts and actions.

Hilton Customer Service Case Study

Customer Service in Travel and Tourism Hilton Hotels Case Study [pic] The ‘Understanding Travel and Tourism’ case study provides useful background information about Hilton Hotels. The first three sections of this case study are based on two presentations on the theme of ‘Reach Beyond’ given to employees of Hilton Hotels UK and Ireland as part of a major staff training programme. Benefits of Good Customer Service Guests tend to leave or defect from Hilton because: †¢ they become dissatisfied or †¢ a competitor is thought to be better or because a guest simply doesn’t care (in every market there are people who just don’t care about brand choice) or †¢ the guest has no choice e. g. the location is not right for the traveller or, for business travellers, because company policy is to use another hotel chain. What satisfies guests? Every guest is different, however research by Hilton Hotels has identified some ‘drivers’ th at influence whether a guest is satisfied with the stay or not. Drivers of Guest Satisfaction – UK Relative Impact on Overall Satisfaction [pic] The Importance of LoyaltyGuest survey research by Hilton suggests that in a typical year only 5% of existing customers remain loyal, however loyal customers tend to spend more and they account for 10% of revenue. Loyalty is important because satisfied and loyal guests: †¢ will make an effort to do business with Hilton †¢ give 80% or more of their business to Hilton †¢ ignore competitive offers, advertising and discounts †¢ tend to be willing to accept higher pricing structures †¢ remain with Hilton 8-10 times longer than unloyal guests †¢ are worth 100 times more than unloyal guests, in the long termIt is worth noting that the importance of loyal guests is recognised by most travel and tourism organisations, and many often carry out promotions aimed directly at repeat customers. One way Hilton Hotels rew ards loyalty and encourages repeat bookings is through the Hilton HHonors membership scheme, through which customers can receive points and other benefits. The more a customer uses Hilton Hotels, the bigger the rewards. Handling Complaints If no action is taken following a complaint, 52% of guests making a complaint are likely NOT to return.Once a complaint has been handled satisfactorily, 94% of customers making a complaint will return. This is almost the same percentage of customers likely to return when there is no problem and no complaint. This slide gives more detail about Hilton Hotels’ findings from research into the handling of problems and complaints. How may I help you? [pic]Source: VisualMedia Online ICT and Customer Service Hilton Hotels uses ICT in many ways. Just a few examples are: Hilton Hotels’ e-learning training programme that can be accessed by all staff members †¢ the use of powerful software programmes for analysing the results of research in to customer satisfaction levels †¢ providing excellent ICT amenities for business travellers †¢ making it easier to book the Hilton brand by improvements to websites and computerised reservations systems, and ‘fair deal’ agreements with external booking agencies. In 2002/3 Hilton developed a local language website for Hilton International in the UK – www. hilton. co. uk.The re-designed site featured lots more information. It was localised to make sure the offers were relevant and attractive for UK customers. The details on each hotel are updated at the hotel, rather than centrally, as is common practice. This ensures that the customer is getting all the most up-to-date and relevant details about the hotel and its offers as soon as possible. As part of the successful launch, the website www. hiltongroup. com promoted the new-look website www. hilton. co. uk. This included some examples of different types of potential customer and how they would use the n ew website.Below is the example of a customer travelling for leisure. Quality Here is a summary of the message to staff taking part in the Hilton ‘Reach Beyond’ training scheme: ———————– Importance of complaint handling No complaintComplaint (64%) (36%) Not reported Reported (8%) (28%) No actionAction Taken (8%) Not satisfied Satisfied (9%) (11%) Why is satisfaction important? Guest stays at HiltonNot satisfiedDefects to the competition Guest stays at HiltonSatisfiedVisits againBecomes loyal For further information about Hilton Hotels see: www. iltongroup. com or www. hilton. co. uk The Leisure Traveller â€Å"Whenever I go away I always stay in a Hilton,† says Rachel Martin â€Å"I love the fact that I always get the same high service standards no matter where I go in the world. † Rachel, a public relations consultant and a keen traveller, has been visiting Hilton hotels for over 10 years, and has be en to hotels all over the world, from the Middle East to Japan. â€Å"I've always wanted to book on the web, but I never felt comfortable with the old hilton. com site – it always felt too American, and a little impersonal. The new www. hilton. co. uk site, however, suits Rachel down to the ground. â€Å"All the special offers on the front page are priced in UK pounds, so I can directly see that I'm getting the best value I can from Hilton. I've also become aware of holiday packages I didn't know about before. † Rachel has just booked her 2003 summer holiday using the website â€Å"I'm looking forward to my next holiday – in the Hilton in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt – where I'm going to learn to dive, something I've always wanted to try, but didn't even know Hilton offered until I used www. ilton. co. uk. † 95%77%52%62% 94% Likelihood to return How can YOU influence satisfaction? Top 5 factors that influence guest satisfaction: 1. Have a positive †˜can do’ attitude 2. Overall quality of room 3. Staff efficiency 4. Staff friendliness 5. Comfort of room Hilton Reach Beyond Consistent, Quality Customer Service delivers the Brand Promise and recruits and keeps LOYAL Guests