Immigration Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Immigration - Term Paper Example Immigration law is a complicated process and there are exceptions when enforcing these laws, especially when acts of a criminal nature are committed. Most immigrants are not aware of the potential risks involved, (especially those with a temporary or non-secure status) when they commit a criminal offense. Additionally, the terrorists’ acts of 911 have directly impacted immigration laws. When the United States national security is violated at point of entry by criminals who enter unnoticed it becomes a spiraling effect on its citizens. The numbers of immigrants that enter the United States borders (land, sea and air) every year are in the millions. It is virtually impossible to have a profile on every single individual. Some of these immigrants have criminal backgrounds and are on the run from their own country or they may possess no criminal record but have a high potential to become first time offenders in the United States. The citizens of the United States expect that immig ration law will protect them on a national level from potential criminals at the point of entry. However, many criminals have become very adept at disguising themselves in order to enter the United States. Sadly, they are not found until something disastrous occurs. These individuals put a strain on the infrastructure and services within our local communities. The costs for retaining immigrant criminals and processing them through our system are exorbitant spiraling into the millions. While local governments and law enforcement agencies face the direct burdens of immigrant criminals the costs spills over at the state and federal levels as well. Based on the severity of the crime most individuals will be deported after serving their time. An example of how a criminal act can affect immigration law is the case of â€Å"Padilla versus Kentucky†, (October 13, 2009 – March 31, 2010) whereby Mr. Padilla who lived in the United States for over 40 years and was a lawful perman ent resident, faced mandatory deportation after pleading guilty to drug distribution in the state of Kentucky. At his post conviction hearing he stated that his lawyer not only did not advise him that he could be deported but also told him that since he lived in America for such a long time there was no chance of him being deported. Well, there is no excuse for ignorance or misinformation in the court of law. There was a time when judges were very lax in deporting immigrants for criminal offenses but this was more than 90 years ago. Federal law now imposes strict guidelines for deportation of criminal offenses whether or not the individual has a status of lawful permanent resident. This case showed how immigration law and criminal law became intertwined. Mr. Padilla committed a criminal offense which was punishable under federal immigration laws. After the devastating attack of September 11, the immigration problem in the United States took a major turn. Terrorism was the new crime on the horizon. This was a downward turn in America’s economy. Military personnel had to be increased; diplomatic relations and initiatives with other countries had to be look at with scrutiny. The security at airports and several public places had to be increased. As a result changes in immigration and border patrol were directly affected. Nineteen of the terrorists apprehended from that major event were foreign citizens who entered the United States legally. The terrorists

The Impact Of Advertising On Consumer Price Sensitivity Marketing Essay

The Impact Of Advertising On Consumer Price Sensitivity Marketing Essay Selling things are the focus of any business and to sell a product marketing is a key factor and main step to make people buy the product. In addition, the foremost thing under marketing is advertising, which is the only way with which you can change the perspective of the product in peoples mind. It is actually a form of communication intended to persuade and audience (viewers, listeners or readers) to purchase the product. The intention of actually enlightening on advertising is to know whether advertising has any impact on consumer price sensitivity or not. It does affect the consumer and their buying behavior but to what extent what are the variables and how this is effecting consumers sensitivity toward purchasing a certain product is been elaborated below. H0: Advertising Have an Impact on Willingness to Pay by a Consumer It is relevant to my article because of using demand curve to gather the impacts of advertising on consumer price sensitivity. In this paper The Impact of Advertising on Consumer Price Sensitivity in Experienced Goods Markets written by Tullen Erdem, Michael Keane, Baohong Son (2007), four categories of consumer goods are considered to examine how TV advertising and other marketing activities affect the demand curve facing a brand. Advertising affects consumer demand in many different ways. The authors observed in this article, that advertising is a reason to fall consumers price sensitivity for a particular brand. To understand how advertising effects price sensitivity one needs to estimate how it shifts the shape of the demand curve, which means estimating a demand system for all brands. Estimation of demand among four products, resulting one had a different response in WTP and that is because of focusing on one distinctive feature of the product. The effects of advertising on the shape of the demand curve depend on vertically or horizontally differentiated (attributes) of the product. Advertising stresses on vertical (claims marginal consumers) and horizontal characteristics (a brand perceived as having an advantage) will increase WTP most for those infra-marginal consumers. A supermarket scanner data used on four product categories to examine how advertising use experience, price, promotional activity in the determination of demand. Advertising affect the price elasticity of demand in two different ways: Firstly, advertising affect the limits of the demand functions of individual consumers more or less price sensitive, secondly advertising may affect the number of the set of consumers. The toothpaste and toothbrush panels cover 157 weeks including households in Chicago and Atlanta while ketchup and detergent panels cover 130 weeks included households in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Springfield. Weekly advertising intensity measures gross saving points for each brand in the market and 60% of households linked to TV ads for last 51 weeks restricted only who bought 3 times over the period. The toothpaste panel contains 345 households who made 2880 purchases, toothbrush panel contains 167 households who made 621 purchases; detergent panels contains 581 households who made 3419 purchase and ketchup panel contains 135 households who made 1045 purchases. Advertising provides more soft information in the ketchup category (differentiated horizontally e.g. thickness in Heinz) and more hard information (vertically differentiated like quality, such as cavity fighting power in toothpaste, removal of plaque in toothbrush and cleansing power in detergent) and is obvious that nat ure of ad varies according to product. Advertising is more likely to increase price sensitivity and lead to more pro- competitive effects when the hard information is in advertising (e.g. relative quality information) rather than soft (e.g. image oriented). All products observed by different brands of same category by market share, mean price, ad frequency, display frequency, feature frequency and mean coupon availability. The statistics are in this way that there are three kinds of variables, like percentage of purchases (covers brand loyalty), ad viewing habits, and willingness to pay with reference to prices that offered. For all 18 brands, advertising reduces price sensitive but increases the prices. Advertising is not profitable because it lowers the elasticity of demand, but lifts the level of demand. The more the noisy signs of product attributes in advertisements have lower variance alternative and have greater WTP while non-risky consumers have higher variance even for the same features. This relates to the view that non-price advertising affect differently due to consumers diverse tastes. Advertising raises the level of demand by increasing the equilibrium price elasticity and decreasing the equilibrium price. Price advertising and non-price advertising affects the demand curves by costs of gaining information related to price, types of consumers and consumers tastes that visits the stores. People who are less sensitive to price are uncertain about attributes. Price advertising affects stores demand curves differently if consumers have different costs of acquiring price information, and differe nt types of consumers visit each store. It means that advertising is complimentary to consumption and is consistent with models where advertising increases WTP for a brand by producing artificial differentiation and conveying information about brand attributes Variables: Brand choice, Information and market power, Quality of the brand, Existence of the brand, Heterogeneity of consumers tastes, Attributes of the brand, Awareness of substitutes, Ad design, Brand differentiation, Barriers to entry and Experience. H0: consumer price sensitivity moderated by brand credibility This article How Advertising Influences Brand Credibility and Consumer Price Sensitivity written by Tulin Erdem, Joffre Swait, Jordan Louviere (2001), connects with my topic in this way that it explains the implication brand credibility of an advertised brand on consumer price sensitivity. Every brand has different affects on consumers on various stages on their decision of choices of a brand. It passes through different utility functions. The paper enlightens the fact, brand effects with information economics depth to analyze whether consumer price sensitivity, consumer valuation of a products overall attractiveness or utility, has an impact by brand credibility, after making a choice of a brand by advertising. The impact of brand credibility on consumer price sensitivity across class that absorbs different levels of consumer ambiguity, four different types of products utility analyzed which are Frozen concentrated juice (Dole, Minute Maid, Sunkist, Tropicana and Welshs); Jeans (Cal vin Klein, Gap, Lee, Levis, Wranglers); Shampoos (Clairol, Herbal Essence, Pantene Pro- V, Pert Plus, Salon Selective) and Personal computers (Apple, Compaq, Dell, Gateway, IBM) Two types of data relevant the hypothesis; firstly, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to obtain brand credibility of the most advertised brands at individual level in each of the four categories; and secondly, by price manipulations of the same brand to know the credibility. Subjects rated all five brands individually to estimate the credibility by them and completed a simple pricing choice experiment involving 17 choice sets in each of two product categories in addition to this, there was a distracter task that includes questions regarding their personal values to minimize the chances of linking two tasks. These four products chosen subjects could relate to them. They asked to assess how confident they would feel measuring new products in 21 different product categories before trial, after one trial and after a year of use (using 7- point agree/disagree scales) These results suggested that, as a group, the subjects viewed frozen juice concentrate more as a search good, jeans and shampoo as more short- to medium-term experience goods, and a PC as a longer-term experience good. Subjects in the pre-test (n = 31), main and supplementary (n = 170) surveys were undergraduate students at two major North American universities. Final sample sizes for the main survey were, respectively, 221, 232, 217 and 198 for juice, jeans, shampoo and PCs. The main survey took approximately 35-40 minutes to complete. Brand credibility decreases price sensitivity but the intensity of the consumers choices differs with products. The emphasis is on the product category factors that could affect the impact of brand credibility on price sensitivity. Consumer characteristics also might determine the level of impact of brand credibility and price sensitivity. Observed results suggest that the interaction between brand price and credibility is heterogeneous, which suggests that it is likely to be associated with consumer specific characteristics and the level of advertisement occur in certain period. These types differ in consumer uncertainty about product attributes plus in specific features in categories that affect sensitivity to uncertainty. It argues on the impact of price on consumption of a credible brand when there is asymmetric information through advertising. Economic framework suggests that brand credibility moderates price sensitivity under uncertainty. In high latent risk and high involvement categories, in which consumer purchase decisions may be quite complicated, the predicted effect was bigger. Price effects strongly recommend that credibility offer number of consumer benefits, which decreases price sensitivity. Variables: Brand credibility (trustworthiness, expertise, usage), Brand choice, Product category, Product attributes, Brand name and Consumer benefits. H0: online medium effects consumer price sensitivity more than offline medium To see the impact of online advertisement on advertising price sensitivity is the reason behind choosing this article. According to article The online medium and consumer price sensitivity written by Venkatesh Shankar, Arvind Rangaswamy, Michael Pusater (1999), paper explains a logical framework regarding the assumption that internet increases price sensitivity and intensify price competition and factors characterizing the online medium, consumers and intermediaries to explain the main reasonable effects of the online medium in price sensitivity. The articles inspect two main aspects of price sensitivity, the intensity of customer attaches to price relative to other attributes (Price importance and price search). About 1/4th of revenues in online shopping industry come from travel services, data set 1comprises of both medium but specified only to Marriott international and a same with data set 2 for making different hotel reservation but for any hotel chose by the respondent with same questionnaires. They asked questions regarding most recent online reservation and most recent offline reservations. Investigation in data set 1extends from the brand level to the product category level and overcomes problems due to self- selection bias in data set 1, to reduce impartiality, the differences in the frequency of shopping between the samples accounted for analysis. For data set 1 primary data collected for the customers of Marriott international and comparing the attitudes and behavior demographically to the population that differ in the medium usage, examine the online medium moderation on price sensitivity and lastly stresses the effects of website factors on price sensitivity. For offline medium consumers questionnaires mailed to customers through Marriott international customers data while for online customers, the survey posted on Marriotts website with a new tag. Only 214 form online and 306 from offline usable recipients (15%) enabled to respond. Data set 2 had to go through a test provided by hospitality sales and marketing association international and customers chose on the basis of using both online and offline medium, Receiving 144 responses from a sample of 2000 customers randomly selected from the list, who chose hotel both online and offline (a response rate of 7.2%) Talking about online medium factors interactivity and perceived depth of the message helps dampen price importance but at the same time ease of price search increases price importance, content and information interactivity does not give any significant result. Using an intermediary and product/price bundling increases price comparison and price importance. Brand loyalty and time value reduces online price search. Looking at offline medium, the perceived range of option does not diminish price importance or price search; but price search reduce because of product/price bundling by an intermediary. Price comparisons using intermediaries has a much stronger impact on price search offline than online. For both sets, the result is consistent as the online and offline models are similar. Online medium effects price importance more because Highlights the range of product options and price bundling by an intermediary to diminish the price importance then it put emphasis on brand loyalty which decreases price search and the effect of price comparison by an intermediary and lastly it is easier to search for price information which reduces the search cost and time as well. Price/product bundling proves to be a strategic advantage for the firms, more online than offline. The price comparison using intermediaries will be more beneficial if online intermediaries are used and provide proper service/ good description with prices and get it linked to the other sites as well. Variables: Price search, Price importance, Price information, Non-pricing advertising, Web-site design, Targeting distribution, Brand loyalty, value of time, frequency of shopping, Alliance strategies, Online attributes price importance influence by medium- product category, demographics. H0: Advertising Effects Evaluates In Three-Dimensional Space of Product (Experience, Affect, Cognition) This paper named How Advertising Works written Demetrios Vakratsas, Tim Ambler (1999) by related to my topic in this way that it talks about the impacts of advertising on consumers which helps observe what features of ads influences consumer behavior or changing their buying behavior. The authors gather the information about how advertising affects the consumer. Advertising effects classified into intermediate effects, for example, on consumer beliefs and attitudes, and behavioral effects, which relate to purchasing behavior, for example, on brand choice. The authors propose that advertising effects studied in a space, with affect, cognition, and experience as the three dimensions. The EAC Space adjusted according to the context: product category, competitive environment, other marketing mix components, stage of the product life cycle, and target audience. The article has reviewed former research of intermediate and behavioral effects of advertising using models from market response. Advertising can be estimate in a three-dimensional space using the dimensions of experience, affect, and cognition (the EAC Space). The coordinates of the three dimensions can verify the importance of a specific advertising promotion. The article have classified and reconsider preceding research of intermediate and behavioral effects of advertising using a arrangement of models preliminary from market response and ending with integrative and nonhierarchical models. The principal overview concerned the persuasive hierarchy (CA) category of models of advertising effects. Although such models dynamically engaged for 100 years but still flawed on two bases: the concept of hierarchy on which its origin cannot empirically sustained, and have eliminated experience effects. The article suggest that behavioral (brand choice, market share) and cognitive and affective (beliefs, attitudes, awareness) directed industry to analyze the edge of context, intermediate effects, and long- and short-term behavior. In this attempt, determination of affective reactions from cognitive partiality evaluated and this is especially important for low-involvement products for which habit and affect are much more important than cognition. On the contrary, it is safe to say that effects of advertising can calculated by (EAC) space of any product but the dimensions can vary from product to product and hence the importance of dimensions as well. Variables: Consumers beliefs, Consumers attitudes, Purchasing behavior, Brand choice, Ads goal diversity, Product category, Competition, Stage of product cycle, Target market, Market share and Awareness H0: Price Advertising Positioning Tactics Increases Brand Equity, Price Importance and Consumer Price Sensitivity H1: Non-Price Advertising Positioning Tactics Decreases Brand Equity, Price Importance and Consumer Price Sensitivity The article The impact of advertising positioning strategies on consumer price sensitivity written by Ajay Kalra and Ronald C. Goodstein (1998) examines the relationship of brands positioning strategies through advertising with consumer price sensitivity. The authors examine the link between advertising and price effects and that this bond depends on the definite advertising positioning strategies. The advertising has different objective, depending on the competitive perspective of the brand and others positioned to narrow the supposed difference between brands. The authors recognize that price- oriented advertising raises sensitivity while non-price oriented advertising decreases sensitivity. Non-price advertising examines two tactics that fail to increase brand price equity: value-oriented positioning, attribute (meaningless) differentiation, while comparative tactics increase price importance and sensitivity at the category level. In addition, findings bring about that advertising effectiveness measured at both the brand and category levels. The hypothesis tested in two experiments transversely different product categories, entailing that advertising effectiveness must extend other than brand rate related to attitude. Testing of how non-price advertising positioning strategies affect brand equity, price importance, and category price sensitivity. Opposing to the accepted vision, numerous types of non-price positioning tactics can diminish equity and increase price sensitivity. Ninety graduate students at a major west coast university volunteered to contribute in experiment carry out in one of four experimental surroundings and as an incentive for $100 lottery given. They asked to analyze a rough advertisement for a new product and under high-involvement, circumstances and advertising positioning varied without the alteration in the brand attribute information in the advertising copy. The experiment designed within one factor and four level of advertisement positioning. An advertisement can have particularly dissimilar effects at each level like at comparative level will be beneficial for minor brands but not for premium brands, because it will increase price sensitivity for whole product category. The results also suggest that brand equity and advertising effects must assess in terms of both attitudes and behavioral manifestation. Pricing effects happen because of advertising, when attitudes extracted from the analysis. Nevertheless, the case is different in low involvement where meaningless attribute positioning and celebrity endorsements could significantly affect brand equity and category price sensitivity. Emotional appeals and fear appeals as attitudinal effects also influence advertisements in a cognitive manner. On this note, the conclusion made that non-price advertising positioning strategies affect brand equity, price importance, and price sensitivity and promotional price advertising increases price sensitivity, whereas non-price advertising decreases price sensitivity. Several types of non-price positioning tactics can decrease equity and increase price sensitivity and brand equity measures extend beyond attitudes and include the ability to demand a premium price. Variables: Advertising- positioning strategies, Brand equity, Celebrity endorses positioning, Meaningless attribute differentiation, unique features positioning, Brand comparison and Value positioning H0: Price Sensitivity is Measureable The paper Price Sensitivity Measurement written by Robert C. Lewis and Stowe Shoemaker (1997) elaborates on the measurement of price sensitivity through hospitality industry, to see the determinants of price sensitivity are the reason of choosing this article. Instead of using price methods on trial basis and error to determine the right price for products or services, a hotel or restaurant operator can use a relatively simple survey tool to measure customers price sensitivity. The prices for services faces at least three complicating factors: Customers often have inaccurate or limited reference prices (i.e. right prices) for services, they use price as a key signal for quality and monetary price is the only cost for service customers. Reference prices have complicated the different needs of customers in two ways: The interpretation of price (value based) on the buyers view and the relationship between price and value. A price sensitivity measurement determines how consumers percepti ons of the value affected by the interaction of price and quantity. A study conducted in which consumers asked to state the highest and lowest prices to which they purchase selected inexpensive items, showed that price act as a quality indication but not an absolute barrier to purchase. Actually, the price sensitivity measurement examines price perceptions by determining levels of customers resistance as they relate to perceived quality and the market range of acceptable prices for a specific product or services. Authors examined the application of the price sensitivity measurement model (PSM) to the association meeting market. The five components of our hypothesis are as follows: firstly, a point at which hotel room rates considered cheap or expensive; the price considered too cheap and quality questioned; no matter what the quality and price is, it is too expensive and purchase is beyond consideration and lastly a way to measure the above points. In addition, these are the questions to analyze the value of a product or service. The last two questions are actually to measure the optimal price point. Room rates are a definite factor in the meeting planners purchase decision. The hypothetical situation considered was to plan an annual convention for organization to hold in Des Monte with expected attendance of 300- 500 attendance, which will last four days, and hosted in first class hotel. Rooms single occupied and participants will stay at the same hotel and the chosen (four) hotels without a ny prior experience. Final decision based on four questions and the design made with two objectives in mind: to minimize the intervening variables that might enter into the situation, thereby affecting their respondents and expect respondents to projects their associations needs and into the situation. Survey to send to a random sample of 443 association-meeting planners and received 115 usable responses (constituting 33% response rate). The study has indicated the existence of a range of acceptable prices for meeting planners. it can be helpful in determining to compare the perception of specific brands, the competition and variables within a product line. The result showed that the price sensitivity measurement technique could most likely apply to the hotel industry though there is no basis for interpreting the results. It could give the indifferent point, an indifference percentage, and an optimum pricing point, a stress level and a range of acceptable prices on lodging industry benchmarks with which to compare those values. In addition, the conclusion made that some meeting planners have in mind threshold prices outside of which price will inhibit their decisions to purchase. The degree to which they are price sensitive (respondents) is difficult to determine. Variables: Quality, Product features, and consumers perception of value H0: An increase in non-price advertising leads to lower price sensitivity among consumers H1: The use of price advertising leads to lower prices H2: An increase in price advertising leads to higher price sensitivity among consumers The paper Empirical Generalizations about the Impact of Advertising on Price Sensitivity and Pricewritten by Anil Kaul and Dick R. Wittink (1995), is linked to my topic in this way that this paper have made generalization statements which works as a medium for measuring the impact of advertising on consumer price sensitivity. The term empirical generalizations suggest the same results comes out in different circumstances and are gathered on outcomes from varied marketing strategies and the result will help estimating the price insensitivities and making a strategic decision about market segmentation, price-marketing activities and competitive market strategies. Two types of advertising are Non-price advertising (national advertising) gives the information about the brand positioning and its intentions to communicate about the characteristics (unique) of the brand and Price advertising (local characteristics) gives the information related to price and availability of the brand. A chan ge in price sensitivity is measured either by Researchers employing experiments (interaction between advertising and price) or by econometric researchers (use price elasticity). It generates a set of three empirical generalizations after studying the previous marketing methods: The approach is to analyze the characteristics and results of previous studies providing explanations on the relevance of these generalizations means the relationship between advertising and price sensitivity observed by an overview of 18 studies. The observations made from a large set of products e.g., new products, mature products, consumer (non-durables) and durables, services with identification the type of product, the number of brands, the type of advertising, the measure of advertising and price sensitivity, and the type of interaction (result). Three implications considered to assess the link between advertising and price sensitivity: Firstly, the difference between price sensitivity of current consumers from additional consumers attracted by increased advertising. Secondly, the measurement of price sensitivity whether aggregate (price elasticity) or disaggregate (brand choice to price) data. Third consideration is about target market. If market were highly price-sensitive, t hen the ceiling effect would be a partial effect of price advertising on sensitivity but if it is of price-insensitive, non-price advertising will slightly influence the price receptiveness. The results specify that in nine studies price sensitivity increases with higher advertising, in seven studies it decreases with higher advertising, and in two cases both effects are attained. Considering only those cases where at least three studies have provided the same result. Focus is on the area of price advertising as moderators such as market share, similarity of brands characteristics or benefits, product life cycle, and the number of competitors, in affecting this relationship and is large enough to alter the brand choice. Moreover, creates variation on price sensitivity due to increase advertising from 20% to 180%. Considering this fact that product-related and other factors that affect the amount of change in price sensitivity in such situations, the conclusion is that non-price advertising reduces the price sensitivity( accepts H0 ) and falsifies H1 and H2. Variables: Brand positioning, Product information, Product differentiation, Brand loyalty, Brand choice, Product market level, Type of product (new products, mature products, consumer nondurables and durables, services), Advertising content, Market share, Similarity of brands characteristics or benefits, Product life cycle and Number of competitors. H0: Advertising Builds Market Power Similar to above article this article Price Sensitivity and Television Exposures written by Vinay Kanetkar, Charles B. Weinberg, Doyle L. Weiss (1992) elaborates the contradictory findings with regard to increases in brand advertising activities lead to increase /decrease in price sensitivity. Mentioning the lack of data to measure the revelation of ones households to advertisements and to restrain competitive activities has been a major limitation to date. This paper finds in high-level of publicity of the product, house- holds brands choice and price sensitivity can decrease for two frequently purchased products though it says that increased advertising linked with increase households brand choice and price sensitivity as well. For a number of decades researchers have been attempting to understand the impact of marketing mix variables (price and advertising) on sales (or market share) of purchased goods. However, the interaction of price and advertising has not completely measured. Set of models designed to examine the effects of advertisings on price sensitivity. Dry dog food accounts for about 60% of total consumer expenditures and eighteen of the 39 brands have large differences in advertising intensity with only one brand had a market share greater than 10%, there were 186 unique brand available to consumers. Because of so many brand choices, minor brands combined into aggregate brand categories. In addition, brand-sizes ignored for three reasons. First, television advertising focuses on brand benefits and does not deal with package size. Second, the package size decision is likely, not a purchase-to-purchase decision. Finally, for the sample households, more than 70% of the dog food purchases were for a package size of five pounds. To reduce the number of alternatives to a manageable size, brands grouped into aggregate categories according to the size of their market share of 5% and brands advertised and not advertised, so the number of alternative comes down to 11. All brands attributes compared to each other as alternative of others. A similar procedure applied to the aluminum foil data. The aluminum foil market (in the test city) was aggregated to consist of three brands or choice alternatives, one major brand, private brands, and generic brands. Only the major brand advertised on television and the results were similar of that dog food. The results are steady with the point of view that increased advertising is associated with increased brand choice and price sensitivity. In light of the effect of advertising on sales, several points noted. Firstly, the purchases vary in buying behavior of households and reflect only short run effects for advertising and the other mix variables. Price sensitivity effects are generally short-lived. In addition, results show that the indirect effects of advertising have an important effect on price sensitivity; usually that the immediate impact of advertising is still low as compared to that of other variables. In turn, the hypothesis is constant with the confirmation that the information conveyed to consumers may not be underpinned the distinct traits and attributes of a brand. Rather, advertising may be increasing consumers brand awareness, strengthen resemblance with other brands, and increasing price competition at the retail level. The interpretation of this means that good advertising that builds market power is difficult to develop and maintain. Variables: Brand choice, Market share, preferred brands, Direct competition, Awareness among consumers, Search costs, Brand equity, Display activities, and Brand loyalty. H0: Advertising diminishes the effect of Consumer Price Sensitivity The article The Effects of Advertising on Co

Country study comparison Indian vs. Brazilian women :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the United States, equality between a husband and a wife continues to progress, globally, especially in third world countries the oppressed position of women in the household continues to be a prevalent problem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In both India and Brazil, women are not equal to their male counter parts within the household. Factors that cause this inequality to manifest and continue can be attributed to, male dominant and patriarchal histories of the countries, employment opportunities, legal issues, especially the rights of women to control reproduction, educational opportunities for girls, marriage customs and vulnerability of women within the family due to fears of violence, domestic abuse and rape.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The colonization of Brazil occurred primarily by men of Portuguese decent. In creating this society, they instilled the values of machismo, which is highly prevalent in most Latin American countries. This concept provides men with both authority and strength while women are placed in a position of sub-ordinance and identified as weak (Aboim, 2004). The tradition of machismo as well as the patriarchy of the Catholic Church places men in dominance (Aboim, 2004). With this â€Å"superiority† comes the sexual double standard. Men are expected to demonstrate their masculinity and virility through premarital and extramarital sexual experiences. Women on the other hand are expected to remain virginal until marriage and to be faithful to their husbands throughout the union (Lewis, 1997). These values are difficult to put into practice at times because of poverty, isolation and unequal ratios of men and women. As a result, illegitimacy and prostitution are common. Although this paradox exists, the traditional view is the most widely accepted (ibid). Women have, despite their oppression, been allowed open access to schools and employment, and in 1933 were granted suffrage on a national level. With this equality they were still not recognized as equal with men in matters of the home. Men were automatically considered the heads of h ousehold and women were legally subordinate to their husbands. Under a Civil Code reform put into place in 1962 women were considered to be in the same legal category as minors (Aboim, 2004). Women of middle and upper classes could not legally represent their family or administer the families’ assets. Nor were they able to work outside of the house without the consent of the male head of household (Alvim, 2000). Before the creation of the new Brazilian Constitution of 1988 which granted men and women equality under the law, the father or husband of a woman had the right to control any employment contract she entered into.

Gender Issues and Roles Essay

Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behavior, activities and attributes that a particular society considers appropriate for men and women. It is a basic organizing principle of society that shapes how we think about ourselves and guides how we interact with others. The distinct roles and behavior may give rise to gender inequalities, i. e. differences between men and women that systematically favor one group. There are differences between the sexes in that men weigh more than women and have more muscle. Women outperform men in some test of long term endurance and life expectancy. However, biologically, the sexes differ in limited ways with neither one naturally superior. Origin of Gender roles The root of all gender issues which presently exist in society may be traced back to The Creation Story in Genesis. This crucial chapter of the Bible provides evidence supporting that God intended for man and woman to exist as equals, yet he assigned gender roles once Adam and Eve disobeyed him by eating the fruit from the forbidden tree of good and evil. Thus, men have been characterized as the â€Å"breadwinners† and women as â€Å"child bearers and housekeepers† since the beginning of humanity. Men and women have been trapped in certain roles since the beginning of time, and have always had a power struggle between them. Gender issues have not evolved over time; they have always existed. Partriarchy and Sexism Partriarchy literally means â€Å"rule of fathers†. Conceptions of gender vary everywhere in the world and we find some degree partriarchy. Sexism is the belief that one sex is innately superior to the other and is built into the institutions of society. Sexism stunts the talents and limits the ambitions of the human population who are women. Masculinity comes with a high price as it calls for men to engage in many high-risk behaviors, including using tobacco and alcohol, participating in physically dangerous sports, and driving recklessly. It is also closely linked not only to accidents but to suicide, violence and stress-related diseases. As men seek control over others, they opportunities for intimacy and trust. In general men have more social resources than women. Martriarchy is a form of social organization in which females dominate males. Although there is no clear case of matriarchy, women’s power can rival that of men. Many societies count among their historical heroes at least one brave woman warrior or leader, but few are as reviled as the Kikuyu Wangu wa Makeri. Appointed as the head of Weithaga, in Muranga district, by the colonialists, Makeri’s legacy is as a woman who made hell for the men of her tribe, wreaking revenge and sewing humiliation for the gender roles she had broken out of. Born in 1856, according to Nairobi University historian Mary W Wanyoike, Makeri’s rise to fame came relatively late in her life, when, in 1901 she was appointed as the head of her district. The elevation of a woman to such a position of power was unheard of in those days. Wangu, however, embraced the position with vigour. Tales abound of her demeaning men, riding on their backs on all fours, taking multiple lovers – among them one Karuri Gakure – and being very far from an â€Å"attractive’ woman. Certainly, such behaviour was anathema in early 20th Century Kikuyu culture. In those days, once men had paid the dowry on the women they were to marry, the women were considered their property. Women might be disgruntled, but they were expected to be silent victims. Thus when Wangu â€Å"superwoman† Makeri got power, she felt it her personal mission to avenge for the exploited women. Her zeal, however, quickly made her a hate figure for men, as did her tendency to overstep the boundary of leadership. Yet she held on to power for a remarkable 35 years. In the end, what lead to her downfall and death, was the brewing conflict between the Kikuyu and British colonialists. From around 1910, colonial resentment was budding. The Kikuyus who later formed the Mau Mau saw Wangu Wa Makeri as a proxy for colonialists. They instigated a rebellion against oth the colonialists and her. With her support thinning, her back-riding tenure ended unceremoniously. Yet her reputation for multiple lovers and a passion to domineer the masculine species, is still used as a weapon today in the gender war, driving accusations that any women who loves power and money is of her line, and setting up a horror figure that no good Kikuyu women would wish to be associated with. In time, it seems, hers is one story that may yet be retold. In preindustrial societies, women have little control over pregnancy and childbirth, which limits the scope of their lives. Similarly, men’s greater height and physical height and physical strength are highly valued resources. But industrialization gives people choices about how to live. Today, then, in societies like our own, biological differences provide little justification for partriachy. Legitimate or not, male dominance still holds. Some sociologists claim that biological factors â€Å"wire† the sexes with different motivations and behaviours, specifically more aggressiveness in males. Most sociologists, however, believe that gender is primarily a social construction that can be changed. Gender Socialization From birth until death, human feelings, thoughts and actions reflect the social as different kinds of human beings. By age tree, they incorporate gender into their identities by applying society’s standards to themselves. Just as gender affects how we think of ourselves, so it teaches us to act in normative ways. Gender roles are attitudes and activities that society links to each sex. Male – female differences Most of the differences between men and women turn out to be socially created. However there are some differences in physical ability between the sexes such as, on average, males are 10 percent taller, 20 percent heavier and 30 percent stronger, especially in their upper bodies. On the other hand, women outperform men in life expectancy. In adolescence, males show greater mathematical ability, whereas adolescent females excel in verbal skills a difference that reflects both biology and socialization. Research points no overall differences in intelligence between males and females. Biologically then, men and women differ in limited ways, neither one being naturally superior. Sex and the body At birth, females and males are distinguished by primary sex characteristics, namely the genital organs used to reproduce the human species. At puberty, humans exhibit secondary sex characteristics, whereby bodily development, apart from the genitals, that distinguishes biologically mature females and males. To accommodate pregnancy, giving birth, and nurturing infants, adolescent females develop wider hips, breasts and soft fatty tissue, thereby providing a reserve supply of nutrition for pregnancy and breast-feeding. Adolescent males, usually slightly taller and heavier than females from birth, typically develop more muscle in the upper body, more extensive body hair and deeper voices. Sexual orientation Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes. Sexual orientation also refers to a person’s sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions. Research over several decades has demonstrated that sexual orientation ranges along a continuum, from exclusive attraction to the other sex to exclusive attraction to the same sex. However, sexual orientation is usually discussed in terms of three categories: heterosexual (having emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to members of the other sex), gay/lesbian (having emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to members of one’s own sex), and bisexual (having emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to both men and women). This range of behaviors and attractions has been described in various cultures and nations throughout the world. Many cultures use identity labels to describe people who express these attractions. The most frequent labels are lesbians (women attracted to women), gay men (men attracted to men), and bisexual people (men or women attracted to both sexes).. Sexual orientation is distinct from other components of sex and gender, including biological sex (the anatomical, physiological, and genetic characteristics associated with being male or female), gender identity (the psychological sense of being male or female) and social gender role (the cultural norms that define feminine and masculine behavior). Sexual orientation is commonly discussed as if it were solely a characteristic of an individual, like biological sex, gender identity, or age. This perspective is incomplete because sexual orientation is defined in terms of relationships with others. People express their sexual orientation through behaviors with others, including such simple actions as holding hands or kissing. Thus, sexual orientation is closely tied to the intimate personal relationships that meet deeply felt needs for love, attachment, and intimacy. In addition to sexual behaviors, these bonds include nonsexual physical affection between partners, shared goals and values, mutual support, and ongoing commitment. Therefore, sexual orientation is not merely a personal characteristic within an individual. Rather, one’s sexual orientation defines the group of people in which one is likely to find the satisfying and fulfilling romantic relationships that are an essential component of personal identity for many people. How people know their Sexual orientation? According to current scientific and professional understanding, the core attractions that form the basis for adult sexual orientation typically emerge between middle childhood and early adolescence. These patterns of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction may arise without any prior sexual experience. People can be celibate and still know their sexual orientation-–be it lesbian, gay, bisexual, or heterosexual. Different lesbian, gay, and bisexual people have very different experiences regarding their sexual orientation. Some people know that they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual for a long time before they actually pursue relationships with other people. Some people engage in sexual activity (with same-sex and/or other-sex partners) before assigning a clear label to their sexual orientation. Prejudice and discrimination make it difficult for many people to come to terms with their sexual orientation identities, so claiming a lesbian, gay, or bisexual identity may be a slow process. What role do prejudice and discrimination play in the lives of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people? Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people encounter extensive prejudice, discrimination, and violence because of their sexual orientation. Intense prejudice against lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people was widespread throughout much of the 20th century. Public opinion studies over the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s routinely showed that, among large segments of the public, lesbian, gay, and bisexual people were the target of strongly held negative attitudes. More recently, public opinion has increasingly opposed sexual orientation discrimination, but expressions of hostility toward lesbians and gay men remain common in contemporary American society. Prejudice against bisexuals appears to exist at comparable levels. In fact, bisexual individuals may face discrimination from some lesbian and gay people as well as from heterosexual people. Sexual orientation discrimination takes many formsSevere antigay prejudice is reflected in the high rate of harassment and violence directed toward lesbian, gay. Numerous surveys indicate that verbal harassment and abuse are nearly universal experiences among lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Also, discrimination against lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in employment and housing appears to remain widespread. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is another area in which prejudice and discrimination against lesbian, gay, and bisexual people have had negative effects. Early in the pandemic, the assumption that HIV/AIDS was a â€Å"gay disease† contributed to the delay in addressing the massive social upheaval that AIDS would generate. Gay and bisexual men have been disproportionately affected by this disease. The association of HIV/AIDS with gay and bisexual men and the inaccurate belief that some people held that all gay and bisexual men were infected served to further stigmatize lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. What is the psychological impact of prejudice and discrimination? On the social level, prejudice and discrimination against lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are reflected in theeveryday stereotypes of members of these groups. These stereotypes persist even though they are not supported by evidence, and they are often used to excuse unequal treatment of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. For example, limitations on job opportunities, parenting, and relationship recognition are often justified by stereotypic assumptions about lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. On an individual level, such prejudice and discrimination may also have negative consequences, especially if lesbian, gay, and bisexual people attempt to conceal or deny their sexual orientation. Although many lesbians and gay men learn to cope with the social stigma against homosexuality, this pattern of prejudice can have serious negative effects on health and well-being. Individuals and groups may have the impact of stigma reduced or worsened by other characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, religion, or disability. Some lesbian, gay, and bisexual people may face less of a stigma. For others, race, sex, religion, disability, or other characteristics may exacerbate the negative impact of The widespread prejudice, discrimination, and violence to which lesbians and gay men are often subjected are significant mental health concerns. Sexual prejudice, sexual orientation discrimination, and antigay violence are major sources of stress for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Although social support is crucial in coping with stress, antigay attitudes and discrimination may make it difficult for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people to find such support No, lesbian, gay, and bisexual orientations are not disorders. Research has found no inherent association between any of these sexual orientations and psychopathology. Both heterosexual behavior and homosexual behavior are normal aspects of human sexuality. Both have been documented in many different cultures and historical eras. Despite the persistence of stereotypes that portray lesbian, gay, and bisexual people as disturbed, several decades of research and clinical experience have led all mainstream medical and mental health organizations in this country to conclude that these orientations represent normal forms of human experience. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual relationships are normal forms of human bonding. Therefore, these mainstream organizations long ago abandoned classifications of homosexuality as a mental disorder. What is â€Å"coming out† and why is it important? The phrase â€Å"coming out† is used to refer to several aspects of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons’ experiences: self-awareness of same-sex attractions; the telling of one or a few people about these attractions; widespread disclosure of same-sex attractions; and identification with the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community. Many people hesitate to come out because of the risks of meeting prejudice and discrimination. Some choose to keep their identity a secret; some choose to come out in limited circumstances; some decide to come out in very public ways. Coming out is often an important psychological step for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Research has shown that feeling positively about one’s sexual orientation and integrating it into one’s life fosters greater well-being and mental health. This integration often involves disclosing one’s identity to others; it may also entail participating in the gay community. Being able to discuss one’s sexual orientation with others also increases the availability of social support, which is crucial to mental health and psychological well-being. Like heterosexuals, lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people benefit from being able to share their lives with and receive support from family, friends, and acquaintances. Thus, it is not surprising that lesbians and gay men who feel they must conceal their sexual orientation report more frequent mental health concerns than do lesbians and gay men who are more open; they may even have more physical health problems. What about sexual orientation and coming out during adolescence? Adolescence is a period when people separate from their parents and families and begin to develop autonomy. Adolescence can be a period of experimentation, and many youths may question their sexual feelings. Becoming aware of sexual feelings is a normal developmental task of adolescence. Sometimes adolescents have same-sex feelings or experiences that cause confusion about their sexual orientation. This confusion appears to decline over time, with different outcomes for different individuals. Some adolescents desire and engage in same-sex behavior but do not identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, sometimes because of the stigma associated with a nonheterosexual orientation. Some adolescents experience continuing feelings of same-sex attraction but do not engage in any sexual activity or may engage in heterosexual behavior for varying lengths of time. Because of the stigma associated with same-sex attractions, many youths experience same-sex attraction for many years before becoming sexually active with partners of the same sex or disclosing their attractions to others. For some young people, this process of exploring same-sex attractions leads to a lesbian, gay, or bisexual identity. For some, acknowledging this identity can bring an end to confusion. When these young people receive the support of parents and others, they are often able to live satisfying and healthy lives and move through the usual process of adolescent development. The younger a person is when she or he acknowledges a nonheterosexual identity, the fewer internal and external resources she or he is likely to have. Therefore, youths who come out early are particularly in need of support from parents and others. Young people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual may be more likely to face certain problems, including being bullied and having negative experiences in school. These experiences are associated with negative outcomes, such as suicidal thoughts, and high-risk activities, such as unprotected sex and alcohol and drug use. On the other hand, many lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths appear to experience no greater level of health or mental health risks. Where problems occur, they are closely associated with experiences of bias and discrimination in their environments. Support from important people in the teen’s life can provide a very helpful counterpart to bias and discrimination. Support in the family, at school, and in the broader society helps to reduce risk and encourage healthy development. Youth need caring and support, appropriately high expectations, and the encouragement to participate actively with peers. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth who do well despite stress—like all adolescents who do well despite stress—tend to be those who are socially competent, who have good problem-solving skills, who have a sense of autonomy and purpose, and who look forward to the future. In a related vein, some young people are presumed to be lesbian, gay, or bisexual because they don’t abide by traditional gender roles (i. e. , the cultural beliefs about what is appropriate â€Å"masculine† and â€Å"feminine† appearance and behavior). Whether these youths identify as heterosexual or as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, they encounter prejudice and discrimination based on the presumption that they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. The best support for these young people is school and social climates that do not tolerate discriminatory language and behavior. What can people do to diminish prejudice and discrimination against lesbian,gay,and bisexual people? Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people who want to help reduce prejudice and discrimination can be open about their sexual orientation, even as they take necessary precautions to be as safe as possible. They can examine their own belief systems for the presence of antigay stereotypes. They can make use of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community—as well as supportive heterosexual people—for support. Heterosexual people who wish to help reduce prejudice and discrimination can examine their own response to antigay stereotypes and prejudice. They can make a point of coming to know lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, and they can work with lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals and communities to combat prejudice and discrimination. Heterosexual individuals are often in a good position to ask other heterosexual people to consider the prejudicial or discriminatory nature of their beliefs and actions. Heterosexual allies can encourage nondiscrimination policies that include sexual orientation. They can work to make coming out safe. When lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people feel free to make public their sexual orientation, heterosexuals are given an opportunity to have personal contact with openly gay people and to perceive them as individuals. Studies of prejudice, including prejudice against gay people, consistently show that prejudice declines when members of the majority group interact with members of a minority group. In keeping with this general pattern, one of the most powerful influences on heterosexuals’ acceptance of gay people is having personal contact with an openly gay person. Antigay attitudes are far less common among members of the population who have a close friend or family member who is lesbian or gay, especially if the gay person has directly come out to the heterosexual person.

Coffee Analysis Essay

Indtroduction . The history of coffee goes at least as far back as the thirteenth century with a number of myths surrounding its first use. The original native population of coffee is thought to have come from East Africa, and it was first cultivated by Arabs from the 14th century.[1] The earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the 15th century, in the Sufi monasteries of Yemen.[2] By the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East, Persia, Turkey and northern Africa. Coffee then spread to Balkans, Italy and to the rest of Europe, to Indonesia and then to the Americas.[3  ow are coffee prices currently set? A: Coffee prices are set according to the New York â€Å"C† Contract market. The price of coffee fluctuates wildly in this speculative economy, generally hovering around fifty cents per pound. Most coffee is traded by speculators in New York, who trade approximately 8-10 times the amount of actual coffee produced each year. The single most influential factor in world coffee prices is the weather in Brazil. Droughts and frosts portend shortages of coffee and the price increases. Specialty coffee is often imported at a negotiated price over the C market, which is considered a ‘quality premium’. Most of those premiums never reach the coffee farmer, but rather stay in the hands of the exporter. This creates a disincentive for farmers to increase their quality, as they do not receive the direct benefits of increased investment in producing better coffee. http://www.globalexchange.org/fairtrade/coffee/faq http://www.makingittv.com/Sample-Coffee-Shop-Business-Plan.htm Cost structure Dynamics ofWorld Coffee Prices The indicator Price system established in 1965 by International Coffee Organization (ICO) to provide a consistent and reliable procedure for reporting prices of different types of coffee. The ICO indicator price system is based on the four spate price groups namely, Colombian mild  arabicas, Other mild arabicas, Brazilian and other natural arabicas and Robustas. ICO composite indicator provides a benchmark for price of green coffee. ICO organization collects ex-dock shipment prices data and calculates arithmetic mean. This represents ICO composite indicator. The current ICO composite price (US cents per pound) as listed for March, 2013 is 131.38 cents per pound with a high of 135.30 and low of 128.52 cents per pound. The dynamics/trend of the monthly ICO composite price over 1998-2012 can be broken down into three phases. (Refer Figure 1 in appendix) Phase 1: The average composite price for coffee decreases from $108.95 in 1998 to $45.59 in 2001. Phase 2 begin with an increasing trend line where in average composite price increases from to 47.74 in 2002 and continues the upward swing, hitting the maximum in 2011 at an average composite price of $210.39. 2 Phase 3 starts the decline in 2012 to an average price of $156.34 from 210.39 in 2011 and continues in 2013 where the current average price for the first three months is $131.38. Price-elasticity of Demand For and Supply of Coffee The price elasticity demand is measure to show the elasticity of the quantity demanded of the good or service to a change in its price. IN case of Coffee, Coffee is produced primarily in south american countries and some developing countries but consumed in developed countries.With disruptive weather the supply of coffee is suppressed and hence the price of coffee will rise hence the Price of coffee can be considered volatile. Factors/events that affected the world supply and demand of coffee in 2011-2012. Weather has been rated as one of the top factors affecting the supply of coffee. The countries where coffee is grown is generally humid, disruptive patterns in the weather has caused coffee plant diseases. Some articles have also listed fungus as one of the elements causing decrease in the coffee supplies. Difficulty in growing Arabica plants was also listed as one of the reason for shrinking coffee production. Whereas some positive factors which caused marginal increase in coffee supplies are adding of new producing countries,  investment in advanced technologies and increased in number of coffee producers within the same region. Increase in demand can be associated with emerging new markets such as China which was primarily tea market has now seen a sudden shift in taste. Increase in expendable income due to higher salaries has caused the demand for finer coffee to grow. Major determinants of world coffee prices in 2011-2012 Weather and climate change affect coffee prices more than other factors. Coffee trees require specific climatic conditions to produce an optimum crop. Hence, the Prices remained in high throughout 2011where the average composite price was around $210. 2.4) Porters Five Forces Analysis of the Retail Coffee and Snacks Industry: Threat of New Entrants: Moderate ïÆ'Ëœ There is a moderate threat of new entrants into the industry as the barriers to entry are not high enough to discourage new competitors to enter the market. (Appendix 2 shows Barriers to Entry Checklist). ïÆ'Ëœ The industry’s saturation is moderately high with a monopolistic competition structure. ïÆ'Ëœ For new entrants, the initial investment is not significant as they can lease stores, equipment etc. at a moderate level of investment. ïÆ'Ëœ At a localized level, small coffee shops can compete with the likes of Starbucks and Dunkin Brands because there are no switching costs for the consumers. Even thought it’s a competitive industry, the possibility of new entrants to be successful in the industry is moderate. ïÆ'Ëœ But this relatively easy entry into the market is usually countered by large incumbent brands identities like Starbucks who have achieved economies of scale by lowering cost, improved efficiency with a huge market share. There is a moderately high barrier for the new entrants as they differentiate themselves from Starbuck’s product quality, its prime real estate locations, and its store ecosystem ‘experience’. ïÆ'Ëœ The incumbent firms like Starbucks have a larger scale and scope, yielding them a learning curve advantage and favorable access to raw material with the relationship they build with their suppliers. ïÆ'Ëœ The expected retaliation from well-established companies for brand equity, resources, prime real estate locations and price competition are moderately high, which creates a moderate barrier to entry. Threat of Substitutes: High ïÆ'Ëœ There are many reasonable substitute beverages to coffee, which are mainly tea, fruit juices, water, soda’s, energy drinks etc. Bars and Pubs with non/alcoholic beverages could also substitute for the social experience of Starbucks ïÆ'Ëœ Consumers could also make their own home produced coffee with household premium coffee makers at a fraction of the cost for buying from premium coffee retailers like Starbucks. ïÆ'Ëœ There are no switching costs for the consumers for switching to substitutes, which makes the threat high. ïÆ'Ëœ But its important to note that industry leaders like Starbucks are currently trying to counter this threat by selling coffee makers, premium coffee packs in grocery stores but this threat still puts pressure their the margins. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Moderate to Low Pressure ïÆ'Ëœ There are many different buyers in this industry and no single buyer can demand price concession. ïÆ'Ëœ It offers vertically differentiated products with a diverse consumer base, which make relatively low volume purchases, which erodes the buyer’s power. ïÆ'Ëœ Even though there are no switching costs with high availability of substitute products, industry leaders like Starbucks prices its product mix in relation to rivals stores with prevailing market price elasticity and competitive premium pricing. ïÆ'Ëœ Consumers have a moderate sensitivity in premium coffee retailing as they  pay a premium for higher quality products but are watchful of excessive premium in relation product quality. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Low to Moderate Pressure ïÆ'Ëœ The main inputs into the value chain of Starbucks is coffee beans and premium Arabica coffee grown in select regions which are standard inputs, which makes the cost of switching between substitute suppliers, moderately low. Strategic Analysis Of Starbucks Corporation Certified coffee under its coffee and farmer equity (C.A.F.E) program, which gives its suppliers a fair partnership status, which yields them some moderately, low power.7 ïÆ'Ëœ The suppliers in the industry also pose a low threat of competing against Starbucks by forward vertical integration, which lowers their power. Intensity of Competitive Rivalry: High to Moderate ïÆ'Ëœ The industry has a monopolistic competition, with Starbucks having the largest markets share and its closest competitors also having a significant market share, creating significant pressure on Starbucks. ïÆ'Ëœ Consumers do have any cost of switching to other competitors, which crates high intensity in rivalry. ïÆ'Ëœ But its important to note that Starbucks maintain some competitive advantage as it differentiates its products with premium products and services, which cause a moderate level of intensity in competition. ïÆ'Ëœ The industry is mature and growth rate has been moderately low which cause the intensity of competition among the companies to be moderately high due to all of them seeking to increase market shaper from established firms like Starbucks. ïÆ'Ëœ This industry does not have over capacity currently and all these factors contribute to the intensity among rivals to be moderately high. Looking at the Porters five forces analysis, we can get an aggregate industry analysis that the strength of forces and the profitability in the retail coffee and snacks industry are Moderate http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/nithingeereddy/files/starbucks_case_analysis.pdf Cost structure 4.1 Introduction Coffee prices fluctuate heavily from year to year. However, coffee prices do not fluctuate proportionally in each stage of the marketing chain. Consumer prices for example fluctuate less than prices of green coffee on the world market. The degree of fluctuation depends strongly on the way prices are determined. When farmers know in which stage of the production and marketing chain their prices are the most resistant to pressure by buyers and sellers, they can select the most profitable position to increase their market power. Section two takes a look at how prices are influenced and by which factors they are influenced. In section three a closer look is taken at the instability in receipts from coffee exports, caused by fluctuations in prices. This is followed in section four by an exposition about the influence of international commodity agreements on world coffee prices. In this section a short history is presented of the International Coffee Agreements (ICA’s). Section five describes how the margin on coffee is distributed over each stage in the marketing chain. The final section of this chapter presents some conclusions about the pricing in the world coffee market. 4.2 Influences on coffee prices When looking at the price pattern of coffee, one notices that prices are not stable. Price instability occurs in the long run, but also short term prices may change. This section takes a closer look at how coffee prices are determined. Determination of prices depends in the first place on the type of prices. World coffee prices are largely set on the futures and forward coffee markets. The quantity traded on these markets is much larger than actual trade in coffee. Prices are determined on the world market by means of speculation and arbitrage. Since coffee prices are influenced by speculation, pricing depends strongly on expectations about future supply and demand. Local coffee prices may differ between several coffee producing countries. According to De Rijk (1980), prices paid to Indonesian exporters at a given world price depend on the quality of the coffee and regularity and reliability of the quality. Other influences on local prices, according to De Rijk, consist of costs, tax es, information on prices and reliability of contracts. For some decades now the coffee market is showing a structural overproduction. This overproduction is one of the causes of the  weak position of coffee farmers. Figure 3.3 shows that exporting countries possess large stocks. These stocks are mostly set up in abundant years and are used in years of general shortage. Shortages in the supply of coffee are often caused by crop failures through natural incidents. The price of coffee is therefore susceptible to frost and drought, which are two of the leading factors in natural causes. Stocks can be kept by local farmers but more often these stocks are kept by large trading companies, which act as arbitrageurs. Trading companies buy at low prices when supply is abundant and they keep it in stock till prices rise. This provides some extra gains to trading companies, besides the normal margins on trading. Local farmers often do not have the financial resources and storage capacity to keep these stocks themselves. Therefore, they have to sell their coffee to exporters at harvest time against low prices. Farmers could have earned higher prices if they had kept their coffee in stock till the market improved. World prices, farmer prices and consumer prices are correlated with each other. Because stocks appear at different stages in the marketing chain, these prices do not fluctuate proportionally. This is shown in figure 4.1. Mostly these price shock s are taken by exporters’ stocks. As has been mentioned before, exporters often possess more financial resources for storage than local farmers. Also consumer prices fluctuate less than world coffee prices. This is explained by the price setting behaviour of coffee roasters. When world prices go down, consumer prices decrease only fractionally. In case of increasing world prices, consumer prices increase to a larger extent than in case of a price decrease. Besides correlation between prices at different stages of the marketing chain, different types of coffee are also related in pricing. Vogelvang, in his 1992 study, tested some hypotheses concerning the long-run relationships between spot prices of the four main types of coffee. Because coffee types are related to each other, some specific factors concerning the coffee market will be relevant here. These factors are the rate of substitution of coffee types, changes in total world supply or demand, and the existence of an International Coffee Agreement. Besides these specific factors, factors that influence all prices, such as world inflation, interest rates and expectations about economic variables, explain relatedness in prices. Vogelvang computes the following long run equilibrium equations: pcm = 0.91 + pua pom = 11.39 + pua prob = -21.47 + pua where prices are measured in US cents per pound. In these equations cm applies to Colombian Milds, om to Other Milds, rob to Robusta and ua to Unwashed Arabicas (Brazilian). The equations show that prices of Colombian Milds, Other Milds and Robusta are linearly related to price behaviour of Brazilian coffee. In his study, Vogelvang concludes that all the coffee prices move together in the long run. Absolute prices therefore deviate with a certain constant. The equations imply that in the long run Colombian and Other Milds are priced 0.91 cents respectively 11.39 cents per pound higher as Brazilian coffee. The Robusta price of one pound of Robusta is 21.47 cents lower in the long run than the price of Brazilian. Hypotheses concerning a relationship between Robustas and Other Milds are not statistically rejected, but results from this study can not prove a strong relation between low quality coffee like Robusta and high quality coffee like Other Milds. 4.3 Instability in export earnings It has been mentioned previously that the proportion of primary products in total exports of developing countries is high. Prices of primary products fluctuate rather strong. Therefore, these fluctuations may have a large impact on export earnings, imports, investment, employment and government expenditures. Instabilities like these may disrupt the economy of these countries (MacBean & Nguyen, 1987, p.88; Sà ¶dersten, 1980, p.249-255). Price instability and earnings fluctuations are interrelated. Yet, they do not fluctuate proportionally. This depends on the values of the price elasticity of demand, the income elasticity of demand and the price elasticity of supply. The price elasticity of demand measures responsiveness of coffee demand to prices. So, it represents the ratio of percentage change in the  quantity demanded to percentage change in price. Similarly, the ratio of percentage change in the quantity supplied to percentage change in price is called the price elasticity of supply. The income elasticity shows how responsive quantity demanded is to a change in income Suppose price elasticity of demand is (-1). Some coffee farmers decide to increase their production. This implies that world coffee supply increases. In a competitive market, coffee prices will decrease and therefore, demand for coffee will increase. Besides the fact that farmers will receive less payment for each bag of coffee, demand and total quantity exported increases. Therefore, the fall in prices has been exactly offset by higher sales, and the farmers’ income will remain unchanged. This conclusion only applies to the world coffee market in its entirety. The outcome may be all different for individual countries and individual farmers. Mostly one or a few farmers are responsible for an increase in supply. These farmers must be able to produce at low costs, since prices will drop below the initial level. Other coffee farmers may also face a lower price per unit. Therefore some marginal farmers may go out of production, causing prices to return to the long term level. Remaining farmers, who did not change production, have to sell the same output against lower short term prices. Because of this, their total returns will be lower and with the same level of costs, their profits will decrease temporarily. The effects of shifts in supply would be larger if there were economies of scale in coffee production. With economies of scale farmers are stim ulated to increase their production, in attempt to reduce their average costs. So, farmers who increase their production earn higher profits at the expense of farmers with a fixed level of production. However, increases in scale are not possible unlimitedly. Mostly this is restricted by the scarcity of fertile land. Price elasticity of demand In general, price elasticities of demand are low when the product has a low income elasticity, has little or no substitutes and forms a small part of the consumer’s budget. The average price elasticity of demand in industrialised countries with respect to retail prices is, according to estimates by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), about (-0.34). This implies that a 1% price increase (decrease) is accompanied by a decrease (increase) in consumption by 0.34%. Estimates with respect to import prices amount to (-0.2). Other studies have indicated an elasticity of between (-0.2) and (-0.3) in high income countries and of between (-0.4) and (-0.5) in lower income countries (EIU, 1995, p.17). http://www.greenbeanery.ca/bean/documents/scriptie.htm http://www.grin.com/en/e-book/111348/coffee-shop-industry-a-strategic-analysis Competitive Forces that impact competition (Porter Model) 3.1 Competition within the Coffee Shop Industry 20,000 stores with annual revenue of ~ $11 billion Highly concentrated at top and fragmented at bottom – Starbucks ~ 75% of sales Major companies: Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Diedrich (Gloria Jean’s), Peet’s Coffee Competitors can also be found in other industries (convenience stores, gas stations, quick service, fast food restaurants, gourmet food shops, donut shops, filter ~ / specialty coffee machines for home use) e.g. Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonalds Competition through special offers (new tastes), outstanding service/ environment (internet, music, comfortable seating areas, short waiting queues), loyalty programs (bonus cards ensuring frequency of visits) and for premium locations (retail centers, university campuses, etc.) Conclusion – Competition within the Coffee Shop Industry Strong competition within the industry for new customers, premium locations, etc. but overall the industry is saturated, settled and stable which allows almost all of the competitors to yield very good margins (40 to 60 percent)[4] 3.2 Substitute Products Competition with other drinks that are not the main focus of by coffee shops: Soda, Juice, Water, Beer, Sports Drinks Competition with other products, people are spending their money on: Ice Cream, Cigarettes, Sweets Consumers have limited discretionary budget to spend on consumer goods, such as cigarettes, beer and also coffee; coffee shops are therefore fighting for a fraction of this budget Conclusion – Substitutes in the Coffee Industry Very b power of substitute products as especially young people might prefer other products, such as beer, cigarettes or soda 3.3 Barriers to Entry Rather low entry barriers: easy to open a single small cafà © Rent a place, remodel, install the equipment, get license as needed[5] However there are high entry barriers for the specialty level or big league/chain players High up-front investment needed to grow significantly (distribution system: shops, equipment, premium locations; marketing: creation of brand awareness & brand recognition, customer retention) Strong brand recognition of major players, especially Starbucks Partnerships with large, international companies also serve as potential entry barrier for new competitors – Starbucks with Pepsi/ Jim Beam/ Dryer’s Grand Ice Cream/ Barnes & Noble or Caribou Coffee with Apple[6] (See Exhibit 2). Economies of scale (purchase advantages; centralized HR and Marketing) realized by big players, especially Starbucks à ¨ cost disadvantage for new entrants Conclusion – Barriers to Entry in the Coffee Industry Small barriers to entry for small regional chains / cafà ©s, but their expansion is relatively slow due to the increasing speed of the expansion of the major players High barriers to entry into the industry for big players due to high industry concentration on top, huge brand recognition of major brands and high up-front investments are needed 3.4 Power of Suppliers Volatile Raw Material Costs[7]: Particular dependence on supply of higher-priced Arabic beans (premium coffee) – as imported mostly from developing countries, price varies along with the economical and political situation of the export country Dairy products, whose retail prices vary a lot, used for specialty drinks Coffee Shop Chains have contracts securing price stability For most coffee-exporting countries (over 60 ) that is their only â€Å"source of cash†[8] Higher world market demand and higher prices for differentiated (Gourmet and specialty coffees) and sustainable coffee (organic, fair trade, eco-friendly or shade grown) than for coffee commodity: Farmers not agile enough or don’t have the means to switch production Companies are helping  communities to make the change (train them, purchase at fair trade prices[9] and provide technical assistance)[10] Conclusion – Power of Suppliers in the Coffee Industry Very limited power of suppliers as they depend on producer’s help and sell a commodity. 3.5 Power of Customers High dependency of coffee shop chains on frequency of customer purchases Most customers appreciate the nice atmosphere in the coffee shops Preferences of customers are very likely to switch as they might get bored with / tired of the same flavor (relatively low brand loyalty) Shopping behavior is very likely to be influenced by budget constraints, weather conditions or health concerns in the general public Interested in continuous product innovation or seasonal specialties Essential for success – word of mouth and frequency of purchases[11] Conclusion – Power of Customers in the Coffee Industry Very b power of customers as coffee shops depend on word of mouth and customer retention Furthermore a customer’s opinion, preferences and shopping habits can be influenced easily which creates a big threat for the companies. http://www.grin.com/en/e-book/111348/coffee-shop-industry-a-strategic-analysis Market Structure 2.1 Introduction Markets are characterised by the interaction of buyers and sellers. Generally, economic literature distinguishes two ways of interpreting the ‘market’ concept. These interpretations concern the concrete and abstract concept of markets. The first deals with tangible markets. The latter concerns interaction of supply and demand, without the need of immediately supplying the products or having them in the market place. Section two of this chapter presents four main types of market structures. The type of market structure largely determines the relationship between buyers and sellers. Therefore, it also influences pricing of the product and the  distribution of income between economic agents throughout the production and marketing chain. Section three deals with the reasons why markets might diverge from a situation of perfect competition. This situation of imperfect competition is caused by the presence of barriers to entry. This section presents six sources causing these barriers as mentioned by Michael Porter (1980). Finally, section four draws some conclusions. 2.2 Types of market structure In the introduction of this chapter it was mentioned that the ‘market’ concept has two different interpretations. Next, this study operates the abstract concept of markets, when dealing with market structures. Economic literature distinguishes four main types of markets. These markets are divided into perfectly competitive markets, monopoly markets, oligopolistic markets and markets with monopolistic competition. Each stage in the production and marketing chain considered in next chapters, may be characterised by a different type of market. Before examining the coffee market, this section will deal briefly with each type of market. Perfect competition When economists talk about a competitive market, they mean a market with the following four characteristics: First, the market consists of many small buyers and sellers, where no individual buyer or seller is large enough to influence the market price of their product. Second, the product is standardised, which implies that it is a homogeneous product. Third, there are no entry and exit barriers. Fourth, there is complete and perfect knowledge about technology and market prices (Martin, 1993, p.15). In competitive markets suppliers can sell their products only with short term economic profits. In the long run this situation cannot persist. When suppliers earn profits, i.e. their price exceeds their average costs, new suppliers enter the business and established suppliers increase their output in the long run. Monopoly On the other hand there are markets which are dominated by one supplier. This market structure is called a monopoly. Two things distinguish a monopoly  from a competitive market. First, there is only one single supplier that supplies the market. Secondly, entry by other potential suppliers is blockaded. The first characteristic ensures that the monopolist faces no actual competition. Because of this, the monopolist may choose to supply at any point on the market demand curve. To earn the largest possible profit, the monopolist will choose the output that makes his marginal costs equal to his marginal revenue. His output decision will determine the price of the product, which makes him a price setter. The second characteristic implies that the monopolist faces no potential competition. To restrict other suppliers from entering the market there have to be some barriers to entry (Martin, 1993, p.23-24). These barriers are discussed in more detail in the next section. Oligopoly In a competitive market, each supplier is so small that it cannot affect the price. When the supplier raises its price above equilibrium price, he will loose his sales to other suppliers or new entry is provoked. At the other extreme, the monopolist has no rivals to worry about. The monopolist can raise his price without provoking new entry. Between these two extreme cases there is another type of market. Martin (1993, p.110) characterises this type of market by the presence of a few large suppliers which dominate the industry. These suppliers recognise their mutual interdependence and therefore cannot act as a monopolist. This third type of market is called an oligopolistic market. So, under oligopoly there is intense rivalry. Yet, barriers to entry are present which allow for long term profit (Maddala & Miller, 1989, p.375). Monopolistic competition An essential characteristic of this fourth type of market is product differentiation. Maddala & Miller characterise this market â€Å"by a large number of suppliers, each of which has a little market power because it offers a differentiated product. Yet all the suppliers are in competition because their products are close substitutes.† So, â€Å"there are no barriers to entry under monopolistic competition and, hence, there are no economic profits in the long run† (Maddala & Miller, 1989, p.375). Differences in market structure lead to differences in marketpower. Therefore, within the framework of this study, it is important to picture these differences in market structure among subsequent stages. In chapter five it is shown that these differences can be very large for some of the stages in the production and marketing chain of coffee. http://www.greenbeanery.ca/bean/documents/scriptie.htm

Free Essays on Poem

Not a day goes by, I don't see your face And long to be in your embrace, To finally get to kiss those lips To place my hands upon your hips, And look in to those lovely eyes Shining like the moonlit skies To run my fingers through your hair A silkiness beyond compare And finally, caress your lovely cheek So moved; I can not speak To hear that voice; oh so sweet it makes my skip a beat To have and hold you finally To be together, you and me... Free Essays on Poem Free Essays on Poem A Detailed Look at the Second and Third Stanzas in Wallace Stevens’ Of Mere Being The poem, â€Å"Of Mere Being,† by Wallace Stevens, describes the image of a golden bird singing in a palm tree. The first stanza describes a palm tree, standing â€Å"at the end of the mind.† Continuing the poem through solar imagery, a singing bird is pictured in the tree. Stevens then proposes to the reader that we do not need to understand the bird’s song, or why it gives us emotional responses. The reader is lead to except the fact that the bird just exists in the palm tree, in space. In the first line of the second stanza, the bird is described as â€Å"gold feathered.† The significance of a golden bird could symbolize one’s soul, or inner spirit. On the other hand, the bird could be completely outside of us. Its existence is an occurrence that we have no control over. Gold is a precious metal, which could signify life, importance, purity, or something desired. The fact that the bird is gold could signify that the bird’s existence is something that the reader could desire. In the second and third lines of the second stanza, Stevens tells the reader that the bird sings in the palm without any context of human meaning or feeling. The bird is completely alien from our world. This could be a reference to the introverted personal life, which Stevens lead. Stevens had few close friends, and rarely ventured out in the public eye. In Steven’s essay, â€Å"The Noble rider and the Sound of Words,† Stevens explores the role of the poet. Similar to the Greek views of the Philosopher, Stevens sees the poet as a noble person who is sensitive to reality. â€Å"[The poet’s] role, in short, is to help people live their lives. Time and time again it has been said that he may not address himself to an elite. I think he may† (Stevens 5). This implies that the poetic Stevens ... Free Essays on Poem Not a day goes by, I don't see your face And long to be in your embrace, To finally get to kiss those lips To place my hands upon your hips, And look in to those lovely eyes Shining like the moonlit skies To run my fingers through your hair A silkiness beyond compare And finally, caress your lovely cheek So moved; I can not speak To hear that voice; oh so sweet it makes my skip a beat To have and hold you finally To be together, you and me...

paper 1 final draft Essays - Marketing, Human Behavior, Behavior

paper 1 final draft Essays - Marketing, Human Behavior, Behavior Agreeing with Craig Kristina Crotty English Comp October 11 th , 2017 INTRODUCTION Advertisements in this generation have become vivid since the early years of marketing. Putting a clear image in everyone's head that women are supposed to look or act a certain way. They have done extensive research since then, as well. Although, even back then women were demonstrated as the stay at home, cook and clean, wife kind of stereotypes, it is now just more intensified with a sexual kind of aspect. I believe that advertising has gotten more graphic in the way they portray men and women. Showing women in a more sexual way makes women seem less intelligent or less competent. Advertisers dehumanize women more than they do men, as society sees it, in the advertisements today. LITERATURE REVIEW There are a few different articles that show studies on how advertisers dehumanize woman and how different they are from men. In "The Effects of Ad Context and Gender on the Identification of Visually Incongruent Products" by Theodore J. Noseworthy, he talks about how the researchers consistently find that woman process groups of visual objects differently than men. Woman are better at judging visual characteristics, rec alling location and identity, noticing when new objects are added, and identifying common factors between objects. Also, that woman have an ability to memorize groups of objects better than men. Noseworthy states that they refer to these groupings as object arrays and that there are two types of object arrays. These two types of object arrays are competing objects and unrelated objects. In the first study they show that woman can identify an incongruent product if it is promoted among competing products. This performance comes to heighten pr oduct eva luations. In study two, they predicted that women would trade off verbal processing for visuo-spatial processing due to capacity limits in memory. In the researcher's findings, the female ability to identify the incongruent products came at the expense of ad claim recognition. The researcher's show that this is due to a higher rate of ad claim incursion. They did not expect this to occur for males so it brought them to study three. Although, visuo-spatial elaboration disrupted verbal processing, it only occurred for women. The theories for these studies show that the research has direct implications for consumer behavior. The researcher's state that is it important to understand that there are dramatic differences in how males and females process contextual arrays when exploring the effects of advertising context. In "Why the U.S. Ad Industry Will Never Regulate Gender Stereotypes" by Kristina Monllos and Patrick Coffee, states that the British's ASA (Advertising Standar ds Authority) announced that they plan to take a tougher line on ads that mock people for not conforming to gender stereotypes to better serve the public. The ASA cannot ban offending advertisements as consumer complaints but it can recommend that certain campaigns be pulled from commercials. Gender stereotypes have always been an issue in the American advertisement industry and Jessica Greenwood, svp of strategy and partnerships, believes that this state-sanctioned "smackdown" on sexist spots would never happen in the United States. They also acknowledge the factor of the new cycle, which is that a brand releases a campaign ad that offends key members of its target audience, those consumers make their opinions known on social media which cause a backlash to the brands, only to come up again in the next misguided marketing move. Kat Gordon, CEO of 3% Conference, believes that if agencies and brands come together they can fix gender stereotyping. Stating that they need to have dive rse people making the ads, having agencies amend their languages about stereotypical depictions of women, and talk about stereotypes from the start. This article also states that the United States and Great Britain have come to the same conclusion, just in very different ways; that brands know that stereotyping more of their target audiences will not help boost sales. The next article gets into more detailed about stereotypes, typically stereotypes of women and how they are portrayed in advertisements. In "Images of Women in Online Advertisements of Global Products: Does Sexism Exist?" the authors show tables based on product categories and stereotype

Condensation Reaction Definition in Chemistry

Condensation Reaction Definition in Chemistry A condensation reaction is a chemical reaction between two compounds where one of the products is water, ethanol, acetic acid,  hydrogen sulfide, or ammonia. A condensation reaction is also known as a  dehydration reaction. This type of reaction forms an addition product and water in the presence of a catalyst or under acidic or basic conditions. The opposite of a condensation reaction is a hydrolysis reaction. Condensation Reaction Examples Reactions that produce acid anhydrides are condensation reactions. For example: acetic acid (CH3COOH) forms acetic anhydride ((CH3CO)2O) and water by the condensation reaction2 CH3COOH → (CH3CO)2O H2OCondensation reactions are also involved in the production of many polymers. In organisms, biosynthesis reactions form peptide bonds between amino acids and are involved in fatty acid formation. Examples of named condensation reactions include aldol condensation, Dieckman condensation, Clasien condensation, and Knoevenagel condensation reactions. Sources Bruckner, Reinhard (2002). Advanced Organic Chemistry (First ed.). San Diego, California: Harcourt Academic Press. pp. 414–427. ISBN 0-12-138110-2.Condensation Reaction. IUPAC Copendium of Chemical Terminology (Gold Book). IUPAC.Voet, Donald; Voet, Judith; Pratt, Chriss (2008). Fundamentals of Biochemistry. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. p. 88. ISBN 978-0470-12930-2.