Analysis of Cloud HR Solutions for SMEs in Hong Kong Dissertation

Analysis of Cloud HR Solutions for SMEs in Hong Kong - Dissertation Example Cloud solutions have brought significant changes in the manner in which organizations run their applications and store their data from the conventional desktop network into servers which can be accessed remotely through the internet. Cloud solutions are technological revolutions which have a considerable effect on all the areas of IT industry as they allow companies to access applications and information at any time from any location all over the globe. Based on this dramatic change of technology, the present research seeks to investigate the aspects that impact the adoption of solutions based on cloud services by SMEs in Hong Kong. It has been noted that numerous studies or empirical researchers have focused on the global market, bigger enterprise as well as industry leaders; however, this paper will concentrate on SME instead of bigger organizations since the constraints they face differ from those of bigger businesses. Approximately 320,000 SME exist in Hong Kong and they have employed more than one million people accounting for forty-seven percent of the total employment when civil servants are not considered. In the globalized and competitive world, this study seeks to provide a platform for HR practitioners as well as business owners to appreciate the manner in which their companies achieve their HR goals, hire and motivate their workers along with how they manage staff performance, training, and organizational changes through the HR solutions already in existence to embrace cloud technologies so that the companies can be more competitive.

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) Research Paper

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) - Research Paper Example This technique has made it possible for people that do have a specific genetic condition to avoid passing it on to their off spring (Ashcroft, 2013, p. 218). It is important to make a distinction between pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and preimplantation genetic screening. The diagnosis procedure refers specifically to the situation whereby one or both of the genetic parents of a child in question actually has one or more numerous types of serious genetic abnormalities. If this is the case, the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis procedure can be performed on a particular embryo to determine if it also carries that specific genetic abnormality as well. Pre-implantation genetic screening, on the other hand, is a procedure that is performed when embryos from genetic parents are thought to be normal from a chromosomal perspective, but the genetic parents are screened for aneuploidy (Ashcroft, 2013). The purpose of the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis procedure is, to a large degree, to ensure that only unaffected embryos end up being transferred to the uterus for implantation. This is a viable alternative to the current diagnostic procedures that are typically run after naturally conception has occurred. Examples of this include amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. These tests are often followed by difficult decisions having to be made if abnormal results are achieved, such as deciding to terminate the pregnancy. This issue is quite important today as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis remains the only option that is currently available for parents who are genetically predisposed to certain serious genetic diseases to avoid giving birth to a child that will have the same disease. This must take place prior to the embryo being transferred, or lasting psychological and emotional harm may occur (Dayal, 2010). The

New product development

New product development Need in the Market The need for an eBook in the market was evident. In the information age, where volumes of data and information need to be exchanged, created, examined and organized, there was a huge void to be filled by a handy device capable of being carried around, having an interface big enough like a book, but not the limited capacity of a paper book. The books were omnipresent, even though depleting in number with the internet coming up. But for extended reading, the computer screen was too inconvenient. It took too much time to load up. It was unwieldy to carry around. Not everything was available in a format youd want it in. To look into what exactly the need was, lets us look deeper into some specific points. To fill the current void, the market needed a product that: Was not heavy on the environment, like books. There was too much paper and ink being used for relatively miniscule amounts of information. Replicated the book in terms of readability. The computer screen was strenuous to look into for too long. Further, the computer screen could not be seen in sunlight. It also was very hard to read at angles. Facilitated exchange of information without necessarily the constriction of holding a device and keeping the users eye fixed on it. For example, in the ultra mobile culture that is emerging, many users are either driving a vehicle for a big fraction of the day. They may be users who are working around the house too. Books, because of the undivided attention they required, were slowly being drifted away from. Did not require storage space. Books took up a lot of space. Theres only so much information that can be kept in the library in the form of books. Was not heavy. Books are heavy if you realize that just to move from your living room to the park outside with a few big books is not inviting. If youre travelling, its almost impossible. Was updated in real time. Books cant be, and computers are, as we saw, unwieldy. We now see how the Kindle fulfilled these needs. The Amazon Kindle and how it filled the gap The answer was an eBook reader. One such product is the Amazon Kindle. A quick glance at its features, benefits and how it fits with the market demand identified above is presented. Amazon Kindle: a software/hardware platform by Amazon.com for displaying e-books and sometimes, other digital media. The 3 versions are: Kindle, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX. The Kindle First Generation, which was Amazons first device, was released in the US in 2007 (on November 19). The Kindle uses an E Ink brand electronic paper display. It downloads content using Amazons Whispernet (propriety online store) using mobile networks. The Kindle 2 devices use the American ATTs service and some roaming partners that give wireless access internationally. Kindle does not have to be connected to a computer, and Amazon Whispernet does not require a subscription. All Kindles come with free access to the Internet over mobile networks in the US. Here is a look at the features and benefits you can find with Amazon Kindle. The screen looks like real printed paper. Kindle also became desirable because of its 3G connection service in more than 100 countries. Users are able to get the first chapters of books before purchasing them. The actual download takes 60 seconds. The Kindle DX features a larger screen and more memory to hold more e-books. The screen size is 9.7 inches which is pretty large for comfortable reading. Even the available memory of 3.3 GB is enough to keep to the tune of 3500 books. The screen boasts not having any glare or illumination. This doubles up as a major power saver. In addition, the words of the book, once displayed on the kindle, remain that way without consuming any power. So, in the domain of utilization of power, it is very efficient. About 500,000 book titles are available at its Kindle Store for international customers. Competitive analysis Porters analysis for the eBook industry Entry Entry barriers to the e-book industry are few, if any. The manufacturing process is relatively simple; except for the screen, the technology is well developed. The Kindle uses an electronic paper display manufactured by E-Ink Corporation and this same display can be found in the Sony Reader, the iLiad, the Cybook Gen3, and the Readius. However, there is a challenge of signing agreements with publishers so that the material can be released as an e-book. Perhaps the biggest obstacle that all the companies are facing right now is the lack of growth in the industry. Jinke has been in the business since 2000 but has sold only 150,000 readers, the most of all the companies. Rivalry The e-book market is still in an early stage and because of this, market price levels are still uncertain. There are significant variations in price between different producers of e-book readers. Amazon entered the market at a significantly higher price than Sony and many other competitors, but there are also other readers selling at $700 or more. Because the consumer base is so small, all producers would rather see it expand than steal customers from other manufacturers. Consequently, there is more incentive for manufacturers to improve their product and increase interest in e-books than to compete on price. Supplier Bargaining Power Supplier bargaining power is derived from the number of suppliers, availability of substitutes, and costs associated with switching to alternative inputs. There are two main inputs to the Kindle: screen and network technology. The technology used to create the specialized display on the Kindle is manufactured by the E-Ink Corporation. E-Ink is the leading firm in the electronic paper market and is a supplier to a variety of companies, including Sony and other e-book manufacturers. Since the electronic paper market is relatively new and does not consist of many firms, substitutes are limited. Given the state of the electronic paper market and the fact that electronic paper is a recently developed technology, E-Ink needs customers and hence E-Ink does not have much supplier bargaining power over Kindle. This could change in the future, depending on the popularity of the Kindle and the development of the electronic paper market. Amazon uses EVDO network technology, supplied by the Sprin t network. Kindle users do not need to pay to connect to the network, as Amazon covers the cost. Large EVDO network providers also include Verizon and Alltel, with other competing networks using a standard other than EVDO. This means that Amazons choice of networks for Whispernet is fairly limited. While not an issue now, if Kindle becomes much more widespread in the future, the company could face a holdup problem with Sprint if Sprint wants more of Amazons profits. Thus Kindles display and network suppliers currently do not have much bargaining power, but it is highly likely that if Kindle succeeds, supplier bargaining power will increase and may become a problem for Amazon. Publisher bargaining power is also important to consider since the Kindle is fairly useless without e-books. To increase the size of Amazons e-book library, it needs to obtain publisher permission for each book it converts. Publishers have a great deal of bargaining power in this respect; while there are many publishers, for each title one publisher has a monopoly. Thus, if Amazon wants a specific book for its Kindle, it will have to pay monopoly prices to the publisher. This effect can already be seen in the market for printed books, where much of the profit on a book is retained by the publisher. For a large publishing company like Random House, its profits are on the order of 10% of its revenue. On the other hand, a book retailer like Barnes and Noble has drastically lower profitability, with profits less than 1% of revenue. Thus publishers have a great deal of supplier bargaining power since they essentially decide which books become e-books and whether those books will be availa ble for the Kindle. Publishers can also require that Amazon sell only versions of their books that include Digital Rights Management (DRM), an attempt to prevent illegal copying of the content. Consequently, all books sold through Amazon on the Kindle are available only in the proprietary AZW format. Most competing readers also specialize in their own DRM format. Buyer Bargaining Power Kindle buyers have little bargaining power. Bargaining power is derived mainly from the ease of switching to a competing product and the value of the product to the buyer. Because both the Kindle and competing readers use DRM schemes, books purchased for the Kindle cannot be transferred to other manufacturers devices and vice versa. This is not the primary reason for DRM, but it is advantageous from Amazons point of view because it increases switching costs and helps to create buyer lock-in. The market for e-book readers is still young and small, so the majority of e-book reader buyers do not have a significant existing electronic library. Existing libraries are not yet an important factor in shaping consumers purchasing decisions. However, once the market matures a significant portion of sales will be to existing owners of e-book readers. Thus buyer bargaining power will decrease over time and be very weak in the mature market. Substitutes The main substitutes for Amazon Kindle are libraries, both brick and mortar and online bookstores, and Google Books. However, unlike the online bookstores and Google books, Kindle does not require a computer. Kindles free wireless connectivity which uses the same network as advanced cell phones enables buyers to shop from the Kindle Store directly from the Kindle device. Instead of having to travel to the local library or waiting for books to arrive from online bookstores, this wireless network can download a book in 60 seconds providing customers a more efficient and direct access to books. Although Kindle does not yet have access to as many books as some of these substitutes, it is progressively adding more books. Also, the Kindle stores everything a purchaser buys online; in this way, if a customer loses the Kindle, the reading material will not be lost, as would be the case if you had a paperback. The readers also do not have to deal with heavy or numerous books because of Kindle s light portability. The Kindle display looks like ink on paper, which is easier on the eye than LCD screens and comparable to printed media. It can also increase text size which is a clear advantage over books. Physical bookstores allow customers to browse books before purchasing. Amazon attempts to emulate this feature by allowing users to download and read the first chapter of any book for free. E-book versions of new releases and New York Times Best Sellers are $9.99, saving on average 60%, and many other books can be found for less. As for Google Books, Googles aim is to help people find and discover books and learn where to buy and borrow them. Although there are books that can be read online from start to finish, this is only the case for books in the public domain and out of copyright. For these reasons, Kindle compares favourably to these substitutes. Complements The size of the e-book library, other file types such as .pdf, .doc, and .jpeg, and the service to convert files to Kindle format are all complements of Amazon Kindle. The most important compliment required is the number of books offered to Kindle users. The day Amazon Kindle was released last year, the Kindle Store had more than 88,000 digital titles available for download and now has over 115,000 Books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs. Amazon also offers an email-based service that converts .html, .doc, .jpeg, .gif, .png, and .bmp documents to their Kindle format, AZW, or can load unprotected Mobipocket or plain text content. This AZW format is only for the Kindle which is a good strategy on Amazons part to tie the complement to the product. Kindle also supports formats for audio in the form of MP3s and Audible 2, 3, and 4 audiobooks, which must be transferred to the Kindle over USB or an SD card. With a variety of book options and supported formats to accommodate more customers a nd their various needs, the Kindle is a simple and convenient alternative to reading a paper copy book. Major Competitors This competitor analysis only compared the products on the basis of the technology but to sell the product, there is much more than mere technology which has to be projected. That is where marketing steps in and that is the area where Amazon has been at the forefront with its clear marketing strategy and its proactive and subtle innovations which keep them at the forefront of the E-book reader industry. Marketing strategy The marketing strategy of Amazon Kindle can be seen through the STP (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning) analysis of the Kindle which would give way to the marketing mix followed by the brand. A typical buyer of a Kindle can be perceived as a businessman/businesswoman who does not have enough time and space to carry along the pile of books and newspapers when they go out on a trip or a business meeting. They want multipurpose equipment with no frills attached so that they can browse their favourite book whenever, wherever they can. The popularity of the Kindle can be seen in countries such as America and Europe where these kinds of users are easy in good number. The Kindle is sold on the website of Amazon that saves Amazon a lot of cost due to a direct supply chain. The communication is basically through a series of adverts whenever one goes to the website of Amazon. Amazon has positioned the Kindle as a book carrier for the people on the go. The product is marketed heavily in A merica and not so much in Europe as books have an aesthetic value in the Europe. It considers book as a form of art which is not a case with Americans. Methodology The methodology consists of both the primary and secondary research methodology. The basic aim of the methodology is to gauge the consumer perception of the Amazon Kindle and to analyze the gap between the Brand identity portrayed by the product and the brand image which is actually created in the mind of the consumer of an Amazon Kindle. Generally, it is seen that a new product has problems filling this gap and it is one of the major threat whenever the product is launched in the market. There is a need for the company to portray itself in a manner that the gap is minimized. In order to see the success of the Kindle we tried to visit the various blogs and the website of the Kindle to look for the consumer perception and the post purchase analysis. This methodology was validated by the questionnaire floated on various internet sites and the blogs in order to get maximum responses from the people. The scope of study was narrowed down on to finally three types of units: Users of Amazon Kindle Non-Users of Amazon Kindle People who havent heard of Amazon Kindle It is very important to gauge all the three responses in order to get the birds eye view on the product and the concept delivery. While hundreds of responses were analyzed in the secondary research, we came up with 54 responses in the primary research which was covering the geographical areas of USA, India, France, Germany, Greece, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Argentina and many more nations which make the study geographically significant. The responses were analyzed by the statistical tools such as excel and SPSS in order to come up with the impact analysis of Amazon Kindle and finally the recommendations that we came up to make this process of marketing the Kindle much more efficient and focused. Observations and analysis Secondary research observations: The secondary research was performed on the following web blogs and websites: inventorspot.com ireaderreview.com www.wired.com www.bestebookreaders.com reviews.cnet.com crunchbase.com blogs.techrepublic.com www.computerworld.com wiki.mobileread.com www.hanselman.com www.macworld.com gadgets.boingboing.net arstechnica.com www.digitaltrends.com Amazons Website The blogs are the major technology blogs which constantly receive the comments of the users and the non users and are a fair indicator of the trends and perception of the new product in the market. This is majorly significant in the case of the Kindle as the marketing mix of the product significantly enhances the importance of the blogs and reviews online. The product is sold online only and thus all the users or the people who are interested in the product are more likely to be avid internet users. The first step for adaptation of any new product is the search of the information about the product and the information, in case of Amazon kindle is majorly available on these websites and the Amazons site. The user therefore pays a lot more attention to these blogs in this case. Thus these blogs are very powerful in forming the perception about a product which is sold online. The E-Paper screen is slightly smaller than that on its primary competitor, the Sony Reader, but is still quite legible and roomy E-Paper has a long way to go before it replaces ink on paper, but its comfortably on the right path Youll need to use the Kindle in the same sort of well-lit environment that youd read a normal book or magazine Some of the features such as the expandable memory and the wireless services truly make using a Kindle an unforgettable experience. However, we can never call the Kindle a radical innovation as the concept was already put in to the market by Sony via their Sony reader. But as compared to its counterparts, it is perceived as a pioneer in innovation and technology. With the latest launch of the I-PAD, there has been a lot of speculation while we compare the I-PAD to the Kindle. While both Apple and Amazon maintain that the products are not in competition but there has always been a comparison made which can be unfair to the Kindle as it is not a multipurpose device as compared to the Kindle. But Kindle has been very proactive in ensuring that they come out with the subtle innovations that would keep their nose ahead at all times. This can be seen when they launched the Kindle application for the IPAD very recently just after the launch of the IPAD. Primary Research Observations The primary research was conducted on 51 respondents who were spread all over the globe on all continents of the world. The respondents were divided into 3 categories and the perception mapping was performed. The results show high involvement of Americans over the rest of the world. This can be easily explained by the history of the Amazon Kindle which launches the new version in America first and then another version is launched in the rest of the world. There is always an international version of the Kindle which is meant for the rest of the world except America. The research had 61 percent female respondents and 39 percent male respondents. There were many avid readers among the Americans who answered the questionnaire. The total avid readers were 55 percent and out of those, 80 percent were Americans. The value sought in the Amazon Kindle was very high among these groups of people which tell us that the Kindle is very popular among the people who love to read a lot. The people were mainly fond of the fact that the kindle is very compact and easy to operate. The peoples response was mainly hinting that the Kindle is surely a device that they would like to buy but the barriers that they have put either on the initial price and on the subsequent running costs is deterring them from having a Kindle with them. According to them, there is a special place of books in there and Amazon should not compete with them. The testimony of the fact is that the 90 percent of the people preferred paperback books instead of an electronic book if given a free choice. The reason given is that the book looks much more real and there is a sense of possession when we have a book in our hand rather than when we have an eBook in our laptops of our Kindle for that matter. The Kindle had the biggest advantage over the rest of its competitors due to its wireless capabilities which actually allow you to get your favorite books within a few seconds room anywhere in the world and anytime in the world. While Americans and Australians preferred the Kindle because it saved a lot of shelf space which in other cases would have been taken by the books, the Europeans preferred Kindle because it was su pposed to save a lot of paper and it looked elegant in the hand of the possessor. Some of the other findings include the fact that while 39 percent of the respondents were actually Kindle users, there were 21 percent of the respondents who were not aware of the Kindle at all. The reason that we could thought of was that it has something to do with the less popularity of Amazon in the countries of these people as most of these people were from India(50 percent) and Thailand and other parts of Asia. This throws light on the fact that for a product which mainly sells from the internet, it is very important for the parent company to have an established base of consumers who can then communicate with them and participate in the offerings given to them in the form of products such as the Kindle. There is no distribution channel where we can push the product. The other respondents who had heard of the Kindle but never thought of buying it thought that the price of the Kindle is the major factor that deters them from even thinking of having one. For the ones who want to b uy it and do not have it as of now, the major reason is that the people associate a lot of hidden costs with the product. This was a major finding as the company never projects the actual cost to consumer throughout the life of the consumers. While the possessors liked the fact that the Kindle has good connectivity which we too found out as the point of difference of the Kindle from its competitors, the non users liked the read without glare feature the most attractive one. This lead us to one more observation that the most attractive feature is not the unique feature of the kindle so the Kindle may or may not be the first choice of the people when they go on to buy an eBook reader. This is kind of disheartening for the company as the product is highly placed on the price and the technology table and the users may not find value for money once they look to buy a Kindle. There were some serious observations made in the value that the consumers attach regarding the price of the Kindle and that comes out to be around 140 Euros that is way less than the actual price of the kindle i.e. 250 Euros. This leads us to the observations is that the barrier is too high for a large amount of potential users which can be exploited if they agree to lower the initial cost. The people were very apprehensive of the actual cost to customer and Amazon can do well to enlighten the customers about the same. Success of the product to date The Amazon kindle is unarguably the best selling product for Amazon and the adverts on the website of Amazon are a testimony of this. It is the most wished for, most desired and most searched for product on Amazon site which tells us that the product is doing very well on the international scene as well. Some of the factual data released by Amazon can also be seen below. It tells us that the product is doing wonderfully well on the international scene. The product is a very successful one and the continual improvements that it has come up with are a major factor contributing towards such a success. The revenue percentage of Amazon is as high as 2.6 percent that tells us that it is the star performer for Amazon. The fact that is not taken into consideration is that there are huge running costs that are related to each Kindle that are unfortunately not mentioned in the data. But it is clear that the Kindle is doing cery well in the market since its launch in 2008. Recommendations Amazon should focus on advertising to attract new customers to the e-book market. A large potential for growth in its base of consumers is with commuters and business travellers, who will benefit from the convenience of the Kindles portability and also possess the disposable income to afford the device in its current price range. As Ron Hawkins, vice president for portable reader systems at rival Sony, points out, Digital readers are not a replacement for a print book; they are a replacement for a stack of print books. That is where we see people, on the go, in the subway and in airports, with our device. The Kindle delivers newspapers directly to users for, on average, $10/month. This enables commuters to easily read the newspaper on a smaller medium without the unwieldiness of the print version. Similarly, businessmen will find the Kindle appealing to avoid carrying multiple books while travelling. By targeting these consumers through increased advertising in subways, airports, and on airplanes, Amazon can expand the market and reach out to new adopters of e-books. In coordination with this advertising effort, Amazon should attempt to negotiate deals with major newspapers. At a time when newspapers are struggling with declining numbers in readers and revenue, Amazon can seek to capitalize on their situation. For example, the LA Times started a task known as the Manhattan Project seeking to investigate solutions to reinvent the paper for the future. Amazon has the opportunity to approach them with the Kindle as a new venue to revive their business through a younger tech-savvy audience. The primary goal of this advertising campaign is to increase the overall e-book market, rather than to steal customers from rivals, so competitors should not feel threatened by it. In fact, other firms may benefit from the increased awareness of e-book readers. Similarly, parallel campaigns by rivals do not pose a significant threat to Amazon, since the major challenge at hand is to grow the market and provide for future profitability. However, Amazon needs to ensure that rivals do not enter into exclusive contracts with newspapers or other content providers in general. These deals only serve to benefit individual firms in the short run and ultimately hinder expansion of a relatively small, nascent market. Long Term Positioning In the long run the market for e-books themselves is unlikely to support significant profits. The main issue stems from the large amount of publisher bargaining power that currently exists in the print book market. Publishers have a significant influence in the supply chain for books, retaining the largest portion of the producer surplus in print media. The retailer only receives a small fraction of the overall profits on the book, so it is presumable that Amazon will face similar difficulty in extracting profits from e-books. In addition, Amazons business model is reproducible and thus their current distribution advantage is not necessarily permanent. Amazons reputation would be their only substantial barrier to new entrants in the e-book sales market. Lastly, competition with free pirated e-books would present problems. Even if Amazon proves more successful than competitors in e-book retailing, as the market grows, piracy will inevitably emerge to erode profits. This has occurred o ver the last decade in the music industry as digital music and the Internet have matured. These pitfalls make it unwise for Amazon to pursue a partnership with a hardware-oriented company like Sony, in which Amazon would limit itself to selling e-book reader content. Instead, Amazon should continue to produce the Kindle itself. Due to the nature of the market, the selection of complements will not distinguish the Kindle from other readers. If Amazon can maintain comparable hardware quality to other manufacturers, switching costs and brand identity should allow Amazon to keep a stable customer base and to support some level of sustainable profits. Pricing It also might be tempting for Amazon to leverage their current advantage in e-book distribution into greater profits on the e-books. This trades larger short term profits for a weaker future position in the market, which will be much larger that it is now. Thus, Amazons pricing strategy should be consistent with the long term focus on hardware and a desire to prioritize market share over short term profits throughout the growth phase. Amazons recent price reduction from $399 to $359 reflects a shift from targeting quality sensitive early adopters to more price sensitive consumers. It should continue to drop prices in steady increments to attract wider consumer bases. Consumers are less sensitive to e-book prices than they are to hardware prices, and the decision to purchase a Kindle is more likely to be triggered by the cost of the Kindle itself. Hence, Amazon should not be overly concerned with further reducing e-book prices. These prices are currently lower than most hardbacks and trade paperbacks but higher than most mass market paperbacks. Attempting to compete with mass market paperbacks is infeasible because of publishers resistance to pricing e-books much cheaper than print versions. It already loses money on most of its e-books, priced well below what it pays publishers, and further price cuts would likely require Amazon to take losses unjustified by the small benefits in market share. However, if the Kindle is able to propel the e-book markets into a fast growing phase, publishing executives anticipate that it will not be long before Amazon begins using the Kindles popularity as a lever to demand that publishers cut prices. At this point , Amazons increased bargaining power will enable it to price more competitively without the losses from subsidies. Questionnaire Age Sex Male Female Nationality How much reading do you do in general? I am an avid reader, I cant live if I dont read I like to read, you would find me reading very often I like to read sometimes I read rarely I hate reading, i have better things to do in life What according to you is the most attractive feature of Amazon Kindle? Its sleek design and light weight The concept of an electronic reader The easy connectivity(Global 3G wireless) Long Battery Life Reads like real paper without glare, even in bright sunlight Holds up to 1,500 books Saves paper Lower prices than paper books Over 450,000 books and the largest selection of the most popular books people Other: What is it that would deter you from buying the Kindle? Price The concept of buying an E-book and limited number of reads Lack of Knowledge(less advertizing) Other: What according to you is the biggest competitor of the Kindle? Apples I-Pad The paper books Barnes Nobles Nook The Nook book reader Sony pocket touch edition

As I Grow Older I Pay Less Attention to What Men Say :: Teaching Education School Essays

As I Grow Older I Pay Less Attention to What Men Say During our careers as students, many professors, many peers, and many mentors will try to tell us the many different ways that we â€Å"should† teach. One person is going to tell us how some thing should be done, while someone else is going to insist that it be done differently. However, if you just sit back and actually watch these professors and these mentors, you are going to find that they sometimes forget to head the words of Jesus and practice what they preach. Through out my career as a student I have came across teachers who make learning fun and have a genuine love for teaching. However, I have also encountered those teachers who make you want to pull the fire alarm, just so you can avoid their endless ramblings. It is a teacher’s responsibility to keep students interested and eager to learn. If a subject intrigues a child they will want to learn more about it, and what they learn will stay with them for a life time. Sadker and Sadker (2003) identify Idealists as teachers who: know the content very well, view teachers as role models, values each student as an individual, and who have very few discipline problems that result in trips to the principals office. The above are reasons that I would like to take and Idealist approach to teaching. I want to become a teacher because I want to be able to turn on CNN one day and say, â€Å"you see that young man boarding Apollo 45, I showed him that science could be fun.† Being a teacher is comprised of many duties and responsibilities. From day one we must take into account all of the things necessary for becoming a good teacher. The various components of an organized classroom, the different ways of motivating our students, the appropriate ways of disciplining our students, the different styles we will incorporate into the way we teach and the leadership styles necessary for being an effective mentor. First of all the organization of ones classroom is one of the most important factors that we must take into account. We must plan exactly how we want the room to look, and more importantly how we want it ran. A classroom for an elementary teacher needs to be bright and cheerful.

Climate Issues and their Effects on Architecture

Chapter 6 Decision Architecture has to accommodate to the local clime, particularly the tropical clime has changeless rainfall and sunshine throughout the old ages. In fact, the tropical clime has a comparatively comfy temperature. But the sunshine could be intense sometimes. In this context, the inactive design should in line with the tropical clime to heighten the indoor thermic comfort in order to forestall the indoor temperature become higher than the out-of-door temperature. The design of the auditorium has to be sensitive to the climatic specialnesss and the site context ; in this context, it is able to supply passively comfy status for the residents. Climatic issues have to set in serious history in order to make the auditorium edifice envelope that are thermally comfy and bring forth the least impact on the environing environment. With the consequence and influence of â€Å"Global Warming† and the escalating monetary value of electricity, maintaining the indoor to be cool will turn as an of import issue in the hereafter. The largest energy consumer in the edifice, particularly the auditorium is the air-conditioning system. However, the air-conditioning system besides has the largest nest eggs possible sing to this issue. The 2nd largest energy consumer in the auditorium is the illuming system. When unreal lightings are runing, it consumes electricity and generates heat into the indoor infinite. Therefore, the energy ingestion is increased as there is a demand for more cooling burden. For an enclosed edifice like an auditorium, other steps are resorted, like the energy-efficient electrical contraptions. For illustration, energy-saving lightings, high efficiency air-conditioners and last but non least, the sophisticated edifice services control system. However, before sing neither the electrical contraptions nor the chilling system, a inactive method should be the get downing point to supply an efficient edifice envelope. Assorted architectural solutions have been used in the tropical clime to chair the consequence of the intense Sun on the auditorium design. Orientation of the edifice, light colour wall pigment, proper shadowing devices and the well-insulated edifice envelope. The design of the auditorium, which integrating the inactive methods should be adhered to before put ining the energy efficient mechanical and electrical edifice system. It is decidedly assisting to cut down energy ingestion in a right manner. Material like the polished aluminum sheet used as external facing is a fillip point as thermic insularity in the tropical clime. It has high value of coefficient of reflection and aesthetically nice in looking. If the budget is allowable, insularity bed can be put in the wall building and a plaster board on the internal wall surface as a dual insularity bed. Additionally, mineral wool and fiber board have a positive influence on the OTTV analysis. It has been found that utilizing insularity can heighten the internal comfort status by increasing the thermic opposition of the wall. Surprisingly, the dual wall system for the auditorium is non the best system in the tropical clime. If there is budget restraint, a simple brick wall building with 13mm thick plaster applied on both sides of the wall of the auditorium can run into a satisfactory degree. White coloring material is ever the best coloring material for the tropical clime. Besides, dual glazed clear glass with low-e is the best glazing which suit to tropical clime. Double glassy glass should be the pick of glazing type for the auditorium as it depends to the full on the air-conditioning system. It is really of import to protect the window from direct solar heat addition. The gaps of the wall should take into serious consideration. Opening at East-West lifts must be avoided as it brings in direct heat and serious solar radiation. If the gaps are ineluctable for the East and West lift, shadowing devices should be attached to supply the proper shading consequence. By agencies of suited shadowing devices aid relieve the comfort status in the auditorium. In this context, the horizontal shading devices suit for East and West lifts while the perpendicular shading devices are the better option for North and South lifts. Proper pick of edifice stuffs can cut down the solar radiation penetrates to the internal infinite of the auditorium. It is really important for the auditorium in tropical clime. Materials with low thermic transmittal and low heat capacity are the most preferred to forestall the heat accumulate in the edifice envelope during daylight. The heat, which accumulated would radiate into the internal infinite of the auditorium in the dark when the air current velocity tends to be lower. Consequently, hot air temperature and high humidness caused hapless indoor air quality in the auditorium. When there is a map in the dark, it utilizes more energy in order to unclutter the unwanted air in the auditorium. As the UBBL is amended to follow with OTTV computation at the design phase before the building, construct environment in Malaysia is now concerned about a more energy-efficient and sustainable edifice, in term of the building stuff, edifice design, energy efficient edifice services and contraptions and so on. Now the to the full active manner edifice like auditorium is deriving its attending to be a green edifice. There will be lesser and lesser energy wastage created by auditorium in the hereafter. The smart system like the Building Automation System ( BAS ) in the auditorium should be implemented good. It would be ineffectual if no 1 to supervise the uninterrupted public presentation of the edifice system. The BAS system needs regular monitoring and bettering the position quo. The Energy Management System ( EMS ) is now a tendency for energy efficient edifice. On the other manus, renewable energy is now a manner frontward in order to prolong the ecological environment. It is particularly of import for the auditorium, which consumes higher energy than the other type of edifices. A sustainable auditorium is of import as it leads the betterment to the other to the full active manner edifices like the shopping complex and hotel. The probe and surveies done on the sustainability of the auditorium are for the endurance of thuman in the hereafter. The physique environment which helps planetary heating should be reduced. DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE STUDY It is undeniable that the figure of surveies and publications on the relationship of clime to architecture, people and energy usage is really extended. Undoubtedly, a assortment of theoretical and proficient jobs should be solved before a existent ecological architecture can be created in the tropical states. In order to hold the decision of future surveies even more useable, different auditorium should be tested to obtain more complete informations sets. Additionally, it is advisable to utilize questionnaires as parallel subjective surveies to acquire the subjective comfort informations. Future surveies can include a more elaborate survey of the hair-raiser works room control, included more informations from the hair-raiser operation on the behavior of the rooms’ airing systems. In a nutshell, the probe of this survey was limited to merely one instance survey auditorium. Further surveies on assorted instances of auditorium in Malaysia are recommended to derive more accurate rating.

Marketing Research Energy Drink Market Brazil Essay

The purpose of this research was to evaluate potential opportunities of distributing new energy drink V-Fusion+Energy ® in Brazil. Having performed secondary market research, we were able to analyze economic, political, legal, cultural, and social factors that affect Brazil’s business environment. We also explored current market opportunities in Brazil and performed detailed analysis of energy drink industry in Brazil and competition. During the research we gathered secondary data published by US and Brazilian government agencies, US Commercial Service, marketing research agencies, as well as information from business news and private companies’ web sites (such as Coca-Cola, Red Bull, etc). Based on gathered information, we concluded that although there is a number of challenges in the Brazilian market that create complex business environment and obstacles for US exporters, energy drink industry in Brazil is in inception stage and thus offers a good growth potential. After selecting and defining the target market, we were able to develop proposals for international promotional strategy, to describe business and marketing challenges and to provide detailed solution alternatives. INTRODUCTION V-Fusion+Energy ® is a new energy drink made with fruit and vegetable juice and green tea extract. It is a healthy alternative to high-caffeine and high-sugar energy drinks because it contains one combined serving of vegetables and fruit, is an excellent source of B vitamins, has only 50 calories and no added sugar or artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The product currently distributed in United States (Wal-Mart and other grocery and retail stores). The purpose of this research is to explore opportunities of distributing V-Fusion+Energy ® in Brazil. We selected Brazil as a potential market because it is Latin America’s biggest economy accounting for 60% of its GDP and seventh largest economy in the world with population of about 200 million, strong domestic demand for American goods and growing middle class. With GDP growth of nearly $2. 5 trillion in 2011 according to The White House (2012), we believe this market offers excellent growth opportunities for US companies. Its middle class and consumption has grown tremendously in past decade – as per Searchlight Process (2012) 40 million people has joined middle class between 2003 and 2011 and 20 million are expected to be included by 2014. In addition, there is a clear preference for American-produced goods to domestic goods in Brazil – they demand brands for all products from high tech and apparel products of Apple and Nike to beverages of Coca Cola. The improvement in infrastructure is expected in the next 2 years as Brazil prepares for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016 – it will spend billions in infrastructure development of its roads, railroads, ports, and airports. According to US Commercial Service (2011), despite signs of improvement there are a number of challenges in the Brazilian market create complex business environment and create obstacles for US exporters, such as uneven income distribution, problems in public education, disproportion of market concentration, and â€Å"grey economy† that hinders tax collection and keeps economic growth from reaching its full potential. In addition, doing business in Brazil requires understanding of local business practices such as implicit costs of doing business referred to as â€Å"Custo Brasil† – costs related to distribution, government procedures, employee benefits, and complex tax structure. Complex customs system along with high tariff barriers that increase consumer prices up to 100%, and overloaded legal system with lengthy processes is another challenge US companies are facing. As per US Commercial Service (2011), The World Bank ranks Brazil 127 out of 183 economies in the world in terms of ease of doing business. Nevertheless, if these challenges are accounted and approached with proper solutions, we believe entrance in Brazil market may be extremely profitable and beneficial for US companies in general and Campbell with its innovative product V-Fusion+Energy ® in particular. CURRENT ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT IN BRAZIL Economic Environment. Brazil is Latin America’s most influential country and one of the rising economic powers together with Russia, China and India (also known as BRIC nations). Almost double size the European Union (8. 5 million square kilometers), with rich in reserves of natural resources (iron ore, manganese, bauxite, nickel, uranium, gemstones, oil, wood, and aluminum, and 14% of the world’s renewable fresh water), and with over 300 million hectares of agricultural land in favorable climate conditions, Brazil takes a relevant position in global market. According to Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), Brazil’s consistent growth from 2002 to 2009 when its real GDP almost doubled (from US$ 724 billion to US$ 1. 5 trillion), and economy’s solid performance during 2008 financial crisis followed by strong recovery (including 2010 growth of 7. 5%) contributed to countries transition from a regional to global power. Although GDP growth in Brazil slowed down (2. 7 % in 2011 vs. 7. 5% in 2010) and according to the Colitt (2012) its industrial output has contracted 3. 4 % from last year, the economy is the world’s seventh-largest and is expected to rise to fifth within the next several years. As noted by Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), during the administration of former President Lula, surging exports, economic growth, and social programs helped lift tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty. For the first time, a majority of Brazilians are now middle-class, and domestic consumption has become an important driver of Brazilian growth. President Dilma Rousseff, who took office in January 2011, has indicated her intention to continue the former president’s economic policies, including sound fiscal management, inflation control, and a floating exchange rate. Colitt (2012) states that Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is implementing policies aimed to protect Brazilian industry – increasing duties on imported goods like shoes, textiles, and electronics, but not putting enough effort into fixing local infrastructure. The financial sector is secure and provides local firms with a wide range of financial products, yet interest rates remain among the highest in the world. Due to high interest rates investors that have been buying Brazilian high-yielding bonds have driven up the Real making it a very strong. This in turn, has made imports more favorable for US companies and exports more expensive for Brazil, which increased Brazil’s trade deficit to $92. 5 billion in 2011. As per The White House (2012), U. S. goods exports to Brazil have more than tripled since 2002, growing from $12. 4 billion in 2002 to $42. 9 billion in 2011 (largest categories are machinery, aircraft, and plastics). As noted by Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), Brazil has one of the most advanced industrial sectors in Latin America. Accounting for roughly one-third of the GDP, Brazil’s diverse industries include automobiles and parts, machinery and equipment, textiles, shoes, cement, computers, aircraft, and consumer durables. Brazil continues to be a major world supplier of commodities and natural resources, with significant operations in lumber, iron ore, tin, other minerals, and petrochemicals. However, high inflation (7. 3% in October 2011 – above the upper limit of the government’s target of 2. 5%-6. 5%) is a cause of extremely high cost of operating the manufacturing (due to high prices of energy, raw materials and wages), which makes it very hard for Brazilian industries to be competitive in the world markets. According to Alberto Ramos, chief Latin America economist at GS, manufacturing industry is not a competitive advantage of Brazil and it should redirect its resources into fields where it is competitive, like services, agribusiness and commodities. Brazil has a diverse and sophisticated services industry, including developed telecommunications, banking, energy, commerce, and computing sectors. And most importantly, Brazil is generally open to and encourages foreign investment -it is the largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Latin America, and the United States is traditionally the top foreign investor in Brazil – United States is a major supplier with over 15% of Brazil’s imports. Political Environment. The current structure of the Brazilian government is a Federative republic with 26 states and feral district, governed by a presidential system in which the president is both head of state and head of government (elections are based on a four-year term). Brazil has become independent in September 7, 1822 and promulgated its constitution in October 5, 1988. The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government, made up of executive, legislative, and judicial branches. As summarized by Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), there are 81 senators, three for each state and the Federal District, and 513 deputies. Senate terms are 8 years, staggered so that two-thirds of the upper house is up for election at one time and one-third 4 years later. Chamber terms are 4 years, with elections based on a complex system of proportional representation by states. Each state is eligible for a minimum of eight seats; the largest state delegation (Sao Paulo’s) is capped at 70 seats. This system is weighted in favor of geographically large but sparsely populated states. In Congress, fifteen political parties are represented making it common for politicians to switch parties. The largest political parties are the Workers’ party (PT), Democrats (DEM), Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB-center), Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), Progressive Party (PP), Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), Liberal Party (PL), Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), Popular Socialist Party (PPS), Democratic Labor Party (PDT), and the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB). Major labor union federations include the Workers’ Unitary Central, the Workers’ General Confederation (CGT), and the Forca Sindical (FS). As listed in World Guide (1997), there is a variety of labor unions and national, religious and professional associations that people in Brazil belong to: Brazil is one of the founding members of the United Nations, the G20, CPLP, Latin Union, the Organization of Ibero-American States, and Union of South American Nations. One of its main goals is to provide aid to developing countries and is estimated to be $1 Billion per year. As per Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (2011), to further increase its international profile (both politically and economically), the Rousseff administration is also seeking expanded trade ties with developing countries, as well as a strengthening of the Mercosul (Mercosur in Spanish) customs union with Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. Brazil is a charter member of the United Nations and participates in its specialized agencies. Cultural and Social Environments. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese and it is most widely used language. However you may find less common languages like Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese. But many Brazilian executives speak English, since many of them have studied abroad in the United States or Europe. Understanding Brazilian culture, social environment and business etiquette is essential for successfully doing business in Brazil. Anybody who is doing business with Brazilians should be aware of the various cultural and structural barriers which might confront them. According to study made by University of Illinois (2010), concepts of class and status are very strong in Brazil and can determine the position a person may take in the company, which implies that Brazilians allow inequality in their companies. Although communication between high and low level employees is often informal, everyone is aware of social hierarchies. When conducting business it is important to remember that the Brazilian family (often family members working for the same company) is the foundation of their social structure and it forms the basic stability for most Brazilian people. Because of this, Brazilians need to know whom they are doing business with before they can effectively work together, so questions about person’s personal life, family, and company should be expected. Relationships are extremely important to Brazilians, by building close personnel relationships and building trust, foreign businessmen and investors will have a greater chance of success in doing business in Brazil. According to the information gathered and provided by Kwitessential (2010), although the communication is very informal, some simple rules of etiquette must be followed. Although business appointments can be scheduled on the short notice, it is best to schedule them two to three weeks in advance and confirm them in writing since it is not uncommon for appointments to be cancelled or changed at the last minute. It is important to appear on time for meeting in Sao Paulo, however, in Rio de Janeiro and other cities it is acceptable to arrive a few minutes late for a meeting. During introduction it is very important to be prepared for a lot of handshakes when saying hi and bye or a kiss in the cheeks between men and women. It is important to note that since business in Brazil is hierarchical, so decisions are made by highest ranking person which may not be always present – senior managers usually attend only initial meetings (and expect to meet someone higher ranked as well). According to study in Ethisphere (2008), people in US and Brazil differ in ethical orientation and therefore, before entering Brazil we should be aware of ethically challenging situations and establish strategies on how to deal with potential corruption ahead of time. It is important to understand Brazillian â€Å"Jeitinhio Brasileiro† way of thinking – their tendency to look for alternatives to do something that in our eyes seems improper, which rarely require bribes and is not considered corruption, but more like an alternative way of accomplishing objectives when confronting overly rigid rules. Legal Environment. Brazil is organized as a Federal Republic and its legal system is based on Roman civil code, which implies that all laws that discipline all kinds of situations are previously written and made public. Besides the Federal Constitutions, which consists of 250 articles that outline citizens’ fundamental rights and guarantees, the political and administrative organization of the Federal Republic of Brazil, the individual spheres of authority of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, tax system and the fundamental labor rights, there main legal documents are the Codes: Civil Code, the Tax Code, the Penal Code and the Civil Procedure Code. The Civil Code comprises over 2000 articles regulating matters such as Obligations and Contracts, Businesses and Corporations, Real Estate and related property rights, and many others. The Tax Code defines the main Brazilian tax regulations, which are complemented by many Federal, State and Municipal laws. The Penal Code brings the definitions of conducts considered crimes and the punishments for anyone fitting the respective legal descriptions. Finally, the Civil Procedure Code regulates the due process of law. There is a variety of legal restrictions for foreign companies conducting business in Brazil, which pushed many companies towards partnerships with qualified agents or distributors when entering the Brazilian. First, a foreign company must obtain written permission to operate a branch in Brazil, thus joint ventures are usually more popular than independent entities. To avoid potential legal problems, US Commercial Service (2011) recommends U. S. companies have a written agreement to help exporters limit liability for product defects, protect a trademark, better ensure payments, and define warranty terms, and consult with a Brazilian law firm before signing any agreement. Taxes in Brazil are actually favorable compared to the U. S. The current corporate income tax rate is 15% regardless of the corporation’s business but with a 10% supplementary tax on the portion of net profits that exceeds R$ 20. 000,00 per month. The main stock exchange in Brazil is the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (â€Å"Bovespa†). â€Å"Securities, such as shares, commercial papers, debentures, investment fund quotas and derivatives, are traded on Bovespa. † Also, it is important to note that, according to a business survey conducted by PriceWaterhouse Coopers (2009), 70 percent of firms in Brazil report having spent at least 3 percent of revenues on bribes. Most of these bribes are to expedite procedures, special treatment or access to traditional transactions. Although nowadays many companies in Brazil, especially those that operate internationally, are fighting against corruption (for ex: companies signing Brazilian Pact for Integrity and against Corruption), and Federal agents have been effective in policing illegal behavior (which helped Brazil achieve â€Å"moderate† rating in 2009 Global Integrity Report), corruption, governmental inefficiency, legal and bureaucratic complications remain real and very sensitive issues in Brazil that cause a great frustration to the international business people. INDUSTRY AND COMPETITORS OVERVIEW. Energy Drink industry in Brazil is in inception stage and thus offers a good growth potential for a company distributing new energy drink products like V-Fusion+Energy ®. According to Russell (2012), energy drinks was the fastest growing soft drinks category in Brazil in 2010, with 33 percent growth in value term. Moreover, Brazil is still a small market for energy drinks with off-trade volume sales of 31 million liters in 2010, which corresponds to 1% of global volume. As Russell (2012) points out, new product launches with new positionings and lower price points, and increased availability, mean that the market is tipped for growth. Although some health concerns have been voiced regarding energy drink consumption, particularly when associated with alcohol, there is no indication that the category is acquiring a negative image in Brazil, Russell (2012) explains. There new trends in Brazil’s population proportion and its consumption patterns also create opportunity in energy drink industry: middle class and consumption has grown tremendously in past decade – as per Searchlight Process (2012) 40 million people has joined middle class between 2003 and 2011 and 20 million are expected to be included by 2014. As of today, out of 200 million Brazilians over 52 percent are a part of middle class, whose combined monthly family income ranges between US$600 (R$1,000) and US$2,400 (R$4,000). Moreover, according to Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of Brazil (SAE) middle class is predominantly comprised of young people less than 30 years old, with formal employment and disposable income, mostly residing in urban areas and expressing strong preference for American brands. With this in mind, according to Russel (2012), Euromonitor predicts that multinational manufacturers will start to invest more in the country to offset sluggishness in other markets. Brazil could be one of the top five markets worldwide for energy drinks, according to Euromonitor. Sales of energy drinks are predicted to grow in total volume at 14% per year on average between 2010 and 2015. The biggest challenge in energy drink industry for US exporter is the price structure due to complex customs system along with high tariff barriers that increase consumer prices up to 100%. As per US Commercial Service (2011), in some cases costs are so high that a simple calculation may indicate that US exporter’s margin will not allow them to compete with local products. Thus, some US companies work on low margins and implement efficient supply chain systems aimed to lower operation costs. Red Bull, for example, whose drink already holds lead position in Brazil’s energy drink market with 59. 6 percent volume share, is building a production plant in Brazil to remove high tariffs from its price structure and be able to increase its profit margins while lowering retail prices and increasing sales volumes. Besides Red Bull, who dominates Brazil’s energy drink market with 59. 6 percent volume share, the main competitors are US based multinational giant The Coca-Cola Co. with its product â€Å"Burn Energy† taking 11. 7% share and German Lizur Trading’s â€Å"Flash Power energy† taking 4. 8% share, and new Gladiator with no sales figures available but with promising results. According to Euromonitor International (2010), the newer brand Gladiator is one of the fastest growing soft drinks brands. As the company has massive distribution infrastructure, it can become the toughest rival in the industry in the medium term. Marketing activity and optimization of logistics and distribution channels are likely to be explored by the main players in energy drink industry over the next few years. Austrian company Red Bull has created the global market for energy drinks, and the pioneering Red Bull brand became synonymous with energy drinks for a large number of consumers, including Brazilians. According to Euromonitor International (2010), despite rising competition, Red Bull GmbH continues to comfortably lead the global energy drinks market by both volume and value. Red Bull is produced at a single facility in Austria and then distributed around the world via a network of local subsidiaries and external importers and distributors. Thus, Red Bull imports its product to Brazil through a distributor and adds high costs of duties, energy and logistics cost to its prices, which makes it unaffordable for some low-income consumers in Brazil. Also, Euromonitor International (2010) advises that the company aims to capitalize on the current consumer trend towards â€Å"natural† ingredients, and targets an older consumer group that is typically more interested in product ingredients than younger consumers. Thus, it is clear that industry leader sees opportunity in expanding its product portfolio to target health conscious consumers, which means that V-Fusion+Energy ® has a great opportunity in this market if introduced first. Coca Cola competes on Brazil’s energy drink market with Burn Energy – a new Swedish high-energy drink oriented on young population (20-24) with its stylish design and promotion associated with famous dj’s, parties in famous clubs in Brazil and music festivals. Besides the attractive image, added native Brazilian high caffeine guarana extract appeals to Brazilians. Coca Cola has very efficient distribution network in Brazil and 46 manufacturers strategically located in all regions of the country ensuring the supply of about one million points of sale. To summarize information provided on official web site of Coca-Cola in Brazil, Division Brazil is one of the four major operations of Coca-Cola performing in Brazil since 1942. Besides Coca-Cola, there are 16 independent business groups, called authorized manufacturers, in addition to the Junior Lion and Del Valle, who draw up the final product in its 46 plants and distribute them to retail outlets. This structure allows Coca-Cola to gain efficiency in manufacturing and distribution, avoid high tariffs and bureaucratic import barriers, thus minimizing costs and consumers retail prices. SELECTION AND ANALYSIS OF TARGET MARKET As we mentioned earlier, health and energy segment of beverage market has been growing strongly in Latin American countries including Brazil. Studies have shown that the change in consumer wealth and behavior has driven the health and energy markets to be viewed as the most promising segment of the beverages industry. More than two-thirds of Brazilians are concerned with their energy levels and try to manage tiredness. With the new V8+Energy people can look forward to enjoying a combined serving of vegetables and fruit with the amount of caffeine that is comparable to the leading energy drink or a cup of coffee. By targeting upper and middle class we will be able reach out to over 80 million of people living in Brazil. Huge difference between rich and poor is the direct reason why social classes have such relevance for segmenting demography in Brazil. Novias (2011) classified contemporary Brazilian society from letters A-E, as follows: 1. Educational Level †¢ Classes A and B: usually composed by those who completed higher education. The younger generations of these classes tend to be fluent in several languages. †¢ Class C: most people in this class have finished high school and there is also a significant quantity of people who completed higher education or at least have a technical level degree. †¢ Class D: people who have not finished high school. †¢ Class E: people who have not finished elementary school and illiterate people. 2. Occupation. The educational levels previously presented support the level of submission among five different classes. This employment relationship is presented as: †¢ Class A: composed by bankers, investors, business owners, major landowners and people with extraordinary skills for the industry they operate in. †¢ Class B: composed by directors and managers, politicians, judges, justices, prosecutors, well graduated professors, doctors, well qualified engineers and lawyers, etc. †¢ Class C: composed by those who provide services directly to the wealthier groups, such as teachers, managers, mechanics, electricians, nurses, etc. †¢ Class D: composed by people who provide services to Class C, such as housemaids, bartenders, bricklayers, people who work for the civil construction companies, small stores sellers, low-paid drivers, etc. †¢ Class E: composed by people who earn minimum salaries, such as cleaners, street sweepers, and also by unemployed people. Our primary target is classes A-C. Consumers in these classes are hardworking people (ages 18-35) that have proper education to know the benefits of drinking V-Fusion+Energy ® and want a smart, healthy, and effective way to gain their energy back. In terms of the geographic locations there are some regions where there is a strong dominance of classes D and E like the North, Northeast and Central-West regions in which we will not focus on. However, it is the larger cities such as Sao Paulo in which social differences are mostly visible and is where many of the upper classes are found, as well as Brasilia, capital of Brazil. Our age segmentation can vary mostly because the V-Fusion+Energy ® drink can be consumed by almost anyone at any age. Made with natural ingredients, it is healthy for any age group to drink including young teens from ages 12-19 as well as for seniors. However, our primary target is working social classes A-C that belong to 18-35 age group and teenagers who are following newest trends , interest and youthful lifestyle. PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY Introducing Acai Berry Flavor. In order to localize the product to the Brazilian people, we will introduce a new flavor of V8 Fusion Energy: Acai Berry. Acai is the most popular fruit in Brazil, and it is enjoyed throughout the year by both young and old. By creating an acai flavor, we will be able to expand our market, because our product will appeal to all Brazilians. We will also attract more customers to our target market, mostly healthy individuals who exercise regularly. Acai is one of the healthiest fruits in the world: it contains powerful antioxidants that can help defend the body against life’s stressors. It also contains anthocyanin and flavonoids, which play a key role in the body’s cell protection system, help slow down the aging process, and may promote fat loss. All these health benefits are the reason why acai is often referred to as a â€Å"super fruit† by nutritionists. Processing the acai fruit into an energy drink does require time and resources, but considering that Brazil is an upper-middle-income country with a newly, rapid industrializing economy (Keegan), we have determined that the acai strategy will be successful. Localizing our product by including something that everyone in Brazil is familiar with and enjoys will be a successful initial promotional strategy. It will define our target market, because of acai’s health benefits. It will also expand the market, since many people will buy and drink our product, simply because they enjoy the flavor of acai berry. Carnival. The Rio Carnival is the perfect place to market out V-8 Fusion Energy drink. We will be considering a couple of strategies at the Rio Carnival: 1) we will have our sales employees offer people the drink for free, and 2) we will occupy small vendors, located around the carnival and sell our product there. Free sampling will initiate the promotion of our drink. We have strong belief in the quality and taste of our product, which is why we believe that once people try it, they will be returning customers. The second strategy will be used for customers wanting to try the other great flavors of our product: Peach Mango, and Pomegranate Blueberry. This strategy will also be used as primary research. We will be closely monitoring our sales, considering factors such as: location of vendor and flavor of drink. Employees will collect the data electronically, which will be used to determine which flavor is more popular in which area. We will also have employees conduct observational surveys. They will be writing down data of approximate age of customers, as well as their facial expressions after drinking, to help determine if customers enjoyed our product. Soccer – Campeonato Brasileiro. The most popular sport in Brazil is soccer. It is so popular, that it is not even considered a sport; it’s a way of life for most Brazilians. Soccer is played everywhere: on the streets, on the beach, in parks, and in professional soccer clubs. Professional soccer players in Brazil are the most famous and recognized people in the country. This is why we plan to promote V8 Fusion Energy through professional soccer teams We will offer a contract to the professional team – Santos to place our product name on the front of their uniforms. Santos is currently the team with the best-selling jerseys and apparel in Brazil, and we would like to be associated with a popular, winning team. Research has showed that when a product is associated with a successful team, sales increase as well. We will also offer personal contracts to one or two star players from the team. They will play a key part in our advertising commercials and promotional campaigns throughout the country. Our vision is to promote V-Fusion+Energy ® as a healthy source of energy and gain strong position on energy drink market in the country, thus we see tremendous potential to market our product in the professional soccer league. Brazil does not have a specific drink associated with sports (such as Gatorade in the United States). We will use an aggressive market strategy and make our V8 Energy Fusion the official drink of Brazilian soccer possibly sports in general. Our product will be placed on the sidelines of all games. Players coming in and out of the game will drink our product for energy and hydration. Our goal is for people to associate our product with energy, success, and health, which is exactly what V8 Fusion Energy is – a healthy energy drink for success! BUSINESS AND MARKETING CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS To achieve a successful outcome in launching the V-Fusion+Energy ® product in Brazil, it is essential to highlight the barriers to entry and marketing challenges. We have identified three key areas that present a challenge; un-even income distribution, public perception and consumer education, and a foreign judicial system that includes a complex tax system and testing custom laws. First, un-even income distribution in society refers to the possession of the production factors and the price the owners get in the market. Focusing on this issue results beneficial considering we can’t put our product out there if the consumer population does not have a stable income in the different cities or areas, and the production cost are unknown . Therefore, in order to reduce production costs we can create a joint venture with a pre-existing Brazilian beverage companies. furthermore, we will focus on the local agriculture; I. e invest in local agriculture.

Free sample - Studying for an exam. translation missing

Studying for an exam. Studying for an exam  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An exam is a stressful and a terrible thing to study for, since an individual does not know whether the forthcoming exam is going to make or break their final mark. During the exam period, the levels of stress are extraordinarily higher. Most of the time the stress during exam time is positive since it can enable a candidate to be focused and motivated, but if the stress becomes too much then the candidate can feel confused and overwhelmed. So that an individual can do better on a given exam, it is very important to study carefully through the relevant materials that are covered by the exam. For a candidate to prepare effectively toward a given exam, he or she must follow ten major study habits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First, the student has to vary the studying manner such that he or she uses multiple techniques and styles of learning. Second, the student should make sure all the materials need for studying are kept organized for he or she to access the key information while studying. Third, the student should at one time put the materials aside and test himself concerning the materials studied during the week so that to determine whether he or she understands the materials or whether the material needs to be reviewed. The fourth habit concerns the student reviewing the notes taken before each lesson. The fifth thing concerns the student ensuring to review the notes and assignments just after the lesson is over. The sixth habit involves a student to mark all the information he or she does not comprehend and then find the answers to the questions immediately. The seventh thing that a student needs to do is to mark anything looking familiar, for instance definitions and concepts . The eighth habit that a student has to do is to make sure that every task he or she needs to accomplish is attached with some kind of reward such as certification.   The student should ensure that he or she is kept focused on not more that one task at ago and this is the ninth habit. Finally, the tenth habit concerns a student prioritizing every task by its importance such that the most important tasks are done first.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After a student has prepared thoroughly for the exam he or she can be confident during the time when they are doing the exam. Confidence can enable a student to remember most of the content he or she had already learnt. Incase a student did not prepare effectively for an exam; he or she will not be confident and therefore will panic leading to forgetting the content learnt earlier. Therefore, it is very important to prepare thoroughly for an exam if good point and grades are to be expected.

Lilith - The Female Demon in Beloved, by Toni Morrison essays

Lilith - The Female Demon in Beloved, by Toni Morrison essays Lilith is a poignant character in Jewish, Christian, and Greek Mythology, who is generally perceived as a female demon. Theologians believe Lilith to be an evil demon that controls a certain number of animals, and it wasn't until nearly 100 A.D. that visual depictions appear of her and her animals. Lilith is also related to motherhood because Lilith represents the power that women draw from giving birth. In short, Lilith is a demon that is deceitful in every manner: socially, physically, and mentally. In Shirley A. Stave's criticism, Toni Morrison's Beloved and the Vindication of Lilith, Stave explains Toni Morrison's use of the myth Lilith in her novel, Beloved, and how Morrison explores the artifacts of motherhood in Beloved with great ebullience. Stave correctly identifies instances when Morrison employs Biblical allusions, adulthood, and parallelisms between the legend and the novel itself. Stave makes her point clear; the role of motherhood in Beloved is represented by the female demon, Lilith. Although Stave makes this argument with much support from other criticisms and Biblical references, she doesn't divulge Morrison's true function of having Lilith be present in Beloved: Lilith is Beloved. One must see that Beloved is the literal representation of Lilith to fully comprehend the deceitful acts of Beloved. Throughout Morrison's novel, Beloved, is put in different situations that make her portray Lilith. The mentality of Beloved comes from Lilith. Most of Beloved's actions directly mirror the Bible's text when describing what Lilith is. In the Bible, Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and are banished from the Garden of Eden because Lilith played a role in the decision of Eve. For this to be portrayed in Beloved, Morrison uses Paul D and Beloved, Beloved of course being Lilith. Beloved approaches Paul D when he is vulnerable and asks him to, "[T]ouch me on the inside part" (Morrison 137). ...

A Comparative Study of Professional and Traditional College Students Perception Towards Two Wheeler Brands

A RESEARCH REPORT ON â€Å"A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL AND TRADITIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTION TOWARDS TWO WHEELER BRANDS† CONTENTS 1. HISTORY OF BAJAJ ? Profile ? Key Person ? Bajaj Introduction ? Company History ? Timeline Of New Release 2. HISTORY OF HERO HONDA ? Board Of Directors ? Company Profile 3. HISTORY OF TVS 4. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH 5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ? Data Source ? Research Approach ? Sampling Unit ? Data Completion And Analysis ? Scope 6. LIMITATION OF RESEARCH STUDY 7. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 8. FINDINGS 9. CONCLUSION 10. RECOMMENDATION 11. BIBLIOGRAPHY 12. QUETIONNAIRE Bajaj Auto limited is one of the largest two wheeler manufacturing company in India apart from producing two wheelers they also manufacture three wheelers. The company had started way back in 1945. Initially it used to import the two wheelers from outside, but from 1959 it started manufacturing of two wheelers in the country. By the year 1970 Bajaj Auto had rolled out their 100,000th vehicle. Bajaj scooters and motor cycles have become an integral part of the Indian milieu and over the years have come to represent the aspirations of modern India. Bajaj Auto also has a technical tie up with Kawasaki heavy industries of Japan to produce the latest motorcycles in India which are of world class quality The Bajaj Kawasaki eliminator has emerged straight out of the drawing board of Kawasaki heavy industries. The core brand values of Bajaj Auto limited includes Learning, Innovation, Perfection, Speed and Transparency. Bajaj Auto has three manufacturing units in the country at Akurdi, Waluj and Chakan in Maharashtra, western India, which produced 2,314,787 vehicles in 2005-06. The sales are backed by a network of after sales service and maintenance work Shops all over the country. Bajaj Auto has products which cater to every segment of the Indian two wheeler market Bajaj CT 100 Dlx offers a great value for money at the entry level. Similarly Bajaj Discover 125 offers the consumer a great performance without making a big hole in the pocket. Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is Indias largest and the worlds 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Waluj near Aurangabad, Akurdi and Chakan, near Pune. Bajaj Auto makers motor scooters, motorcycles and the auto rickshaw. COMPANYS HISTORY Bajaj Auto came into existence on November 29, 1945 as M/s Bachraj Trading Corporation Private Limited. It started off by selling imported two- and three-wheelers in India. In 1959, it obtained license from the Government of India to manufacture two- and three-wheelers and it went public in 1960. In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it managed to produce and sell 100,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1985, it started producing at Waluj in Aurangabad. In 1986, it managed to produce and sell 500,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1995, it rolled out its ten millionth vehicles and produced and sold 1 million vehicles in a year. Timeline of new releases ? 1971 three-wheeler goods carrier ? 1972 Bajaj Chetak ? 1976 Bajaj Super ? 1977 Rear engine Autorickshaw ? 1981 Bajaj M-50 ? 1986 Bajaj M-80, Kawasaki Bajaj KB100 ? 1990 Bajaj Sunny ? 1994 Bajaj Classic ? 1995 Bajaj Super Excel ? 1997 Kawasaki Bajaj Boxer, Rear Engine Diesel Autorickshaw ? 1998 Kawasaki Bajaj Caliber, Legend(Indias first four-stroke scooter) ? 2000 Bajaj Saffire ? 2001 Eliminator, Pulsar 2003 Caliber115, Bajaj Wind 125, Bajaj Pulsar ? 2004 Bajaj CT 100, New Bajaj Chetak 4-stroke with Wonder Gear, Bajaj Discover DTS-i ? 2005 Bajaj Wave, Bajaj Avenger, Bajaj Discover ? 2006 Bajaj Platina ? 2007 Bajaj Pulsar-200 Scooters ? Bajaj Sunny ? Bajaj Chetak ? Bajaj Cub ? Bajaj Super ? Bajaj Wave ? Bajaj Legend Motorcycles ? Kawasaki Eliminator ? Bajaj Pulsar ? Bajaj Kawasaki Wind 125 ? Bajaj Boxer ? Bajaj CT 100 ? Bajaj Platina ? Baja j Caliber ? Bajaj Discover ? Bajaj Avenger ? Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi Upcoming Models Bajaj Krystal ? Bajaj Blade ? Bajaj Sonic ? Bajaj XCD String New Image The company, over the last decade has successfully changed its image from a scooter manufacturer to a two wheeler manufacturer, product range ranging from Scooterettes to Scooters to Motorcycle. Its real growth in numbers has come in the last 4 years after successful introduction of a few models in the motorcycle segment. The company is headed by Rahul Bajaj who is worth more than US$1. 5 billion. India has the largest number of two wheelers in the world with 41. 6 million vehicles. India has a mix of 30 percent automobiles and 70 percent two wheelers in the country. India was the second largest two wheeler manufacturer in the world starting in the 1950’s with the birth of Automobile Products of India (API) that manufactured scooters. API manufactured the Lambrettas but, another company, Bajaj Auto Ltd. surpassed API and remained through the turn of the century from its association with Piaggio of Italy (manufacturer of Vespa). The license raj that existed between the1940s to1980s in India, did not allow foreign companies to enter the market and imports were tightly controlled. This regulatory maze, before the economic liberalization, made business easier for local players to have a seller’s market. Customers in India were forced to wait 12 years to buy a scooter from Bajaj. The CEO of Bajaj commented that he did not need a marketing department, only a dispatch department. By the year 1990, Bajaj had a waiting list that was twenty-six times its annual output for scooters. The motorcycle segment had the same long wait times with three manufacturers; Royal Enfield, Ideal Jawa, and Escorts. Royal Enfield made a 350cc Bullet with the only four-stroke engine at that time and took the higher end of the market but, there was little competition for their customers. Ideal Jawa and Escorts took the middle and lower end of the market respectively. In the mid-1980s, the Indian government regulations changed and permitted foreign companies to enter the Indian market through minority joint ventures. The two-wheeler market changed with four Indo-Japanese joint ventures: Hero Honda, TVS Suzuki, Bajaj Kawasaki and Kinetic Honda. The entry of these foreign companies changed the Indian arket dynamics from the supply side to the demand side. With a larger selection of two-wheelers on the Indian market, consumers started to gain influence over the products they bought and raised higher customer expectations. The industry produced more models, styling options, prices, and different fuel efficiencies. The foreign companies new technologies helped make the products more reliable and with be tter quality. Indian companies had to change to keep up with their global counterparts. Hero Honda Motorcycles Limited is an Indian manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters. Hero Honda is a joint venture that began in 1984 between the Hero group of India and Honda from Japan. It has been the worlds biggest manufacturer of 2-wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1. 3 million motorbikes in a single year. Hero Hondas Splendor is the worlds largest selling motorcycle. Its 2 plants are in Dharuhera and Gurgaon, both in Haryana, India. It specializes in dual use motorcycles that are low powered but very fuel efficient. [Models] Bikes ? Hero Honda Splendor Plus ? Hero Honda Passion Plus ? Hero Honda Karizma ? Hero Honda CBZ ? Hero Honda Super Splendor Hero Honda CD Dawn ? Hero Honda CD Deluxe ? Hero Honda Achiever ? Hero Honda Glamour ? Hero Honda Ambition Hero Honda Splendor Model COMPANY PROFILE â€Å"Hero†, is the brand name used by the Munjal brothers in the year 1956 with the flagship company Hero Cycles. The two-wheeler manufacturing business of bicycle components had originally started in the 1940’s and turned into the wor ld’s largest bicycle manufacturer today. Hero, is a name synonymous with two-wheelers in India today. The Munjals roll their own steel, make free wheel bicycle critical components and have diversified into different ventures like product design. The Hero Group philosophy is: â€Å"To provide excellent transportation to the common man at easily affordable prices and to provide total satisfaction in all its spheres of activity†. The Hero group vision is to build long lasting relationships with everyone (customers, workers, dealers and vendors). The Hero Group has a passion for setting higher standards and â€Å"Engineering Satisfaction† is the prime motivation, way of life and work culture of the Group. In the year 1984, Mr. Brijmohan Lal Munjal, the Chairman and Managing Director of Hero Honda Motors (HHM), headed an alliance between the Munjal family and Honda Motor Company Ltd. HMC). HHM Mission Statement is: â€Å"We, at Hero Honda, are continuously striving for synergy between technology, systems, and human resources to provide products and services that meet the quality, performance, and price aspirations of our customers. While doing so, we maintain the highest standards of ethics and societal responsibil ities, constantly innovate products and processes, and develop teams that keep the momentum going to take the company to excellence in the new millennium†. This alliance became one of the most successful joint ventures in India, until the year 1999 when HMC had announced a 100% subsidiary, Honda Motorcycle Scooter India (HMSI). This announcement caused the HHM stock price to decrease by 30 percent that same day. Munjal had to come up with some new strategic decisions as, HMSI and other foreign new entry companies were causing increased intensity of rivalry for HHM. GROWTH The business growth of Hero Honda has been phenomenal throughout its early days. The Munjal family started a modest business of bicycle components. Hero Group expanded so big that by 2002 they had sold 86 million bicycles producing 16000 bicycles a day. Today Hero Honda has an assembly line of 9 different models of motorcycles available. It holds the record for most popular bike in the world by sales for Its Splendor model. Hero Honda Motors Limited was established in joint venture with Honda Motors of Japan in 1984, to manufacture motorcycles. It is currently the largest producer of Two Wheelers in the world. It sold 3 million bikes in the year 2005-2006. Recently it has also entered in scooter manufacturing, with its model PLEASURE mainly aimed at girls. The Hero Group has done business differently right from the start and that is what has helped them to achieve break-through in the competitive two-wheeler market. The Groups low key, but focused, style of management has earned the company plaudits amidst investors, employees, vendors and dealers, as also worldwide recognition. The growth of the Group through the years has been influenced by a number of factors: Just-in-Time The Hero Group through the Hero Cycles Division was the first to introduce the concept of just-in-time inventory. The Group boasts of superb operational efficiencies. Every assembly line worker operates two machines simultaneously to save time and improve productivity. The fact that most of the machines are either developed or fabricated in-house, has resulted in low inventory levels. In Hero Cycles Limited, the just-in-time inventory principle has been working since the beginning of production in the unit and is functional even till date.. This is the Japanese style of production and in India; Hero is probably the only company to have mastered the art of the just-in-time inventory principle. Ancillarisation An integral part of the Group strategy of doing business differently was providing support to ancillary units. There are over 300 ancillary units today, whose production is dedicated to Heros requirements and also a large number of other vendors, which include some of the better known companies in the automotive segment. Employee Policy: Another Striking feature within the Hero Group is the commitment and dedication of its workers. There is no organized labor union and family members of employees find ready employment within Hero. The philosophy with regard to labor management is Hero is growing, grow with Hero. When it comes to workers benefits, the Hero Group is known for providing facilities, further ahead of the industry norms. Long before other companies did so, Hero was giving its employees a uniform allowance, as well as House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Leave Travel Allowance (LTA). Extra benefits took the form of medical check-ups, not just for workers, but also for the immediate family members. Dealer Network The relationship of Hero Group with their dealers is unique in its closeness. The dealers are considered a part of the Hero family. A nation-wide dealer network comprising of over 5,000 outlets, and have a formidable distribution system in place. Sales agents from Hero travels to all the corners of the country, visiting dealers and send back daily postcards with information on the stock position that day, turnover, fresh purchases, anticipated demand and also competitor action in the region. The manufacturing units have a separate department to handle dealer complaints and problems and the first response is always given in 24 hours. Financial Planning The Hero Group benefits from the Group Chairmans financial acumen and his grasp on technology, manufacturing and marketing. Group Company, Hero Cycles Limited has one of the highest labor productivity rates in the world. In Hero Honda Motors Limited, the focus is on financial and raw material management and a low employee turnover. Quality Quality at Hero is attained not just by modern plants and equipment and through latest technology, but by enforcing a strict discipline. At the Group factories, attaining quality standards is an everyday practice a strictly pursued discipline. It comes from an amalgamation of the latest technology with deep-rooted experience derived from nearly four decades of hard labor. It is an attitude that masters the challenge of growth and change change in consumers perceptions about products and new aspirations arising from a new generation of buyers. Constant technology up gradation ensures that the Group stays in the global mainstream and maintains its competitive edge. With each of its foreign collaborations, the Group goes onto strengthen its quality measures as per the book. The Group also employs the services of independent experts from around the world to assist in new design and production processes. Diversification Throughout the years of enormous growth, the Group Chairman, Mr. Lall has actively looked at diversification. A considerable level of backward integration in its manufacturing activities has been ample in the Groups growth and led to the establishment of the Hero Cycles Cold Rolling Division, Munjal and Sunbeam Castings, Munjal Auto Components and Munjal Showa Limited amongst other component-manufacturing units. Then there were the expansion into the automotive segment with the setting up of Majestic Auto Limited, where the first indigenously designed moped, Hero Majestic, went into commercial production in 1978. Then came Hero Motors which introduced Hero Puch, in collaboration with global technology leader Steyr Daimler Puch of Austria. Hero Honda Motors was established in 1984 to manufacture 100 cc motorcycles. The Hero Group also took a venture into other segments like exports, financial services, information technology, which includes customer response services and software development. Further expansion is expected in the areas of Insurance and Telecommunication. The Hero Groups phenomenal growth is the result of constant innovations, a close watch on costs and the dynamic leadership of the Group Chairman, characterized by a culture of entrepreneurship, of right attitudes and building stronger relationships with investors, partners, vendors and dealers and customers TVS MOTOR COMPANY The TVS group was established in 1911 by Shri. T. V. Sundaram Iyengar. As one of India’s largest industrial entities it epitomizes Trust, Value and Service. It all began way back in 1984 when Sundaram Clayton Limited (A TVS Group company) introduced its 50 CC mopeds in the arena of road racing, notching up unbelievable speeds of 105 kmph. Since then, there has been no looking back for TVS Motor Company. TVS Racing was established in 1987 with the objective of improving the performance of its bikes. Over the years it has provided valuable data, design inputs, development of reliable motorcycle models, excellent vehicle dynamics handling etc. The true evidence of it is seen in todays TVS Victor and TVS Fiero. Today, there are over thirty companies in the TVS Group, employing more than 40,000 people worldwide and with a turnover in excess of USD 2. 2 billion. With steady growth, expansion and diversification, TVS commands a strong presence in manufacturing of two-wheelers, auto components and computer peripherals. We also have vibrant businesses in the distribution of heavy commercial vehicles passenger cars, finance and insurance. TVS Motor Company Limited, the flagship company of the USD 2. billion TVS Group, is the third largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India and among the top ten in the world, with an annual turnover of over USD 650 million. The year 1980 is one to be remembered for the Indian two-wheeler industry, with the roll out of TVS 50, Indias first two-seater moped that ushered in an era of affordable personal transportation. For the Indian Automobile sector, it was a breakthrough to be etched in history. TV S Motor Company is the first two-wheeler manufacturer in the world to be honoured with the hallmark of Japanese Quality – The Deming Prize for Total Quality Management. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH 1. To analyze the customer satisfaction. 2. To analyze the customer preference. 3. To know which manufacturer is providing better services. 4. To analyze after sales services of bikes. 5. To study the behavioral factors of consumers in motor bikes. 6. To suggest various factors to improve sales. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY It is well known fact that the most important step in marketing research process is to define the problem. Choose for investigation because a problem well defined is half solved. That was the reason that at most care was taken while defining various parameters of the problem. After giving through brain storming session, objectives were selected and the set on the base of these objectives. A questionnaire was designed major emphasis of which was gathering new ideas or insight so as to determine and bind out solution to the problems. DATA SOURCE Research included gathering both Primary and Secondary data. Primary data is the first hand data, which are selected a fresh and thus happen to be original in character. Primary Data was crucial to know various customers and past consumer views about bikes and to calculate the market share of this brand in regards to other brands. Secondary data are those which has been collected by some one else and which already have been passed through statistical process. Secondary data has been taken from internet, newspaper, magazines and companies web sites. RESEARCH APPROACH The research approach was used survey method which is a widely used method for data collection and best suited for descriptive type of research survey includes research instrument like questionnaire which can be structured and unstructured. Target population is well identified and various methods like personal interviews and telephone interviews are employed. SAMPLING UNIT It gives the target population that will be sampled. This research was carried in Indore (Distt. Indore). These were 90 respondents. DATA COMPLETION AND ANALYSIS After the data has been collected, it was tabulated and findings of the project were presented followed by analysis and interpretation to reach certain conclusions. SCOPE My project was based on the A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL AND TRADITIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS PERCEPTION TOWARDS TWO WHEELER BRANDS and data was taken in the City Indore only. LIMITATION 1. Research work was carried out in one Distt of U. P. (INDORE) only the finding may not be applicable to the other parts of the country because of social and cultural differences. 2. The sample was collected using connivance-sampling techniques. As such result may not give an exact representation of the population. 3. Shortage of time is also reason for incomprehensiveness. 4. The views of the people are biased therefore it doesn’t reflect true picture. Q1) Which bike do you have? Hero Honda |30 | | | | |Bajaj |30 | | | | |Any other |30 | | | | INTERPRETATION: Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 30 customers are of Hero Honda, 30 are of Bajaj and 30 customers of TVS bikes are taken into consideration. |Q2) Which Model do you Have? | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj | |TVS | | | | | | | | | |Splender |13 |CT 100 |5 |Flame |4 | | | | | | | | |Passion |5 |Discover |11 |Star City |9 | | | | | | | | |Karizma |2 |Pulsar |10 |Apache |7 | | | | | | | | |Any othe r |10 |Any other |4 |Any other |10 | | | | | | | | HERO HONDA INTERPRETATION: In Hero Honda mostly the customers are having splendor while the ratio of the customers using Passion, Karizma and other bikes are comparatively low. BAJAJ INTERPRETATION: In Bajaj the customers are giving more preference to Discover and Pulsar models. TVS INTERPRETATION:- In TVS Bikes the customers are givig more preference to the other models rather than Flame,Starcityand Apache. |Q3) In which family Income level do you Fall? | | | |100000-200000 |22 | | | | |200000-300000 |45 | | | | |300000-400000 |23 | | | | |above 400000 |10 | | | | INTERPRETATION: The maximum numbers of customers that are using these bikes fall in the income group of 200000-300000. While this ratio is minimum in case of customers whose income level fall between 300000-400000. |Q4) For how long do you own a bike? | | | | | |0-1 year |34 | | | | | |1-2 year | |29 | | | | | |2-3 year | |26 | | | | | |above 3 year | |11 | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that mostly the customers are having new bikes. | |Q5) For what purpose do you use your Motor Bike? | | | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | | | | |Office Purpose |13 | |42 |38 | | | | | | | | | | | |Personal purpose |17 | |15 |27 | | | | | | | | | | | |Joy Purpose |10 | |18 |10 | | | | | | | | | | | |Other |40 | |15 |15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- The customers are using their bikes mostly for official and personal purpose. | |Q6) How do you come to know about this Motor Bike? | | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | | | | |Newspaper |28 |33 |22 | | | | | | | | | | |Television |22 |28 |18 | | | | | | | | | | |Magazine |8 |16 |28 | | | | | | | | | | |Friends Relative |37 |13 |22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that the awareness of Hero Honda bikes mostly comes from friends while of Bajaj and TVS the awareness comes from newspapers and televisions. Q7) Does Advertisement Influence your decision in choosing a Motor Bike? Yes |65 | | | | |No |15 | | | | |Can’t say |10 | | | | INTERPRETATION: Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 65 customers agrees with the fact that advertisements play a very significant role in influencing their behavior to choose the bike. On the other hand 15 customers do not agree to this fact. While remaining 10 customers are not sure about it. Q8 Are you satisfied with the performance of the bike that you are currently havin? Yes |55 | | | | |No |28 | | | | |Can’t say |7 | | | | INTERPRETATION:- Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 55 customers says that they are satisfied with the performance of their bikes. On the other hand 28 customers are not satisfied with the performance of the bikes that they are having. While the remaining 10 customers are unable to say anything. |Q9) Do you have full knowledge about Bikes before buying? | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | |Yes | 42 |34 |37 | | | | | | |No |37 |27 |22 | | | | | | |Can’t Say |11 |29 |31 | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- It is observed that most of the customers are having full knowledge of the bike before purchasing. |Q10) Which Factor below Influence your decision? | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda | |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | |Price |17 | |22 |28 | | | | | | | |Mileage |28 | |15 |15 | | | | | | |Quality |11 | |20 |16 | | | | | | | |Resale Value |12 | |14 |17 | | | | | | | |Status symbol |32 | |19 |14 | | | | | | | HERO HONDA INTERPRETATION:- In Hero Honda bikes the mileage of the bike and the value that it adds to the status symbol of the customers influences the decision criteria of most of the customers. BAJAJ INTERPRETATION:- In Bajaj bikes customers gets more influenced by the price and quality of the bike and also they think that it adds value to their prestige. TVS INTERPRETATION: In TVS bike the economic price of the bikes influences the buying behavior of the customers. |Q11) How would you rate the following factors of Bikes with respect to different | |company? | | | | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj TVS | | | | | | |Mileage |74% |72% |68% | | | | | | |Price |68% |65% |47% | | | | | | |Pick up |70% |80% |62% | | | | | | |Maintenance |58% |62% |74% | | | | | | |Look Shape |85% |80% |72% | | | | | | |Brand Image |53% |55% |69% | | | | | | INTERPRETATION: It is observed that in rating of different features of different bikes people give maximum rating to the look and shape of the bike. At the second level they give their rating to the pick up. At the third level they rate mileage. And at the fourth level they give points to maintenance. At last they rate price and brand image. |Q12) If new Bike with good features comes in, then would you like to change your bike? | | | | | | | |Hero Honda |Bajaj |TVS | | | | | | | |Yes |10 |16 |14 | | | | | | | | |No |16 |11 |11 | | | | | | | | |Can’t say |4 |3 |5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | INTERPRETATION:- It is observed that the customers of Hero Honda bikes are not ready to change their bikes even if a new bike comes in with good features. While majority of the customers of Bajaj and TVS are ready to change their bikes if new bike provides some good features to them. FINDINGS During this research project I came in to contact with many customers who are having bikes. It has been found that in Hero Honda mostly the customers are having splendor while the ratio of the customers using Passion, Karizma and other bikes are comparatively low. In Bajaj the customers are giving more preference to Discover and Pulsar models and in case of TVS Bikes the customers are givig more preference to the other models rather than Flame,Starcityand Apache. The maximum numbers of customers that are using these bikes fall in the income group of 200000-300000. It has been observed that the customers are using their bikes mostly for official and personal purpose. It is observed that the awareness of Hero Honda bikes mostly comes from friends while of Bajaj and TVS the awareness comes from newspapers and televisions. Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 65 customers agree with the fact that advertisements play a very significant role in influencing their behavior to choose the bike. On the other hand 15 customers do not agree to this fact. While remaining 10 customers are not sure about it. When the customers are asked that are they satisfied with the performance of their bikes then most of them agrees to the fact. Out of the sample size of 90 customers, 55 customers says that they are satisfied with the performance of their bikes. On the other hand 28 customers are not satisfied with the performance of the bikes that they are having. While the remaining 10 customers are unable to say anything. It is observed that most of the customers are having full knowledge of the bike before purchasing. It has been seen that In Hero Honda bikes the mileage of the bike and the value that it adds to the status symbol of the customers influences the decision criteria of most of the customers. In Bajaj bikes customers gets more influenced by the price and quality of the bike and also they think that it adds value to their prestige. While in case of TVS bike the economic price of the bikes influences the buying behavior of the customers. It is observed that in rating of different features of different bikes people give maximum rating to the look and shape of the bike. At the second level they give their rating to the pick up. At the third level they rate mileage. And at the fourth level they give points to maintenance. At last they rate price and brand image. It is observed that the customers of Hero Honda bikes are not ready to change their bikes even if a new bike comes in with good features. While majority of the customers of Bajaj and TVS are ready to change their bikes if new bike provides some good features to them. Conclusion 1. Most of the Flame, Apache, Pulsar, CBZ Karizma are purchased by young generation 18 to 30 years because they prefer stylish looks and rest of the models of Hero Honda, TVS and Bajaj are purchased more by daily users who needs more average of bikes than looks. 2. Hero Honda is considered to be most fuel-efficient bike on Indian roads. 3. Service Spare parts are available throughout India in local markets also. 4. While buying a motorcycle, economy is the main consideration in form of maintenance cost, fuel efficiency. 5. Majority of the respondent had bought their motorcycle more than 3 years. RECOMONDATION 1. Bajaj should introduce some more models having more engine power. 2. Hero Honda should think about fuel efficiency in case of upper segment bikes. 3. More service centers should be opened. 4. Maintenance cost and the availability of the spare parts should also be given due importance. 5. They also introduce some good finance/discount schemes for students. 6. The price should be economic. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. www. herohonda. com 2. www. google. com 3. www. bajaj. com 4. www. twowheeler. com 5. www. extrememachines. com QUESTIONNAIRE |NAME: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ | | | |CONTACT No. .†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. | | | | | | | |20-25 | | |AGE:- | | |15-20 | | | | | | | | | | |Above 30 | | | | | | |25-30 | | | | | | | | |Employee | | |OCCUPATION:- | | | |Businessman | | | | | | | | | | |Other | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Student | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q1) |Which Bike do you have? | | | | | | | | | | | | | |TVS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q2) |Which Model do you have? | | | | | | | | | |Passion | | |Hero Honda: | | |Splendor | | | | | | | | | | |Other | | | | | | | | | | |Bajaj: | | |CT 100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |TVS:- | | |Flame | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |200000-300000 | | | | | | | | | | |1-2 year | | | | | | | | | | | |Personal Purpose | | | | | | | | | | | |Television | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q7) |Are you satisfied with the performance of the bike that you are currently having? | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | |Yes | |No | | | | | |Q9) |Do you have full knowledge about Bikes before buying? | | | | | | | | | |Can’t say | | | | | |Yes | | |No | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Q10). Which factor below influence your decision? | | | | | | | | |Quality | | | | | | | | | |Price | | | | | |Resale Value | | | | | | Q11) How would you rate the following factors of bikes with respect to different companies? Hero Honda |Bajaj | | |Mileage | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Price | | | | | | | | | | | |Pick up | | | | | | | | | | | |Maintenance | | | | | | | | | | | |Look/Shape | | | | | | | | | | | |Brand Image | | | | | Q12) If new bike with good feature comes in, then would you like to change your bikes? |Yes | | | |Can’t say | | | | |No | | | | | | | | | | Q13) Any Suggestions for Company †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦