Blood Diamonds Essays - Sierra Leone Civil War, Blood Diamonds

Imagine you are walking through Sierra Leone, a beautiful, lush landscape surrounded by tall trees in the summer sun. Sierra Leone is a small country located on the northwest side of Africa?s coast that encompasses approximately 45,000 square miles of mountainous terrain, about 7% of which is arable (Affairs 2010). The country has a mixture of verdant rain forests, beautiful beaches, and more than six million people living within its borders. Then imagine yourself walking around a bend, discovering a large center of slaves working on their hands and knees in muddy riverbeds in search for diamonds. In addition to the diverse foliage, Sierra Leone is also home to deposits of diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, and chromite (Affairs 2010). For Sierra Leoneans, these resources, diamond deposits in particular, have been a curse for they have been the basis for much conflict and war. Because of their small size, diamonds can, with little effort be transported or smuggled out o f the country and sold into the black market. There are two types of diamonds in Sierra Leone: alluvial diamonds, which are found in shallow riverbeds and kimberlite diamonds, which are found in concentrated mines. Because diamonds can be smuggled out of the country so easily for such high profit, they have become both a reason to fight and a factor in creating revenue in order to purchase firearms and other provisions. One group who came to power as a result of their control over blood diamonds was the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). Because Sierra Leone has such a weak property rights regime over diamonds, rebels from the RUF seized full control of the diamond deposits away from the government. This seizure boiled over into a decade long war between the RUF to determine who controls the property rights to the diamond deposits. The purpose of this essay is to analyze the overall role of blood diamonds in Sierra Leone. I will first present a brief background on diamonds that will transition into the role of diamonds in initiating, exacerbating, and eventually ending the war in Sierra Leone. Finally, I will end this analysis with a discussion of the post-war challenges Sierra Leone faces in developing as a peaceful, unified country. Despite having some of the most beautiful scenery in West Africa, Sierra Leone has often been described as one of the most economically poor countries in the world. Since the discovery of diamonds in Sierra Leone in 1932, the country has managed to export over 32 million carats of diamonds (Hirsch 2000). Prior to the conflict with the RUF, the diamond industry was comprised of several corporate mining companies. In addition to these diamond companies, Sierra Leone also used what is called the Alluvial Diamond Mining Scheme (ADMS). Through this, small diamond producers were granted licenses that enabled them to mine for diamonds, typically using labor-intensive mining techniques (Hirsch 2000). The most common method for diamond mining in Sierra Leone is the sifting through gravel from river banks, river bets, and small pits (Conflict Free 2009). Unfortunately, the majority of workers in this type of work have no ownership over the diamonds they are unearthing. Because the diamonds mined through the Alluvial Diamond Mining Scheme are ultimately sold through chains of small dealers to one of the corporate mining companies to be exported, the ADMS s eems to have only two main purposes: ?to appease traditional rulers in the Eastern province and to obtain diamonds through labor-intensive, non-capitalist labor that could not be obtained profitably by the larger corporations (Zack-Williams, 206).? The corporate structure behind the Alluvial Diamond Mining Scheme is dominated by a company named DeBeers. Through Lauren Thompson?s report Sierra Leone: 1935-2000, she explains how ?in 1935, DeBeers gained full rights to the diamond industry in Sierra Leone until the year 2034 (Thompson 2000).? Later in her report, Thompson discusses the role of Lebanese traders in Sierra Leone and their attitudes towards diamond smuggling. ?These traders quickly discovered smuggling diamonds brought easy profits, and illicit mining and trading grew throughout the country (Thompson 2000).? As soon as word spread concerning diamond smuggling, thousands of people flocked to Sierra Leone creating an overwhelming diamond rush in 1950. Because of the

Learn More About Edgar Allan Poes The Raven

Learn More About Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven' Edgar Allan Poes The Raven is the most famous of Poes poems, notable for its melodic and dramatic qualities. The meter of the poem is mostly trochaic octameter, with eight stressed-unstressed two-syllable feet per lines. Combined with an end rhyme scheme and the frequent use of internal rhyme, the the refrain of nothing more and nevermore give the poem a musical lilt when read aloud. Poe also emphasizes the O sound in words such as Lenore and nevermore to underline the melancholy and lonely sound of the poem and to establish the overall atmosphere. Story Summary The Raven follows an unnamed narrator on a dreary night in December who sits reading forgotten lore by a dying fire   as a way to forget the death of his beloved Lenore. Suddenly, he hears someone (or something) knocking at the door.   He calls out, apologizing to the visitor he imagines must be outside. Then he opens the door and finds†¦nothing. This freaks him out a little, and he reassures himself that it is just the wind against the window. So he goes and opens the window, and in flies (you guessed it) a raven. The Raven settles in on a statue above the door, and for some reason, our speakers first instinct is to talk to it. He asks for its name, just like you usually do with strange birds that fly into your house, right? Amazingly enough, though, the Raven answers back, with a single word: Nevermore.   Understandably surprised, the man asks more questions. The birds vocabulary turns out to be pretty limited, though; all it says is Nevermore. Our narrator catches on to this rather slowly and asks more and more questions, which get more painful and personal. The Raven, though, doesnt change his story, and the poor speaker starts to lose his sanity. Study Guide Questions for The Raven The Raven is one of Edgar Allan Poes most memorable works. Here are a few questions for study and discussion. What is important about the title of the poem, The Raven? Why does he use the title?What are the conflicts in The Raven? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) do you read?How does Edgar Allan Poe reveal character in The Raven?What are some themes? Symbols? How do they relate to the overall flow or meaning of the poem?Does the poem end the way you expected? How? Why?What is the central/primary purpose of the poem? Is the purpose important or meaningful?How does the work relate to Poes other works of supernatural and horror literature? Would you read it at Halloween?How essential is the setting? Could the poem have taken place in another place or time? Do you get enough of a sense of where and when the poem takes place?What is the significance of the raven in mythology and literature?How is madness or insanity explored in the poem?Would you recommend this poem to a friend?

Freedom of Expression and Social Norms in the Second Life Essay - 1

Freedom of Expression and Social Norms in the Second Life - Essay Example Although the virtual world has been in existence for quite some time, its significance had not been clear until I read the book by Boellstroff. I realized that the virtual world means more than just communication to its residents. Freedom of communication and expression is the primary force behind the existence of the virtual world. Communication in the real world is usually subject to communication barriers due to differences in cultural, ethnic, social, and personal communication skills. However, this is not the case in virtual worlds such as second life. In the virtual world, a person or resident has the ability to choose an identity unlike in the real world. This makes it possible for people to communicate freely in the virtual world irrespective of their social norms in the real world. By being able to choose a race, color, gender, profession, social class, and other factors, many barriers are eliminated, at least to some extent. Absolute freedom in the virtual world is limited due to factors such as language barrier, internet connectivity, among others. The capability to choose one’s identity in the virtual world is also significant in the enhancement of anonymity in the virtual world. From the book, I learned that lack of identity in the virtual world is of great importance in the enhancement of communication. In the virtual world, people have the choice to remain anonymous. This makes it possible to express themselves freely unlike in the real world. I was surprised to learn that in the virtual world it is possible to maintain a friendship with your best real friend anonymously. Most importantly, it is possible to interact freely with your enemies and other people who are out of reach in the real world. The author of the book emphasizes this point by stating that people can hide their identity to the extent of their genders (Boelstroff, 2008: 61).

MRT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MRT - Essay Example al.). But taping when applied correctively by a skilled trainer or physician can have many more benefits. One of the most important is its ability to regulate the flow of lymphatic fluids throughout the injured area, as well as the regulation of swelling and improvement of bloodflow. These benefits, however, are not fully recognized by trainers; in one study more than half of people experiencing an elbow injury – an injury that should respond well to taping – never received the treatment (MacDermid et. al.). However, even given the fact that taping is sometimes underutilized in rehabilitation of soft-tissue injuries, it retains a broad applicability. It has been demonstrated to improve healing in a wide variety of injuries including ligament damage, hand fractures from repetitive stress (van Aken et. al.), ankle strains (Abian-Vicen et. al.), and elbow fractures (MacDermid et. al.). The most impressive aspect of taping is the fact that it seems to have no affect on many aspects of health and performance among people using it. While many medical and therapeutic techniques carry the risk of significant side effect, recent studies have indicated that taping has no affect on either jump or balance tests among trained gymnasts (Abian-Vicen et. al.). Given these results, people who are not participating in sports should notice only very minimal impact on their day to day lives. Taping, while valid in many situations, is obviously no panacea. While it responds well to some fractures, there are many which would be better if left untreated (MacDermid et. al.). Bruises and any surface injuries to soft tissues can be exacerbated by taping. Furthermore, there is a risk of misuse with taping, which can limit bloodflow, especially if patients begin attempting to treat themselves with taping rather than leaving it to skilled

Analyzing two critiques of one piece of art Essay

Analyzing two critiques of one piece of art - Essay Example Here, the main focus of the author’s argument is on the sensuality principle and especially that of the female persona in influencing selling strategies and in attracting, influencing and sustaining interactions at public gatherings1. In the second article on Manets Bar at the Folies-Bergà ¨rese is titled â€Å"Manets Un bar aux Folies-Bergere as an Allegory of Nostalgia.†As the title suggests the interpretation and critic on the same piece of painting is centered on the nostalgic memories it evokes. The author seems to be keen to part from the prevailing analysis of the painting which â€Å"canonized† it based –ironically and heavily-on its unrealistic visual contradictions and ambiguities as opposed to the more obvious clarity of its content2. The author therefore attempts to embrace the complete scene of the Folies-Bergà ¨rese as set of multiple views and states of mind. The focus and therefore the purpose is to resolve the most controversial and ambiguous elements of the painting therein provide a narrative evaluation that previous art critics, scholars and enthusiasts alike have failed to. He achieves this by first beginning with a critique of evaluations by other authors on Manet’s Bar at the Folies-Bergà ¨rese(such as those of Hans Jantzen) and thereby examining the source and direction of the painter’s inspiration in the development of the piece. The author prevails in asserting that the value of making such grandeur pieces was not just for sale at exhibitions but in form of the industrial goods displayed in them similar to the advertising of departmental stores and commercial enterprises through them. The former, identifies the author, diminishes the perception of art within the public domain to a level similar to that of shelved domestic goods3. This close association between commercial entities and large-certainly influential-artwork of the time is replicated in other stores and as such

Case Study Johnson Johnson Marketing Essay

Case Study Johnson Johnson Marketing Essay Johnson Johnson Consumer Products Division is one of the leading fast moving consumer goods manufacturers in India. It is also among the most consistent and successful enterprises not just in the JJ world-wide group of companies, but also in India. Johnson Johnson Consumer Products division has been growing steadily over the last few years, and is one of the few companies in the Indian market to grow at extremely healthy levels. Johnson and johnson is the world most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care product and service for the consumer pharmaceutical and medical and diagnostics market. The Consumer Products Division owes its success to the strength of its brands, and the loyalty they enjoy from consumers, a strong sense of values driven from the Credo, and an environment, which sets the toughest standards of leadership. Overview Johnson and johnson founded in 1886 as a supplier of health care product in open market. The head quatered of John son and john son in new Brunswick ,Nj The company sell more than 175 product in 57 countries in the world . In 2003 the sale of Johnson and johnson were 4.19billion dollar. John son and john son have 110,600 employers over the world . More than US280billion pa philonthrapy. World leading heath care supplier PRODUCTS OF JOHNSON JOHNSON Aveeno ageless vitality Aveeno nourish + hair collection Aveeno nourish + style collection Aveeno hydrarting body wash Johnson natural baby lotion Johnson natural baby shampoo Johnson natural head to toe foaming body wash Listerine total care Neosprine lip health Neutrogena men sensitive skin Neutrogena sore pimple gel Neutrogena skin clearing mineral powder Neutrogena advanced sun block lotion Roc brilliance day rejuvenating Roc brilliance eye beautifier Skin crystal all natural sweetner COMPETETORS OF JOHNSON JOHNSON ABBOTT LABS LILLY ELI CO NOVARTIS A G PESTLE ANALYSIS POLITICAL LEGAL Johnson Johnson operates in both developed and developing countries worldwide where the political situation in these countries is stable and encourages more Investments. Also legislations in these countries favours free market economy with no government intervention. ECONOMICAL With the introduction of the European Union and single currency the whole European market has been transformed to a single market hence increasing the market for Johnson Johnson products. Also inflation and exchange rates in most of the countries has been stable thus not affecting the prices of products or any future Investments. SOCIOLOGICAL Due to recent developments people around the world have changed from using natural food products to the use of genetic modified food products or to special types of fo Unilever has tried to cope with all the changes that take place in the modern world. TECHNOLOGICAL The objective of Johnson Johnson is not only to maximize the wealth of its owners but also to anticipate the aspirations of its customers and to respond creatively and competitively with branded products and services that raise the quantity of life. Johnson Johnson put much emphasis on research and development, modern technologies and launching of modified products so as satisfy its stakeholders SWOT ANALYSIS: Johnson Johnson Strengths Worldwide sales have grown 14% indicating a strong position for the global group. The business model adapted by Johnson and Johnson fundamentally uses the adaptation of entrepreneurial values in order to retain an edge within the market place. Working with intensive scientific notions Johnson and Johnson utilise a varied expanse of problem solving techniques in order to challenge the standard practice and capitalise on growth through emerging markets which enables associated growth. The use of independent offices working as standalone units provides the opportunity to develop concepts with cultural considerations which can prove important when taking a product to global markets. Weaknesses There is increasing pressure within pharmaceutical markets to reduce prices in line with medical budgets and maintain patent expirations to ensure generic programmes are updated within critical path movements. Challenges have been faced within Johnson and Johnson where a reduction in the market demand for key products has been identified; some of these products were branded and have been replaced by generic programmes at the end of patent time lines. Internal weakness across the industry and not isolated to Johnson and Johnson would be the level of theft and counterfeiting of drugs managed through internal personnel. Opportunity Whilst the recent acquisition of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare will act as an opportunity in its own right to promote growth for the organisation through alternative routes there is the added value capitalised through the return on investment which will be realised 12 months before plan releasing funds back into the bottom line. Johnson and Johnson have highlighted new developments in pharma products with five undergoing regulatory review which provides the opportunity to grow the existing product portfolio. Development into new functions of medical devices and diagnostics will provide new markets to entry which will result in business growth. With the development of WTO rules to prevent the availability of cheap generic drugs there is the opportunity to reduce the level of lost profit due to generic introduction as patents run out. Whilst this will aid Johnson and Johnson where they own the brand where they are looking to capitalise on introducing generic drugs to market this ruling will become a hindrance. Threats Generally within the main pharmaceutical companies there is a high level of competition for the generics markets where patents finish and it is the first to entry where success will generally be determined. Technological developments with bio-tech concepts will potentially move the traditional pharmaceutical methods out of the market place in the long term although there is an economical argument that this form of development can be segregated to run alongside traditional methods and complement as opposed to replace. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS The assessment of the financial position of the firm constitutes an important aspect of the internal analysis which must be carried out to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation .It is important to carry out a financial performance of the corporation Johnson Johnson. because the financial appraisal will indicate the extent to which the firm is meeting some of its key objectives and also help management to direct operations and make decisions in ways which will achieve or fulfil the overall corporation objectives. Two categories of financial performance measures are commonly used and these can be based on absolute values, which measure profitability and those based on relative form of return on investment or capital employed. Profitability Businesses come into being with the primary purpose of creating wealth for their owners. Profitability measures indicate how effectively the total firm is being managed and in many ways constitute the most important aspect. Profit is widely used as an absolute measure of profitability and provides a means by which a corporation can be compared with another in the same industry e.g. Novartis or the same company over different times of period. Net profit margin This ratio relates the net profit of the business to the sales generated for the sales period. Net profit represents the difference between sales, the cost of sales and the operating expenses used to generate that profit. Year of Operation 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Sales 48,270 51,514 47,582 40,977 40,437 Net Profit 2,129 1,838 1,105 2,771 2,944 Net Profit Margin in % 4.4 3.6 2.3 6.8 7.3 We can see the profit ratio was up in early years but due to intensive competition and new product innovations it started falling. Gross Profit Year of Operation 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Sales 48,270 51,514 47,582 40,977 40,437 Gross Profit 5,041 5,174 3,181 4,303 4,410 Gross Profit Margin in % 10.4 10 7 10 11 The gross profit margin indicates that the gross profit is stable over the five years under consideration at 10% at the most is a favourable trend. Liquidity In analysing the liquidity position we want to know whether Johnson Johnson is able to meet its short-term obligations as and when they fall due. Year of Operation 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Current Assets 16,209 17,678 20,086 25,407 21,601 Current Liabilities 20,602 23,212 28,364 12,134 17,970 Liquidity Ratio 1:1 1.1 1:1 2:1 2:1 From the given figures we can see that Johnson Johnson have a sound liquidity position of 1:1 meaning the corporation is able to meet its short-term obligations from its current assets without having to raise finance by borrowing, issuing shares or selling fixed assets which is a favourable trend. 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Price Earning Ratio 2:1% 2:1% 1:1% 3:1% 4:1% The price-earning ratio is generally good at 31 it shows that the corporation is held in high esteem in the market 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Dividend Cover 2441 1838 1320 2972 3088 The divided cover compares the amount of profit earned per ordinary share, which is 2441 in 2002, is good compared to the previous years. 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Efficiency 2 1.74 1.63 2.65 3.30 The company is being operated efficiently in order to generate sales. Finally Johnson Johnson is financially sound and a going concern that is able to take up any challenges. Vision Value and low prices as hallmark of development Mission Statement For best quality and best price. COMPETITOR PROFILE ANALYSIS The five forces analysis will aim to identify the key forces, which will affect the level of competition in food, home and personal care where Johnson Johnson operates. The five forces Framework Potential entrants Threat of Entrants (Low) Suppliers Bargaining Power (Low) Competitive Rivalry (High) Norvatis Nestle Kraft Food Danone Sainsbury Marks Spenser Buyers Bargaining Power (low) Threat of Substitutes (High) Substitutes Threat from new entrants (Low) Home and personal care requires high capital investment in order to enter market and Johnson Johnson have built up experience and distribution channels to compete effectively in the industry. Currently Johnson Johnson is operating in 100 countries and is able to tailor its products to the different markets and anticipate customers demand. Most of its products like Baby care products are market leaders. Threat of Substitutes (high) There are so many competitors in consumer goods industry. there is a great competition among these consumers. So there is a substation effect which is very high. Bargaining power of Suppliers (low) Johnson Johnson is a very big and strong business entity, which cannot be easily influenced or forced in its decisions by suppliers, as it is not dependent on one supplier. As stated in the case Johnson Johnson has no problem with supply of raw materials as is able to operate in 100 markets with a variety of products without run short of raw materials. Bargaining power of Buyers. (High) Customers especially in European market frequently keep on demanding more new products, better features and great variety at acceptable prices. This has forced Johnson Johnson to develop new products.there are so many competitors prevailing in the consumer goods industry. So the bargaining power of buyers is very high. Competition (High) Johnson Johnson main competitors are unilever PG etc. Due to this Johnson Johnson was under restructuring programme Competitors are producing the same products as Johnson Johnson, hence bring competition in the market. ANALYSIS OF THE MARKETING MIX OF JOHNSON JOHNSON Weldon was a master of marketing, which was then to the advantage of the monolith JJ. The following discussions will analyze the capability of JJ using the marketing mix to maximize the profits gained by the said company under the headship of Weldon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   II.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing Points A.  Ã‚   Product Based on the article of (2003) Johnson Johnson was a company who dwell in innovation and new products. This shows that the company has a commercial advantage against its competitors. Not only does it have a recognizable brand, it also offers products which the public identify with them. This is possible because they have identified themselves with the product. A good example of this would be their treatment of the drug, Procrit.    B.  Ã‚   Place Along with the famous products of the company, it also shows how effectively they make these accessible to the public. In the case of their product Band aid, they targeted hospitals by making it more scientific through the improvements made by their research and design department. The product was made liquid and thus accessible for hospitals as wound closing agents. Another product was also made accessible to the public. Their product, Nizoral, was formerly an antifungal treatment targeted for hospital use was transformed to commonplace merchandise, shampoo. This shows the tenacity of the company to offer the public their products and in the same time expand their market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   C.  Ã‚   Promotion The promotion of the products of JJ, the company takes on the persuasive craftsmanship of Weldon to the public. The article indicates that Weldon does impose rather challenging tasks to his executives. These tasks are expected to be successful at the first attempt that some of the executives even consider it impossible. Nevertheless, the pressure provided by Weldon has been considerably effective given the performance of JJ in his reign. The competitive compulsion that has enveloped the company through Weldon has helped improved consciousness and creates a positive image towards the products offered by the company. D.  Ã‚   Price Early on in the article, the discussions have presented that JJ have offered the public with low-cost and considerably affordable products in the market. This doesnt only make their product known to the majority of the public, but also the choice of many buyers. The good thing about JJs recognizable brand name is that the buying public tends to trust their products. In this manner, this part of the marketing mix tends to contribute largely to the rest of the determinants of product choice.   Ã‚   Johnson Johnson as one of the most influential companies in the commercial sector. One could learn largely on the situations of JJ. It shows that a firm leader could do wonders for the company. Weldon was cognizant of both internal and external elements that affect the overall environment of the company. In this manner, he was able to use these to his advantage. Knowing what needs to be done for product has greatly influenced how he became aware on how these are going to be carried out.    More important than the effective implementation of the marketing mix, the proper communication within the organization is required. Along with the strong leader, the need of a healthy interaction within the ranks presents not only an opportunity to develop but also, as seen in the case of JJ, to essentially make seemingly impossibly demanding tasks into measured ones. BCG Matrix The Boston Consultative Group BCG Matrix is a Portfolio strategic analysis tool. It evaluates the portfolio of strategic business unit or markets according to their performance and groups them as Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks or Dogs. The matrix is a market share market growth matrix. Companies must develop new businesses but also must carefully prune, harvest or divest tired old businesses in order to release resources and reduce cost. In the case of Johnson Johnson, we are going to analyse the portfolio of the business based on BCG matrix, examine the relationship between market share and market growth of the different business units. BCG MATRIX FOR PRODUCTS Market Share growth High low HighStars Best foods Frozen Market Growth Question Marks Deodorants Anti- Prespirant Cash cows Knorr Flora Dogs Slim Fast STARS (High market share, high market growth) As we have seen in the question mark businesses, there are brands within the business units that are performing well and if the question marks are successful they become stars. In home and personal care, products for cleansing, deodorant and antiperspirant under the brands of Axe Lux Ponds, Rexona, CIF, comfort, Domesto, Omo, Skip and Snuggle have a good share of the growing market. However, Johnson Johnson may have to spend substantial funds for its stars to keep up with high market growth and fight off the competitors attacks as a leader in these core brands. CASH COWS (Low market share, high market growth) Johnson Johnson does not have to invest heavily on marketing or to finance capacity expansion, as the growth is low and market conditions more stable. As these business units are market leaders, they enjoy economies of scale and higher profit margin. Johnson Johnson should use these cash cow businesses to support the lagging ones that drive down the profit of the company. QUESTION MARKS (High market share, low market growth) Question Marks According to our matrix question marks are operating in a growing market without high market share. Johnson Johnson is categorized as question marks. Therefore it can be noticed that not the whole divisions are under performing, as a result Johnson Johnson needs to invest more in these business units to keep up with the fast growing market because they are already successful but need better performance. DOGS (Low market share, low market growth) . With a weak market share in low growth market, they may be considered as dogs. As consumers started questioning the effectiveness of products and turning to alternatives. Segmentation Market segmentation is the process of taking a heterogeneous market and breaking it into smaller homogenous groups where all members have similar needs and respond similarly to a set of marketing efforts.   Once the market has been segmented, the organization selects the segments to be served (known as target markets).   Targeting . Johnson Johnson target households for home care products, health care products, personal care products for the people who are hygiene concious. Prices are generally set for middle class people, who can easily afford it. Positioning Determine positioning. A market position is developed for the product so that the target will clearly know where the product stands in relation to the competition, as well as other products marketed by the organization. Johnson Johnson have positioned themselves as home and personal care producers. Product positioning is how a product is positioned in the mind of the consumer.   Positioning begins with finding a difference in the product that is worth establishing to the extent that it is important, distinctive, superior, communicable, pre-emptive, affordable, and profitable. Johnson Johnson have position their products-High Quality and good price Johnson Johnson products are positioned as good value products but are slowing threat faced by Johnson Johnson Differential advantage refers to any feature of a product or organization perceived by customers to be desirable and different from the competition. An organization uses its resources and capitalizes on them to obtain a differential advantage by offering unique products. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS Critical Success Factors are factors upon which the success of the business is dependant. Johnson Johnson attend to these factors to ensure success. Ability to tailor products according to different market and anticipate customer demands Understanding in depth of the countries in which Johnson Johnson operates Policy of listening to customers. Producing different range of products to match the diversity of its consumers Increased advertising budget and interaction with advertising agencies . CORPORATE OBJECTIVES Yet one of Johnson Johnson s major and most important objective was anticipating the aspirations of consumers and customers and responding creatively and competitively with branded products and services which raise the quality of life In crease customisation to local national taste by establishing additional brand names. Regain Market Leadership with 5 years. Regain Stockholder confidence Internationalise Management Marketing Mission Statement To provide the best quality products and Service to the customer and be the market leaders in the retail industry. MARKETING OBJECTIVES Johnson Johnson, consumer goods manufacturer has these main marketing objectives: To create sustainable, profitable growth and value for shareholders and employees by improving profits by 10%. To improve performance of the lagging businesses To boost sales and margin through its path to growth strategy by 10% To increase market share and maintain leadership of its core brands by creating customer loyalty. To tailor products to different markets and anticipate consumer demand through research and development-innovation. OTHER MARKETING STRATEGIES GROWTH STRATEGIES Growth Vector Analysis Existing Product Improved product (new, changed) New Product Options Existing market Market Penetration Product variants or product differentiation Product line extension Market expansion Market segmentation Market-Product segmentation -New product development -Market development -Existing boundary New Market Market development Diversification Conglomerate diversification Alternatives The most suitable strategies of meeting the Marketing objectives stated above are: Market Penetration A market penetration strategy suggests that growth is possible by achieving a deeper penetration (sell more) of its present product within a present market.   An organization could sell more of its current product(s) to its current customers, attract competitors customers, or convince non-users to begin using the product, thereby increasing its existing market share. Another growth alternative is to try and identify new markets for its present products. Johnson Johnson should sell more of the existing Products in Asia, Europe and North America. Product Line Extension Through a product line extension strategy, an organization might create an augmented product in order to stimulate the current markets and create new ones. Unilever must quickly start pursuing this strategy as its current products are falling out of favour with the consumer and should pursue this further.   Market Development By employing a market development strategy, an organization might identify new markets for its product by determining potential user groups for its current products, seeking additional distribution channels in its present locations, or offering its product for sale in new geographic locations, either domestic or international.   Another alternative is to develop new products for an existing target market. Ford has the opportunity to develop a very profitable market in Africa and the pacific region in particular the former commonwealth countries that readily identify with anything British. . New Product Development New Product development in existing Boundaries. Entirely new products can be developed taking into consideration customer tastes and preferences. This will enhance competitive advantage and keep competition at bay. Johnson Johnson must use a combination of these strategies to achieve best result in market growth and be able to compete effectively in the industry. COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES Focused Differentiation This occurs when the company a range of clearly differentiated products which appeal to different segments of the market. This will be the most suitable strategy to pursue due to the companies reputation of quality, value and service. It will also be congruent with the core aspirations of the company. Cost Leadership- (problem solution) Although Johnson Johnson has not competed on cost in the market it must try to cut costs because it is currently under attack from its competitors on both quality and cost of products. Therefore it must be seen to be challenging the competition not only on the quality of the products but also on the cost. MARKETING MIX STRATEGIES Marketing mix strategies The marketing mix is the means used by the marketer to satisfy customers. Product policies- new product development brand development Branding family, corporate branding. Branding is part of the actual product and is a major issue in overall product strategy. Branding is used to give products unique identities and helps the marketer to differentiate their product from those of competitors use a tool. Branding Strategy Family branding: this involves using a brand image and name for a range of products. Corporate branding: this means that a company uses its own company name as a brand for its products. Individual branding: this means that each product is given a distinct name and image by a company. Johnson Johnson must use this strategy because the brand name is well established, launch costs of new products may be low and brand loyal customers are more likely to try the branded new products New Product Development An organisation that wishes to survive long term, must invest in new product development (NPD). Always, all products eventually reach the decline stage of the PLC. Without new products an organisations sales will eventually become non-existent and Customers will seek competitors products. Additionally, by introducing new and innovative products to the market place first, an organisation may generate customer loyalty and maintain its market share as the market grows. NPD is costly and can be a long process. If a new product fails, a company may make huge financial losses and the ensuring bad publicity can be detrimental. The NPD process helps to minimise the risk of failure. Johnson Johnson must heavily invest in this strategy of new product development. Promotion policies Promotion is more than just advertising. It includes almost any form of communication that a company has with its customers. Indeed, it includes communication with stakeholders, suppliers, intermediaries and the general public. The range of parties that a company promotes to is known as the target audience. Promotion strategies and the communities mix When a company is pursuing a pull strategy, it promotes its products to the final customers to encourage them to buy. They are encouraged to demand the product from intermediaries. Place policies Place is the term used in the marketing mix to mean distribution. Distribution involves all the activities necessary in getting a product to a customer. Distribution can be looked from two perspectives: channels of distribution and physical distribution. Channel of distribution refer to the organisations involved (distributors, wholesalers, retailer, agents). Physical distribution refers to the physical transportation, handling and storage of products necessary to make products available to customers.

Comparison Of Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass Essay -- Compar

Comparison Of Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass America, a land with shimmering soil where golden dust flew and a days rain of money could last you through eternity. Come, You Will make it in America. That was the common theme of those who would remove to America. It is the common hymn, the classic American rags-to-riches myth, and writers such as Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass had successfully embraced it in their works.Franklin and Douglass are two writers who have quite symmetrical styles and imitative chronology of events in their life narratives. They both approached their story with a "rags-to-riches" idea. In addition, we must realize that both Franklin and Douglass are powerful writers. In that sense, I mean that Franklin was a "well-educated" man in which he filled his life with bountiful knowledge through reading and productive dialogues with peers. On the other hand, Douglass mode of writing, like ones of William Lloyd Garrison's is sentimental and contains compelling language.In The Autobiography by Franklin and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Douglass, both narrations are generally composed of series of life events and encounters with hardship that eventually brought them success. I shall put forth some parallel ideas of both the authors have in common. In Franklin's Autobiography, his chapters of life events and improvements are symbolized by his travels, especially on the boat. His first travel signifies his "new beginning" and it caused great hardship. He was "cut so a miserable fi gure" when he started out. (Franklin, 1771:196). However, Franklin was quick to gain ground. His move to another city or country signified his advancement and his prologue to his success to come are in his description of his boat travels. By this I mean that, Franklin intentionally gave the details of his boat travels to prepare the reader for the kind of successes or failure that he was going to face in the next chapter of his life. For example, he described his first travel as an unpleasant one, and nevertheless his first move to another city was a struggle. In Franklin's later travels, he spoke of being around some prominent figures such as Governor Hamilton and nonetheless, he landed with a successful job at a famous Printing House in Bartholomew. With this characteristic in mind, Douglass's narration ... ...nt of maturity. In addition, both authors think that matured readers in general are harder to persuade compared to younger readers (those at the of 16 to 18). This is why both Franklin and Douglass intentionally set their "rebellion stage" at the age of 17. This is to encourage the "less stable" teenage readers to dare do something different and to not compromise with normality. This less-stableness would enable these teenage readers to be more receptive to radical ideas. With this thought in mind and armed with Americans vulnerability in believing the rags-to-riches myth, Franklin and Douglass are able generated effective and persuasive narrations.With such effective writing prose, the authors created well-fabricate compositions which modeled upon the "rags-to-riches" chronology.These are the myths, Americans live by them and the country survives with them. Thus, it is the American Dream. Works Cited: Douglas, Frederick. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (The Harper Single Volume American Literature 3rd edition) 1845:p.1017-1081 Franklin, Benjamin. Autobiography. (The Harper Single Volume American Literature 3rd edition) 1776: p.282-284.