Health and Saftey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Health and Saftey - Essay Example Carbon monoxide is odourless and so increase in the ambient concentration will not be detected by smell and there is no equipment in the warehouse for detecting carbon monoxide increase in ambient concentration. Therefore the reasons for this situation are the presence of carbon monoxide in the exhaust of the gas fuelled fork lifts, due to the incomplete combustion of the fuel (Rimmer & Yarnell, 2009). The first action is to move the ladies that are complaining of dizziness and nausea out of the warehouse to breathe fresh air with more oxygen to remove the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. The second step consists of using the basic air sampling tubes to test for the ambient concentration of carbon monoxide and confirm its excess presence (Rimmer & Yarnell, 2009). 4. Gas masks to be made available in the warehouse for use in case the air sampling tubes indicated elevated levels of ambient carbon monoxide. In case ambient carbon monoxide levels exceed 400ppm, all personnel to be cleared from the warehouse and the sealed doors opened to lower the ambient carbon monoxide levels. Rimmer, T. W. & Yarnell, S. H. (2009). Controlling Forklifts Exhaust Emissions. Retrieved October 26, 2009, from Occupational Health & Safety Web Site:

Finding and Contribution Essay Example for Free

Finding and Contribution Essay According to many studies and researches over the past 30 years have shown there is an existence of a positive relationship between CSP and CFP. (Frooman, 1997) The data accumulated over the past 30 years do not support the latest contingency theory in the area of corporate social responsibility. (Soana, 2011) Some authors argue that good CFP leads to good CSP because more profitable companies have more resources for investing in socially responsible initiatives. On the other hand, some others believe that Corporate Social Responsibility can determine higher financial results thanks to strategy reassessment, process improvement, and employee, customer and local community loyalty. As well as, the positive relationship between CFP and slack resources argument of CSP could not cover the weaker of the negative relationship itself. Some firms choose the solution for CSP by motivating and using â€Å"ecological† but still practice profit maximization in the state of â€Å"premature† of their company’s lifecycle. For some reputation effects purpose, the public and some other non-market environments may be the reason for the organization to change their long term strategies and consider those social issues to prevent bad reputation CSP disclosures. According to the article, they stated with confidence that the association between CSP and lagged CFP is not negative and it seems to affect each other through a virtuous cycle likewise the financially successful companies spend more on social responsibility activities because their finance supports them. However, the meta-analysis decline the idea that CSP is incompatible and unnecessary with shareholder wealth maximization. For the effectiveness organisation may need more combination of financial and social performance. The article also mentioned that the notions of libertarians such as Friedman that government regulation in the area of CSP may not be necessary. If the analysis shows the negative relationship between CSP and CFP, bottom line decision making may create barriers to outcomes desired by the public. Meta-analysis is a statistical technique for combining the findings from independent studies.By using meta-analysis, researchers can test and identify those areas which are being related by other studies and authorize them. Furthermore, for those unexplained inconsistence from across studies remains relatively large and needed further requirement to identify moderators which can be shown in the analysis as well. In the managerial point of view, market environments will not punish the company if they are in highly corporate social performance. Therefore, the managers can practice social responsibility strategies. (Prasertsang Ussahawanitchakit, 2011) Corporate social responsibility strategy refers to managers’ awareness of public policy, social care, surrounding organization responsibility for society and natural of the environment both internal and external organization. â€Å"Internal† is well-being of employees, safety and supporting education whereas â€Å"external† is responses to the need of customers such as research and development for the high quality of product and service by reducing waste, energy consumption and the pollution that might arise from the production processes. Top managers must use CSP like a reputation level and pay more attention on other party’s perceptions about their organizations. Moreover, they need to know whether they are currently under study of any market analyst, public interest group or the media. A company which highly in CSP can get extra return from rece iving public endorsement from federal agencies. Overall Assessment Generally, by using quantitative research, this article is trying to show that the prevailing trend claim that we are lack of generalizable knowledge about CSP and CFP which is built on unstable base. The particular objectives of this meta-analysis include providing a statistical integration of the accumulated research on the relationship between CSP and CFP. As well as, assessing the relative predictive validity of instrumental stakeholder theory in the context of that relationship between CSP and CFP and examine several moderators, such as operationalization of CSP and CFP, and timing of CSP and CFP measurement as well. The meta-analysis was built on earlier researches by including market return measures in addition to accounting return, CSP measures other than social responsibility audits performed by Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini Co., Inc. Moreover, It responses to Waddock and Graves’s call for research on the temporal consistency of results, independent of the time lag chosen between CSP and CFP. Furthermore, it integrates empirical results across diverse study contexts and enabling them to look for theoretical moderators and statistical artefacts that might explain the highly variable results across other previous studies. Author provides a methodologically stricter review than other studies in the past 30 years. The meta-analysis findings suggest that corporate virtue in the form of social responsibility such as public policy, social care, well-being of employees, etc†¦ Firmly the performance of the corporate is affected by their managerial strategies and activities in market and non-market environments. Some firms choose the solution for CSP by motivating and using â€Å"ecological† but still practice profit maximization and shareholder profit maximization. Additionally, this article introduces a meta-analysis review of primary quantitative studies of the relationship between CSP and CFP. The particular objectives of this meta-analysis include providing a statistical integration of the accumulated research on the relationship between CSP and CFP Bibliography Frooman, J., 1997. Socially irresponsible and illegal behavior and shareholder wealth: A meta-analysis of event studies. Business Society, Volume 36, pp. 221-249. Prasertsang, S. Ussahawanitchakit, P., 2011. Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy, Marketing Performance and Marketing Sustainability: An Empirical Investigation of ISO 14000 Businesses in Thailand. International Journal of Business Strategy, Volume 11, pp. 60-72. Soana, M.-G., 2011. The Relationship Between Corporate Social Performance and Corporate Financial Performance in the Banking Sector. [Online] Available at: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f80d931a-37b8-4dd8-a174-3d913ffdac87%40sessionmgr15vid=5hid=10 [Accessed 3 July 2012]. Waddock, S. A. . G. S. B., 1997. The corporate social performance–financial performance link. Strategic Management Journal, Volume 18, p. 303–319.

What Is The Gettier Problem?

What Is The Gettier Problem? The Tripartite Theory of Knowledge, a theory which goes back as far as Plato, states that in order for one to possess knowledge, one must have justified true belief. In other words, if you carry a belief, that belief must be true and you must be able to justify it. The Tripartite Theory exists to provide a response to the question of what exactly knowledge is. Whilst the theory might have been widely accepted in the past, it was in 1963 that an epistemological debate on the topic ensued. Edmund Gettiers three-page paper Is Justified True Belief Knowledge? shows two conditions where the criteria for justified true belief appear to be met but mostly due to luck rather than knowledge. Whilst these counter-examples have led to a number of attempted solutions, my opinion is that the Gettier problem cannot be resolved. Alvin Goldman attempted to solve the Gettier problem with a theory of causal connection which states that justified true belief must be achieved through a causal connection to the truth. In this essay, I will highlight the ways in which Goldmans proposed solution falls short and so fails to solve the Gettier problem and thus demonstrate one way in which the Gettier problem cannot be resolved. The Gettier problem fundamentally demonstrates the problem of luck in the Tripartite Theory and thus shows how justified true belief doesnt necessarily mean knowledge. I will present this through the following Gettier-style example: Susie walks past the same clock everyday on her way to class at 2pm. Today, as she walks past, the clock indeed says 2pm and she has no reason to believe otherwise since the clock is well maintained and has always been right in the past. Susie has justified true belief. However, unbeknownst to Susie, the clock stopped 12 hours earlier at 2am. So whilst Susie believes the clock reads 2pm, it actually reads 2am. Thus, the fact that the clock stopped at the time it did is purely down to luck. So Susies belief fails to be knowledge. If knowledge were to be gained via a causal connection, the problem of luck would essentially not exist as the agent would have acquired knowledge through a reliable, cognitive process. The purpose of the causal theory is to reinf orce the Tripartite Theory but with the addition of a clause that states that a causal chain between beliefs and truths is required for knowledge. Goldman argues that perception is one such mechanism that can allow a causal connection and thus justify ones true beliefs. He states in his 1967 paper A Causal Theory of Knowing; Perhaps the simplest case of a causal chain connecting some fact p with someones belief of p is that of perception (Goldman 358). Goldman uses the example of the vase to reinforce his argument about perception which is put forth as follows: S sees a vase but that vase is actually being hidden by a laser photograph of a vase. Because of the photograph, S believes that there is a vase in front of him. Goldman argues that in actual fact, S does not really see the vase because of the lack of causal connection that exists between Ss belief and the real vase. So ultimately, what Goldman is saying is that knowledge acquired by sight requires some sort of causal connect ion for it to truly be knowledge. And so the Gettier problem is essentially resolved, according to Goldman, with the addition of the causal connection clause. Goldman continues his paper by discussing knowledge based on memory. Memory can be considered a causal process because a current belief could be caused and therefore traced back to an earlier cause. Knowing a fact at one time and then knowing it again at another is not necessarily knowledge based on memory as a causal connection would have to be included as an essential component in memory. Like perception, the causal connection of memory is used by Goldman to solve the Gettier problem through the addition of an extra element in the Tripartite Theory. Goldman goes on further to discuss knowledge based on inference through the lava case. S finds lava on the countryside and infers that there was an eruption. But in actual fact, someone has placed lava there in order to make it look like there had been a real eruption, unaware of the actual volcano. Goldman states that S doesnt really know that there was an eruption because it is not causally connected to any beliefs about there being a n eruption. So, inferential knowledge requires a connection through some sort of causal chain or as Goldman puts it: when someone bases his belief of one proposition on his belief of a set of other propositions, then his belief of the latter propositions can be considered a cause of his belief of the former proposition. (Goldman 362). Whilst Goldmans A Causal Theory of Knowing is a stimulating essay on the subject of knowledge, his argument or rather so-called solution to the Gettier problem in my opinion is ultimately flawed. One such criticism lies in the argument that our senses could so easily deceive us and therefore can a causal connection based on perception really be used to prove the acquirement of knowledge? The answer is surely no and this can be seen in the barn faà §ade example, in which an agent drives through a town filled with fake barns. Standing in front of one of these fake barns, the agent can say that he has justified true belief through perception. Even though there is a causal connection in this example, the agent does not really have knowledge. So false conclusions can be drawn from a process which, according to Goldman would ordinarily produce true beliefs highlighting the fact that Goldmans theory is flawed. So this does not provide a solution to the Gettier problem. Another problem with Goldmans theory lies in the fact that not everything in the world can have a causal connection. In particular, knowledge that is a priori such as 2 + 2 = 4 seems to be a fact about numbers but it doesnt have a causal effect. It is a truth that you know based on no causal connection just like many series of numbers are. So it is possible to say that the problem with Goldmans theory here is that it focuses on a posteriori knowledge but seems to ignore a priori knowledge and thus is too restrictive. It can therefore not be a solution to the Gettier problem because it doesnt take all types of knowledge into account, which is vital in epistemology. So again, the Gettier problem remains unresolved. The problem of incorrect reconstruction is one that further weakens Goldmans theory. There are times when one may have a true belief but the causal chain which allowed them to have that knowledge is incorrect. For example, an agent discovers his best friends body and believes that he is dead due to the fact that he is missing body parts. The agent assumes that the friend died by decapitation but actually, he was poisoned and decapitated following his death. This doesnt count as knowledge due to the false nature of the causal chain. Kenneth Collier in his 1973 essay Contra the Causal Theory of Knowing finds a counter-example to Goldmans theory which indicates no causal chain. Collier uses the example of an agent on a hallucinogenic drug which highlights the fact that any beliefs the subject has which turn out to be true, cannot be explained causally due to the hallucinogenic state that they are in. In the paper, Collier has given Smith the hallucinogenic drug and he hallucinates that his wife is having an affair. In actual fact, his wife is having an affair but can this count as knowledge? Surely this is just an example of incorrect reconstruction due to the hallucinations or an example of no causal chain at all. Collier argues that the difficulty here seems to be that it is possible for Smiths belief that p to be caused by the fact that p in ways that are irrelevant to his knowledge. But this means that the causal connection cannot be a sufficient condition for knowledge. (Collier 351) Ultimately, Goldmans causal theory attempts to resolve the Gettier problem by adding an extra clause which states that true belief has to be a result of a causal chain. He uses examples of perception, memory and inference to highlight the ways in which causality can solve the Gettier problem. But his theory is flawed overall due to the unreliability of the senses, a lack of a focus on a priori knowledge and the problem of incorrect reconstruction. I chose to focus on Goldmans theory but it is just one example out of a large number of attempts to resolve the Gettier problem. Other proposed solutions include eliminating conditions such as luck, defeat and false evidence as put forth by philosophers like Unger, Lehrer and Lycan. These proposed solutions, like the causal connection theory are all flawed and thus do not provide an adequate response to the Gettier problem. Therefore, I do not believe that the Gettier problem can be resolved due to my agreement that justified true belief do es not necessarily imply knowledge. The beer industry: Literature and definitions The beer industry: Literature and definitions Background and objective of the topic The beer industry has been around for many centuries and has always impacted national economies. Countries, such as the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), have had a capricious relationship with the beer industry over the last few centuries. Indeed, these countries see the benefit for the economy, from tax revenue increases to job creation, but other regulatory and social costs challenge firms within the industry. Furthermore within each brewery, their marketing, advertising and branding strategies are the leading differences amongst the competitors. In oversaturated, competitive markets of the UK and the US, various breweries are able to maintain profitability even as beer consumption and national incomes are in the decline. Indeed, with social-economic trends stacked against the industry, companies are still profitable, but those profits are fading. Through these declines, firms make radical business choices of mergers or acquisitions in order to dominate the brewery i ndustry. The brewery industry with a $40 ( £24.4) billion market value is an important part of the UK economy, and with a $79 billion market value is an important part of the US economy. In the UK, the brewery industry provides 600,000 direct jobs and 500,000 indirect jobs which generates $45 ( £28) billion in economic activity and $133 ( £81.3) million in tax revenue for 2008. In the US, the industry provides 1.9 million jobs in which $62 billion was generated in wages and benefits and $41 billion in business, personal and consumption taxes for 2008. In the UK, the leading brewery market share is Scottish Newcastle at 27.1%, Molson Brewing Company at 19.7% and Anheuser-Busch InBev at 17.7%. While in the leading brewery market share in the US is Anheuser-Busch InBev at 50.8%, followed by SABMiller at 18.4% and Molson Coors Brewing Company at 10.6%. Marketing, advertisement and branding strategies are key elements within the beer industry. The beer industry includes the brewers and breweries, distributors, and suppliers and retailers. As markets become more crowded, competitive and complex, the value of a clear brand increases. A brand can identify one item or a family of items and is defined as a name, term, design, symbol that identifies one sellers good or services as distinct from other sellers. An advertised brand is a brand that is owned by an organization and is a consumer product. Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers that benefit the organization. Advertising is the placement of messages in time or space in any of the mass media to persuade members of a particular targeted audience. (American Marketing Association, 2009) A powerful brand gives a company a personality of its own which transcends its components. These components can be seen in both the American brewing industry and the British brewing industry. A brand emphasizes emotion and awareness, but it also connects with consumers to create a strong loyalty base. Fads come and go, but name brands last generations. The brewery industry is very complex in both horizontal and vertical business activities. There are emerging literatures that specifically relate to the brewery industry where various theories involve the marketing, price and competition aspect of the industry overall. Marketing beer involves the four Ps which is the product, in this case the brand name. The price, which includes the total cost to manufacture, distribute and advertise the beer. The place is the distribution of the beer from the warehouse to the consumer with varies steps in between. And finally, the promotion of the beer is through various characteristics of a marketing plan where advertising is included. Research Questions The main subject studied in this academic style dissertation is the effects of branding and marketing within the American and British brewery industry as well as the power to achieve profitability. The specific research questions are designed: To understand and compare the brand drivers of the beer industry in the US and the UK To evaluate the distribution channels To better understand the governments role To find out how the leading firms within the UK and US industry are profitable within a competitive market dealing with the current economic downturn Research Question 1: How does the US and UK brewing industry implement their branding identity? Research Question 2: How will social-economic trends affect the profitability of the US and UK brewing industry? These questions will provide an understanding of firm characteristics within the industry and their business practices as well as the relative success of the leading firms. Terms used within the industry are defined as follows from the Dictionary of Beer (2001): Ale: a type of beer fermented with top-fermenting ale yeast Bar: a public room within a pub Barrelage agreement: a common method for a brewery to tie up a ‘free pub in return for a ‘cheap loan Beer: the generic term for a non-distilled alcoholic drink produced by fermentation of a wort derived from mashed malted barley grain Beer orders: UK government regulations concerning licensing laws and consumer choice in pubs Bitter beer: highly hopped ales with an aftertaste associated with hops, malt and yeast Bottom fermentation: fermentation at 10 °C where yeast cells sink to the bottom of the vessel Brew pub: a pub which brews beer on the premises and serves food Brewery: a place where beer or ale is brewed Brew house: the area of a brewery where the beer is mashed and brewed Brewing process: the process of making wort, boiling it with hops and fermenting it into beer Cask: the general name for any of the barrel-shaped containers of various sizes used for traditional draught beer Draught: a general term for any drink that is dispensed from a bulk container into smaller measures for sale Fermentation: biochemical reaction when sugar is converted to ethyl alcohol by yeast and some bacteria Free house: a pub supposedly free of any brewery tie and able to offer a range of beers from different breweries Guest beer: a beer, not regularly sold in a pub, being on offer for a limited period Lager: beer fermented with bottom fermentation yeast where primary fermentation is at a lower temperature than for ale and secondary fermentation happens in closed conditioning tanks around 0 °C. Light beer: any American low-calories beer which does not contain dextrin and alcohol content ranges between 2.8 to 4% Microbrewery: small-scale brewery operation where equipment has been specially developed for brew pubs and small independent breweries and produces a limited amount of beer Macrobrewery: a large brewery produces larger amounts of beer at a cheaper price Off-trade (or off-license): where places like a supermarket or convenience store are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off of the premises On-trade (or on-license): an establishment where alcohol must be consumed at the point of sale such as the pub or bar Premium lager: a lager brewed above 5% alcohol strength Porter: a dark, slightly sweetish but hoppy ale made with roasted barley Pub: a house open to the public at stated times for the purpose of social drinking Standard lager: a lager brewed under 5% alcohol strength Stout: a very dark, heavy, well-hopped bitter ale with a dry palate, thick creamy head, and good grainy taste from a dark roasted barley Three tier distribution (NBWA): the US distribution system for the beer industry where brewers make the beer, wholesalers distribute it to supermarkets and bars, and retailers sell it, but no one within the line is allowed to do one of the other two at the same time Tied house: a pub which is obliged to sell only the products of a particular brewery Top-fermentation: fermentation where the yeast rises to the top of the vessel in a thick foamy head Wort: the sweet liquid, containing all the extracts from the malted grain, which subsequently will be fermented into beer Framework The framework for the dissertation is as follows with this chapter presenting the overview for the present study. In the next chapter the methodology is described in greater detail. In Chapter Three, a review of the literature relating to industry concentration, advertising, competition and demand is presented. Chapter Four will consist of empirical materials of primary and secondary data on the leading macrobreweries within the US and the UK as well as results of semi-structured interviews comprised of people working within the industry. Chapter Five conveys the analysis and findings developed throughout the research. The final chapter presents the conclusions and recommendations for further areas of research.

The Power of the Single Set in Educating Rita Essay -- Educating Rita

The Power of the Single Set in Educating Rita   Ã‚   There are obvious financial and logistical reasons for making Educating Rita a two-handed play, but Willy Russell does far more with this format than simply save money on actors and sets. The play is essentially about the impact of education on the lives of two people and it therefore does not need to distract the audience with Rita and Frank's other relationships and concerns. The depth and intensity of Rita and Frank's relationship is also highlighted by having them as the only characters on stage. It could be argued that the single room set does not give the audience enough of a sense of the social context of the two characters, but this is more than made up for by the incidents that they narrate about their lives outside Frank's study.    The single set represents Frank's personality and position in the intellectual elite. From its description in the opening stage directions, it is a typical don's room; lined with books, strewn with papers and decorated with a 'good print of a nude religious scene'. But Frank's first actions on stage undermine the high intellectual impression created by the room. He is searching his bookshelves not for a book, for but a bottle which he duly finds behind the highly respectable Dickens. When Rita eventually enters after her struggles with the door (symbolic perhaps of the obstacles placed on her road to enlightenment) she comments perceptively on the painting that, for all its value as art, is still just an excuse to look at a naked woman's body.    In Scene 2 Rita admires the room's appearance in spite of the fact that it is a mess.    Rita: How d'y' make a room like this? Frank: I didn't make... ...ople in a room talking is not a problem. The talk is what is important and Willy Russell marks Rita's progress even in this. Her early statements are full of colloquialisms, swearwords and references to popular culture, but as the play progresses the way Frank and Rita speak gradually comes closer together (apart from the Trisha-inspired false start of Rita talking, as Frank says, like 'a Dalek').    Ultimately, Educating Rita is a comic play which examines some serious themes such as social class and the transforming effect of education on working class people, who choose to take it up. The monotony of only ever seeing one set and two actors is more than made up for by the quality of Russell's comic imagination and the importance of his themes in today's society.    Work Cited: Russell, Willy. Educating Rita Methuen Publishing, Ltd. 2001

Race & the workplace Essay

The information derived from the empirical manipulations of race of worker also revealed that depicted race has an influence to the children’s own aspirations in performing different jobs. Primarily, children ranked their own levels of interest in engaging themselves in the depicted novel jobs as notably lower when the jobs had been solely performed by African Americans than when the jobs are exclusively executed by their European counterparts or by both races. Additionally, this information are exceptionally illustrative in the sense that they clearly signify that race of occupational models – independent from the content and operations of these jobs themselves (held constant) – influences the children’s job preferences (Bigler, Averhart & Liben, 2003, p. 578). To supplement the manifestation of racial hints in the children’s assessment about jobs at the group levels, the current information also contribute to our comprehension of influential and group differences in the African American children’s job stereotyping, assessments and aspirations. In conformity with the reality theory developed by Hale (1980) which states that the socio – economic factors do appear to affect the children’s job assessments, especially during their adolescent stage. The older children (11 – 12 years of age) coming from families with lower socio – economic backgrounds exhibited less interest in engaging themselves in common jobs that were dominated by their European counterparts, therefore conceived to be higher in rank. Probably, economic factors are significant in this finding, with children from lower socio – economic backgrounds recognizing that they are financially challenged to seek occupations that demands higher educational attainment (Bigler, Averhart & Liben, 2003, p. 578). Conforming with the patterns for familiar jobs, children 11 – 12 years of age from higher – but not lower socio – economic backgrounds, were notably more attracted to engage themselves in novel jobs that they deemed to be exclusively carried out by their European counterparts or represented both races than they were in jobs that appear to be exclusively carried out by African Americans. Apparently, it is not feasible to identify the determinant of race of occupational worker in children from various age brackets and economic class solely on the grounds this set of information (cited in Bigler, Averhart & Liben, 2003, p.578).. In reference to the findings of Spencer (1985), primarily and in occupational context, the older African American children’s occupational aspirations are affected by their awareness of race prejudice in the society. Financially challenged children may be significantly unprepared to confront the recognized racial prejudice made by the majority (cited in Bigler, Averhart & Liben, 2003, p. 578). There is a possibility that the African American children’s economic constraints concepts lessen their interest in the so – called high – status and difficult – to – reach jobs. Nonetheless, it is certain that as young as 6 years of age, African American children have already formed racial foundations that integrate ideals about occupations. Such foundations substantially influence their job concepts and goals. Then again, these foundations significantly vary in relation to the children’s socio – economic status (Bigler, Averhart & Liben, 2003, p. 578). Acknowledging the presence of the two types of vicious cycles to race and jobs, the comparison shown between the ratings of status as well as the race of workers is disturbing. For one, African American children, specifically the impoverished ones, may be more inclined to aspire low – status jobs. Such jobs were minorities are overrepresented in. As a result, the dominance of the minorities is kept. However, this can result to another generation of twisted models of impoverished African American. In addition, while there may be jobs made available for more privileged African Americans, in time, just because of their race, they may be dismissed as lower in status in society. Furthermore levels of pay and prestige may also be brought down low (cited in Bigler, Averhart & Liben, 2003, p. 578). Ultimately, it is essential to note that this study is but one of the many steps to take in the development of an understanding of how occupational assessments are influenced by race. Socio – economic status is but an estimated indicator of the family incidents that may influence occupational stereotyping and ambitions. Additional studies should be administered to thoroughly observe how financial restrictions formed vocational hopes and ambitions. Moreover, additional studies should encompass considerations of how families talk about occupations, the kinds of role models presented by parent’s own job and how school and neighborhood context influence occupational stereotyping (Bigler, Averhart & Liben, 2003, p. 578). Investigating these issues among other samples of African American children and children from other ethnic and racial groups is also vital. Evidently, additional research is required to provide a deeper understanding of the long – term consequences of children with the aid of racial indication as a factor in shaping their opinions on and interests in employment (Bigler, Averhart & Liben, 2003, p. 578). Race, gender and ethnicity in the workplace must not be an issue. Rather is must be a goal (Ishimaru, 2005). A wide array of skills is very much needed in the American workplace today. Nonetheless, it cannot be delivered by selected group of people alone. This is where workplace diversity serves its purpose. Different people from different culture must share and respect each other’s views and opinions to be able to work out a solution to a problem and eventually affect success (cited in Ishimaru, 2005). Every business must aim to diversify. Simply put, it is the right thing to do after all. Workplace diversity makes a sound business sense. This commands attentiveness, conceptualization and dedication to be meaningful. Moreover, it demands willingness to examine the traditional way of transacting business and what is valued in its workers (Ishimaru, 2005). To be able to create an improvement in the workplace diversity, it is important to reassess one’s values and be able to articulate what merit means. As society continues diversify further, promoting employees who exhibited â€Å"diversity ability† to relate well with co –workers setting aside social demarcation must be stressed (Ishimaru, 2005). Hope must not be lost. Hope in the possibility that life in the midst of cultural diversity is possible. More than a possibility, this kind of life is a must. A life lived in harmony between people of different races is a life lived well. This translates and transcends race lines previously demarcated, all for the purpose of the common good (Racebridges. net, 2007). Researches validate that working in a diversified environment is linked with more substantial interracial relations. In addition more interracial friendships are also built here. A culturally mixed neighborhood is also an example of a diversified environment (Estlund, 2003, p. 10). There are grounds to believe that the noticeably increased prevalence of recounted friendship among different races stems mainly from increased relations and integration in the workplace. However, for the most part, it is not plainly a story of friendship. It is also about the mutual but scattered sense of connectedness that surfaces out of our everyday collaboration, casual amiability, common interests, complaints and triumphs and disappointment among co – employees. Even so, their potential asset is suggested by the incidence with which they build authentic friendship beyond social demarcation. Racial friction and discrimination did not disappear. Nevertheless, they were certainly lessened and combined with feelings of unity, deference, friendship and likeness (Estlund, 2003, p.11). In reality, it is only in the workplace where a more sustained and collaborative interaction can be feasible. It is only there when we can witness this kind of scenario. Everyone must seek ways to be able to collaborate with one another at any given time. This kind of collaboration must be made between people of different races, cultural background and sexual hierarchies. Workplace diversity, relations and collaboration that transcend social demarcation can be counted on to produce increased acceptance and affinity. Moreover, it can possibly create less aggression and stereotyping between different races, culture and tradition (Estlund, 2003, p. 12). In contrast to other generations, we now live in a society characteristically more diverse, mobile and incorporated than ever before. Today we share the world with not just complete strangers but significantly unique individuals (Estlund, 2003, p. 20). On one hand, the chance to establish thick and multi – strand bonds founded on likeness does not come as often. On the other, chances to establish bonds that transcend social demarcation abound. Yet forming the kind of bond that transcends social demarcation is not at all easy. Without the aid of some degree of compulsion, this kind of bond is impossible. Even so, when it does, it is more probably to be slender and more fractious than the kind of bond founded on likeness (Estlund, 2003, p. 20). In effect, these bonds can build trust. It can create a feeling of togetherness, unity for a cause. In time, compounded with the progress towards impartiality and incorporation within the workplace and beyond, trust may be fostered too (Estlund, 2003, p. 20). After all, no man can live alone. It is a dictate of human nature that we need other people in order to survive. The world is a melting pot of different cultures and that thing will remain certain. Other than separating oneself from those he deems to be different, may all people just learn to love and embrace each other’s uniqueness. There is much more to the diversity of this world. It is there to remind man of his individuality. It exists to teach the lesson that differences can indeed be a venue to learn other things and see the beauty of the world from another perspective. References (1989). Racism. In The World Book Encyclopedia (Vol. 19, p. 62). USA: The World Book, Inc. Bigler, R. S. , Averhart, C. J. & Liben, L. S. (2003). Race and the Workforce: Occupational Status, Aspirations, and Stereotyping Among African American Children. American Psychological Association, 39, 572 – 580. Estlund, C. (2003). Working Together: How Workplace Bonds Strengthen a Diverse Democracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ishimaru, S. J. Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee.(2005, August). Value of Racial Segregation of the workforce today. Retrieved February 27, 2008, from www. bna. com/bnabooks/ababna/annual/2005/001. pdf. Racebridges. net. (2007). We All Have a Race: Addressing Race and Racism. Retrieved February 27, 2008, from www. racebridges. net/schools/2006_2007_lessons/WeAllHaveARace. pdf. Williams, F. T. Gibbsmagazine. com. (2001, April 9). Racism is Still Alive. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www. gibbsmagazine. com/Racism%20Still.

Nintendo Marketing Mix

QUESTIONS & IDEAL ANSWERS: . 1. Conduct a 4C's Stakeholders Analysis of the Nintendo Wii Market in 2006. Please note that an analysis is more than just a list. You need to describe each stakeholder and how they affect the strategy. †¢ Consumers (note: there's more than one target segment): The case notes that Nintendo targeted non-gamers in addition to gamers. This included consumers of any age and gender. Conversely, competitors like Sony focused on teens and males. The case also mentions moms/housewives and families as targets of Nintendo marketing. The ideal answer analyzed gamers and a few non-gamer segments, such as moms. Analysis should have included qualitative description — why is this segment interested in the Wii? — and quantitative data, such as the segment's size and value. Finding quantitative data required research beyond the case, perhaps to the U. S. Census website. Such data is not easy to find, but this extra effort is what distinguishes an â€Å"A† paper. Extra credit was given to creative segmentation, such as targeting businesses and office workers, who might play the Wii on breaks, or doctors who would recommend Wii to their patients. Company (keep this brief: focus on 2006 — no Nintendo history required): A company analysis is not a history report. It should describe the company's brand, resources, internal stakeholders, strengths and weaknesses. An ideal answer noted that Nintendo has a long reputation in gaming, but with the Wii it built a family-friendly brand â€Å"that puts smiles on surrounding people's faces. † In contrast, the competition had numerous violent games. In addition, unlike Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo is not a diversified company. Its total income is much lower than either of its primary competitors (the case Appendix contains these figures), which meant fewer resources and much more at stake. Either the Xbox or the PS3 could fail, and the parent companies would survive; Nintendo could not afford to have the Wii fail. At the same time, the gaming focus helped position Nintendo as the only pure gaming company: its name is synonymous with electronic gaming. In terms of internal stakeholders, the case talks at length about Satoru Iwata, whose vision drove the company. In a footnote, the case mentions that Iwata had experience as a game developer. By contrast, the CEO's of Sony and Microsoft have no game development experience. †¢ Competitors (keep this brief: describe both direct competitors and indirect competitors, but focus on strengths and weaknesses — how much of a threat do they pose? ) The case discusses the key direct competitors, Sony and Microsoft. Sony had a strong reputation in high-quality electronics, and its PS2 and PS3 systems emphasized technological sophistication. Sony focused on hardcore gamers with increasingly violent games. This recipe translated into early sales success — but also high prices. Sony's weakness was its increasingly bureaucratic nature, and the decline of its other businesses. While Sony was cutting costs and laying off workers, they also had production problems with the PS3 — a complicated and expensive piece of technology that is supposed to be a multimedia entertainment hub. This made Sony vulnerable to a challenge. Microsoft was primarily a software company with a controversial brand. Research beyond the case reveals criticisms of Microsoft's monopolistic tendencies, and the fact that Apple was positioning Microsoft as dull and low quality. Research also reveals significant quality-control problems with the Xbox. Microsoft relied heavily on market timing and quantity of games to promote the Xbox, along with Xbox Live, which enables consumers to play each other online. Despite weaknesses, Microsoft and Sony were still formidable competitors — Nintendo knew it couldn't compete by doing the same things they were. Nintendo had to do something vastly different — even disruptive. Indirect competitors include PC games, Web-based games and phone-based games. You could even mention non-gaming entertainment, such as YouTube and Facebook, as indirect competitors. Community (focus on complements and collaborators): Game-software developers were both collaborators and complements. These developers worked with Nintendo to create games exclusively for the Wii — such games do not work on any other platform, so their fate is tightly tied into the Wii's. They were complements in that hardware sales affected software sales, and an interesting game could boost Wii sales. The broader community, according to the case, includes doctors and therapists who recommend the Wii Fit to patients. Thinking outside the case study, the community also includes the news media — like the New York Times — reviewed the Wii and reported on the shortage and long lines of buyers. This increased desire for the product, and enabled Nintendo to limit its advertising expenditures. 2. Create a positioning map. Your map must include the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox, and the target consumer segments you described in question 1. You may hand-draw the map or use any software you prefer, but the map must be pasted into the body of your document. †¢ You choose the criteria that are most relevant and important. You're allowed to guess what the consumer segments want, but you will receive extra credit if you can find any research or data on gamer preferences. †¢ Do you see any opportunities on this map for new competitors? We discussed positioning maps in the forum. You needed to draw a similar map here. The two criteria must be product features important to consumers. For video games, this might include price, complexity, family friendliness or graphics quality. It does NOT include sales (few consumers care how much money a company makes) — though you could argue for â€Å"scarcity† or â€Å"popularity† as viable criteria. Consumer segments should appear on the map according to their preferences. This example uses Price and Game Complexity as criteria: [pic] The blue star represents the Wii, the green triangle Xbox, and the red circle PS3. The PS3 combines the highest price with the highest complexity, while the Wii combines the lowest of both. Consumer segments are represented as letters: NG = Non-Gamers, CG = Casual Gamers, HG = Hardcore Gamers. The Hardcore Gamers prefer the PS3 in terms of complexity, but would like a lower price. The Non-Gamers want a low price (they don't want to pay anything) and a simple game. The Casual Gamers want something in between, but are closest to the Wii. You can see that the Wii appeals to two segments, while the PS3 and Xbox fight over just one segment. This leaves an opening in the middle for a competitor who can appeal to the Casual Gamers — the iPhone, perhaps? All these positions are based on qualitative analyses presented by the case. For this exam, I allowed you to simply estimate what consumers wanted. In the real world, you would conduct market studies and consumer surveys to find exact preferences. If you actually did find actual research or survey data on segment preferences in video games, I gave you extra credit. Also, on an ideal map, the symbols vary in size depending on sales and value. Since Wii led the market, its star would be bigger than either the circle or the triangle. Hardcore Gamers might be the most valuable segment, since they're willing to spend more money on games; the HG would then be bigger than the other letters. Drawing a positioning map tends to be the most challenging question in this exam, so I am fairly lenient in grading. However, many students still have trouble with it. That's why it's important to participate in the forum. 3. Describe Nintendo's Marketing Mix strategies for the Wii. Be sure to describe the strategies behind each element of the marketing mix, and how they differentiated the Wii from the competition. †¢ Product (keep this brief: focus on Wii's Unique Selling Proposition — what makes it truly different): The Wii's unique selling proposition — compared to the Xbox or PS3 — is simple games based on physical motion. Consumers don't need thick manuals or long learning curves to enjoy the Wii, which attracts casual gamers and non-gamers. You could also discuss Wii's family-friendly, non-violent games. †¢ Price (for the United States only): In 2006, the Wii sold for $250 (or $249) and included five games for a â€Å"complete† product, yet Nintendo still profited on each unit sold. (The games are less sophisticated and cost less to produce than the competition's. ) Sony's PS3 started at $599 and was cut to $499. The Xbox sold at $479. Despite these significantly higher prices, both Sony and Microsoft lose money on each unit sold. Neither the PS3 or the Xbox originally came with games, so to make a profit, Sony and Microsoft charged high licensing fees to game developers. This in turn translated into expensive games. †¢ Place (think in terms of retailers and product supply): The Wii sells through traditional and online retailers, such as Best Buy. More significantly, in 2006, the Wii was continuously in short supply. This is an important distribution (place) issue. If consumers can't buy your product, you not only won't make money, you send business to your competition. However, in the case of the Wii, the shortages actually increased consumer desire for the product. Since there were long lines and waiting lists for the product — and numerous major news stories about it — consumers assumed the Wii was good. Since there was a greater supply of PS3's and Xboxes than demand, consumers assumed they weren't as interesting. Consequently, some consumers simply waited for new Wii shipments; others searched stores and websites and paid higher than the retail price. Some analysts believe Nintendo had a policy of intentional scarcity. This is a common practice in marketing: some companies produce a limited supply of a certain product to increase its perceived value. For example, luxury car companies have â€Å"limited edition† models, fashion designers produce a few of each product, most universities do not accept everyone who applies. The Wii shortages increased both consumer desire and news coverage — which was key since Nintendo could not compete against Microsoft and Xbox in advertising. †¢ Promotion (describe the advertising budget and any ads): This required research, since the case was not explicit about advertising expenditures. Searching for Nintendo advertising budget on Google reveals a number of estimated figures, ranging from $85 million to $200 million. Any reasonable estimate was fine if it was referenced and came from a trustworthy source (not someone's personal blog). The important point was to have you practice corporate research, and to show that Nintendo did not rely on â€Å"word of mouth† alone to generate sales; it spent millions of dollars to get the word out. More research reveals the Nintendo Wii commercials (http://us. wii. com/tvcm_usa_gallery. jsp), which emphasize people enjoying the game, not the graphics. The very first commercial (found on YouTube and other video sites) shows two Japanese men visiting American homes with the game and announcing, â€Å"Wii would like to play. † This underscored the Japanese origins of the Wii, which enhanced its credibility. In addition, the case mentions a word-of-mouth campaign in which suburban housewives were given games in hopes that they would share its value as family entertainment. Overall, the promotions establish the Nintendo brand as family friendly, fun and physical. By contrast, ads for the Xbox and PS3 emphasized the sophisticated graphics and often fast, violent action — not an attraction for casual gamers. 4. Answer just ONE of the following questions. If you answer more than one, only the first answer will be accepted. This is your opportunity to use your imagination, so be creative. Your recommendations here had to make sense based on the company's brand and resources. You couldn't just say â€Å"spend more money on advertising† or â€Å"increase distribution. † Of course, all companies would like to do that (unless product scarcity is part of their plan) — but could they afford to? Your answers also had to be specific — you couldn’t just say you would make your product â€Å"higher quality† or â€Å"more fun. † You needed to state exactly what you wanted to achieve. More points were granted for originality and creativity. If you decided to work for Sony or Microsoft, and all you did was copy Nintendo, you didn't get many points. Above all, your answers had to be marketing driven. If you talked about improving factory efficiency or hiring the best engineers, those were answers for another class. A. If you were the VP of Marketing for Nintendo, what would you have done differently? This is the hardest of the three questions, since Nintendo was already successful. You could make more products available so that there weren't any shortages, but how would this affect the benefits of product scarcity? Also, assuming Nintendo was already producing as many games as it possibly could, where would it get the extra production capacity? You could argue that Nintendo should have launched with a higher price, using a skimming strategy to profit off early adopters, and then lower pricing as production caught up. That would make sense — but it wouldn't have created the buzz of the product shortages. Some other ideas could involve different target segments, such as schools or hospitals. B. If you were the VP of Marketing for Sony, how would you respond to the Wii? One of Sony's advantages is that it's the only one of the three companies to produce entertainment content, such as music and movies (like â€Å"Spider-Man†). How could they have leveraged that content to make the PS3 more attractive? Sony also produces other electronics equipment. Could you have integrated those products, perhaps in a bundling special (buy a Sony HDTV and get a PS3 free) or by making a game that uses a Sony Camcorder? C. If you were the VP of Marketing for Microsoft, how would you respond to the Wii? Microsoft's key advantage is that it creates the operating system that runs most of the world's computers. Is there a way to combine personal computers and the Xbox? (That would have helped them compete against Apple, as well. Since Microsoft lost money on the Xbox console, why not just focus on the software market? D. Is there another competitor that might be a significant threat to all three of these companies? If so, who is it, and why are they a threat? How should Nintendo respond to them? PC Games and the phone-based games are two possible competitors. Dell, for example, makes sophisticated gaming computers under its Ali enware brand. Nintendo's response could include making its controllers compatible with Dell computers. Or perhaps Nintendo could collaborate with Apple to make iPhones interact with the Wii. There were lots of possibilities here.