Essay --

The term masculinity can be defined as the set of traits or characteristics typically for men. There are arguments to the word ‘Masculinity’. It is independent of the understanding that man is connected to masculinity. Like men can be feminine, women can be masculine. It is the nature of masculinity is what makes someone masculine, not their gender. (Masculinity movie) Masculinity can be divided into degrees of comparison- more masculine or most masculine. ‘Crisis of Male Identity in ‘Father, Son and Holy War,’ Rustam Barucha in Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 30, No. 29, July 1, 1995. BIBLIOGRAPHY Man, manhood, masculinity the terms are closely related to each other. Does one ‘become’ a man or is he born one? Are ‘men’ necessarily masculine? â€Å"Indeed is explained that some men may reject their masculinity on ideological or sexual grounds. It is often assumed that homosexuals for example are not men they are feminine. Yet gay and homosexual cultures, however unofficial, are marked by strong masculine codes. So masculinity in these cases becomes a style or representation? Thus to answer the relationship of masculinity to other nouns of man and manhood the basic element of purusatva applying to Indian men should be considered. This aspect can/ should be speculated from multiple dimension of socially and politically that develops into specific ways that is patriarchal intrusion.† (Barucha, 1995) Predominant masculinity The relation of Lord Rama and Hanuman can also be woven as an example of man to man relation. Hanuman is considered as the passionate devotee of Lord Rama. Though Lord Rama was the king of Ayodhya, he was in constant need of Hanuman. Hanuman considered himself subordinate of Lord Rama. But the relation that buil... ...nd/father. Law is equal for both man and woman. But the reason for grant of divorce by the plea of woman beds on the fact of more cruelty and crime against woman. The cases of domestic violence ingrain the law to take stringent actions against the men of the society. Under Section 354 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860 The law says, â€Å"Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty. -- Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will there by outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.† This explains the crisis man face under the Indian jurisdiction. Though powerful, a man is bound by the laws. The same judicial system raises the hierarchy of woman in the eyes of the law.

Training :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Training Informal and Formal Training and Development Informal Training and Development Informal training and development is rather casual and incidental. Typically, there are no specified training goals as such, nor are their ways to evaluate if the training actually accomplished these goals or not. This type of training and development occurs so naturally that many people probably aren't aware that they're in a training experience at all. Probably the most prominent form of informal training is learning from experience on the job. Examples are informal discussions among employees about a certain topic, book discussion groups, and reading newspaper and journal articles about a topic. A more recent approach is sending employees to hear prominent speakers, sometimes affectionately called "the parade of stars". Informal training is less effective than formal training if one should intentionally be learning a specific area of knowledge or skill in a timely fashion. Hardly any thought is put into what learning is to occur and whether that learning occurred or not. (However, this form of training often provides the deepest and richest learning because this form is what occurs naturally in life.) Formal Training and Development Formal training is based on some standard "form". Formal training might include: a) declaring certain learning objectives (or an extent of knowledge, skills or abilities that will be reached by learners at the end of the training), b) using a variety of learning methods to reach the objectives and then b) applying some kind(s) of evaluation activities at the end of the training. The methods and means of evaluation might closely associate with the learning objectives, or might not. For example, courses, seminars and workshops often have a form -- but it's arguable whether or not their training methods and evaluation methods actually assess whether the objectives have been met or not. Formal, Systematic Training and Development Systematic, formal training involves carefully proceeding through the following phases: a) Assessing what knowledge, skills and /or abilities are needed by learners; b) Designing the training, including identifying learning goals and associated objectives, training methods to reach the objectives, and means to carefully evaluate whether the objectives have been reached or not; c) Developing the training methods and materials; d) Implementing the training; and e) Evaluating whether objectives have been reached or not, in addition to the quality of the training methods and materials themselves A systematic approach is goal-oriented (hopefully, to produce results for the organization and/or learners), with the results of each phase being used by the next phase.

muddle In A Puddle: Comparison Of Essay To My Life :: essays research papers

"Muddle In A Puddle": Comparison of Essay To My Life While reading the essay "Muddle in a Puddle," some very colorful images came to my mind about what I have done in my life that compare to this particular piece. Of all the times I have embarrassed myself by sticking my foot in my mouth, or by making a fool of myself by playing with a strange toy in the toy department, only to my surprise, everyone in the toy department was laughing at me. As Robert Herrick mentions in his poem "_O how that glittering taketh me!" (100 Best Loved Poems, 12) That's how I felt at that time. All of us have experienced things like this in our lives, and it is strange what makes it so interesting to watch people make fools of themselves, as mentioned by Baker in this quote, "...and any one could could have spoken out as one human might speak to another....not one had said that." (156) Yet another piece really spoke to me about the ways people communicate on a daily basis. "I led the Pigeons to the Flag" was very exact to the feelings I have of miscommunications and mishearings. I can remember times in which I have done the very same things that were mentioned in this essay, like singing a tune over and over out loud, then looking over the lyrics later. Only to my knowledge, my version of "Cannonball" was actually "Panama." The way we hear and say things is also very influential in the way others hold us in their standings. If someone catches us slipping up, they might think we are weird, or stupid. It could also be a good ice-breaker for a good friendly relationship. Sometimes not. It just depends where the people are from, and what the situations are at the time of the incident. I can remember a time, while at work at the funeral home, I was discussing school with a bereaving individual. I was trying to comfort this person, as I noticed she was very disturbed over the loss of a friend. It was around the time of finals, and she asked how they were going. I said "they're killing me!" Immediately I realized that I had said the right thing the wrong way. A million thoughts passed through my mind at that moment, as Baker had also mentioned. What was I to say to recover from this terrible thing. Change the subject? Repeat the phrase replacing killing with another mourning-friendly verb? Its hard to know what you can say around certain groups of people, or in

Qantas Cas Notes Essay

Analyse and interpret data Maintain Qantas/Jetstar’s combined domestic market share of 65% Match capacity with demand sustaining loads around 80% Grow Jetstar in Asia Increase internet sales Increase customer service standards Enhance complementary portfolio businesses like Freight Reduce losses of Qantas international Transform Qantas International for focusing on right aircraft, right route, network optimisation and margin improvement Grow their frequent flyer program members and partners Market Segmentation and Selection of the Target Market Qantas’ market segmentation is complex because each segment has distinctive and different needs and expectations, such as the need to make stop-overs, the ability to pay fare levels and expectations in terms of in-flight service and comfort. Qantas mainly uses behavioural segmentation to select its target markets. Buyers are distinguished according to trip purpose e. . business and leisure/non-business travellers. Marketing Strategies Positioning Formulating the Marketing Mix Product Strategies Scheduling features Comfort-based features I ne Qantas Frequent Hyer scneme (H- Intangible benefits Brand name Price Cost plus margin: Qantas determines the cost of production and then adds a margin for profit Market: most fares at Qantas are determined by the market, where demand is matched with supply Competition based: monitoring what other airlines such as Virgin Blue are charging Pricing Strategies Price penetration Full Fares Promotional Fares Loss Leading Promotiono Advertising Sales promotions particularly in periods of subdued demand. When Qantas first launched Jetstar it released 100,000 tickets at $49. Qantas also launches a two-for- one ticket sale, which allowed a second passenger to fly for the cost of taxes and charges. Personal selling Publicity Place/Distribution Distribution to end customers is achieved by Qantas in two ways, direct and indirect. DIRECT – via its own retail outlets INDIRECT – via sales agents People Because most customers have direct contact with Qantas employees, especially on he ground, the impression they give has a big impact on how Qantas is perceived. Qantas staff must have appropriate personal attributes and training for their Jobs. Qantas spends more that $275 million a year on staff training to ensure a very positive interaction between its customers. Processes Booking flights online Online check in Mobile check in cnecK In KIOSK Physical Evidence Qantas’ customers are influences by Qantas’ signage, its website, its terminals, its lounges, etc. E-Marketing uses an electronic medium to perform marketing activities, e. g. website, email. Global Marketing is the use of marketing activities across national boundaries. Qantas uses: Global Branding Standardisation Customisation Implementing, Monitoring and Controlling the Marketing Plan Qantas has a systematic base for continually monitoring, controlling and adjusting its marketing activities using the following tools: Developing a financial forecast of revenue using statistical models, past sales data, executive Judgement and surveys of customer buying intentions. It then estimates costs such as market research costs, promotion costs, product development costs and distribution costs. Comparing actual and planned results using a number of performance criteria.

The film adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

The film adaptation of Shakespeare’s â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream† is one that gains three out of five stars in my book. With the director Michael Hoffman taking the fun and magical world of fairies from Shakespeare’s comedy and turning it into a rather serious tale, the movie, released on May 14, 1999 was given a new twist on its own.The story is about a complicated love affair where Demetrius and Lysander both want Hermia but she only has eyes for Lysander. This is made worse with Hermia’s father wanting Demetrius to be his son-in-law. Helena, Hermia’s friend, on the other hand wants Demetrius.Hermia and Lysander plan to flee from the city under the cover of darkness but are pursued by an enraged Demetrius who is himself pursued by an enraptured Helena. In the forest, the king and queen of the faeries, Oberon and Titania, are having a lover’s quarrel over a servant boy.Oberon’s mischief-maker, Puck, runs loose with a flower which causes people to fall in love with the first thing they see upon waking. In the twists that created unexpected pairings, the lovers are finally brought together rightly, thanks in part to the bungling work of Puck.The performance of Kevin Kline, who played Nick Bottom, has brought an element of compassion from the audience even in the light of the character’s buffoonery. Kline gives the comic relief character more life with his proclivity to exaggeration. Rupert Everett (Oberon) was radiant as the king, but gave no standout performance and looked a little deadpan in his acting. His partner, Michelle Pfieffer (Titania) looked so indifferent in her performance but still gets the beauty vote among the members of the cast.Stanley Tucci (Puck) has played the playful role of Puck well, seeming to enjoy the movie he’s playing in and stays comical all the way. Calista Flockhart, playing Helen, was a convincing lovesick ragdoll who clarified how pathetic the character re ally was.She was able to handle a very classic role with an enthusiastic energy only rivaled by her co-actor, Tucci. Hermia, played by Anna Friel, was average in her performance, and her mud-based fight scene with Helena was probably the most convincing part of her acting. Dominic West did not give any standout performances and was average all throughout the entire movie. Demetius, played by Christian Bale, had done his duty as an actor playing his part and did not rise above his role and made the character larger than life.The whole movie is devoid of any hi-tech special effects that we are constantly bombarded with in today’s movie industry. Some of the evidence of this is Bottom’s donkey ears and a great amount of facial hair; the wings of the faeries seem like strap-on contraptions that are so stiff and unrealistic.The forest setting, however, served its purpose, which is to have a magical, unearthly quality even though it looked more like a set than a real forest. Make-up and costume design were effective in creating the strange creatures found in the story, despite the lack of technology.Most of the costumes for the humans, however, seem ready to be ripped off from their bodies as were suggested in some of the scenes making the movie very sexually suggestive.

Homeland Security Essay

Outline I. Topic: The United States Homeland Security and The War on Terrorism II. Thesis Statement: Homeland Security plays a major role in the war on terror. Topic Sentences 1. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 reduces the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism. 2. The Department of Homeland Security was created for the war on terror. 3. The role of the Homeland Security Committee. 4. The history of the United States on foreign policy. 5. How terrorists communicate what they want to accomplish. 6. The study of Foreign Intelligence. 7. The Increasing Need for Domestic Intelligence. 8. How security benefits from intelligence. 9. The United States is strengthening our Nuclear Security. 10. How the U.S. is fighting the war on terror. 11. Conclusion The Homeland Security Act Created by President George W. Bush after the 9/11 attacks the United States Department of Homeland Security is the largest federal government reorganization since the Department of Defense was created via the National Security Act of 1947. The new department assumed a large number of services, offices and other organizations previously conducted in other departments, such as the Customs Service, Coast Guard, and U.S. Secret Service. The Department of Homeland Security was created for the war on terror The primary mission of the Department is to prevent terrorist attacks within the  United States. Homeland Security reduces the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism. It also minimizes the damage, and assists in the recovery, from terrorist attacks that do occur within the United States. The role of the Homeland Security Committee Homeland Security Committee States that The Committee on Homeland Security was created by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. The Committee was first formed as a select, non-permanent Committee, to provide Congressional oversight over the development of the Department of Homeland Security. The Committee was made permanent when it was designated as a Standing Committee of the House on January 4, 2005, the first day of the 109th Congress. The Committee will be made up of 21 Democratic Members of Congress there is currently one vacancy, led by Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), and 13 Republican Members of Congress, led by Ranking Member Peter T. King (R-NY). Frances Townsend currently heads the committee. Trudeau states that â€Å"President George W. Bush said We’re under attack because we love freedom, is why we’re under attack. And our enemy hates freedom. They hate and we love. We differ from our enemy because we love. We not only love our freedoms and love our values, we love life itself. Our enemy hates innocent life.† (2002) The history of the United States on Foreign Policy Because of its role as a major world superpower, the United States must carefully consider its national foreign policy goals. Although they may be carried out very differently from administration to administration, the primary goals of American foreign policy are most effective when they remain constant over time. Historically, the United States has pursued a number of foreign policy goals, but one goal has been and continues to be a primary goal of every generation is national security. The Realists point to several factors that demonstrate the importance of national security. They begin by declaring that humans are naturally aggressive and instinctively fight one another. This human tendency reveals the inevitable nature of war. The Cold War which was a period of strong change starting in 1945 led  America into a geopolitical mindset for the first time in American history. This period made national security and military affairs the center of focus for America. This gave way to the idea of national security being a strong focal point of the American agenda. It made it equally as important as anything else did on the agenda. Also the United States was now a state of mobilization. The armed forces would now and always be at a striking force. All of the changes were something new to the people of America but it was an idea that was not only accepted it was expected. The same rings true with 9/11 in relation to the role of America. Our sole focus is national security and to put our military at a point of being called upon any second. The United States has embraced the idea that things have changed and are willing to do whatever possible to prevent future events of this magnitude. Another characteristic that the Cold War Period and 9/11 hold in common is that both were a pervasive political and military competition that dominated international politics. On September 11, 2001 terrorism became a reality! There is no way for the United States to prevent future attacks on Americans without working as a coalition force with the other nations to identify, track, and eliminate terrorist networks around the world. One of the main problems with fighting a war on terrorism is that the nations of the world have become accustomed to working alone as individuals vice working together. The United States will need to change its approach in order to conquer the worldwide threat of terrorism. The way to defeat terrorism at home and around the world is to form an international counter-terrorist task force. In order to prevent future acts of terrorism on the United States and around the globe, the free-nations of the world will have to come together and form a large task force to counter against the terrorist threat. The main problem with forming a world wide counter-terrorist headquarters is that there is no one single definition of terrorism. Each country has a definition of the word â€Å"terrorism† based on the political stance that the country takes on use of force. The United Nations must first come up with a clear definition of terrorism in order to facilitate the creation of an international counter-terrorist organization. How Terrorists communicate what they want to accomplish Terrorists kill for a reason. The reason is to communicate a message that will instill fear in the enemy government and demoralize it. The strategy of terrorists is to provoke the government into repressive measures in the hope that this will cause a revolt. The Study of Foreign Intelligence The study of foreign intelligence has demonstrated that the purpose of intelligence is to acquire information necessary to apply governmental power with greater precision and that as the need for application of government power increases, so does the need for intelligence. Domestically, terrorist threats to homeland security will be countered by government power used by various domestic security agencies, and the newly created domestic intelligence programs will enable them to apply their powers with greater force and precision. As technological capabilities inevitably grow threats to homeland security will increase in the future, and the need for domestic intelligence will increase. The Increasing Need for Domestic Intelligence Homeland security will require greater levels of domestic intelligence in the future. Foreign intelligence has indicated that the purpose of intelligence both foreign and domestic is to facilitate precise application of governmental power. Countering terrorism has increased the need to collect domestic intelligence, but threats to domestic security will increase even more in the future due to growth in technological capacities. As the use of power increases to counter these threats, domestic intelligence capabilities must also increase so that the power is applied effectively. American officials created a permanent intelligence community to warn policymakers of threats to national security. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had such a detrimental effect on American perceptions of security that after World War II ended, policymakers decided to create for the first time in the nation’s history a permanent bureaucracy intended to prevent any future surprise attacks or other strategic surprises. Historically, intelligence capabilities had been organized to provide targeted military information to commanders because losing wars held such disastrous consequences. The United States was the last major power to get into the intelligence analysis business. It was thought that it wasn’t  necessary because two great oceans protected America from foreign dangers. Marrin states that The attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent American involvement in World War II changed the United States’ need for and use of intelligence. During World War II, the United States increased its overseas presence, and this necessitated the creation of a global intelligence capability commensurate with the United States’ expanded global role. After World War II ended, American political leaders decided that the United States needed an intelligence agency capable of integrating disparate pieces of information distributed throughout the military and other government agencies to prevent another Pearl Harbor. As a result, in 1947 the Central Intelligence Agency was created to prevent future surprise attacks by focusing on threats to national security. (2003) How security benefits from Intelligence The primary security benefit of intelligence is that it enables power to be applied with greater precision and with less collateral damage. The role of intelligence is the collection and analysis of information to find out who the terrorists are and what they are up to. Knowledge can make the application of power more effective, but knowledge alone is powerless. The benefit of foreign intelligence is easiest to illustrate in the application of military power. Foreign intelligence can also assist in the application of economic and political power. The United States is strengthening our Nuclear Security In the 1990’s we were warn of potential terrorists obtaining and using of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) whether chemical, biological, and nuclear. Chemicals weapons are available to terrorist through homebrew or rogue states. Nuclear terrorism is our biggest worry. Nuclear weapons are more difficult for terrorists to handle. Henderson (2004) states that With so many nuclear warheads being stored under conditions of uncertain security in the former Soviet Union, it is possible terrorists might be able to buy or steal a ready made nuclear weapon. But nuclear  warheads have safety interlocks, and it has been proposed that the weapons be fitted with devices that would allow them to be remotely destroyed or disabled if terrorists obtain them. U.S. agencies since the 1900s have sought closer coordination between U.S. and former Soviet Scientists and engineers in order to secure the nuclear stockpiles. How the U.S. is fighting the war on terror We have worked with a number of states around the world to expose plotting Al Qaeda cells. The United States has implemented broad-sweeping, even controversial, steps such as the Patriot Act in an attempt to improve our domestic security. There are three tools that can be used on terrorists. The criminal law and legal system is used to prosecute terrorist suspects. The military can be used to destroy terrorist’s infrastructures. Diplomatic efforts can be used in the hopes that nations can work together to prevent the movement of terrorists around the world. Conclusion After 9/11 the Department of Homeland Security was organized. The primary mission of the Department is to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States. Homeland Security reduces the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism. It also minimizes the damage, and assists in the recovery, from terrorist attacks that do occur within the United States. Intelligence has been used to collect and analysis information to find out who the terrorists are and what they are up to. It is best to see that the United States is taking the proper steps to fight terrorism. Reference: Henderson, H. (2004) Global terrorism, New York, NY: Facts on file, Inc. Homeland Security Retrieved November 25, 2009 http://homeland.house.gov/about/index.asp Marrin, S. (2003) Homeland Security Intelligence Retrieved November 25, 2009 http://www.homelandsecurity.org/journal/Articles/marrin.html Homeland Security Retrieved November 24, 2009 http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/homeland-security/ Trudeau, G. (2008) The war in quotes p.20 Retrieved November 27, 2009 http://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/George_W__Bush_Homeland_Security.htm

Kodak Major Case Essay

Kodak’s main problem was not foreseeing and adapting to market changes of price and competition. Kodak had dominated the photo film market for most of the 1900s until competitors like Fuji began taking market share from Kodak in 1984. Kodak ignored the new threats until the late 1990s, relying on their market dominance. Problem Analysis Kodak offered three product lines to target various market segments as a part of their Funtime strategy to regain market share. Prior to this strategy, Kodak offered only two product lines, Ektar, their superpremium line, and Royal Gold, their premium line. They planned to introduce Funtime film, an economy brand film, which targeted the price sensitive consumer. The target market is the average film user who has little or no education about film, buys strictly on price, and is not influenced by advertising — the 50% of buyers that were not brand loyal (40% were film â€Å"samplers†; 10% purchased on price). Gold Plus is the premium brand film and is developed to target average consumers who are already Kodak-loyal or seeking quality photos over price. The superpremium film, Royal Gold’s target market is professionals, serious amateurs and average consumers who pay the premium for professional grade pictures for â€Å"very special† occasions. (See Appendix A) In the 1990’s Kodak’s main competitors were Fuji of Japan, Agfa of Germany, 3M, Konica of Japan, and Polaroid as a late competitor. Kodak has many ways to differentiate themselves from all of these competitors. As an established photography and film brand, Kodak has dominated 70% of the market share in the U. S. ; where many of their competitors are new to the market. Kodak has not offered a private or economy film line like many other competitors have. In the superpremium tier Fujicolor Reala was targeting advanced amateurs and professionals only while Kodak targeted a more broad segment with their competing Royal Gold line. In the Economy brand tier, Funtime was launched as an economy brand competing with Fujicolor Super G, Konica Super SR, and ScotchColor. Funtime was the only film in this brand tier to be offered only at off-peak film use times and only packaged in value packs. Kodak dominated the film market all through the 1900’s. They never received any major competition until Fuji began to attack their market share in the 1980s, when they were announced as the official film sponsors of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Kodak 3 California. Kodak believed their dominance and customer loyalty would continue to carry them as new competitors entered the market and as film prices were beginning to fall. They underestimated their competition and did not react soon enough. It seemed as if Kodak believed that people would not buy another film other than Kodak. By the late 1980s the film market began to see many competitors and Kodak’s market share began to fall. While still the dominant competitor, their market share fell from 76% in 1989 to 70% in 1994, and similarly the average price of film began to fall. While Kodak’s film rolls were in the neighborhood of $3. 50 to $6 per roll, competitors began releasing film under private brands starting at $2. 19. Shortly after the economy film market began to form, Consumer Reports released a quality test of the top 6 films in the market. While Kodak positioned themselves as the superior quality film, Consumer Reports reported that, â€Å"We found most films to be no better or worse than their competitors of the same speed†¦ and will yield prints of comparable quality. Kodak’s standard, Gold Plus, even ranked below Fuji’s economy film. With film market evolving, Discount Merchandiser released a survey in 1991 stating that â€Å"more than 50% of the picture takers in the US claim to know nothing or little about photography, and as a results they tend to view film as a commodity, often buying on price alone. † This led Kodak to a major repositioning of its film product line, introducing Funtime film, an economic film line, something Kodak would have never previously considered. Kodak was desperate to recover some of the market share they had recently lost and implemented a new strategy to help recapture some of their market share. They introduced the Funtime Strategy. In this strategy, Kodak would offer 3 lines of film (superpremium, premium and economy). The economy line was new for Kodak since they specialized in high-end photography that was parallel with their high quality brand image. Funtime was to be offered at 20% less than Gold Plus (their premium brand) and offered in limited quantities only twice a year at off-peak film use times, 4 months out of the year. Funtime was only sold in â€Å"valuepacks† of two or four rolls of the two most popular speeds, ISO 100 and 200. The major inconsistency with implementing this new strategy was the lack of advertising spent by Kodak; they offered no support and a lack of commitment to Funtime. Kodak was too concerned with maintaining its high profit margins that they were not willing to cannibalize their own market share before the competition did. Kodak 4 Whereas their focus was to regain some market share with their new Funtime line, they replaced their superpremium line with Royal Gold, broadening their â€Å"professional† target market. They emphasized that Royal Gold could be for â€Å"very special† occasions not just professional photography. Kodak spent 40% of its total film-advertising budget on this line and the other 60% on its Gold Plus. The Funtime strategy was a last chance effort to regain market share and compete with private label brands. It seemed that the economy line was introduced too late to recover the shares that were lost. By only offering it twice a year Kodak seemed as if they were not fully committed to this line. The lack of advertising sent a deceitful message. It appeared as if they were hiding the line as to not take away from their other â€Å"quality† lines. They wanted to keep their high quality image while competing in the low end of the market as well. This strategy does not solve their problem of competing with their competitors. The case did not mention any new ways that Kodak tried to differentiate themselves from their competitors or explain to their customers why they thought they were superior to them. Kodak offered 3 main lines of film but did not educate the customer on the difference between the lines. They stated their superpremium, premium and economy lines but did not take time to educate the consumers of the difference between the three lines and how they differentiated from their competition. Since Consumer Reports released a study showing that most film rolls in that time performed similarly and printed pictures of comparable quality. Kodak did not take time to distinguish themselves from this new competition but simply relied on their trusted brand name they had built in the years prior. Before differentiating themselves from their competition they should have reacted immediately to new competition rather than ignore it. Because Kodak was late to react, Fuji was able to easily differentiate themselves from Kodak. Kodak should have viewed Fuji’s sponsoring of the LA Summer Olympics as a threat. They should have immediately started discussion strategies on repositioning themselves to avoid the competition absorbing their market. Kodak was not prepared for the market changes that came. The week of January 25, 1994, Kodak’s stock lost 8% in value. Kodak was used to the large profit margins on film and could not rationalize cannibalizing their own profits by lowering costs due to their rigid management before the whole industry lowered prices. The reality was that the film industry was slowly declining, people viewed photography as a commodity and they were just on the cusp of Kodak 5 the digital era. Kodak was reluctant to come to terms with this new reality. Their competition capitalized on the market changes and private film companies began offering lower cost film of comparable quality. Kodak did not look far enough into the future of the market and were slow to react to competition which is why they failed to remain ahead of their competition and minimize any losses. Alternative Solutions Due to Kodak’s lost market share, lowered stock prices, and declining profit margins, it was evident that the company was headed in a downward spiral. Surviving within the industry, due to film being a commodity product, was not easy, and the company was in dire need to revive its own value. To solve its main problem, not foreseeing and adapting to market changes, we propose five alternative solutions: (1) delve into wholesale market share, (2) better educate customers regarding the products’ benefits and values, (3) spend more time on research and development, (4) halting production of the Funtime product, and (5) both educating customers about the products’ benefits and values, and spending more time on research and development. Alternative Solution 1 Kodak could sell its film in value packs at wholesale stores, such as Costco or Sam’s Club, in order to regain the market share within the industry. In doing so, this would be a great way for Kodak to tap into market share that had not yet been touched. Film, at this point, had not been sold in larger wholesale packs, and was being sold primarily in smaller groupings, at general retail facilities. Because of the recent upward trend with consumers buying in bulk, wholesale retailers were gaining more loyal customers on a daily basis. By selling within these types of stores, companies were more likely to succeed because this was a retail niche that was evolving, and would give particular brands and products more consumer recognition. Kodak could have taken advantage of the strong market and loyal customers that a wholesale retail company already has. By partnering with Costco, for example, Kodak could become its exclusive film partner. With this type of partnership, Kodak might be able to capitalize on the exclusivity of Costco’s film sales. Also, seeing in recent years that Costco has become a very common place for consumers to have their rolls of film developed, and frequently sells film rolls in value packs, it seems to be a one-stop-shop for families who are constantly on-the-go. If Kodak 6 Kodak were to partner successfully with retailers like this, the company would be able to gain further market share and sales, because people would increase their recognition of this particular brand, and could become the go-to brand for most. Wholesale retailers, like Costco, are extremely popular and well-trusted. By associating its image with these companies, Kodak would have a competitive advantage over others within the industry, and could be associated with Costco’s positive identity, thus giving itself a positively-positioned image relative to its competitors. The biggest disadvantage in implementing this solution, however, would be in securing a mutually-beneficial partnership with a wholesale retailer. Most wholesalers would not necessarily be likely to commit to an exclusive partnership to one particular brand (in this case, Kodak), simply because they limit their own product availability, and therefore cut into their own sales. Retailers, like Costco and Sam’s Club, focus on having a wide variety of products from which consumers may choose. If wholesalers were to commit exclusively to Kodak, per se, then they could lose out on potential sales from consumers who desire the competing film product. There is not necessarily an inherent benefit for wholesalers with exclusivity. Alternative Solution 2 Apart from selling within wholesale retail locations, another way to regain lost market share is to better educate consumers regarding camera film. Film had become a commodity product to most consumers, and there was little customer loyalty to any particular camera film brand. Differentiation between the companies’ own products, as well as the competitors’ products, is an important aspect of any business. However, it seems that Kodak lacked a differentiation strategy and had not communicated to consumers how its products were positioned positively, relative to those of its competitors. Consumers knew â€Å"little or nothing about photography,† according to the 1991 survey in Discount Merchandiser. Its lack of educational advertising left customers in the dark, as far as the difference between products available. Because many uneducated customers simply buy based off of price alone, Kodak needs to inform customers why they should pay the premium price, and what benefits come along with paying that premium. No other film companies were educating consumers about value and benefits, so Kodak had an opportunity to capitalize on the lack of knowledge thereof. By educating consumers, they Kodak 7 would become familiar with their film needs, and the film’s benefits. Simultaneously, they would also acquaint consumers with the value of their product, when compared to others. As a result, Kodak would create more brand loyalty. Moreover, in the case study, we are told that Kodak offered three types of films: Gold Plus, Royal Gold, and Funtime. To the average consumer, Gold Plus and Royal Gold are far too similar in name, and give off the impression that they are of the same quality. Customers were becoming confused due to the similarity between these two names. By educating the consumers about its products, consumers would begin to understand the value of Kodak’s film relative to competitors, and the inherent differences between its products. However, if this solution were implemented, the likelihood of making a large impact on its own market share would be minimal if implemented by itself. By itself, it would not help repair Kodak’s decline in sales, stock prices, and market share (because of its inability to adapt to market trends). Let aside, this would not address the problem of having been unadaptive, at its core. Educating consumers would likely only work best when paired with another alternative solution. Alternative Solution 3 It was ten years before Kodak responded to the Fuji’s sponsorship of the Olympic Games. Clearly, Kodak should have had a rapid response to this threat. Due to their lack of capitalization and overconfident mindset, Kodak lost a vast amount of their market. Kodak should have recognized that technology would advance sooner rather than later. Instead of only focusing on repositioning their film, they should have also tried to advance the technology of their cameras. The key to a successful business is focusing on the present product, while spending time on researching and developing the future product. Kodak executives should have asked themselves, â€Å"What can we do to get ahead in the market? † Seeing that the main problem with Kodak was its inability to anticipate and adapt to future market trends and developments, it should spend more time, efforts, and money on proper product development. This late response resulted in a rapid loss of market share. Had Kodak responded to this with more immediacy, its market share would not have dropped so significantly. To prevent market loss in the future, Kodak should invest more time and money on properly developing â€Å"cash cow† products. Prior to the development of Funtime, the products Kodak 8 within Kodak’s camera film portfolio were considered cash cows. Due to negative market rumors, the company intended on creating another cash cow, as to maintain its market share. However, had the company spent more time on researching the camera film industry, it might have noticed that developing another cash cow product was not intelligent. Market research is extremely important in knowing what next steps a company should take, and how to create a strategic business plan. Rather than Kodak’s executives asking themselves â€Å"What can we do to sustain our market share? † they should have asked themselves â€Å"What can we do to get ahead in the market? † Kodak’s strategy was to boost its existing products as stars, and develop a new product (Funtime) as a cash cow. Accordingly, the star products (Gold Plus and Royal Gold) would be funded and, ultimately, further promoted. In asking the wrong questions, Kodak forged its own demise: Funtime became a question mark product, liquidating revenues made by the existing cash cows. By spending more time on analyzing current trends and advancing technologies, Kodak could develop products that would help it recover lost market share and become a dominating force within the industry. The biggest disadvantage in implementing this, however, would be the risk of product failure. Kodak’s executives would need to make informed decisions regarding whether such developmental risks are worth product failure. Alternative Solution 4 As mentioned in the case study, Funtime film would be offered â€Å"only twice a year at offpeak film use times†. Kodak confused its customers in regards to the value of its product. In the eyes of the consumers, offering a different product only at certain times of the year, with a lower price, brought down the value associated with Kodak film. The case mentions that Kodak’s â€Å"stock had lost 8% in value on rumors of a price cut on film†. If rumors of a price cut brought down its stock prices, then adding a lower quality product, like Funtime, would also bring down company stock prices. In analyzing Kodak’s products with a BCG Matrix (see Appendix B), Funtime could be viewed as a question mark, whereas each of its other products were cash cows. The market share for lower quality film was not growing and did not generate much cash. Often times, dog products should be divested. Kodak should have quickly determined whether the Funtime Film Kodak 9 would develop into a cash cow or dog. Because Kodak was only selling this product during the off seasons, Funtime could never become a cash cow. While developing Funtime would have been a great solution given normal circumstances, developing a new lower quality product amidst negative market rumors was a risky move. Other companies, such as Fuji and Polaroid, had dog products, and were fighting to become cash cow products. To retain the market share it already has, and since the Funtime product is already developed, though, Kodak should phase out its production. This would turn the product into a dog, and over time, would be fully liquidated. Some foreseeable cons with this solution would be the costs incurred from holding inventory and phasing out a product. This would further cut into company revenues, making it more difficult to return from a decline in stock price. Alternative Solution 5 We believe that a combination of Alternative Solutions 2 and 3 would be an effective solution for Kodak. Education will explain the products’ values and benefits, while simultaneously maintaining its exceptional brand image. By educating customers and anticipating future market trends, not only is Kodak able to retain its loyal customers, but positively position themselves in the minds of non-Kodak-loyal film consumers, as well. This, however, only speaks to part of its main problem. Accordingly, this education needs to be aided by proper market analysis, so that Kodak is able to foresee market trends, and is able to react accordingly. The company must focus equally on both the present and the future. By using this two-pronged approach, between education and proper R&D, the company is able to educate consumers within the market for film, and additionally, determine how to stay ahead of the competition. Proposed Solution In direct reference to Kodak’s main problem (not foreseeing and adapting to market changes), we highly suggest that Kodak choose Alternative Solution 5: spend more time educating customers and communicating the value of Kodak’s products, as well as investing more efforts in proper product development, aided by effective market analysis. By educating customers, Kodak is able to both lock-in the loyalty of current customers, sustain its competitive advantage, and find additional ways to attract more new customers. Moreover, investing its time Kodak 10 and money on proper product development and analysis will allow Kodak to grow within the developing market. As a result, Kodak would be able to develop a star product, while maintaining several cash cows. Implementation Product In regards to the product life cycle, Kodak’s current product Gold Plus, exists in the maturity stage and their primary objective at this point is to defend and regain market share. To do this, Kodak needs to redevelop an existing line that will appeal to a broader audience of photographers. We are going to introduce Royal Gold to replace the current film, Ektar, in the high-end segment. At the same time we are going to propose to keep our premium product, Gold Plus, where it’s currently at in the middle segment and over the course of a year, as we want to phase it into the low-end of the middle segment, and make the price competitive with economy brands. This is partly because most consumers do not buy as much from the middle segment. Therefore, we want to enter a more profitable market segment. By phasing Gold Plus into the lower end, we can compete in both the high and low-end market. However, we cannot go about this by simply dropping the price of Gold Plus immediately. Mainly because doing so, in the eye on the customer, will cause confusion and potentially reduce brand equity. Instead, we will drop prices once or twice a month over the course of a year. This way, both products will be positioned better, in that we will be competitive in both areas. Royal Gold will be targeted to a broader customer base. It will be targeted to professionals and serious amateurs, as well as any photographer seeking film for â€Å"special† occasions, as referenced in the case study. Royal Gold will produce a sharper image and overall a better quality photo, thus attracting customers who prefer to have options in what they do with their photos. Those wishing to potentially enlarge the photo will have a finished product that is so crisp they will have the peace of mind in knowing it will not jeopardize the integrity of the picture. Royal Gold will be available for purchase in a variety of forms. In order for Kodak to be profitable with this new product it will need to be sold in individual packages, as well as packs of three and/or six in order to give customers a variety in selection. Kodak 11 Place Royal Gold and Gold Plus will be sold in places where other Kodak products are currently being sold. There are several retail outlets that carry Kodak products so purchasing the new line will not be difficult or hard to find. The distribution will be allocated in amounts that will maximize profitability and will be attractive to customers who are selective in where they buy film. Our main distribution for Royal Gold and Gold Plus will be to discount and department stores, about 34%; the eased decline in pricing will not be as noticeable in such a store. Next will be to drug stores who typically do not offer as many discounts unless a customer is part of their rewards program, about 25% will be distributed to such. Camera shops will get about 15% of the distribution, as this will attract the customer base that Gold Plus targets, those photographers seeking a more professional picture. It is in the privately owned shops that single rolls of film will be purchased more frequently. The other 26% will be allocated to supermarkets and wholesale clubs. We predict profits will be maximized greatly coming from these establishments, especially in sales of the three/six value packs. It would be wise of Kodak to track the profits where the film is distributed within the first few months after repricing Gold Plus, gauge consumer demand and produce and distribute enough film in order to satisfy the market. Price While trying to implement an economy brand, Kodak failed when releasing Funtime film. The consumer was not educated in the differentiation between the superpremium Royal Gold, premium Gold Plus, and economy Funtime. Although the market was searching for a product from Kodak that would be introduced in the economy brand, Funtime was unsuccessful. By taking Funtime off the shelves, the economy portion of the Kodak market is unavailable. Gold Plus is Kodak’s current lowest brand of film, but still offers higher quality over competing economy brands. Due to the stages in the product life cycle, Gold Plus’ price will naturally decrease. Gold Plus has already experienced its peak times of sales during the introduction and growth stages. Now that Gold Plus has been on the market for a while, it is now in the maturity stage of its life cycle, as sales have begun to stabilize. In order for a product to still succeed in the Kodak 12 maturity stage, the product must stand out among competitors. Implementing a gradual price decrease will slowly lower Gold Plus into the economy level tier without adding an entire new Kodak line. Eventually, a 15% price cut would give Gold Plus a price of $2. 96, $. 05 more than the Fujicolor Super G and Konice Super SR economy brands. Still allowing Kodak to have a distinguished brand image over competitors in the economy brand, this would place Gold Plus as a premium brand competing with competitors of the economy level. Sending coupons to customers is another way to help Kodak gain back market share in the decreasing market. Coupons create brand recognition and make customers feel like they, personally, are receiving a great deal. Because perception is reality, it is important for Kodak to position its brand as a product of high value. Instead of drastically slashing prices, Kodak’s gradual price decrease, along with coupons, will help gain back the market. Making coupons available to customers helps Kodak keep their value. On the other hand, Royal Gold is still in the growth stage due to the replacement of Kodak’s previous superpremium film, Ektar. When Kodak implements Royal Gold into the market, replacing Ektar, Royal Gold’s price is 20% lower than the previously existing Ektar, at $4. 19. In the superpremium market, Fujicolor Reala is selling at $4. 69, a $. 42 increase over Kodak Ektar. By gradually decreasing the price of Royal Gold, overtime, it will eventually take the place of Gold Plus’ previous position. In 1993, the premium brand, Gold Plus sold at $3. 49, competing at the same price as Agfacolor XRG. â€Å"Gold Plus price was standard of the industry†. Gold Plus no longer has the power of setting the price due to the lack of market share and position in the product life cycle. Instead of allowing Gold Plus to completely diminish from the market, diffusing it into the economy tier will still give Gold Plus a competitive edge. Promotion In order to regain market share, it is important for Kodak to advertise the benefits of Royal Gold and Gold Plus film. A simple picture can prove quality of film; alongside educating through commercials, Kodak will ensure the consumer knows exactly what to look for in film. Mailing out coupons is another great form of advertising. Promotion will help Kodak educate, along with create brand recognition. In turn, customers will purchase Kodak film and avoid post-purchase dissonance. By launching an advertising campaign and Kodak 13 emphasizing the long-term quality of Kodak, as well as educating the customer on distinctions between each product, consumers will be attracted to the film best suited for their needs. Kodak can gain a larger market share by informing the customer what they are gaining from purchasing Kodak film before even entering the store. This campaign, done through commercials, emphasizes the benefits of buying each Kodak product. As Royal Gold is new to the market, more advertising must be focused to educate consumers about the product. Devote 60% of the advertising budget to Royal Gold and 40% to Gold Plus, allowing Royal Gold more resources to takeoff as a new product. Pinpointing the idea that the average picture taker can take a picture like a professional, without being targeted to professionals. A commercial representing Royal Gold as well as Gold Plus is necessary to show the perk of each product. The innovation of Royal Gold coming from Ektar, which was originally targeted to professionals, adds confusion to the average photographer, assuming the consumer must be a professional to purchase the product. By making it clear to the market that Royal Gold is targeted to the consumer wishing to capture the â€Å"special moments†, the average consumer will be more drawn to the product. Gold Plus advertisement will focus on the value of everyday quality film. Whenever you take a picture, Gold Plus is there for you, always dependable in any situation. In a Kodak commercial, Royal Gold is the film used to capture the special first moments of a baby being born. Gold Plus is the dependable film for irresistible times thereafter when the baby is constantly photographed. As a result of consumers being uneducated in the film market, the general hesitation of purchasing film will come from being unaware of the benefits each film provides. Educating consumers, promoting benefits of Kodak and showing the attributes important in the Gold Plus as well as the Royal Gold film will lead consumers to the correct product. With the correct promotional strategy, the education will be suited for the target market, resulting in a satisfied consumer.