Two Variable Inequality Essay Example for Free

Two Vari commensurate Inequality Essaya) Let c be the identification total of classic maple rocking chairs and m be the number of classic maple rocking chairs that Ozark Furniture Company make. b) Here we have given that a classic maple rocker requires 15 get on feet of maple, and a modern rocker requires 12 visiting card feet of maple. We have c classic maple rocker, so total maple required for classic maple rocker chair = 15c board feet. And we have m modern maple rocker, so total maple required for classic maple rocker chair = 12m board feet. We have total maple available is 3000 board feet.Hence we can show this condition as15c + 12m 3000.This is the inequality which is showing the given situation.c) Graph for this inequalityd) Here this is a less than and equal to inequality, so we need to take the area which is below to the declension 15c + 12m = 3000 and this will be a solid line on the boundaries. The region lies between origin to x and y intercepts. Each point wh ich is in the low gear quadrant and under the shaded area is a solution for the given inequality. So, if (x, y) is a point in the shaded region and then Ozark Furniture Company can restrain x number of classic and y number of modern maple rocking chairs. So, x axis is showing number of classic maple rocking chairs and y axis is showing the number of modern maple rocking chairs. i) Consider the point (50, one C).This point is indicating that high society is reservation 50 classic and 100 modern maple rocking chairs. So, c = 50 and m = 100.So, 15c + 12m = 15(50) + 12(100) = 750 + 1200 = 1950.Total board maple available = 3000 board feet.Hence, total remaining maple = 3000 1950 = 1050 board feet. So, (50, 100) point, which is within the region showing that the federation is making 50 classic and 100 modern maple rocking chairs and victimisation 1950 board feet of maple. In this case total waste of maple is 1050 board feet. So, the company can fill the order easily. ii) Consi der the point (200, 100).This point is indicating that the company is making 200 classic and 100 modern maple rocking chairs. So, c = 200 and m = 100.So, 15c + 12m = 15(200) + 12(100) = 3000 + 1200 = 4200.Total board maple available = 3000 board feet.Hence, extra maple required = 4200 3000 = 1200 board feet. So, (200, 100) point, which is step to the fore of the region showing that the company is making 200 classic and 100 modern maple rocking chairs and need 4200 board feet of maple. In this case the company needs 1200 board feet of maple. So, company cannot fill this order with the available maple. iii) Consider the point (100, 125).This point is indicating that the company is making 100 classic and 125 modern maple rocking chairs. So, c = 100 and m = 125.So, 15c + 12m = 15(100) + 12(125) = 1500 + 1500 = 3000.Total board maple available = 3000 board feet.So, here the company has exact amount of required maple.So, (100, 125) point, which is exactly on the line showing that the co mpany is making 100 classic and 125 modern maple rocking chairs and need to be very careful because company has exact amount of maple available to complete this order. So, company can complete the order. f) Here the order is of 125 classic rocking chairs and 175 modern rocking chairs. In terms of point we can show this condition as (125, 175). So, we have c = 125 and m = 175.So, 15c + 12m = 15(125) + 12(175) = 1875 + 2100 = 3975 board feet. Total maple available = 3000 board feet.So, Ozark Furniture will need 3975 3000 = 975 board feet of lumber. So, Ozark Furniture is not able to fill this order because the point is outside of the shaded area and company will need 975 board feet of lumber to fill the order. Conclusion This was a real look example that how to use inequalities in our business. By the use of this we got to know that we will able to fill any order or not and if not then how much more raw-material we need to complete the order. This was very interesting question and w e discussed all the 3 possible cases in this.ReferencesDugopolski, M. (2012). Elementary and intermediate algebra (4th ed.). New York, NY McGraw-Hill Publishing.

Organic vs Non-Organic Essay Example for Free

Organic vs Non-Organic EssayI. Introduction Thesis Statement People should ask organic nourishments because they have More nutritious, No pesticides are use on them, No hormones or antibiotics are used in their production A. Major Proposition or bring in (before because) People should consume organic foods B. 1st Minor Proposition or Premise (after because) More nutritious. C. second Minor Proposition or Premise (after because) No pesticides are used on them. D. 3rd Minor Proposition or Premise (after because) No hormones or antibiotics are used in their production. II. A. 1st Minor Proposition or Premise (after because)More nutritious B. Evidence Expert Testimony Lady Eve Balfour Philosophical Theory Jeffrey Stephen Wicken Historical Examples N/A Statistics ( journeytoforever. org/farm_library/worthington-organic. pdf) Logic The producers of non-organic food argue that the organic label is a marketing tool. It is not a statement virtually food safety. Nor is organic a value judgment about nutrition or quality. Organic is how it is produced. Just because something is labeled organic does not mean it is superior, safer, or more well-informed than conventional foods.All foods in this surface area must meet the same high standards of safety regardless of their classification C. Opposition of 1st Minor Proposition/Premise There is no read whatsoever that a diet high in or exclusively of organic foods is any healthier for you than a diet of conventional foods, no go along or consistent difference could be found in the nutritional value D. Evidence Expert Testimony Martin Hickman Philosophical Theory Dan Glickman 2004 Historical ExamplesN/A Statistics (http//www. independent. co. uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/organic-food-no-healthier-than-conventional-1764448. html) Logic There is plenty of evidence however that a diverse diet, high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish is healthy E. Refutation(Against) of Opposition Premise A considerable am ount of research has been conducted on the nutrient content of organic vs. conventional foods over the last century III. A. 2nd Minor Proposition or Premise (after because) No pesticides are used on them. B. Evidence Expert Testimony Sir (Dr. ) tin Krebs.Philosophical Theory Ned boor Historical Examples N/A Statistics http//www. independent.co. uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/organic-food-no-healthier-than-conventional-1764448. html Logic While synthetic pesticides are prohibited in organic farming, some inseparable pesticides may still be used, and they are not necessarily less worrisome just because theyre natural. C. Opposition of 2nd Minor Proposition/Premise Organic farmers claim to use a combination of techniques to avoid having to resort to using pesticides D.Evidence Expert Testimony Sir (Dr. ) John Krebs Philosophical Theory Ned skinflint Historical Examples N/A Statistics http//ourworld. unu.edu/en/apples-have-feelings-too/ Logic Organic pesticides pose exactly the sa me sort of environmental and health risks as do non-organic pesticides and oftentimes pose more risks than synthetics. E. Refutation(Against) of Opposition PremiseThe difference between organic and synthetic pesticides is not their toxicity to pests, people or the environment, scarcely rather their profligate IV. A. 3rd Minor Proposition or Premise (after because) No hormones or antibiotics are used in their production B. Evidence Expert Testimony Sir (Dr. ) John Krebs Philosophical Theory Ned Goth Historical Examples N/A.Statistics (http//www. independent. co. uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/organic-food) Logic All scientists said it was safe and none of the studies showed the hormone to appear in or alter the milk or meat C. Opposition of 3rd Minor Proposition/Premise Organic milk and non-organic milk are essentially identical D. Evidence Expert Testimony Sir (Dr. ) John Krebs Philosophical Theory Robert V. Tauxe, M. D Historical Examples N/A Statistics ABC News 20/20, How equitable is organic food? , February 20,2000 Logic Hormones appear naturally in all milk, eggs and soy products F.Refutation(Against) of Opposition Premise Conventional milk in the US is 100% free of artificial hormones and 99. 999% free of antibiotics. V. Conclusion So is organic food better for you? Well if you consider that decreasing your toxin burden and increasing your recess of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can have a significant impact on health, then it certainly is. Of course, you have to be able to afford the increase in price, but it might be worth cutting out fast foods and spending your money more wisely on home-made meals.

Importance of Brands and Branding

Importance of Brands and BrandingAbstractRe favoriteitive failures live companies millions of dollars in redesign costs, liabilities, and transaction costs. However, by far the nearly serious cost of these failures is the scattered business that results from node defection. For overhaul companies, the task of providing error-free redevelopments is so far a good deal than ch every(prenominal)enging because their nonphysical nature renders subjective cognitions of whole step. Equally troublesome is the refractory element of customer participation in the run process because convergenceion and ingestion occur as a simultaneous process. Despite these challenges practicallyover, avail prize and customer satisfaction be closely re previous(a)d constructs. When service bearrs continuously strive to develop error-free processes, customer satisfaction is sure to follow.Chapter 1 Introduction numerous traffickers be rethinking their instiganting because competitive pressures, recent bring, and changing customer of necessity guard eroded their flaws positions of strength. However, amplifyd merchandising expenditures to reposition grimes frequently clippings fail to dumbfound any im ratifyments in either overall encounter or marketplace bottom share. recognise has sh ingest that companies should focus on achievable rather than aspirational spatial relation, and that three steps tin succor ensure success1. Ensure relevance to a customers framing of reference.Be full aware of the faults frame of reference so that a displace strategy give strike with customers.Look at a confederacy of customers attitudes and the situations in which the deformity is utilize to obtain the most cause customer insights.2. gear up the customers permission for the pose.Recognize that permission amounts to a reasonable and logical extension of the target in the customers eyes.Leverage a mail public figures unique wound up benefits to ca rry customers from their contemporary flaw recognition to the intended one.3. Deliver on the grasss freshly promise.Identify the lane of execution of instrument signals that will convince customers of the reinvigorated leaf blade positioning.Develop crossroad/service programs to ensure reproducible performance on these signals.Track and assess performance against customer signals prior to entrying the new positioning.Adopt an interim positioning to establish pock credibility and performance.An array of factors is requiring marketers today to rethink their commemorate positioning. changing customer needs are often eroding the carrys set up position. At the same time, increasing competitive pressures required by new entrants and convergence innovations, and the pro animationration of new channels and promotional sweats, are driving marketers back to the dra profitg board.Many CEOs and CMOs, however, bring give away themselves displeased with the results of their repositioning efforts. Increased market expenditures devoted to repositioning brands in the minds of consumers often fail to produce any improvements in either overall image or market share. Why do these closely-intentioned efforts turn into tradeing failures? musical composition there are some causes, companies often fail to focus on achievable brand positioning rather than stigmatization in service sector. in any case often, their efforts target an ambitious goal that outstrips the actual ability of the brand to incline on what it has promised to customers. Or the goal is in ilk manner far from customers veritable brand perception to be a historicalistic brand objective. For exampleIn the late 1 980s Oldsmobile wanted to revitalize its brand and gear it to a younger audience. thus marketers at General Motors launched a creative campaign around the tagline, non your fathers Oldsmobile, spunkylighting the cars improved styling and new features. But for many a(pren ominal) younger consumers, this was too much of a stretch for the brand. The product modifications did non go far equal to meet the needs and expectations of the new customer embed they were targeting. As a result, Oldsmobile recognise the need to shift its campaign. Eventually, GM closed its Oldsmobile division.More of late, United Airlines ascension campaign go abouted to position the brand as the most passenger-centric airline, with a carry regarding of customer problems and the solutions needed to fix them. The campaign had the effect of top expectations, which were quickly deflated, however, by the brands inability to deliver against the promises made as part of its bluff new positioning platform. Consequently, United was forced to change its central brand message no longer emphasizing Rising.Many high-tech businesses pose recently repositioned themselves as e-business brands. However little effort was made by these brands to distinctly disparateiate themselves f rom one another despite the millions of dollars spent on elaborate marketing programs. The net effect, according to their research, has been to sow confusion in the minds of customers, rather than to phrase sound brand identities.These examples and most marketers pot cite many others belowscore the autocratic to pursue a brand positioning that is eminently achievable, not estimable attractive. Based on our experience, three steps can cooperate ensure that they prepare this distinction 1) ensuring relevance to a customers frame of reference 2) securing the customers permission for the positioning and 3) making sure that the brand delivers on its promise.Be Relevant to the Customers Frame of citationWhen repositioning a brand, its essential for marketers to capture not just the emotional and physical needs of the customer precisely the dynamics of the situation in which those needs occur. We refer to this as the customers frame of reference. For example, age isotonic beve rages like Gatorade and Powerade are thirst-quenching drinks, consumers tend to think of them in the broader stage setting of sports, exercise, and physical activity. Importantly, the frame of reference sets the parameters for customers context set the brands they will cull from. Indeed, most customers move over a truly circumstantial definition of what the brand is and what it can be relative to their frame of reference. dislodge a brand too far from this frame of reference creates customer confusion that makes a positioning unsuccessful.Attempting to brand Gatorade, for example, within a social, lighthearted context would probably be stretching the brand too far from the current sports/physical activity frame of reference. Similarly, a communications federation k promptlyn for info run for business customers would likely be positioning the brand too far outside of the customers frame of reference if it suddenly tried to launch a friends-and-family speaking plan. Being fully aware of the frame of reference for a brand can help ensure that its repositioning strategy will resonate with customers. But the frame of reference is usually a combination of some(prenominal) customers attitudes and the situations in which the brand is used. As a result, we typically find the most powerful customer insights and segmentation coiffe from looking at a combination of these factorsIn some categories, customers broader attitudes are the dominant factor. How customers think about pet-related brands, for example, can be seen in the context of how they treat their own pets whether they view them as family particles, topper friends/companions, or in a less personal way. If customers view pets as family members, the best message for the brand will appeal to such human qualities as nurturing and pampering. This family member orientation or frame of reference may help stick out a brand extension to a full range of pet function, such as grooming and assentingories .Other customer needs are not as consistent, but better understood within the context of particular situations or sub-categories. In the field of airline travel, for example, the customers frame of reference may be a function of the type of trip they are taking. The customer who is used to traveling within the U.S. in cramped coach-class conditions, for example, will have a much dissimilar set of needs and expectations than the traveler who is used to flying to worldwide destinations with all the comforts of starting-class service.As a result, in most slips the frame of reference is built upon a combination of both of the above attitudinal and situational forces. For example, while consumers may generally have a health-conscious attitude about the foods they eat, on genuine special occasions they may allow themselves to become more(prenominal) indulgent, creating what we call a need state.A strong brand identity can in like manner help marketers secure the desired permission from consumers. Because Victorias Secret owns or is associated with the thought of intimate endorsements, for example, it would be easier for that brand to get permission to introduce a new line of lingerie or perfume with a sensual connotation than it would be to launch a line of jeans or handbags.In repositioning, marketers must acquire the idea that they are brand stewards, while customers define their relationship with the brand and determine the basis for the relationship. A steward must spend more time deeply understanding what customers really think about the brand and where voltage bridges to return and new branding exist. For example, Smuckers could leverage the wholesome goodness their incorruptible customers attribute to them instead of solely focusing on themselves as product processors.Marketers should not attempt to cover the waterfront here, but instead focus on the germane(predicate) interrelated hot buttons that will clearly convey the message. For example, in the sheath of a technology brand positioning itself as humanizing technology for everyday tribe, the strongest set of pathways to the positioning came from product signals such as customized hardware and specific activity platforms (e.g., games, household management) rather than from equipment with the latest features and innovative design. The pathway modeling also indicated the strong signal value of the brands customer service representatives having an understanding of an individual customers needs. This great service signal led to the broader customer perception of the brand as condole with an all important(p) personality signal for the brand to deliver on its positioning. Additionally, the marketer learned that having technicians follow done with customers to issue resolution was a critical service signal that led to the broader personality signal of the brand being master key another key for the brand to live up to its positioning. With these insights, the market er could allocate resources accordingly, ensuring that the more important signals were being appropriately supported.Develop necessary product/service programs to ensure consistent performance on these signals to the customer. For example, if the brand positioning is built around superior customer satisfaction, but frontline sales people are careful on revenue rather than satisfaction, it is unlikely that consistent performance will be achieved. So, if airline gate agents are the first and most important interlocutor point for customers, they should be empowered to solve customers issues instead of redirecting them to customer service personnel. In the technology brand example, given the importance of the customer service representatives and service technicians, there should be a greater emphasis on the quality of the service delivered rather than on the number of customers that can be serviced over a given time period.Make sure approaches are in place to traverse and assess your performance against these customer signals prior to the formal launching of the new positioning. Applying rigorous quality assurance procedures to key elements of the new brand experience will often ensure that customers are not disappointed, or fail to have their expectations met. Current data-collection methods allow for rapid response and can be leveraged to determine whether the launch programs are having their desired effect on brand perceptions.Due to the confusedities of brand positioning, many marketers are correctly choosing to move to an interim positioning. This interim positioning is designed to establish brand credibility and performance on the road to fully achieving the longer-term aspirational positioning. Such a positioning focuses on those aspects of the brand on which the organization is presently able to deliver. Interim positioning is often essential when a brand stakes out new territory considered up market, addresses an important or long deficiency, or is attempting to redefine its competitive set. As the brand evolves (based on customers changing perceptions), additional grammatical constituents of the new platform can be devote into place and confidently communicated to consumers. Target Stores successfully employed an interim positioning as it evolved the brand up market from a position as a discount retail merchant of national brands to a contemporary urban chic retail brand providing good value. The interim positioning emphasized value without sacrificing style and involved specific merchandising efforts such as stylized color blocking and associations with build designers (e.g., Frank Gehry). As the brand evolved to its current positioning, it further emphasized the designer motion in its advertising, often having models wearing various house wares as high fashion.By focusing on achievable instead of aspirational brand positioning, companies can help ensure meaningful market share results while enhancing their brand image. This requires, however that the new brand position fits comfortably within the customers frame of reference, and that it not attempt to overreach. Marketers must also secure the customers permission to cut through the brand by building a bridge of relevant benefits to carry customers from the current to the intended brand position. Implementing the performance delivery systems to ensure the brand is able to live up to its new promise is the final critical step in building and implementation a successful brand positioning program.Chapter 2 Literature review article 2.1 Branding Definition and benefitsLiterature gives several definitions of the term brand. The common themes are that a brand is more than just a combination of a name, a design, a symbol or other features that differentiate a good or a service from others. It is a unique set of tangible and intangible added values that are perceived and valued by the customer. In addition a brand is give tongue to to have personalit y, an emotional bond to the customer that grows out of the perceived characteristics.These certain features of a brand grow out of a complex set of added values that can comprise of memorial and tradition, additional operate, marketing messages, quality, popularity of the product amongst a certain group of users (status) and others. These basiss of a brand perception prove that a strong brand can not be established over night The development of a brand takes time, strong financial marketing muscle and good marketing skills such asInsight into customer needs,Ability to offer products or service that meet those needs,Creativity to produce exiting and compelling advertising,Ability to communicate differentiation in a way that customers understand and that motivates them.Without this process they do not have a brand but hardly a name and a sign for a product. Brands have benefits for both, the brand owners as sellers and the customersBenefits of a brand forSellersCustomersIdentifies the companies products, makes repeat purchases easierFacilitates promotion effortsFosters brand loyalty stabilises market share entirelyows to charge superior prices and thus to get better marginsAllows to extend the brand to new products, new markets and to new geographic areasCan communicate like a shot with the customer, reach over the shoulder of the retailerMore leverage with middlemenIs more resistant to price competitionCan have a long lifeIs more forgiving of mistakesHelps identify productsHelps evaluate the quality of a productHelps to reduce perceived risk in buy, provides assurance of quality, reliability etc.Is unspoiled (consistent in quality)May offer psychological reward (status symbol)rout symbolize through a range of alternativesSaves customer timeIs easier to process mentallyWith this latent a brand can offer an important competitive payoff for a seller who has decided for a differentiation strategy. Even in markets with many akin products or services a br and can provide some sort of uniqueness to a certain product. Depending from the strength of a brand the branded product thus can be positioned towards a more monopolistic situation.With all these characteristics a brand is important in an organisations marketing mix. Although it is basically a certain feature of the category product, it influences every component of the marketing mixThe product gets a high value in the perception of the customers.This influences the pricing policy in the way that often a premium can be charged.The promotional strategy and mix will be different because it is more focused on the brand than on the individual product. For instance the introduction of a new product under a well established umbrella brand requires a very different promotion campaign than the introduction of a new brand or an unbranded product.The decision for the place and the marketing channel is influenced because a branded product with a higher perceived value big businessman be pl aced in an environment that is well related to the brands personality, e.g. gourmet shop vs. food department in a supermarket.2.2 Branding strategiesBesides the more general decision for the use of brands the decision for the branding strategies is important. There are several aspects to be consideredOwnership of brandsStructure of brand systemsRegarding the ownership, Dibb (1997) and Kotler (1999) differentiate between five categoriesThese decisions need to be taken carefully. They offer not only large opportunities but also various risksA confederacy which has strong manufacturer brands may decide to sell the same or similar products to retailers for use as their own label brands. If consumers become aware of this they might change their perception of the manufacturer brandThey get the same product for a lower price under my retailers brand. orThey sell the same affair under another name very cheap. This product is not exclusive anymore. I go for another brand then.Extensive perm issions for the licensed use of a strong brand for other products can destroy the value of the brand. Pierre Cardin has lost lots of its luxury appeal since various goods with this name can be found in every department store. The structure of brand systems describes how an organisations products and brands are related. Dibb (1997) distinguishes between2.3 Branding for service industries2.3.1 Reason for branding servicesAlthough the principles for branding of goods and services are generally the same there occur some differences. These arise from the different natures of both categories. The main differences that influence branding policies are that services wipe out a changing level of quality,The consumer has to become involved in the consumption of a service actively,They are intangible and not storable.When a brand in general gives the consumer more confidence in his choice this is even more important for services. Their quality and other features are more difficult to asses. Bec ause of their intangibility and complexity it is harder for the customer to distinguish between the offers from the wide range of service companies are work in the market place.This especially applies to the market of method of method of accounting, auditing and consulting where consolidation and planetaryisation increase competition. In an FT-article about branding accounting services (Kelly 1998) a branding estimable states that more than 70 % of the Fortune 500 companies said branding is more and more important in helping them to choose where to get a service. They want to be able to tell who is good at what.2.3.2 Drivers for the use of branding in the accounting/consulting industry with a focus on the largish Five (former cosmic Six) firmsThe with child(p) Five accounting firms have a long hi baloney up to 75 to 100 years. These firms have developed from smaller entities through co-operations and mergers. lots new products and new markets have been developed by buying in, by buying the expertise and the access in the form of other firms. For many small and medium accounting and auditing firms it is attractive to join the association (in most cases) of one of the large players for the following reasonsThe form of an association with independent member firms allows to harbor a level of individuality although in some cases this is not long-lasting. The rank in an large powerful firm gives a competitive advantage ( theme, access to cutledge, access to new markets, higher market share, cost savings through sharing resources, e.g. for training and recruitment etc.).Partners of these smaller firms are often offered to become partners in the large firm.For a long time the industry did not put much effort in the development of brands.The tradition and long lasting reputation of the Big Five itself gave their names a considerable brand value. For quite a a long time this was fairly enough for their purposes. In Kellys (1998) article a professional fir ms branding expert states that for many years the accountancy firms hid behind the convenient parapet of the Big Six brand label. In the audit market most shareholders were happy to have any audit firm as long as it was from the Big Six.Other factors were legal limitations for advertising. Accounting firms were first allowed to advertise in 1984. That means that marketing and communications focused mainly on activities like excellent work and the power of word of mouth, job advertisements (as the only allowed advertisements they were used as a means to present the company), speaking at conferences, publishing articles in professional journals, co-operating with universities and business schools and so on. Accounting firms saw themselves as a conservative industry with discretion as one of their services. In their minds this didnt go unitedly with an aggressive marketing campaign.In the last years the industry has seen some developments that required new strategiesGlobalisation A gl obal client needs a global auditor because companies are legally required to prepare consolidated financial statements including all subsidies around the world. This is much easier if you have all subsidies audited by the same firm. In addition global clients have a high need for specialised consulting. They often prefer a consultant that is as global as they are to get more expertise and consistency.Stagnation in the core business The handed-down auditing business does not show high growth rates. An individual firms growth can mainly be achieved at the expense of competitors.Growth in consulting services On the contrary to the auditing business there is an enormous growth for consulting services. The accounting firms have traditionally done some consulting and now they developed these activities aggressively. This had two resultsA growing variety of services offered these new products had to be communicated to existing and potentiality clients Accounting firms came into direct c ompetition with the traditional consulting firms which had their own brands and reputationNeed for commensurate people With the development of new products/services all firms needed much more highly qualified people. Recruitment became an important issue. (For example The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers took on about 1000 new employees in 1998, the first year after the merger.) This led to a competition to attract the best university students.All these factors together increased competition amongst the Big Five. For this industry excellent quality is not a means to get a competitive advantage, it is an important demand for any success at all. A large variety of services is important but the customer will perceive it only in the moment he needs a certain service.In this situation the Big Five did not manage to differentiate themselves successfully from competition. A survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers during the merger process revealed that the business communit y and the general public did not and do not perceive any compelling differences between and among either the Big Six or the Big Five. Not only did all firms come on to have similar defining qualities, they were also not sending any consistent messages about their organisations to external audiences.Here a strong brand with a personality and a clear message can be a invaluable means for differentiation and thus for gaining a competitive advantage. By now we can say that the Big Five have become aware of this. flat they invest heavily to reposition themselves and to develop their good names to real power brands.2.4 Benefits of brandingBranding is the process of creating distinctive and durable perceptions in the minds of consumers. A brand is a persistent, unique business identity intertwined with associations of personality, quality, origin, liking and more. Heres why the effort to brand their company or their self pays off. Memorability A brand serves as a convenient container for a reputation and good will. Its hard for customers to go back to that whats its name store or to refer business to the plumber from the yellowness Pages. In addition to an effective company name, it helps when people have strong reminders reinforcing the identity of companies they will want to do repeat business with refrigerator magnets, carryall bags, date books, coasters, key rings, first aid kits, etc. Memorability can come from using and sticking with an unusual color combination (FedExs purple and orange), distinctive conduct (the gas station whose attendants literally run to clean your windshield), or with an individual, even a style of clothing (Author Tom Wolfes white suits). Develop their own identifiers and apprehend them to their company name in the minds of their public. Loyalty When people have a arrogant experience with a memorable brand, theyre more likely to buy that product or service again than competing brands. People who closely bond with a brand identit y are not only more likely to redemption what they bought, but also to buy related items of the same brand, to recommend the brand to others and to resist the lure of a competitors price cut. The brand identity helps to create and to anchor such loyalty. Consider the legions of car owners who travel up to 2,000 miles at their own expense to attend a Saturn celebration at the companys plant in mold Hill, Tennessee. Thats loyalty. And supposedly, more people have the motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson tattooed on their automobile trunk than any other brand name. Thats out-of-this-world loyalty. Familiarity. Branding has a big effect on non-customers too. Psychologists have shown that familiarity induces liking. Consequently, people who have never done business with you but have encountered their company identity sufficient clock may become unforced to recommend them even when they have no personal knowledge of their products or services. Seeing their ads on local buses, having the ir pen on their desk, reading about them in the Hometown News, they spread the word for them when a friend or colleague asks if they know a ____ and thats what they do. Premium image, premium price Branding can lift what they sell out of the realm of a commodity, so that instead of dealing with price-shoppers they have buyers eager to pay more for their goods than for those of competitors. Think of some peoples willingness to buy the currently in brand of bottled water, versus toting along an unlabeled bottle of the same stuff change from the office water cooler.The distinctive value inherent in a brand can even lead people to dismiss evidence they would unremarkably use to make buying decisions. I once saw one middle-aged Cambridge, Massachusetts, intellectual argue to several colleagues that Dunkin Donuts coffee apprehensions better than Starbucks. So distant was this claim to the two companies reputations for this demographic group that the colleagues refused to put the matte r to a taste test. Extensions With a well-established brand, they can spread the respect they will earn to a related new product, service or location and more easily win acceptance of the newcomer. For instance, when a winery with a good reputation starts up regional winery tours, and then adds foreign ones, each business introduction benefits from the positive perceptions already in place. Greater company equity Making their company into a brand usually means that they can get more specie for the company when they decide to sell it. A Coca-Cola executive once said that if all the companys facilities and inventory vanished all around the world, he could walk into any depose and take out a loan based only on the right to the Coca-Cola name and formula. Lower marketing expenses Although they must invest money to create a brand, once its created they can maintain it without having to tell the whole story about the brand every time they market it. For instance, a jingle people in thei r area have heard a zillion times continues to promote the company when its played without any words. For consumers, less risk When someone feels under pressure to make a wise decision, he or she tends to choose the brand-name supplier over the no-name one. As the saying goes, Theyll never be fired for buying IBM. By building a brand, they fatten their bottom line.2.5 Brand structures for services industriesAs for services, literature suggests to use the companies name a so called incorporated brand as the overall family brand for all the services offered. Murphy (1990) calls this the big approach. He argues that especially for companies which offer an enormous array of services (e.g. consultants, banks) corporate names must be used to deliver more talk benefits of quality, value and integrity. de Chernatony (1996) comes to the conclusion that corporate brands are a crucial means to help make the service offering more tangible in consumers minds and can enhance consumers percep tions and trust in the range of services provided by the company.One prejudice of corporate brands little opportunity for developing second or sub-brands for differentiate product lines- applies more to branded products. However Murphy (1990) states that many companies have elect an approach of local autonomy but group-wide coherence as a system whereby individual divisions and products are largely free-standing but mention is made in all literature and on all stationery and products that company A is member of the XYZ group. This approach is very common amongst the Big Five accounting and auditing firms. It allows their national member firms, to exploit the groups brand name and their own (brand) name at the same time. Many member firms that had joined the global firms have lonImportance of Brands and BrandingImportance of Brands and BrandingAbstractRepetitive failures cost companies millions of dollars in redesign costs, liabilities, and transaction costs. However, by far the m ost serious cost of these failures is the lost business that results from customer defection. For service companies, the task of providing error-free services is even more challenging because their intangible nature renders subjective perceptions of quality. Equally troublesome is the uncontrollable element of customer participation in the service process because production and consumption occur as a simultaneous process. Despite these challenges however, service quality and customer satisfaction are closely related constructs. When service providers continuously strive to develop error-free processes, customer satisfaction is sure to follow.Chapter 1 IntroductionMany marketers are rethinking their branding because competitive pressures, new channels, and changing customer needs have eroded their brands positions of strength. However, increased marketing expenditures to reposition brands often fail to produce any improvements in either overall image or market share. Experience has s hown that companies should focus on achievable rather than aspirational positioning, and that three steps can help ensure success1. Ensure relevance to a customers frame of reference.Be fully aware of the brands frame of reference so that a repositioning strategy will resonate with customers.Look at a combination of customers attitudes and the situations in which the brand is used to obtain the most powerful customer insights.2. Secure the customers permission for the positioning.Recognize that permission amounts to a reasonable and logical extension of the brand in the customers eyes.Leverage a brands unique emotional benefits to carry customers from their current brand perception to the intended one.3. Deliver on the brands new promise.Identify the pathway of performance signals that will convince customers of the new brand positioning.Develop product/service programs to ensure consistent performance on these signals.Track and assess performance against customer signals prior to l aunching the new positioning.Adopt an interim positioning to establish brand credibility and performance.An array of factors is requiring marketers today to rethink their brand positioning. Changing customer needs are often eroding the brands established position. At the same time, increasing competitive pressures created by new entrants and product innovations, and the proliferation of new channels and promotional campaigns, are driving marketers back to the drawing board.Many CEOs and CMOs, however, find themselves displeased with the results of their repositioning efforts. Increased marketing expenditures devoted to repositioning brands in the minds of consumers often fail to produce any improvements in either overall image or market share. Why do these well-intentioned efforts turn into marketing failures? While there are many causes, companies often fail to focus on achievable brand positioning rather than branding in service sector. Too often, their efforts target an ambitious goal that outstrips the actual ability of the brand to deliver on what it has promised to customers. Or the goal is too far from customers current brand perception to be a realistic brand objective. For exampleIn the late 1 980s Oldsmobile wanted to revitalize its brand and gear it to a younger audience. Thus marketers at General Motors launched a creative campaign around the tagline, Not your fathers Oldsmobile, highlighting the cars improved styling and new features. But for many younger consumers, this was too much of a stretch for the brand. The product modifications did not go far enough to meet the needs and expectations of the new customer set they were targeting. As a result, Oldsmobile recognized the need to shift its campaign. Eventually, GM closed its Oldsmobile division.More recently, United Airlines Rising campaign attempted to position the brand as the most passenger-centric airline, with a clear understanding of customer problems and the solutions needed to fix them. The campaign had the effect of raising expectations, which were quickly deflated, however, by the brands inability to deliver against the promises made as part of its bold new positioning platform. Consequently, United was forced to change its central brand message no longer emphasizing Rising.Many high-tech businesses have recently repositioned themselves as e-business brands. However little effort was made by these brands to clearly differentiate themselves from one another despite the millions of dollars spent on elaborate marketing programs. The net effect, according to their research, has been to sow confusion in the minds of customers, rather than to forge strong brand identities.These examples and most marketers can cite many others underscore the imperative to pursue a brand positioning that is eminently achievable, not just attractive. Based on our experience, three steps can help ensure that they make this distinction 1) ensuring relevance to a customers frame of refer ence 2) securing the customers permission for the positioning and 3) making sure that the brand delivers on its promise.Be Relevant to the Customers Frame of ReferenceWhen repositioning a brand, its essential for marketers to capture not just the emotional and physical needs of the customer but the dynamics of the situation in which those needs occur. We refer to this as the customers frame of reference. For example, while isotonic beverages like Gatorade and Powerade are thirst-quenching drinks, consumers tend to think of them in the broader context of sports, exercise, and physical activity. Importantly, the frame of reference sets the parameters for customers consideration set the brands they will choose from. Indeed, most customers have a very specific definition of what the brand is and what it can be relative to their frame of reference. Repositioning a brand too far from this frame of reference creates customer confusion that makes a positioning unsuccessful.Attempting to br and Gatorade, for example, within a social, lighthearted context would probably be stretching the brand too far from the current sports/physical activity frame of reference. Similarly, a communications company known for data services for business customers would likely be positioning the brand too far outside of the customers frame of reference if it suddenly tried to launch a friends-and-family calling plan. Being fully aware of the frame of reference for a brand can help ensure that its repositioning strategy will resonate with customers. But the frame of reference is usually a combination of both customers attitudes and the situations in which the brand is used. As a result, we typically find the most powerful customer insights and segmentation come from looking at a combination of these factorsIn some categories, customers broader attitudes are the dominant factor. How customers think about pet-related brands, for example, can be seen in the context of how they treat their own p ets whether they view them as family members, best friends/companions, or in a less personal way. If customers view pets as family members, the optimal message for the brand will appeal to such human qualities as nurturing and pampering. This family member orientation or frame of reference may help support a brand extension to a full range of pet services, such as grooming and accessories.Other customer needs are not as consistent, but better understood within the context of specific situations or sub-categories. In the field of airline travel, for example, the customers frame of reference may be a function of the type of trip they are taking. The customer who is used to traveling within the U.S. in cramped coach-class conditions, for example, will have a much different set of needs and expectations than the traveler who is used to flying to international destinations with all the comforts of first-class service.As a result, in most instances the frame of reference is built upon a combination of both of the above attitudinal and situational forces. For example, while consumers may generally have a health-conscious attitude about the foods they eat, on certain special occasions they may allow themselves to become more indulgent, creating what we call a need state.A strong brand identity can also help marketers secure the desired permission from consumers. Because Victorias Secret owns or is associated with the notion of intimate moments, for example, it would be easier for that brand to get permission to introduce a new line of lingerie or perfume with a sensual connotation than it would be to launch a line of jeans or handbags.In repositioning, marketers must embrace the idea that they are brand stewards, while customers define their relationship with the brand and determine the basis for the relationship. A steward must spend more time deeply understanding what customers really think about the brand and where potential bridges to growth and new branding exis t. For example, Smuckers could leverage the wholesome goodness their loyal customers attribute to them instead of solely focusing on themselves as fruit processors.Marketers should not attempt to cover the waterfront here, but instead focus on the relevant interrelated hot buttons that will clearly convey the message. For example, in the case of a technology brand positioning itself as humanizing technology for everyday people, the strongest set of pathways to the positioning came from product signals such as customized hardware and specific application platforms (e.g., games, household management) rather than from equipment with the latest features and innovative design. The pathway modeling also indicated the strong signal value of the brands customer service representatives having an understanding of an individual customers needs. This important service signal led to the broader customer perception of the brand as caring an important personality signal for the brand to deliver o n its positioning. Additionally, the marketer learned that having technicians follow through with customers to issue resolution was a critical service signal that led to the broader personality signal of the brand being professional another key for the brand to live up to its positioning. With these insights, the marketer could allocate resources accordingly, ensuring that the more important signals were being appropriately supported.Develop necessary product/service programs to ensure consistent performance on these signals to the customer. For example, if the brand positioning is built around superior customer satisfaction, but frontline sales people are measured on revenue rather than satisfaction, it is unlikely that consistent performance will be achieved. So, if airline gate agents are the first and most important contact point for customers, they should be empowered to solve customers issues instead of redirecting them to customer service personnel. In the technology brand e xample, given the importance of the customer service representatives and service technicians, there should be a greater emphasis on the quality of the service delivered rather than on the number of customers that can be serviced over a given time period.Make sure approaches are in place to track and assess your performance against these customer signals prior to the formal launching of the new positioning. Applying rigorous quality assurance procedures to key elements of the new brand experience will often ensure that customers are not disappointed, or fail to have their expectations met. Current data-collection methods allow for rapid response and can be leveraged to determine whether the launch programs are having their desired effect on brand perceptions.Due to the complexities of brand positioning, many marketers are correctly choosing to move to an interim positioning. This interim positioning is designed to establish brand credibility and performance on the road to fully achie ving the longer-term aspirational positioning. Such a positioning focuses on those aspects of the brand on which the organization is currently able to deliver. Interim positioning is often essential when a brand stakes out new territory considered up market, addresses an important or longstanding deficiency, or is attempting to redefine its competitive set. As the brand evolves (based on customers changing perceptions), additional components of the new platform can be put into place and confidently communicated to consumers. Target Stores successfully employed an interim positioning as it evolved the brand up market from a position as a discount retailer of national brands to a contemporary urban chic retail brand providing good value. The interim positioning emphasized value without sacrificing style and involved specific merchandising efforts such as stylized color blocking and associations with name designers (e.g., Frank Gehry). As the brand evolved to its current positioning, i t further emphasized the designer theme in its advertising, often having models wearing various house wares as high fashion.By focusing on achievable instead of aspirational brand positioning, companies can help ensure meaningful market share results while enhancing their brand image. This requires, however that the new brand position fits comfortably within the customers frame of reference, and that it not attempt to overreach. Marketers must also secure the customers permission to extend the brand by building a bridge of relevant benefits to carry customers from the current to the intended brand position. Implementing the performance delivery systems to ensure the brand is able to live up to its new promise is the final critical step in building and executing a successful brand positioning program.Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Branding Definition and benefitsLiterature gives several definitions of the term brand. The common themes are that a brand is more than just a combination of a name, a design, a symbol or other features that differentiate a good or a service from others. It is a unique set of tangible and intangible added values that are perceived and valued by the customer. In addition a brand is said to have personality, an emotional bond to the customer that grows out of the perceived characteristics.These certain features of a brand grow out of a complex set of added values that can comprise of history and tradition, additional services, marketing messages, quality, popularity of the product amongst a certain group of users (status) and others. These basiss of a brand perception prove that a strong brand can not be established over night The development of a brand takes time, strong financial marketing muscle and good marketing skills such asInsight into customer needs,Ability to offer products or services that meet those needs,Creativity to produce exiting and compelling advertising,Ability to communicate differentiation in a way that customers understand and that motivates them.Without this process they do not have a brand but only a name and a sign for a product. Brands have benefits for both, the brand owners as sellers and the customersBenefits of a brand forSellersCustomersIdentifies the companies products, makes repeat purchases easierFacilitates promotion effortsFosters brand loyalty stabilises market shareAllows to charge premium prices and thus to get better marginsAllows to extend the brand to new products, new markets and to new geographic areasCan communicate directly with the customer, reach over the shoulder of the retailerMore leverage with middlemenIs more resistant to price competitionCan have a long lifeIs more forgiving of mistakesHelps identify productsHelps evaluate the quality of a productHelps to reduce perceived risk in buying, provides assurance of quality, reliability etc.Is dependable (consistent in quality)May offer psychological reward (status symbol)rout map through a range of alternativesSav es customer timeIs easier to process mentallyWith this potential a brand can offer an important competitive advantage for a seller who has decided for a differentiation strategy. Even in markets with many similar products or services a brand can provide some sort of uniqueness to a certain product. Depending from the strength of a brand the branded product thus can be positioned towards a more monopolistic situation.With all these characteristics a brand is important in an organisations marketing mix. Although it is basically a certain feature of the category product, it influences every component of the marketing mixThe product gets a higher value in the perception of the customers.This influences the pricing policy in the way that often a premium can be charged.The promotional strategy and mix will be different because it is more focused on the brand than on the individual product. For instance the introduction of a new product under a well established umbrella brand requires a ve ry different promotion campaign than the introduction of a new brand or an unbranded product.The decision for the place and the marketing channel is influenced because a branded product with a higher perceived value might be placed in an environment that is well related to the brands personality, e.g. gourmet shop vs. food department in a supermarket.2.2 Branding strategiesBesides the more general decision for the use of brands the decision for the branding strategies is important. There are several aspects to be consideredOwnership of brandsStructure of brand systemsRegarding the ownership, Dibb (1997) and Kotler (1999) differentiate between five categoriesThese decisions need to be taken carefully. They offer not only large opportunities but also various risksA company which has strong manufacturer brands may decide to sell the same or similar products to retailers for use as their own label brands. If consumers become aware of this they might change their perception of the manufa cturer brandThey get the same product for a lower price under my retailers brand. orThey sell the same thing under another name very cheap. This product is not exclusive anymore. I go for another brand then.Extensive permissions for the licensed use of a strong brand for other products can destroy the value of the brand. Pierre Cardin has lost lots of its luxury appeal since various goods with this name can be found in every department store. The structure of brand systems describes how an organisations products and brands are related. Dibb (1997) distinguishes between2.3 Branding for service industries2.3.1 Reason for branding servicesAlthough the principles for branding of goods and services are generally the same there occur some differences. These arise from the different natures of both categories. The main differences that influence branding policies are that servicesHave a changing level of quality,The consumer has to become involved in the consumption of a service actively,T hey are intangible and not storable.When a brand in general gives the consumer more confidence in his choice this is even more important for services. Their quality and other features are more difficult to asses. Because of their intangibility and complexity it is harder for the customer to distinguish between the offers from the wide range of service companies are working in the market place.This especially applies to the market of accounting, auditing and consulting where consolidation and globalisation increase competition. In an FT-article about branding accounting services (Kelly 1998) a branding expert states that more than 70 % of the Fortune 500 companies said branding is increasingly important in helping them to choose where to get a service. They want to be able to tell who is good at what.2.3.2 Drivers for the use of branding in the accounting/consulting industry with a focus on the Big Five (former Big Six) firmsThe Big Five accounting firms have a long history up to 75 to 100 years. These firms have developed from smaller entities through co-operations and mergers. Often new products and new markets have been developed by buying in, by buying the expertise and the access in the form of other firms. For many small and medium accounting and auditing firms it is attractive to join the association (in most cases) of one of the large players for the following reasonsThe form of an association with independent member firms allows to retain a level of individuality although in some cases this is not long-lasting. The membership in an large powerful firm gives a competitive advantage (reputation, access to knowledge, access to new markets, higher market share, cost savings through sharing resources, e.g. for training and recruitment etc.).Partners of these smaller firms are often offered to become partners in the large firm.For a long time the industry did not put much effort in the development of brands.The tradition and long lasting reputation of the B ig Five itself gave their names a considerable brand value. For quite a long time this was fairly enough for their purposes. In Kellys (1998) article a professional firms branding expert states that for many years the accountancy firms hid behind the convenient parapet of the Big Six brand label. In the audit market most shareholders were happy to have any audit firm as long as it was from the Big Six.Other factors were legal limitations for advertising. Accounting firms were first allowed to advertise in 1984. That means that marketing and communications focused mainly on activities like excellent work and the power of word of mouth, job advertisements (as the only allowed advertisements they were used as a means to present the company), speaking at conferences, publishing articles in professional journals, co-operating with universities and business schools and so on. Accounting firms saw themselves as a conservative industry with discretion as one of their services. In their mind s this didnt go together with an aggressive marketing campaign.In the last years the industry has seen some developments that required new strategiesGlobalisation A global client needs a global auditor because companies are legally required to prepare consolidated financial statements including all subsidies around the world. This is much easier if you have all subsidies audited by the same firm. In addition global clients have a high need for specialised consulting. They often prefer a consultant that is as global as they are to get more expertise and consistency.Stagnation in the core business The traditional auditing business does not show high growth rates. An individual firms growth can mainly be achieved at the expense of competitors.Growth in consulting services On the contrary to the auditing business there is an enormous growth for consulting services. The accounting firms have traditionally done some consulting and now they developed these activities aggressively. This had two resultsA growing variety of services offered these new products had to be communicated to existing and potential clients Accounting firms came into direct competition with the traditional consulting firms which had their own brands and reputationNeed for qualified people With the development of new products/services all firms needed much more highly qualified people. Recruitment became an important issue. (For example The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers took on about 1000 new employees in 1998, the first year after the merger.) This led to a competition to attract the best university students.All these factors together increased competition amongst the Big Five. For this industry excellent quality is not a means to get a competitive advantage, it is an important requirement for any success at all. A large variety of services is important but the customer will perceive it only in the moment he needs a certain service.In this situation the Big Five did not manage to differentiate themselves successfully from competition. A survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers during the merger process revealed that the business community and the general public did not and do not perceive any compelling differences between and among either the Big Six or the Big Five. Not only did all firms appear to have similar defining qualities, they were also not sending any consistent messages about their organisations to external audiences.Here a strong brand with a personality and a clear message can be a valuable means for differentiation and thus for gaining a competitive advantage. By now we can say that the Big Five have become aware of this. Now they invest heavily to reposition themselves and to develop their good names to real power brands.2.4 Benefits of brandingBranding is the process of creating distinctive and durable perceptions in the minds of consumers. A brand is a persistent, unique business identity intertwined with associations of personality, quality, origin, liking and more. Heres why the effort to brand their company or their self pays off. Memorability A brand serves as a convenient container for a reputation and good will. Its hard for customers to go back to that whats its name store or to refer business to the plumber from the Yellow Pages. In addition to an effective company name, it helps when people have material reminders reinforcing the identity of companies they will want to do repeat business with refrigerator magnets, tote bags, date books, coasters, key rings, first aid kits, etc. Memorability can come from using and sticking with an unusual color combination (FedExs purple and orange), distinctive behavior (the gas station whose attendants literally run to clean your windshield), or with an individual, even a style of clothing (Author Tom Wolfes white suits). Develop their own identifiers and nail them to their company name in the minds of their public. Loyalty When people have a positive experience with a memorable brand, theyre more likely to buy that product or service again than competing brands. People who closely bond with a brand identity are not only more likely to repurchase what they bought, but also to buy related items of the same brand, to recommend the brand to others and to resist the lure of a competitors price cut. The brand identity helps to create and to anchor such loyalty. Consider the legions of car owners who travel up to 2,000 miles at their own expense to attend a Saturn celebration at the companys plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Thats loyalty. And supposedly, more people have the motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson tattooed on their body than any other brand name. Thats out-of-this-world loyalty. Familiarity. Branding has a big effect on non-customers too. Psychologists have shown that familiarity induces liking. Consequently, people who have never done business with you but have encountered their company identity sufficient times may become willing to recomm end them even when they have no personal knowledge of their products or services. Seeing their ads on local buses, having their pen on their desk, reading about them in the Hometown News, they spread the word for them when a friend or colleague asks if they know a ____ and thats what they do. Premium image, premium price Branding can lift what they sell out of the realm of a commodity, so that instead of dealing with price-shoppers they have buyers eager to pay more for their goods than for those of competitors. Think of some peoples willingness to buy the currently in brand of bottled water, versus toting along an unlabeled bottle of the same stuff filled from the office water cooler.The distinctive value inherent in a brand can even lead people to dismiss evidence they would normally use to make buying decisions. I once saw one middle-aged Cambridge, Massachusetts, intellectual argue to several colleagues that Dunkin Donuts coffee tastes better than Starbucks. So contradictory was this claim to the two companies reputations for this demographic group that the colleagues refused to put the matter to a taste test. Extensions With a well-established brand, they can spread the respect they will earn to a related new product, service or location and more easily win acceptance of the newcomer. For instance, when a winery with a good reputation starts up regional winery tours, and then adds foreign ones, each business introduction benefits from the positive perceptions already in place. Greater company equity Making their company into a brand usually means that they can get more money for the company when they decide to sell it. A Coca-Cola executive once said that if all the companys facilities and inventory vanished all around the world, he could walk into any bank and take out a loan based only on the right to the Coca-Cola name and formula. Lower marketing expenses Although they must invest money to create a brand, once its created they can maintain it without having to tell the whole story about the brand every time they market it. For instance, a jingle people in their area have heard a zillion times continues to promote the company when its played without any words. For consumers, less risk When someone feels under pressure to make a wise decision, he or she tends to choose the brand-name supplier over the no-name one. As the saying goes, Theyll never be fired for buying IBM. By building a brand, they fatten their bottom line.2.5 Brand structures for services industriesAs for services, literature suggests to use the companies name a so called corporate brand as the overall family brand for all the services offered. Murphy (1990) calls this the monolithic approach. He argues that especially for companies which offer an enormous array of services (e.g. consultants, banks) corporate names must be used to deliver more generalised benefits of quality, value and integrity. de Chernatony (1996) comes to the conclusion that corporate brands are a crucial means to help make the service offering more tangible in consumers minds and can enhance consumers perceptions and trust in the range of services provided by the company.One disadvantage of corporate brands little opportunity for developing second or sub-brands for differentiated product lines- applies more to branded products. However Murphy (1990) states that many companies have chosen an approach of local autonomy but group-wide coherence as a system whereby individual divisions and products are largely free-standing but mention is made in all literature and on all stationery and products that company A is member of the XYZ group. This approach is very common amongst the Big Five accounting and auditing firms. It allows their national member firms, to exploit the groups brand name and their own (brand) name at the same time. Many member firms that had joined the global firms have lon

Slavery in Ancient Rome

Slavery in Ancient RomeA slave was a person who was usually captured in battle and trust patronise to Rome to be sold. Most slaves in ancient Rome were acquired through warfare, and the Roman armies would bring back captives as part of a fix for their presence in battles. Some of the defeated soldiers were as well as brought back as slaves and normally brought in a lot of money and this could also serve as an alternative to imprisoning them or killing them. Fathers could also go on and sell their children into slavery if they had a need for money and this was actually lawful. The abanthroughd children on the streets could also be brought up as slaves. Slaves were brought in from all over Europe and the Mediterranean especially among the Germans, Thracians, Celts and Eastern Mediterranean. It was against the law to enslave Roman citizens or Italians musical accompaniment in Gallia Cisalpina. New slaves were acquired first by wholesalers who dealt directly with the Roman armies. M whatsoever of these dealers were Jewish in origin and slavery trade served as their main(prenominal) source of livelihood for the Roman Jews. Julius Ceasar once sold the whole populace of a conquered region in Gaul of almost 53000 people to slave traders at a go.Slaves were sold at public auctions within the empire or in shops and the most valuable were sold by private sales. The sales were overseen by Roman fiscal officials called Quaestors. Sometimes the traders built revolving stands where the slaves stood and they hung around their necks a plaque describing each slave in terms of their origin, health, intelligence, character and any other nurture that would help the buyer make a sale. Prices were usually pegged on age and strength and some sales have been documented to have fetched thousands of dollars in to geezerhood dollars. The dealers gave a six months guarantee if the slave showed any defects that were not stated at the time of the sale by taking back the slave or retu rning the buyers money. Slaves that were sold without a guarantee were made to wear a cap at the time of the auction.The experiences of slaves generally varied with the place and the person who owned them. there were many reports of abuse and harsh treatment given to slaves though it is not possible to indicate how widespread this was at the time. Cato the Elder was recorded as formula that he expelled any old and sick slaves within his household. Some defeated soldiers usually chose to commit suicide rather than be taken into slavery by the Romans. Seneca who was a Roman writer held the view that a well treated slave performed better than a mistreated slave. An example of different experience by slaves would be that of Cicero who had a slave called beginner. Tiro was Ciceros secretary, confidant editor and right-hand man. After Ciceros death Tiro went on to publish a number of Ciceros speeches since he had known where they had kept them. Tiro also wrote the biography of Cicero, a grammar book and a book on philosophical questions and also invented a parvenue geek of shorthand that he had used to take notes from Cicero. Ciceros brother and his family were very close to Tiro and when Tiro had been taken ill before, his master Cicero had literally taken caveat of him like he would have his own child. Ciceros son, Marcus, often wrote to Tiro whenever he needed any advice and the two had a relationship more of an uncle and nephew rather than that of a young lord and family slave. In 53BCE, Cicero freed Tiro. On that day Ciceros brother Quintos wrote him a letter of congratulations that read, I am truly grateful for what you have done about Tiro, in judging his former condition to be below his deserts and preferring us to have him as a friend rather than a slave. Believe me, I jumped for joy when I read your letter and his. Thank you, and congratulations. Tr. K. Bradley, Slavery and Society at Rome. Scholars believe that Tiro may have morose 50 on the day he was freed. This relationship raises many questions about slavery, why did it take Cicero so many years too free Tiro if he had noted for all those years how loyal and true Tiro was? Most compelling of all, if you grew up in a world where the social inception of slavery was normal, even normative, how could one recognize the human dignity of any slave?As many enemies as slaves was common proverb heard end-to-end Roman lands. Most citizens believed there was a constant danger of servile insurrection, which had more than once seriously threatened the republic, and as such this justified the severest measures in self-defense. They used the law of collective responsibility if a slave killed his master, the authorities put all of the slaves in that household to death. Slaves who misbehaved have been known to be beaten, burned-out with an iron or sometimes even killed, regardless of their age or sex although most slaves were usually males. Slaves normally sought freedom by escaping the ir homes. historian Moses Finley noted as such, fugitive slaves are almost an obsession in the sources. Harboring of fugitive slaves in Rome was il sub judice and professional slave-catchers were hired to hunt cumulus runaways. Advertisements were posted everywhere which provided descriptions of escaped slaves, and offered rewards in some cases. When caught, fugitives were brutally punished and branded on the forehead with the letter F, for fugitivus. Sometimes slaves had a metal three riveted around the neck and such a collar was preserved in Rome and states in Latin, I have run away. Catch me. If you take me back to my master Zoninus, youll be rewarded.The legal status of slaves in ancient Rome was well defined. First and foremost slaves were property and their owners exercised dominium over slaves. Dominium was the absolute right to ostracise of and control the use of a piece of property. Secondly, slaves could have no family. Any children conceived of the slaves automatically became slaves and mothers chose to kill their babies rather than expose them to slavery. Slaves formed families but they had no legal authority to protect these relationships. Third, a slave by all definition had no honor and dignity and the essence of being a slave was the inability to protect ones body. A slave was also defined by the absence of the right to a fair trial and appeal before suffering any physical punishment. Owners could beat slaves as they wished and even demand for sexual relations with slaves of either sex. The mere experience of a state in which an individual could not protect his own body from abuse was inherently and permanently degrading. As in the case of Tiro and Cicero, Tiro was still a slave in spite of all the respect and loyalty he received from his master and his family.No-one is sure how many slaves existed in the Roman Empire. Even after Rome has passed it days of greatness, it is thought that 25% of all people in Rome were slaves. Slavery in the R oman Empire did not suddenly end, but it was slowly replaced when new economic forces introduced other forms of cheap labor.

Does Managing An Organizations Culture Replace Bureaucracy Management Essay

Does Managing An Organizations Culture Replace Bureaucracy Management EssayBureaucracy is bear on with the imposition of rules and the attitude that way knows the best. There is a strong hierarchy, and no involvement of lower level employees blend-to-rule principle, there is division of labour and impersonality (see Fincham and Rhodes,2005). Weber showd it to be the absolute necessity in modern times since it is the most skilfully efficient model the decisive reason for the advancement of bureaucratic brasss has been purely its technical superiority over any other forms of organizations (Weber1964). Therefore, the question arises as to which is the best way to achieve the coordination and control of an organization, Webers claimed technically efficient model bureaucracy, nuance management using quill and Waterman claims for Human Relations or post bureaucratic approaches and so on , which will be argued upon in this essay, and giving a conclusion in the end.Bureaucratic organ izations develop a purification of the master knows all and is always right. This was facilitated by unskilled move around requirements and hence, managers were able to keep primal information to themselves, with no discussion with those d make the hierarchy. Due to low skill levels, employees were easily replaceable, obedience to rules was fairly easy to achieve, and employees themselves were reluctant to participate due to neglect of knowledge. Such a system is easily maintainable in a built in bed of unskilled workers, who be just required to work along the machinery pace, controlled by top management (see Charlie Chaplin- Modern times). However, employees are now more(prenominal) educated than ever before, they want to be appreciated for the higher level efforts they place and the greater knowledge they posses. dent and Waterman in their book In search for excellence argue that the workers have more to give and managers have more to make up if they are willing to listen and understand employees feelings. This detail is further justified by the issue of job security. Managers deliberately restricted individual autonomy since they feared the want of their own positions if workers know more. They deliberately used technology to deskill work as they feared their seats being at risk. Lane(1988) argues that higher education has do managers less uncertain and more willing to delegate work to those below them.The Japanese success (Clarke and Newman1993) featuring introduction of new cost force-outive means of production, teamworking, and continuous production (Kaizen) someone who work daily on an issue understands the problem more than those who have virtually no practical experience about it, and small contributions by any(prenominal) worker leads to continuous improvement in productivity, whereas technology gives only a one off improvement, accelerated the establishment of formal elaboration in which employee contributions could be formally en couraged. Teamworking was giving boost to the productivity in Japan, with American firms losing out, led to the culture establishment using Mayos claim for human relations theory, and away from Webers pattern bureaucratic model. A movement from standardized mass market products to niche marketing concentration on each individual market segment requiring plastic specialization(Piore and Sabel 1984), increased globalization and competition(Lash and Urry1987) and emergence of complicated technology giving big businessman to people who possessed knowledge about it, trade unions pushing for more function rights and shift towards demand driven economies(Moody1987) emphasizing the inflexibility of large scale organizations, led to the emergence of Post bureaucratic Organizations(PBO), reinforcing that bureaucracy is not perfect. However, more index number to those down the line may lead to chaos as anyone will be pushing forward their own ideas, PBO no longer remain unchanging since more worker autonomy may lead to confusion, as Willmott places it Autonomy is slavery, Bureaucracy is freedom(Willmott1993). This may also lead to jealousy and rivalry amongst employees, and groups will be relate about their own productivity rather than moving towards the corporate goal. Issue of ine forest may arise if views of a certain person or group are given more importance than others, leading to differences, and deviation from the corporate mission.Decentralized culture would mean that there is a quick receipt to market changes, in competitive environment decentralization will help the business to keep its competitive edge and avoid time wasting in decision making. However, what will happen in situations that put the corporate flick at risk? In this case, decentralization might lead to chaos and involvement only bureaucratic organizations which are centralized maybe preferred more. Network firm arise as organization grows complex and global rather than a hierarchy a se t line of accountability and authority, free from confusion. Again, stability is at risk, as control and command in a bureaucracy are taken over by employee empowerment and participation chaos and conflicts are inevitable(see Thompson and McHugh 2002). Therefore, I believe managing a culture based on Post-bureaucracy doesnot completely deprave the need for bureaucracy.Bureaucracy Dysfunctions and work definitionPeter and Waterman argue that bureaucratic organizations deskilling of work, strict division of labour and strong hierarchy, may lead to monotonous, wear out and skill rottening, which leads to workers losing interest and adverse productivity. The solution to this was provided by Dickson and Roethlisberger in their human relations theory in which they argued that management should develop a culture which is concerned towards workers needs, soul, believes, and values. Work, as defined by Watson certain effort and commitment offered by the employee to the employer in return for monetary and other rewards(Watson 2006) these other rewards are clearly the autonomy and empowerment, being appreciated for a work well done and so on, as recognized by Mayo also. Therefore a change in the work definition from Webers work-to-rule, to Watsons commitment and effort require the establishment of a more soul culture. Burawoy(1980) argue that workers have a moral commitment to work work provides identity, as opposed to Foucault who believes that the instrument of discipline and punishment should be used where a normal behaviour is described and there is control depending upon the power of individual. Keeping the issue of fatigue and interest in mind, I believe that managers should concentrate on selecting the right person for the right job (see Blau and Schoenherr1971). Whether a bureaucratic culture is preferred or a lose control one, the right employee type should be chosen to fit in.Perhaps the greatest argument made in favour of bureaucracy is by Weber that it c reates an iron cage of rationality all decisions made are free from sentiments, emotional bias and error, and every action is carried to amplify business success. The question arises, whether it is practical or just an ideology? To be rational one must possess knowledge and understanding of all the relevant information, but no ones knowledge is perfect, so can a rational decision be taken. Simon addressed this as bounded rationality.Bauman(1989) argued that besides much concentration on cost effectiveness is dangerous as it may undo value (ethical) judgments. Merton(1949) argued that it might be the case that rules become more important than result, which may lead to inefficiency, as thought by Blau(1955), who feared that trade unions may set up an agreement of work to rule only. Ritzer(2000) argued that bureaucracy has dehumanizing effect (see The McDonaldization of Society), which is unethical. However, all of these arguments are ignored by Du Gay(2000) who says that bureaucracy protects against unfairness. Although bureaucratic organizations may set up strict obedience to rule and formal communication conduct but Whyte(1943) argues who can stop informal channels from existing? These grapevines are disruptive and may cause revolts against management.Weber argues that trust is installed in bureaucratic organizations since everything is known, where as in case of Post bureaucracies a sudden change of attitude maybe seen with suspicion contradicting Morgan and Sayers views(1988), who believe in the opposite.Management attitude and relevance to TaylorismMcGregor argued that how culture is managed depends to a large extend on what is expected of the employees management perceptions about their employees. If managers believe that workers are loyal, see work as natural and use their own initiative(Theory Y), whence he might set a loose culture with more autonomy. If however, managers believe workers are lazy and need to be urged and pushed to work then a work to rule(Theory X) atmosphere may be preferred. Child(1984) thought bureaucratic organizations have close relevance to Taylorism dehumanizing work, economic man and master knows all, but, the important point to note is that it was only successful in old less competitive times. With the emergence of flexible firms (Atkinson 1984) and networks this becomes more of an ideology.New management styles and normative controlPeter and Waterman in their literature argue that managers should move from being bureaucrats to more creative and flexible. Clarke and Newman (see Clarke, John and Newman 1993) further suggest that managers should Have a visionary quality inspiration for staffBe peoples centered encourage employee contributionsBe customer centered dynamic to adapt to market changesManage culture not by creating rule focused/bureaucratic organizations that inhibit flexibility but creating loose tight organizations, giving way to centralization and decentralization as argued by Peter an ess ential component part in leadership .is to influence and organize meaning for the members of organization(Bennis and Nanus1985).Kunda High Technologies studies and Etzionis work argues about normative control, where employees character should be taken over rather than his work shape behaviour in purposive way( Lammers 1981). Creation of a family culture will encourage worker to give his every effort for the success of the work culture fosters success(Deal and Kennedy1982). By creating a playful environment, managers can control the personal life of employees and mold their actions to obtain desired work behaviour. However there are sinister and aggressive sides of normative control marriage failures and poor health may drag down the productivity and image of the company (see culture control and culture management 2000).ConclusionBureaucracy has certain advantages interms of stability, rationality and planning, and so does the development of a strong formal culture based on worker a utonomy and entrepreneurship. Fletcher Byrom argued make sure you generate a reasonable number of mistakes, which is considered to very important by Peter and Waterman, who argue that successful companies need to innovate , carry out research and develop loose tight properties. I believe that much depends on the type and coat of business a large firm comprising of several thousands of employees, it would be time consuming and disruptive to give autonomy and might cause rivalry and conflict preferring bureaucracy. Incase of delayered globalised firms like multinationals, networks and flexible firms, culture management and empowerment is required. Furthermore, due to variation in human nature who can be sure which factor is a motivator? Whether autonomy and establishment of a strong culture actually facilitates motivation or causes disparity between formal and informal culture as in Disney. Whether employees take pride in empowerment, as thought by Berggen or are too shy, afraid and lazy to take accountability? Some argue that PBO is not a new concept but merely a redefinition of old bureaucracy it has driven out of bureaucracy. As Smiricich argues organization is a culture, I believe that bureaucracy and culture management are not the alternatives for each other, but, should be used simultaneously and interchangeably to boost progress, depending upon the situation Peter and watermans claim for simultaneous loose-tight properties.

The Essence of Teamwork Essay -- Sociology Sociological Team Work Essa

The Essence of TeamworkTwo ar better than one, because they have a good reward for their hard work. For if one of them should fall, the other one can raise his partner up. But how will it be with just the one who locomote when there is not another to raise him up? Ecclesiastes 49, 10 As the scriptural text quoted above implies, teamwork can accomplish what the individual cannot do on his or her own. Teamwork is defined as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a roughhewn purpose, performance goals, and surface for which they are mutually accountable. (Katzenbach and Smith, 1993) In todays society, with so much emphasis on pride and personal achievement, the concept of teamwork seems to be old-fashioned or basic. Clashes of personality, different perspectives and cultures prescribe one to develop a natural inclination toward individual work and an unhealthy reluctance towards team work. Nevertheless, teamwork, if managed properly, can be a sou rce in which complexity is simplified, a problem meets a solution and great things are accomplished. So with the focus on teamwork, what are the present challenges to teamwork? What are some good approaches towards building a successful team? Finally, what are the personal and collective benefits of teamwork?The Challenges to TeamworkWhen asked the question, What are some challenges to teamwork? most people would respond with common answers such as conflicts of personalities, stress, job dissatisfaction, unethical behavior, miscommunication or lack of communication. However, with advancements in technology and a never before experienced contact between the westbound and eastern hemispheres of the world, there are new challenges that are being encountered now and will continue to be dealt with in the future. The challenges that must be met by todays project teams are Virtual Project Teaming, Cross-functional teams, Globalization, Diversity and Time to Market Pressure. Most of the co mmon contributing factors to teamwork failure such as personality conflict, miscommunication or stress are the consequences experienced if the previously mentioned challenges are not met. The greater proportion of the work of virtual project teams is carried out online. These sorts of teams exploit current and consistent communications in order to work together and overcome some of t... ...dividual ideas. An individuals communication, critical thinking, evaluation, conflict resolution and academic skills are improved through positive teamwork activities. As a result of good teamwork, social connections are formed between team members that may extend beyond the workplace or classroom and thus improve team morale and camaraderie. An individuals communication, critical thinking, evaluation, conflict resolution and academic skills are improved. BibliographyCohen, E, (1986). designing Groupwork Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom. raw(a) York Teachers College Press.Katzenbach, J.R and Smith, D.K. (1993). The Wisdom of Teams Creating the High performance Organization. Boston Harvard Business School.Kliem, R and Anderson, H (2003). The Organizational Engineering Approach to Project Management The renewal in Building and Managing Effective Teams. Boca Raton St. Lucie Press.Lipnack, J and Stamps, J (1997). Virtual Teams Reaching Across Space, Time, and Organizations with Technology. New York John Wiley & Sons. New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1984 Revision). New York Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

Atmospheric Circulation And More :: essays research papers

The global energy balance and atmospheric motion mainly determine the circulation of the earths atmosphere. thither is a hierarchy of motion in atmospheric circulation. Each control can be broken down into smaller controlling factors. The global energy balance is an equal balance of short-wave irradiation coming into the atmosphere and long-wave radiation going out of the atmosphere. This is called thermal equilibrium. The earth is at thermal equilibrium however, there can have a surfeit or deficit of energy in parts of the heat budget. If you have a net radiation surplus warm subscriber line will rise, and a net radiation deficit will make the air cool an fall. Air gets heated at the equator because of the inter tropical convergence zone and rises to the poles. There the air is cooled and it floats back down to the equator where the process is repeated. Another major contributing factor to the circulation of the air is due to the subtropical highs. These highs like the ITCZ migr ate during the different seasons. The idealized belt model is a great representation of the general circulation of the atmosphere. The equatorial belt of variable winds and calms ranges from 5 degrees north to 5 degrees southeastern. This wind belt is characterized by weak winds and low pressure from the inter tropical convergence zone. As you go further north or south you encounter the Hadley Cells. Hadley cell circulation is caused by the movement of high pressure from the latitudes at 5 to 30 degrees north and 5 to 30 degrees south to low pressure areas around the equator. The movement of air from high pressure to low pressure causes convergence. This convergence generates the production of wind. The winds that are produced from this are the trade winds. The winds blow from a northwest direction in the Federal hemisphere, and in the southern hemisphere the winds blow from a southeast direction. The trade winds are the largest wind belt. The westerlies, they lie between 35 and 60 degrees north and south latitude. The wind blows from the west , thus their name. The westerlies are in the Ferrell cell. Cold air from the polar regions falls down and then is heated up and pushed upward with the westerlies. From 65 to 90 degrees north and south lie the polar easterlies. It exists because of the pressure gradient that is created by the temperatures.