I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Essay Essay Example for Free

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Essay Essay In the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the main character, Maya, and her older brother, Bailey, have a very close relationship at the beginning of this novel. As children, they were each other’s best friends and they were inseparable. They did everything together and they even thought they had their own language that no one else knew. However, when they first moved in with Mother Vivian, their relationship starts to fall apart. â€Å"When spring came to St. Louis, I took out my first library card, and since Bailey and I seemed to be growing apart, I spent most of my days at the library†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Angelou 76). As the two of them become older, their relationship grows more distant because of their different genders and the different activities each of them enjoyed doing. In the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the main character, Maya, and her father have a very estranged relationship. Whenever Maya sees her father, she thinks of him as more of a stranger. Towards the end of the book, Maya’s father invites Maya to come visit him for the summer. When she gets there, she is shocked to see that her father lives in a trailer with his girlfriend who is roughly Maya’s age. Maya’s father invites Maya to come to Mexico with him to go get groceries. Maya agrees to go, and her father ends up leaving her in a shabby bar by herself to run off with his other girl. This just proves he is an unfit parent. â€Å"How could he leave in that raunchy bar and go off with his woman? Did he care what happened to me? Not a damn, I decided, and opened the flood gates for hysteria† (Angelou 236). Maya realizes that her father doesn’t give two shoes about her and has no interest in trying to be a father to her. In the autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the main character, Maya, is moved from place to place and always has the feeling of displacement, or not belonging. I can relate to Maya’s feelings of displacement. Throughout my life, I too have moved to many different places and schools. I was used to being the new kid and having no friends. I used to be afraid to even make friends because I knew that I wouldn’t be in that school for too much longer after I did. After going to five different schools and living in seven different houses, I’ve felt the feeling of displacement many times and like Maya, had my issues with trying to connect to people. While reading this novel, I knew how Maya felt all those time she didn’t feel like she belonged and all the times she moved. Those parts are what go to me the most because I know how it feels to leave behind the  people you love.

History of the War of Okinawa

History of the War of Okinawa The war of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest battles which were fought between the United States and Japan. The culmination of this war was the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States using the atomic bomb. In this regard, this paper will look at some of the issues which faced by the Army, Marines, the Okinawans and the Japanese soldiers. As such, this research will focus on Kamikaze attacks and the mass suicides of the Japanese civilians, the U.S. Congress investigation of the invasion, strategies used by both sides (Japan and the United States), the role of Okinawa in capturing Tokyo, strategic importance of Okinawa, the Japanese Soldiers propaganda and the challenges that were faced by the Marines and the Army. Introduction The 20th century witnessed a lot of wars as continents and nations struggled to establish themselves as power-movers in terms of social, economic, political and military power. In line with this, there were different wars and Cold Wars which brought dramatic changes, especially on the international scene and affected the way nations relate to each. It is important to take note of the fact that some of these wars resulted in the creation of permanent enemies between and among nations while in some cases, alliances were formed which have lasted to the present. Whereas the 20th century witnessed major wars which have ever been fought between and among nations, the two important wars which are remembered with nostalgia even at present are the World War I and World War II. However, irrespective of the fact that these wars shaped social, economic, political and military arenas across the globe, World War II is more conspicuous as compared to World War I. In line with this, some of the major participants who participated in this war are the United States of America and Japan. Notably, the United States was more had taken a passive approach to this war until when it was, in a surprise attached, bombed by Japan, destroying much of its military unit in Pearl Harbor. This move by Japan awoke a sleeping giant, who for the first time since the beginning of this war saw the need to take an active role in forming alliance and joining the war front. The awakening of the United States resulted in a more confrontation approach to the World War II, with a focus on retaliating against Japan, which according to the United States had used double in attacking the United States. In line with this, the United States utilized key geographical regions in Asia to take revenge against Japan. One of these regions was the Island of Okinawa which hosted one of the fiercest battles in the Pacific campaigns. To begin with, Okinawa was the largest amphibious offensive of the Pacific campaign and the last major campaign of the Pacific War. As a result of this, more troops put ashore, more ships were used, more supplies transported, more bombs dropped, more naval guns fired against shore targets than any other operation in the Pacific. More people died during the Battle of Okinawa than all those killed during the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The casualties totaled more than 38,000 Americans wounded and 12,000 killed or missing, more than 107,000 Japanese and Okinawan were conscripts killed and perhaps 100,000 Okinawan civilians perished in the battle (Global Security 2010). These and many other cases of casualties have been reported in the course of analyzing the Okinawa battle. Following this point, it is now important to delve deeper into the attacks of Kamikaze and mass suicide of the Japanese civilians; the investigation of the invasion by the United States Congress as res ult of the sustained casualties; the strategies which were used by both side, namely the United States and Japan, and the role of Okinawa in capturing of Tokyo. Research Finding and Discussion Kamikaze Attacks and the Mass Suicides of the Japanese Civilians One of the major threats to the United States military during the Battle of Okinawa were the Kamikaze attacks which began in October 1944. To begin with, the use of Kamikaze (which is defined as divine wind) in resisting the United States invasion of Japan was a strategy which was used by the Japanese government to deal with the imminent attacks of the United States. In reference to Marx (2008), one could argue that the military leaders of Japan planned and executed the systematic slaughter of their youth -already being aware that no hope of victory was at hand (p.10). Following this argument, the Kamikaze attacks were suicide attacks which were perpetrated by the Japanese pilots as a way of executing surprise attacks on United States vessels in the pacific. There are different roles which were played by the Kamikaze attacks on the United States and in this war in general. Note that the Kamikaze pilots endangered the United States operations serious (p.12). These attacks had serious psychological impact on the United States leaders and soldiers. Importantly, the Japanese military was completely devastated and the only way this nation could come around and avoid total defeat was to sacrifice its own people in suicide missions that were meant to affect the psychological perceptions of the United States leaders and soldiers and thus ease their movement and impact on Okinawa. Needless to say, the Kamikaze attacks effectively managed to instill fear into the United States leaders and the soldiers. Nonetheless, this acted as compelling force among the United States military that this war had to be worn. On the other hand, there was a lot of Mass Suicide among the Japanese civilians as they engaged the American in the Okinawa War. In reference to Dodd Richmond (1999), it is estimated that one third of the population of Okinawa died in the war, many in mass suicides that preceded the surrender while other died from disease and starvation (p.745). Despite the fact that most Japanese civilians as well as the soldiers especially the pilot lost their lives in mass suicide campaign against the United States owing to their traditional military beliefs, they cost the Americans materially (Hellegers 2001). U.S. Congress Investigation of the Invasion The Battle of Okinawa still lingers in the minds of most Americans and war historians, scholars and researchers in the United States and across the globe. Apart from being among the fiercest battles which involved the United States military, it was also among the war engagement in which this nation recorded a very high level of casualties. It has been noted that the American losses at Okinawa were so heavy as to bring Congressional calls for an investigation into the conduct of the American military commanders (Ryan, 2007, p.80). This was further worsened by the fact that the cost of this battle in terms of lives, time and material weighed heavily in the decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan just six weeks later (p.80). It is important to note that there were no thorough intelligence reports which revealed much concerning Okinawa. As a result of this, this island was treated lightly by the United States military, irrespective of the fact that it was a critical point in attacking the Japans mainland. Therefore, the Congressional Investigations were to examine the cause of high casualty levels and the deflated military costs during this battle. It is estimated that at one point, there was one United States military casualty for six Japanese who were killed. Strategies used by both sides There were different strategies which were employed by both sides, that the United States and Japan in the Okinawa war. To begin with, the use of the Kamikaze in combating the Americans was one of the important war strategies of the Japanese, despite the fact that this meant sacrificing more civilian people. As a result, the Kamikaze was deployed to destroy America war vessels as a way of weakening their participation in this war. In reference to Wood (2007), the shimpu air tactics adopted in 1944 were a practical and relatively efficient method of engaging and inflicting significant losses on American naval forces at a time when on other method of air attack worked (Wood, 2007, p.96). The major purpose of using Kamikaze as a strategy was to immobilize the naval forces in order to reduce their ability to attack the Okinawa Island and Japans mainland. In addition to this, the Japanese carrier needed to be safeguarded and developed to enhance its capability to resist the United States attacks as well as be able to launch war planes against the United States forces. Apart from this, the Japanese government trained most civilians (corps) with military tactics who were able to fight as effectively as the military itself. On the other hand, the United States of America employed as heavy air strikes as it major strategy which involved destroying the Japanese military bases, especially their military planes (Williams, 2005, p.51). This was then to be followed by land troop who were tasked with wiping away the remaining little resistance. However, this strategy was further enhanced in Okinawa whereby there were increased cost or rather use of weaponry, which could not be compared to any other war in that the United States was involved in during World War II. Role of Okinawa in Capturing Tokyo Okinawa played a central role that led to the capture of Tokyo by the United States military in the Pacific War. Notably, initial reports indicated that there was no intelligence information in regard to the role of Okinawa in assisting the American military to capture Tokyo and thus overpower Japan. To begin with, Okinawa presented a strategic position to the United States and as a result, the United States could easily attack Tokyo from this geographical point. In consistent with this, the use of carriers to launch military aircrafts was not promoted. Therefore, the United States of America build airbases in Okinawa which would later be used to launch attack on Tokyo. According to Crozier (2005), the Okinawa Island was a major point which was used by the United States military to launch its attack on Japan. On the other hand, the resistance which was experienced by the United States at Okinawa played a critical role in motivating the United States to pursue further attack on Tokyo and Japan. It is argued that the after carrying an evaluation of its casualties, the United States choose to use the atomic bomb on Tokyo as a way of carrying out a revenge attack on Japan and forcing it to surrender to the United States enter into a peace treaty. As it was mentioned earlier, the cost of this battle of Okinawa in terms of lives, time and material weighed heavily in the decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan just six weeks later (Ryan, 2007, p.80). Stated in other words, the decision by the United States to use the atomic bomb against Tokyo was influenced partly by the state of affairs on Okinawa Island. Therefore, apart from being a launching pad of the United States military, the Okinawa Island also played a major part in the military decisions which were made against Japan. Strategic Importance of Okinawa Okinawa was of strategic importance both to the American and the Japanese in the Okinawa war. To begin with, Okinawa was strategically placed in terms of geographical position, both to the Japanese and the Americans. In reference to Kawashima (2005), the geographical importance of Okinawa is best illustrated by its proximity to all major cities in East Asia (p.43). In consistent with this, the bases in Okinawa were critical strategic locations for deployment of the United States forces. Apart from being a focal point from which the United States could access the adjacent cities in Japan and in other parts of Asia, Okinawa was more of a camping place of the United States soldiers as they arrived on the battle field. Most of these soldiers camped at Okinawa before proceeding to the battlefields. Similarly, some military costs could easily be reduce by building airfields in this place which allowed the United States to respond quickly to any attack of Japan as well as monitor and gather important intelligence information from this point. On the other hand, Japan too valued Okinawa as one of its key points to their success in this war. According to Allen (2002) the Okinawans were both a nuisance and a threat to the Japanese victory in this war (p.33). Whereas this was the perception of the Japanese military, they also recognized that the population of the Okinawa could provide important labor services to the Japanese military during the time of the war. As a result, most of the Okinawans, able men, and boys and girls were enlisted into the Japanese military that would then provide labor together with the villagers (p.33). On the other hand, some of the people from Okinawa were evacuated to the mountains and caves with their clothes alone, while their other possessions were utilized as military supplies. This emanated from the fact that it was assumed that the Okinawans were not part of the Japanese community. Japanese Soldiers Propaganda The war in Okinawa was also characterized by the Japanese Soldiers propaganda which was meant to disorient the United States soldier from pursuing their course to victory. In line with this, among the propaganda programs which were utilized by the Japanese soldiers involved argument that the Americans were monster who were bent on committing atrocities against the Japanese people during the war (Hellegers, 2001, p.65). This was meant to arouse the fear among the Japanese people in regard to accepting the fact that the Americans were fighting for a just course as well as discouraging the Japanese people from sharing any information which could give the Americans an upper hand in the Okinawa war. On the other hand, the Japanese propaganda also targeted its own soldiers who were discouraged from surrendering to the American forces despite the fact that most of them were overwhelmed by the United States soldiers. As a result of this, most Japanese soldier opted to fight to the last point rather than surrender to the Americans. Additionally, some of these soldier committed suicide when they were overpowered by the United States soldiers, making it difficult to capture Japanese soldiers. Notably, the Japanese propaganda reiterated that any person who surrendered to the American military would face torture from the Americans who were perceived as merciless, and they were ready to rape, torture and kill the Japanese. This increased fear, not only among the Japanese people but also among its soldiers while at the same time increasing their hatred towards the Americans and would everything possible to kill the Americans or destroy their military equipments. Challenges Faced by the Marines and the Army There were many challenges which were faced by the Marines and the Army. To begin with, the attacks from the Kamikaze were some of the scary attack which were faced by the United States military since these groups of people were suicide bombers and did not care how they died as long as their death was accompanied by the death of dozens of Americans (Jamieson, 2009). This was particular so when the Marines and the Army were attacked even before landing on the shore. Following this point, most of the Marines and the Army were psychologically disturbed since they had fear of imminent attacks from the Kamikaze and the Japanese soldiers. In addition, the issues of logistics also posed a challenge both to the Marines and the Army. Note that both the Army and the Marines were supposed to face the enemy. However, the Army and the marine use totally different tactics in war. In reference to Jamieson (2009), the Army is a slow-mover in the battle ground whereas the Marines work by moving very fast and as a result, the Army and the Marines flanked each other (p.44). This hardened their battles and most of them were exposed to the enemy fire. Finally, the Army and the Marines were also affected by other external problems such as jungle rot and fleas, Hepatitis A, Dengue Fever and dysentery. The Army and the Marines both suffered these challenges. The situation was worsened by the fact that medical supplies were shortcoming or was hindered by heavy fire. In addition, some of these Marines and Armies lost their peers or platoons leading to stress and depression. Conclusion The second world, as was earlier mentioned is remembered with nostalgia among most people the present world. Notably, this war shaped the way people and nations interact with each other, with some nations forming alliances while others formed permanent enemies. In line with this, there are specific war incidences which were fought that had specific impact on the participants and on other people who surrounded the place of incidences. Okinawa is one of the regions in Asia which experienced hot blood battles that are still remembered even in the modern times. The attacks of the Kamikaze were perceived as effective by the Japanese military only for them to fail at the last minute. This was not without inflicting a lot of casualty on the United States military. More so, this was accompanied by mass suicides of the Japanese civilians. The heavy casualties during this war led to Congressional investigation of the conduct of military officials. Additionally, Okinawa played a critical role in assisting both the United States and Japan to execute their strategies. This was promoted by the fact that Okinawa was strategically placed geographically, and the Okinawans played a critical role, both to the Japanese and the United States soldiers. On the other hand, history has serious records of suffering and other challenges which were faced by the Marines and the Army. These challenges hindered the movements of both the Marines and the Army as they advanced towards their enemies. This has resulted in reforms in the military to ensure that the World War II mistakes are avoided at all costs.

Japanese watch market overview

Japanese watch market overview Results for the fiscal year ended March 31 show that watch sales at Japans Big Three watch firms slumped for the second consecutive year as the Great Recession continued to suppress demand for mid-priced watches. Nevertheless, the watch divisions at Citizen, Seiko and Casio remained profitable. For the companies as a whole, only the Citizen Group reported a profit for year; Seiko and Casio both reported losses. Seiko In the watch divisions, the hardest hit was Seiko, maker of Seiko, Pulsar, Alba and licensed brand watches; watch sales fell 31 percent to 64.5 billion yen ($693 million) for the fiscal year. Two years ago, Seikos watch sales totaled  ¥117.2 billion. Since then, they have fallen a staggering 45%. Seiko now ranks third among the Big Three in terms of watch revenue. Seiko Holdings Corp. said operating income at its Seiko Watch Corp. subsidiary increased 38 percent to  ¥2.2 billion ($23.6 million). Unlike Citizen and Casio, Seiko Holdings issued no statement discussing the financial results. Citizen Watch and clock sales at Citizen Watch Co. fell 6.7 percent in the fiscal year to  ¥123.6 billion ($1.33 billion). Regarding the Japanese market, Citizen said in a statement that the slow recovery in consumption and other factors under prevailing economic conditions made for an exceedingly difficult sales environment especially for premium-priced products for the first three quarters of the year. Overseas, sales in Asia, particularly China, were robust and far ahead of the previous year, Citizen said. In the North American market, the largest for this business, difficult conditions continued through the first half, but gave way to a faster-than-expected market recovery in the second half and sales growth for Eco-Drive and other high value added products, Citizen said. Citizen said sales at its Bulova Corp. subsidiary in the United States dropped for the year, although Bulova posted stronger second half sales due to increased sales of mechanical watches and other differentiated prod ucts. Operating profit in Citizens watch and clock segment rose 7.1 percent to  ¥9.7 billion ($104.2 million). Casio Sales of Casio Computer Companys timepiece division fell just 2.8 percent to  ¥78.1 billion yen ($839 million). Sales of non-radio-controlled watches were affected by the harsh market environment in the first half, Casio said in a statement, but sales of radio-controlled watches were strong, particularly Casios high-value-added brands such as G-Shock, Oceanus, and Edifice. Casio does not disclose the operating income of its timepiece division. Its overall electronics segment, which includes timepieces, reported a  ¥19.9 billion loss ($213.8 million). However, Casio noted that timepieces remained highly profitable. Watches represent only a portion of the sales of all three firms. At Citizen and Casio, watches outperformed other divisions. Net sales for Citizen Holding Co. Ltd. dropped 14.9 percent to  ¥252.5 billion ($2.71 billion). Net income for the Citizen Group remained stable at  ¥3.5 billion ($37.6 million). Net sales for Casio as a whole dropped 17.4 percent to  ¥427.9 ($4.60 billion). For the year, Casio reported a loss of  ¥21.0 billion ($226.0 million). Casio said the primary cause of the loss was a sharp decline in sales of cellular phones. Net sales at Seiko Holdings Corp. increased 33% to  ¥230.7 billion ($2.48 billion). The increase, however, is due entirely to a reorganization of the Seiko Group in October that made Seiko Instruments Inc., one of the groups two major manufacturing units, a subsidiary of Seiko Holdings. SII added  ¥85.0 billion ($913.6 million) to Seiko Holdings sales. Without SII, Seiko Holding sales would have declined by 16 percent for the year. Seiko Holdings reported a net loss for the year of  ¥3.6 billion ($39 million). Big Three Watch Sales 2006-2010 (billion yen) Citizen Sales Casio Sales Seiko Sales Purpose of Marketing Plan The purpose of writing a marketing plan is to give a detailed report of our new product in the market. Starting from product attributes, finding our suitable target markets, the benefits that our target customers will get, selecting appropriate distribution channels to make our product easily accessible, studying the current situation analysis of our target markets, analysis of our competitors, and the ratio of market which they have captured.Designing a marketing mix, pricing strategies, Marketing objectives and accordingly making marketing strategies. Mission statement With in this short span of time we have gained a good word of mouth by giving better quality durable products. Innovative, modern, stylish are all descriptive traits that exemplify Integrals design. Dreams and ideals cannot be realized by means of conventional ideas and technologies. Thats why our approach to development is to set a challenging goal and tackle it from every possible perspective-until what simply cant be done gets done. We Updates you with time Company profile à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Company name Bingo Watches. Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 3 MR. Uzair Zaheer is CEO of the company. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ MR. Aamir Latif is Managing Director of the company. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ MR. Majid Ali is GM of the company. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ MR. Arslan Khurshid is Marketing Director. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Company product name is Power Disk Watch. Status of the company Bingo started their business in 2001 from the major cities Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and for the past five years our company has been of producing following products à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ wrist watches (Digital and Analog) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fancy wall clocks (Digital and Analog) With in this short span of time we have gained a good word of mouth for our quality products which we have been producing according to the market likings. Now we are about to launch a new innovative, ground breaking, new unique product in the market which is currently not available so we are having no competitors for our new product called Power Disk Watch. Market status of the company Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 4 Our company mainly focusing in Pakistans market, our products are being used in Pakistan. The goodwill of our products is high in the market. As a result of market survey we have a large quantity of loyal customer as well as potential costumers. There is continuous communication with the customer (promotion) to increase the quality and performance of existing products. On the basis of past experience there are good expectations with the new product Power Disk Watch. Product Attributes Leather and chain straps: This product will be available for customers in genuine leather and chain (titanium) straps depending on watch model. Mp3 player: It has a build-in MP3 music player which will be an exciting step for fun lovers of different ages. Voice recorder: Watch also has the ability to record voice messages, theres a small, very sensitive microphone at the bottom of the watch. It can be used as a spy recorder. Built-in equalizer: There is a built-in equalizer in this product which will enable the users to switch to different modes of built in equalizer for e.g. rock, soft, pop, dance, classic, flat Memory space Battery: Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 5 Build-in 170mAH, 3.7V Hi Li-ion rechargeable battery. Depending on the model its memory space varies i.e. 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, and 1GB Night mode: When it turns dark the watch arms and buttons automatically starts glowing so one can easily operate. Weight Speed: Weight of the device is 50-80g (Varies with design and shape) and the speed is USB 1.1 (Max 5Mbps). Support bit rate: Support bit rate is 32kbps-256kbps. Light indicators: It has different indication lights to indicate charging, Mp3 player on/off. Play time: Using this watch users can play continuously for 10~12 hours. System support: Windows 98 or above. Different formats: Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch The watch handles different formats like MP3, WMA, and WAV files for playback. Plug and play: For windows above 98 there is no need to install driver just plug and play. Steps of Marketing plan 1) Situational Analysis 1) Micro Environment 2) Macro environment Micro Environment Micro factors are the factors that directly influence our company. The main micro factors are: 1Intermediaries (Suppliers / Distributors) 2Customers 3Competitors (direct / indirect) P o te n tia l E n tra n ts S u p p lie rs B u y e rs S u b s titu te s In d u s try Macro Environment Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 7 1)-Demograhic Environment Demography is the study of human population in terms of age, gender, household size, family life cycle, education and population age mix. Pakistan is one of the 3rd world countries with a population of 15.50 billion out of which 48% are males and 52% are females. 55% of the population involves in agriculture. The literacy rate in very low i.e. 39% and population rate is 2.3% annually. Most of the population lives in rural areas but migration rate is high. The per capital income is $480 per person annually. Lahore is one of the largest cities of Pakistan. The target of our watch is young generation aging from 20-35 but still watch is being used by guys as well. 2)-Economic Environment In third world countries, a large part of the income of people is spent on the basic needs, so its the most sensitive environment where the income level is low, middle class is shrinking, wealth distribution is unequal and saving rate is low. The people are either very rich or very poor. And their consumption behavior varies accordingly. 3)-Technological environment In Pakistan, there are less opportunities of innovation are available due to the lack of research. However it also depends on the companies that how much they prefer the research and customer feedback. Keeping in view the target market, our company has to look for opportunities rather then wait for them. 4)-Geographical Environment The population level is high crossing 160 million. The growth rate of the customer is expected to have an increasing trend. 5)-Social cultural Environment Traditionally youngsters have more interest in music. This means more consumption of watches then from older ones. Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 8 6)-Legal and Political Environment There are no restrictions for the new entrants. Govt. is supporting us by providing exemption of sales tax for 2 years to show their commitment towards welcoming new investment. Factors influencing consumer buying behavior There are many factors that influence the consumer buying behavior directly. These factors are: 1. Cultural factors 2. Social factors 3. Personal factors 4. Psychological factors Cultural factors As far as we are concerned we will target Lahore market at first. The people living in Lahore are good looking and they spent major part of their income in shopping. When we talk about watch many customers are not really satisfied with their existing watches. Thats where we are focusing at: Social Factors Some people get inspiration from reference groups and they use the same products as their reference groups are using. Personal Factors Age factor affects the consumer buying behavior. Mostly young generation use watches to improve their outlook. Economic conditions have also a bit effect on consumer buying behavior. People with high income never hesitate to spend the money on taking care of their out look. Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 9 Competitive Factor There are basically three types of competition 1. Brand competition 2. Form competition 3. Generic competition Brand competitors By brand competition we mean competition between different manufacturers who satisfy or tend to satisfy similar need by providing Similar product. In our case our direct brand competitors are 1. Rolex 2. Casio 3. Swatch 4. Raymonds well Form competitors By form competitors we mean the competition between manufacturers which will satisfy the same need but the products that they offer are different. Our form competitors are 1. Rado 2. Titan Generic competition Competition among products that are different, but solve the same problem or provide the same benefit or utility. 2) Marketing Objectives Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 10 There are two types of marketing objectives which are given below 1. Short term objectives 2. Long term objectives Short term objectives: The fundamental objective of BINGO WATCHES to increase the sales volume of power disk watches. Create a good image of our product in the mind of customers. Our main concern is profitability. Long term Objectives: BINGOS long term objectives are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Retention of our loyal customer à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Capturing high market share à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Delivering quality products to our customers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Capturing the potential target market of Pakistan à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Launching innovative changes for our product à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Creating brand awareness and brand loyalty 3) Market Segmentation Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 11 Geographical region: Our target market geographical region profile is as follows. o World region: o Asia o Country: o Pakistan o City: o Lahore o Areas: o Defence o Cantonment o Cavalry Ground o Gulberg o Modeltown Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 12 Demographic factors: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Age: o 20+ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gender: o Male à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Family life-cycle: o Young or aged can be single or married à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Income: o Rs 30,000+ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Occupation: o Student o Doctors o Engineers o Computer Eng o Business Man o Accountants à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Education: o Bachelors o Masters o PHD Psychographic: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Social Class: o Upper Lower o Upper Middle o Upper Upper à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Life Style: o Achievers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Personality: Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 13 o Expressive o Stylish o Authoritarian o Gregarious Behavioral: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Occasion: o Regular occasion à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Benefits: o Quality o Uniqueness o Technical o Portability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ User status: o Medium and heavy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Readiness stage: o Un-aware 4) Target Market This watch is designed for students, executives, professionals with different occupation, degrees and education levels. We have designed and customized according to different user needs. Students: For students we have designed a model called G-SHOCK as mentioned earlier our watches are for expressive people who want to express them selves, so G-SHOCK has Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 14 been designed according to latest styles , fashion make it an unique and an expressive watch apart from its features. Memory space: (128MB~512Mb) This feature is really beneficial one because students can carry their assignments, presentation, work, software, related stuff on it and can access it form any where no need to open your mail account and download your required stuff . Instead of wasting so much time just copy it in your watch and carry it any where you want. Portability: This is a portable device which is always on your hand in the form of watch; its easy to carry because it weighs almost equal to watch. So at one space one carry four additional accessories. Entertainment: Mp3 Player: Students mostly have walk mans, CD man with them which they often use while traveling mostly. Now you dont need to have any walk man because you can store almost about 500 songs in your watch and can listen them when ever you want. You are traveling, sitting alone and feeling bore, or want to listen song at night time but can not put your deck on, our watch has solution for every problem Voice recorder: It is very help full during the lecture because you can record your lecture any time and can listen to it after wards and even can store it in your Pc. Privacy: Our product will be providing privacy by keeping the personal private things with you in your watch and can carry them with you all the time. Executives/Professionals: The watch which we have designed for professionals isEst eem.it varies in design according to varying age groups .we have given some new designs to this product which is a bit different from others. The benefits we will be giving to our customers are as follows. Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 15 Memory Space: (512 MB~1 GB) Now days every professional has a need of flash drive. We have made this job easier for them to carry it in their watch and can access it from any where we are providing sample of space i.e. 512 MB ~ 1GB software engineers, programmers ,Doctors ,Accountants especially can bring some extra out put from this product because they can carry many of the big software with them. Portable: Our product makes it easier for you to carry your data in a portable device requiring no new space Stylish designs: Our watches along with technical aspects have stylish features according to current fashion. The power disk watch for executives has, attracting, exclusive, designs our targeted customers which give them an expressive look. Voice recorder: Power disk has introduced this feature for the first time in current market; this feature is of great use we have made a small product which carries multiple functions in it this feature enables you to: Record all conversation while in meeting. While interviewing some one can record the interview instead of writing it down and saving time. Privacy: It keeps your privacy with you .one can carry some of its important files, documents save in his/her watch. 5) Marketing mix 1. Product 2. Price 3. Place 4. Promotion Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 16 PRODUCTS:- As we have already discussed about the product, its features and its attributes above. So now we will be looking at the other three Ps. PRICE:- PRICING STRATEGY:- The pricing strategy portion of the marketing plan involves determining how we will price our product or service; the price we charge has to be competitive but still allow us to make a reasonable profit. The keyword here is reasonable; we can charge any price we want to, but for every product or service theres a limit to how much the consumer is willing to pay. Our pricing strategy needs to take this consumer threshold into account. We set our prices by examining how much it costs us to produce the product or service and adding a fair price for the benefits that the customer will enjoy. We may find it useful to conduct a Breakeven Analysis. In break even analysis the price is set to break even on the costs of making and marketing a product or in other words setting a price to make a target profit. These are some pricing strategies 1. Cost based pricing 2. Value based pricing 3. Competition based pricing Cost based pricing: Cost based pricing involves adding a markup to the cost of the product. But Power disk is not dealing in price sensitive market . So we move on to the next pricing method. VALUE BASED PRICING: In value based pricing price is based on the buyers perception of value rather than on the sellers cost. An increasing number of companies are basing their prices on the products perceived value. And we can use it here as well as the consumers already dont have an image of this new product in mind so there is a need to base its new price on its value. All the Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 17 company needs to do is to change the view point of the customers by powerful and attractive advertising. COMPETITION BASED PRICING Setting prices based on the prices the competitors charge for similar products is called competition based pricing. Consumers will base their judgments of a products value on the prices that competitors charge for similar products. One form of competition based pricing is going rate pricing in which a firm bases its prices largely on competitors prices, with less attention paid to its own costs or to demand. The firm might charge the same as, more than or less than its major competitors. But as we know that Power disk is not facing any competition so this strategy is not be used by the company. We are launching a new unique product for a special class of people our target market is not price sensitive so we will be using Value Based Pricing because we processes a good word of mouth and this type we are launching an innovative product which already does not exist in market The final user end prices are as follows for its 2 models: o G-Force (for Students) G-Force Models Quantity Per unit cost Profit Retail price Gf-910 01 4125 1375(25%) 5500 Gf-610 01 4875 1625(25%) 6500 o Esteem: (for executives and professionals) Esteem Models Quantity Per unit cost Profit Retail price Em-121001 6800 1700(20%) 8500 Em-345001 13600 3400(20%) 17000 Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 18 Incentives: The incentives which will be given to and retailers are as follows: Retailers: To retailers the incentive given for the per unit sale of G-force and Esteem is as follows: Model Quantity Commission G-force 1 500 Esteem 1 900 PLACE:- It includes marketing channels and channel levels as described below:- MARKETING CHANNELS Few producers sell their goods directly to final users. Instead most use intermediaries to bring their products to market. They try to forget a marketing channel or distribution channel, a set of interdependent organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by the consumer or business user. There are basically two marketing channels:- Direct marketing channel:- A marketing channel that has no intermediary levels. Indirect marketing channel: Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 19 Channel containing one or more intermediary levels. We Implement Direct channels: Company Owned Shop: The products will be available on our company outlet at MM ALAM ROAD and Defence Y-Block. In- Direct channels: It would be difficult to cover our target market by just using direct channel so in order to make it easily available we will use the maximum no of efficient indirect channels, which are as follows: 1. H karim bukhsh outlets 2. pot puri outlets 3. Al Fetah outlets 4. sketchers outlets 5. Nike outlets 6. Pace shopping mall 7. Fortress market PROMOTION Promotion means customer communication that how we can reach to our customer to read and capture his mind. PROMOTION MIX STRETAGES:- Marketers can choose from two basic promotion mix strategies:- 1). Push strategy 2). Pull strategy PUSH STRATEGY:- Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 20 A promotion strategy that calls for using the sales force and trade promotion to push the product through channels is called push strategy. The producer promotes the product to wholesalers the wholesalers promotes to retailers, and the retailer promotes to consumers. A push strategy involves pushing the product through distribution channels to final consumers. The producer directs its marketing activities (primarily personal selling and trade promotion) toward channel members to induce them to carry the product and to promote it to final consumer. PULL STRATEGY:- A promotion strategy that calls for spending a lot on advertising and consumer promotion to build up consumer demand is called pull strategy. If the strategy is successful, consumers will ask their retailers for the product, the retailers will ask the wholesalers, and the wholesalers will ask the producers. Using a pull strategy, the producer directs its marketing activities (primarily advertising and consumer promotion) toward final consumers to induce them to buy the product. If the pull strategy is effective, consumers will then demand the product from channel members, who will in turn demand from producers. Thus, under a pull strategy, consumer demand pulls the product through the channels. OUR APPROACH As we are launching our product (watches) so we will use the mix strategies to improve the customer demand to have more sales and better supply in all kinds of markets and stores. And for this we have to analyze trends or behaviors of the consumers so that the companys ability to do business can be improved. So in this section well also give the tools we will be using for this launch. We will also discuss the promotion strategy that we will be using in this launch. Promotion tools Advertisement Advertisement is the tool to make the product known to the customer, the advertisement should be in such a manner so that it can attract the customer at first glance then their should be image retention in the mind of customer. Continuous advertisement stimulates the customer for the purchasing of the product. Advertisement tools used are Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 21 Magazines 1. Libas Magazine 2. MAG 3. Times Magazine 4. Visag Magzine 5. Fashion Magzine Sign boards Advertisement through signboards in posh areas of Lahore. For the evaluation of the product performance following methods will be used so that if the customer is facing any problems in respect of quality, availability and other matters can be removed. Feed back form Forms having different question about the product performance, its weaknesses (if any), Need for quality improvement and other questions regarding service approachability, affordability etc will be available. Forms will be given to the customers at time of purchase. Sales Promotion and retention of loyal customers For sales promotion at different occasions like EID, Independence day, greeting cards will be sent in order to stay in contact with our loyally and potential customers. 6) Implementation Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 22 It is the most important step of the marketing plan. In this step we actually implement what we have consider In above steps. Because there is a saying that it is useless to write a story if you are not going to make a movie. 7) Evaluation In this we evaluate what we have implemented if our strategies are going accordingly then we carry on other wise we are going for modification. Marketing Plan for Power Disk Watch N$B 23

A Nation of Murderers or a Nation of Freedom: Abortion in 2003 Essay

A Nation of Murderers or a Nation of Freedom: Abortion in 2003 On January 22, 1973, in addition to disease, murders, and other tragedies, the probability of every person’s existence in America became even more jeopardized. That winter day was the date that abortion became legal by the Supreme Court in the case â€Å"Roe vs. Wade.† Since then, a decision had to be made during each pregnancy whether or not to terminate the growing fetus, resulting in the possibility of someone’s life never existing. One of the main problems today is determining at what point during the pregnancy constitutes a living being and not just a fetus inside the womb. During the first trimester there are too many aspects interpreted as religious, political, and medical opinions rather than scientific facts to determine whether or not the fetus is a living being. Consequently, the argument with the most substance is whether or not a woman should have the right to choose a termination of pregnancy during the second and third trimester and should it be legal. One of the standpoints of defense for abortion is that if medical abortions were outlawed, women would seek illegal, more dangerous methods of terminating a pregnancy. As a website on Planned Parenthood describes, â€Å"In the two decades before abortion was legal in the U.S., it's been estimated that nearly a million women per year sought illegal abortions. Thousands died. Tens of thousands were mutilated† (Abortion 2). The demand for abortions even under these extreme circumstances is because of the threat of injury to the woman if the baby is born, as well as inability to provide the baby a healthy and financially stable childhood. For tens of thousands of women with heart disease, kidney disea... ...over the exact point during the pregnancy a fetus is alive and laws can be made accordingly. Until then we remain a society of diverse opinions. Works Cited - â€Å"Abortion.† Planned Parenthood Organization. 26 October 2003. - Hymowitz, Kay S. â€Å"Who Decides?† Commentary October 2003: p82-86. - â€Å"NARAL.† National Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League. 26 October 2003. - Nash, Madeline. â€Å"Inside the Womb.† Time 11 November 2002: p34-36. - Ranalli, Paul. â€Å"Knowledge of Fetal Development and Fetal Pain Grows Over Last 10 Years†. Helping to Change the Climate of Opinion. 26 October 2003. . - Taillion, Marcel. â€Å"Abortion.† 26 October 2003 .

The Affirmative Action Debate Essay example -- affirmative action argu

The Affirmative Action Debate    Most Americans desire a colorblind society. A society where individuals are judged upon merit, as opposed to the color of their skin. That is the reason Affirmative Action was birthed by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. That is also the reason that Proposition 209 was voted for in 1996.   These two historical events are driven by the desire of equality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What is Affirmative Action?   According to Geraldine Leshin, it is "Taking positive or active steps to accomplish the public policy goal of equal employment opportunity."  Ã‚   What is Proposition 209?   Its a new law that has been passed that "prohibits the state of California and local governments from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race,   sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in public employment, public education or public contracting (San Jose Mercury News)."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Affirmative action was implemented for important reasons.   "Broadly defined, affirmative action refers to efforts to increase educational and employment opportunities for minorities and women.   More specifically, it applies to various programs and policies designed to increase the number of minorities and women hired by government and industry and admitted into colleges and universities."(Faundez, 213)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Affirmative action is important especially in the work force. Before affirmative action, minorities and women felt, and seemed to be, discriminated against being chosen for the job.   Affirmative action was to help with the "increasing of opportunities for those that were previously discriminated against"(Lemann, 145).   Affirmative action   was created to not only help Black-Amer... ....    Leshin, Geraldine (1979).   Equal Employment Opportunity an Affirmative Action in Labor-Management Relations A PRIMER.   Institute of Industrial Relations:   Los Angeles, Tab H.    Mendoza, Ryan (1996).   Affirmative Action remains the American compromise. The Yale Daily News, Internet.   Available: http://www.townhall.com/columnists.duplantier/dul112195.html (1996, October 4).    Mills, Nicolaus, ed.   Debating Affirmative Action:   Race, Gender, Ethnicity, and the Politics of Inclusion.   New York:   Delta trade Paper-backs, 1994.    Proposition 209 and Affirmative Action (1996).  Ã‚   San Jose Mercury News. Available: http://www.sjercruy.com/news/breaknws.htm    Rockwell, Paul (1996).   Angry White Guys For Affirmative Action. Available:   http://www.dnai.com/~awgfaa/html/angry.html (1996, October 4).

Cultural and Disease

The disease that I am writing about today is Asthma. This disease is a severe allergic reaction in which the bronchial tubes in the lungs swell and become blocked with mucous. The membranes lining the inner walls of the air passages become inflamed, causing the airways to narrow and making it difficult to breathe. Asthma affects roughly 17 million Americans. Five million of those affected by this disease are under the age of 18, making asthma the most common chronic childhood disease. That means that roughly 1 in 20 people out of the general American population including children currently suffer from this incurable disease. This disease causes more than 14 people to die daily from asthma. In my research I found that over the past decades these figures have been steadily increasing in the United State. As our air, water, and food become more polluted with chemicals more people are affected by Asthma. We will continual to see an increase in this disease as long as infants are introduced to solid foods at an early age, and food additives increase, and plants are genetically manipulated to form foods that have a higher allergic potential. Symptoms of asthma may include recurrent attacks of breathlessness, wheezing when breathing out, a dry cough, and excessive mucous. Tightness in the chest during a severe attack, also include sweating and rapid heartbeat, distress and anxiety, an inability to sleep or speak. This disease potentially increased vulnerability to the effects of exposure to air pollutants. There are those who are innately more susceptible to the effects of exposure to air pollutants than others. Those who become more susceptible for example as a result of environmental or social factors or personal behavior and those who are simply exposed to unusually large amounts of air pollutants. Very young children and unborn babies are also particularly sensitive to some pollutants. People with cardio-respiratory disease or diabetes are susceptible to having Asthma. Also people who are exposed to other toxic materials that add to or interact with air pollutants and those who are socioeconomically deprived. When compared with healthy people, those with respiratory disorders such as chronic bronchitis. Asthma has become one of the top chronic conditions in the United States. It disproportionately affects minorities of school age children and youth. Approximately one in 15 Americans suffers from asthma1 and an estimated 4 million children under 18 have an asthma attack each year. Many African-Americans are exposed to unhealthy living and working conditions that trigger more asthma diagnoses than in any other race or ethnic group. Inner- city living conditions typically are crowded and less sanitary, which creates greater exposure to allergens and an increased risk of developing asthma. In a 2002 study, the American Lung Association reported that 71 percent of African- Americans lived in communities where federal air pollution standards were not met, compared to 58 percent of the white population. There are an estimated 1 million to 2 million new cases of asthma diagnosed in the United States each year. Approximately 3 million African Americans have been diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives. The Prevalence of asthma in African-Americans is 30 percent higher than whites. Although children of all races and ethnicities are affected, asthma appears to be more prevalent among children who are poor, African-American or Puerto Rican. Asthma is the most common childhood chronic disease and is a national public health concern that challenges both health care and school systems. A quarter of the United State population is made up of children, who comprise 40 percent of reported asthma cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in 13 school- age children has been diagnosed with asthma. Many parents are not informed about how to properly manage their hild asthma attacks. This increase pediatric emergency room visits. Medicaid had more severe asthma and used fewer preventive medications than all children in the same managed Medicaid population. Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, with increasing morbidity and mortality. A genetic predisposition and exposure to allergens have been implicated as major risk factors for the development of asthma. However, increasing evidence indicates that the mother plays a crucial role in mediating the development of fetal-infant immune responses to inhaled allergens. The exact nature and mechanism of this maternal influence and how it might be associated with the development of allergic sensitization and asthma are not clear. Under normal conditions the maternal environment during pregnancy promotes an initial skewed immune response in the offspring which transitions to a non- allergic type response after birth. However the allergic mother's influence may delay the normal transition to a non-allergic immune response to inhaled allergens in her children increasing the risk for the development of allergic sensitization and or asthma. Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which the maternal mmune environment can influence the development of the fetal-infant immune response to inhaled allergens may lead to identifying new targets for the prevention of allergic sensitization and asthma. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled with proper asthma management. The first step in asthma management is environmental control. Asthmatics cannot escape the environment but through some changes they can control its impact on their health. Some asthmatics use a peak flow meter to gauge their lung function. Lung function decreases before symptoms of an asthma attack occurs. If the meter indicates the peak flow is down by 20 percent or more from your usual best effort an asthma attack is on its way. Other was to managing asthma involves is to use medications. There are two major groups of medications used in controlling asthma attack. Anti -inflammatories corticosteroids and bronchodilators Anti-inflammatories this medication reduces the number of inflammatory cells in the airways and prevent blood vessels from leaking fluid into the airway tissues. By reducing inflammation you can reduce the spontaneous spasm of the airway muscle and reduce having a asthma attach.

Complan Foods Essay

Complan Foods is a British company that makes powdered milk energy drinks. It was acquired by Danone in 2011. In India the Complan brand is owned by the H. J. Heinz Company. Complan was launched by Glaxo in 1954. As part of Glaxo’s Farley Health Products subsidiary, the Complan UK brand was sold to Boots in 1988. In India, Complan remained with Glaxo until 1994, when it was acquired by Heinz, who also acquired the UK brand in the same year.[2][3] In 2002 a majority stake in the UK business (Complan Foods) was sold to the Saatchi brothers’ Saatchinvest BRIEF HISTORY The H.J. Heinz Company, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the most global of all U.S.-based food companies. Famous for their iconic brands on five continents, Heinz provides delicious, nutritious and convenient foods for families in 200 countries around the world. In more than 50 of those countries, we enjoy the number-one or number-two market position. To learn more visit www.heinz.com. Heinz came to India in 1994 by taking over the Family Products Division of Glaxo. GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) is a British multinational pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest pharmaceutical company measured by 2009 prescription drug sales .It was established in 2000 by the merger of Glaxo Wellcome plc and SmithKline Beecham plc. with powerful brands such as Complan, Glucon-D, Nycil and Sampriti. Heinz India is fully integrated into the global Heinz operations employing high standards in quality at manufacturing facility at Aligarh in the State of Uttar Pradesh. This manufacturing facility is HACCP certified and follows GFMP (Good Food Manufacturing Practices) to deliver safe food products Heinz in India provides taste and nutrition through globally trusted products like Heinz Tomato Ketchup and strong local products like Complan energy drink, Nycil – the most effective prickly heat powder and Sampriti Ghee. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES: http://www.heinz.co.in/about_heinz/history.aspx