Linguistic Changes of an Individual in Migration Essay Example for Free

Linguistic Changes of an Individual in Migration Essay As the world becomes increasingly globalised, we observe a rising trend where individuals migrate for educational and economic opportunities. The prestige of being educated in a highly ranked university and the prospects of higher paying jobs are definitely important pull factors for both internal and international migration (Welch, 1970). When people move, they also transfer the use of their existing linguistic repertoire to their host country. However, what might have been effective at home might be interpreted differently when placed in different socioeconomic contexts. Hence, the relative value of linguistic repertoire one possesses and how mobile are one’s language skills in the world determines how a migrant interacts with a new community. Consequently, this paper seeks to provide insight on how the relative value of linguistic resources affects one’s mobility and decisions in community interactions. Drawing on Blommaert’s study on the sociolinguistics of globalisation, this discussion will focus on how an individual’s linguistic repertoire is being used to one’s advantage within the community. It also highlights the changes which occur when one attempts to transfer the same linguistic repertoire as the shift to a place of varying cultural and linguistic ability. As Blommaert suggests, â€Å"placed resources are resources that are functional in one particular place but can become dysfunctional as soon as they are moved to other places† (Blommaert, 2003). Essentially, this essay seeks to expound on the changes of one’s linguistic repertoire and how it affects one’s interactions with new communities resulting from migration. Linguistic repertoire refers to linguistic varieties acquired by an individual to different degrees of proficiency and for different uses (Crystal, 1990). The acquisition of linguistic repertoire thus extends not only to the procurement of different types of language codes like English and Hindi, but also the speech styles and genres within each language. In light of this definition, this paper chooses to trace how one’s use of language repertoire might change in the context of internal migration and international migration. With this in mind, a migrant from India who experienced both types of migration was chosen. India boasts twenty-two official languages as per the Constitution of India, where English is determined as the secondary official language and is used as lingua franca throughout India. Within the context of this paper, the experiences of the migrant serve to provide personal insight on language mobility within the transmigrational arena. Research methodology and background of interviewee With this in mind, a fifty minute interview was carried out on 16th October 2012 to gather substantial data in order to provide a comparison between internal and international migration. The sole participant is Joshua Cherian, aged 24 who is currently pursuing a postgraduate education in Singapore. He was born and raised in Kerala, Southern India, after which he moved to Jamshedpur, Northern India to pursue a tertiary education before working in New Delhi. He was taught English at a young age and learnt Hindi during university, while his mother tongue is Malayalam. During the interview, questions were asked ranging from the interviewee’s experiences of language acquisition and his experiences in India and Singapore to language policies in India. Utilising his personal insights on adapting to different communities and observing it through the concepts provided in Blommaert’s study, the relative value of linguistic repertoire consequently becomes more obvious not only from country to country but also within different areas of the community. Language repertoire in internal migration Within India, it is said to have a de-facto three plus minus one language policy. Those who neither speak the language of the state nor the two official languages, English and Hindi, now have to grapple with learning four languages in order to pass the school systems and secure jobs within the modern sector (Laitin. D, 1989). Consequently, many people who migrate in the pursuit of education or jobs find it necessary to expand their language repertoire in order to compete for the chance of upward socioeconomic mobility within India. Joshua notes that: â€Å"There is a divide between the corporate world and industrial world, where managers and people in multinational companies speak in english, but those in manufacturing speak Hindi in work. In the north of India everyone speaks Hindi, so I had to learn Hindi. When I worked in Delhi, I spoke mostly Hindi in my workplace, because I am a manager of labourers and those who just passed tenth standard, they just need to make something so they don’t need English. People who do software need to interact with clients overseas, so it is important for them to speak English.† Due the demands of his job, Joshua was required to expand his language repertoire to include fluent Hindi in order to communicate with his subordinates effectively. Although English could have sufficed in interacting with white-collar professionals, learning Hindi would have enabled Joshua to ensure a smooth running of operations that he was in charge with. As such, it is observed that migrants tend to expand their language repertoire within internal migration according to which languages are most functional within their community. Furthermore, an expansion of linguistic repertoire also affects one’s interaction the community. As immigrants acquire proficiency in more languages, there is a tendency to broaden their participation in various communities within the area that they have settled in. This is especially evident in Joshua’s recount: â€Å"In India you would have to know many languages in order to fit into different communities. University students will use English because it is prestigious. It shows you are well educated. Outside of the education system, everyone speaks their own dialect or their own state language. I used to hang out with many friends when I was studying in Jamshedpur who came from all over India. I also managed to become my student governing body’s president, so speaking the many languages helped me reach out to a lot of people.† Even though migrants who migrate within their home country experience a new environment, there are common cultural familiarities that they can relate to by being in the same country. Naturally, this allows them to assimilate into the communities easily since they already share similar cultural and national identities. Rather, this pre-existing factor enables immigrants like Joshua to interact with different groups of people. Such a preference is also extremely beneficial to an individual within a new community as they are able to called upon a large network of acquaintances should they need help in the future. Hence, the broadening of one’s interaction with many communities would be positively correlated to the acquisition of language repertoire because both serve the same purpose of helping the migrant assimilate well into the new environment they are in. Language Repertoire in International Migration In contrast to internal migration, one’s use of language repertoire might decrease across different geographical spaces. It is noted that international migration denotes a shift to a foreign culture in which the values placed upon certain languages is different from one’s original country. As such, many migrants would utilise a language within their repertoire that is widely used in the world. Joshua relates his experience moving from India to Singapore: â€Å"When I first arrived in Singapore, everything was easy for me to get used to because I was already proficient in English. Even if I needed help, I could just approach anyone and they would reply me in English. I don’t even Hindi anymore because the friends and people I meet with speak only in English. Perhaps it is because there are so many races here so communication needs to be in a common language. Although I have friends from India here, they never speak in their mother tongue! Everyone would rather speak in English than Hindi! Despite Joshua’s extensive language repertoire, he only speaks in English in Singapore, thereby showing a decrease in language repertoire employed in daily life. In most cases of international migration, migrants often move from the ‘periphery’ to the ‘core’ of the world system. As one attempts to transfer one’s language repertoire from one country to another, the languages employed more frequently within the core global system would be more mobile compared to other languages. In particular, because Singapore is a multi-racial community, it requires English as a lingua franca in order to achieve cohesiveness and efficiency. Consequently, rather than expanding one’s linguistic repertoire to gain access to every community, a migrant in Singapore need only focus on speaking proficient English, which subsequently narrows his language repertoire within the host country. Parallel to one’s decrease in language repertoire, it is observed that migrants narrow their participation to a few communities that they are comfortable with. While migrants who migrate internally tend to broaden their participation in a wide array of communities, people who migrate internationally prefer to focus their efforts in interacting with a particular community where they feel most comfortable with. Joshua, expresses that: â€Å" I like to be in a place where I can interact with people well. When I came to Singapore, everybody spoke â€Å"Singlish†. It was especially hard for me to understand the jokes of my Singaporean friends. Thats why I wanted to be in a Christian group, so I went around to look for churches and even joined the varsity christian fellowship. Then I found a church cell group to be in and we could talk about common things, at least everyone there understands what I am going through when I talk about my struggles and life. I don’t meet with the Indian community much because everyone here speaks English anyway and I am more comfortable speaking in English, so when I talk about God and faith, I don’t get any puzzled looks when I am with church people† For most immigrants, being in a foreign community could be unsettling because there exists stark differences in culture that they might not understand. In Joshua’s case, not being able to understand Singlish hindered his active participation in various communities, especially in understanding humour within the sociocultural context of Singaporean society. As such, by participating in communities with specific shared beliefs that the migrant can identify with, it could be easier for him to assimilate into a new environment. Communities with shared beliefs also tend to share a similar use of register in their daily speech. Drawing on Joshua’s case of finding a christian community, a christian setting could be more comfortable for him because he understands the semantics of words such as â€Å"communion† and â€Å"faith† used frequently in that community. Additionally, by narrowing one’s participation to few communities, individuals would have more time to spend more effort on forging closer relationships within a particular communities. This in turn could be more beneficial to the migrant as this niche area of society provides a source of emotional support for the migrant in order to cope with the anxiety of being away from home. Conclusion What Joshua has experienced demonstrates the constant change of the value of language resources as he shifts between places in migration. This relative value of one’s linguistic resources is largely due to cultural and socioeconomic factors that have shaped the community to place emphasis on certain languages and speech styles. As such, an immigrant’s increase or decrease language repertoire is largely affected by the placed importance of certain languages within their host communities. In conclusion, this paper has asserts that language mobility is profoundly affected by the changing values of linguistic resources which vary from place to place, especially when there is a shift of resources from the periphery to the core of the world system. Whether one participates in a wide number of communities or chooses to focus their efforts in a single community depends on a change in one’s use of his language repertoire. References 0. Blommaert, J. (2003). Commentary: A Sociolinguistics of Globalization. Journal of Sociolinguistics 7/4, 2003: 607-623 0. Crystal, D. (1990). A Liturgical Language in a Sociolinguistic Perspective. In D. R.C.D. Jasper (eds),Language and the worship of the church (Basingstoke: Macmillan), 120-46 0. Laitin D. D. (1989). Language Policy and Political Strategy in India. Policy Sciences, Vol. 22, No. 3/4, Policymaking in Developing Countries (1989), pp. 415-436 0. Welch F. (1970). ‘Education in Production, Journal of Political Economy, 78 (1), January/February, 35-59

The Criticism Of The Modigliani And Miller Hypothesis Finance Essay

The Criticism Of The Modigliani And Miller Hypothesis Finance Essay Capital structure has a major implication to the ability of firms to meet the various needs of stakeholders. There were various studies carried out on capital structure and major development on new theories for optimal debt to equity ratio. The first milestone on the issue was set by Modigliani and Miller(1958) through which they presented in their seminal work two important propositions that shaped the economic theory behind capital structure and its effect on firm value. The Modigliani and Miller hypothesis is identical with the net operating income approach. At its heart, the theorem is an irrelevance proposition, but the Modigliani-Miller Theorem provides conditions under which a firms financial decisions do not affect its value. They argue that in the absence of taxes, a firms market value and the cost of capital remain invariant to the capital structure changes. In their 1958 articles, they provide analytically and logically consistent behavioural justification in favour of their hypothesis and reject any other capital structure theory as incorrect. The Modigliani-Miller theorem states that, in the absence of taxes, bankruptcy costs, and asymmetric information, and in an efficient market, a companys value is unaffected by how it is financed, regardless of whether the companys capital consists of equities or debt, or a combination of these, or what the dividend policy is. Miller (1991) explains the intuition for the Theorem with a simple analogy. Think of the firm as a gigantic tub of whole milk. The farmer can sell the whole milk as it is. Or he can separate out the cream, and sell it at a considerably higher price than the whole milk would bring. He continues, The Modigliani-Miller proposition says that if there were no costs of separation, (and, of course, no government dairy support program), the cream plus the skim milk would bring the same price as the whole milk. The main content of the argument is that increasing the amount of debt (cream) lowers the value of outstanding equity (skim milk) and selling off safe cash flows to debt-holders leaves the firm with more lower valued equity,thus keeping the total value of the firm unchanged. Furthermore, any gain from using more of what might seem to be cheaper debt is offset by the higher cost of now riskier equity. Assumptions: The Modigliani-Miller theorem can be best explained in terms of their proposition 1 and proposition 2. However their proposition are base on certain assumption and particularly relate to the behaviour of investors, capital market, the actions of the firm and the tax environment. According to I.M Pandey(1999) the assumptions of the Modigliani Miller theorem is based on: Perfect capital markets These are securities (shares and debt instruments)which are traded in the perfect capital market situation and complete information is available to all investors with no cost to be paid. This also means that an investor is free to buy or sell securities, he can borrow without restriction at the same terms as the firm do and he behave rationally. It also implies that the transaction cost(cost of buying and selling securities) do not exist. Homogeneous risk classes Firms can be group into homogeneous risk classes. Firms would be considered to belong to a homogeneous risk class if their expected earnings have identical risk characteristics. It is generally implied under the M-M hypothesis that firms within same industry constitute a homogeneous class. Risk The risk of the investors is defined in terms of the variability of the net operating income(NOI). The risk of investors depends on both the random fluctuations of the expected NOI and the possibility that the actual value of the variable may turn out to be different than their best estimate. No taxes In the original formulation of their hypothesis, M-M assume that no corporate income taxes and personal tax exist. That is, they are both perfect substitute. Full payout Firms distribute all net earnings to the shareholders, which means a 100% payout. Proposition 1: the market value of any firms is independent of its capital structure. M-M(Modigliani and miller) argue that for firms in the same risk class the total market value is independent of the debt-equity mix and is given by capitalizing the expected net operating income by the rate appropriate to that risk class. This is their proposition 1 and can be expressed as follows: Value of firm= Market value of equity + Market value of debt = V= (S + D) = = Where V = the market value of the firm S = the market value of the firms ordinary equity D = the market value of debt = the expected net operating income on the assets of the firm = the capitalization rate appropriate to the risk class of the firm. Also, M-M extended proposition 1 by arguing that there is a linear relationship between cost the cost of equity and the financial leverage. Financial leverage is measured by the Debt to Equity ratio(D/E).The cost of equity capital can be denoted by the following relationship: = + ( ) DE Where denotes cost of equity capital; denotes overall cost of capital and denotes cost of debts of the firm L . Based on the assumption that there is no corporate tax then is equal to the rate of interest on financial leverage employed by the firm. The diagram below shows the cost of capital under the Modigliani and Miller proposition 1.http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/2vohdy2ptsw5n23/images/12-7ef603c995.jpg Example: Example 1 Example 2 DE 2/3 1 0.18 1.18 0.10 0.10 23.3% 26% It can be seen that due to an increase in financial leverage the risk premium of equity shareholders have increased from (23-18) = 5% to (26-18) = 8 %. We can also verify for the , which is given below: When debt equity ratio is 2:3 + = 18% The similar result is obtained when DE is 1. + = 18% It can be concluded that the overall cost of capital, which is the weighted average cost of debt and cost of equity, is unaffected even if the degree of financial leverage is increased. As per the M-M model, however , any benefits arising by substituting cheaper leverage for more expensive equity are offset by an increase in both the costs as reflected on the following graph. Arbitrage process: Arbitrage process is base on the principle that Proposition 1 is based on the assumption that 2 firms are identical except for their capital structure which cannot command different market value and have different cost of capital. Modigliani and Miller do not accept the net income approach on the fact that two identical firms except for the degree of leverage, have different market values. Arbitrage process will take place to enable investors to engage in personal leverage to offset the corporate leverage and thus restoring equilibrium in the market. Criticism of the Modigliani and Miller hypothesis: On the basis of the arbitrage process, M-M conclude that the market value of firms are not affected by leverage but due to the existence of imperfections in the capital market, arbitrage may fail to work and may give rise to differences between the market values of levered and unlevered firms. The arbitrage process may fail to bring equilibrium in the capital market for the following reasons: Lending and borrowing rates differences: Based on the assumption that firms and individuals can borrow and lend at the same rate of interest does not hold good in practice. This is so because firms which hold a substantial amount of fixed assets will have a higher credit standing, thus they will be able to borrow at a lower rate of interest than individuals. Non-substitutability of personal and corporate leverages: It is incorrect to say that personal leverage and corporate leverage are perfect substitute because of the existence of limited liability a firms hold compare to the unlimited liability of individuals hold. For examples, if a levered firm goes bankrupt, all investors will lose the amount of the purchase price of the shares. But if an investor creates personal leverage, in the event of a unlevered firms insolvency, he would lose not only his principal in the shares but also be liable to return the amount of his personal loan. Transaction costs: Transaction cost interfere with the working of the arbitrage. Due to the cost involved in the buying and selling of securities, it is necessary to invest a larger amount in order to earn the same return. As a result , the levered firm will have a higher market value. Institutional restrictions: Personal leverage are not feasible as a number of investors would not be able to substitute personal leverage for corporate leverage and thus affecting the work of arbitrage process. Corporate taxation and personal taxation: M-M theory is also criticize for the reason that it ignores the corporate taxation and personal taxation. Retained earnings: It also ignores personal aspect of financing through retained earnings. In real world , corporate will not pay out the entire earnings in the form of dividends. Investors willingness: Investors will not show much interest in purchasing low rated issued by highly geared firms.

Relationship between Marketing Mix and Consumer Behaviour

Relationship between Marketing Mix and Consumer Behaviour The primary idea of a marketing mix was introduced by Neil Borden in 1953 while describing the recipe that was needed to make a successful marketing campaign. The idea was then given the 4 Ps in 1960 by E. Jerome McCarthy. Marketing Mix is a combination of elements used in the sale of a specific product. The marketing elements that affect a products performance are seen in four distinct functions, also called the Four Ps of marketing. They include product, price, place (of distribution), and promotion. All these functions are considered in the process of planning a marketing strategy. Any one may be enhanced, deducted, or changed to some degree, depending on the market scenario, in order to create a strategy necessary to sell a product. A brief description of each of the aspects of the marketing mix is explained below. Product The physical product/service offered to the consumer. Product decisions include aspects such as function, appearance, aesthetics, post sale service, product warranty, etc. Promotion Promotion decisions are those related to telling or communicating to the target customer what the product has to offer. The duty involves luring a customer in for the sale and then finally completing the required sale. Promotions teams have a responsibility to selling to a new customer and increase the use of the product to encourage more sales. Since these costs often over shoot the products price, a break even analysis must be conducted when making promotion decisions. The promotions team decides to which kind of customers the product needs to be sold. This is also significant in the planning of the product cost and the type of promotion that would go into the promotion of the products. Promotion include advertising, public relations, media types, etc. Place This deals with the location or the place where the product is expected to be sold. The product has to reach the consumers through a series of distributors and retailers. It is associated with the distribution channels which all serve as the means for getting the product to the customers who pick it off a shelf or pay for it otherwise. The distribution system performs all the transactional, logistical, and facilitating functions between middle men and retailer which brings them the best deals and the most effective profit. Distribution decisions include market coverage, channel member selection, logistics, and levels of service. Price Pricing decisions should take into account to account for profit margins and competitors. Keeping up with competitor pricing and treatment of the product in the market brings in a great deal of strategy to the products life cycle. Pricing includes along with the marked list price, the discounts, financing, and more options such as leasing. The following section will deal with describing the effect of the various aspects and sections of the Marketing Mix with association with RD(Research and Development), Brand Portfolio, Sales force and Market Research. Link between Marketing Mix and Consumer Behaviour The psychological processes that a consumer goes through to recognize his needs and finding ways to fill the gaps formed by these needs, making decisions about a purchase (eg., whether or not to pay for a product and, if they are then, which brand do they want to buy and where), process information, planning and implementation of these plans (eg., by engaging in comparison or window shopping or actually paying for a product). It is often necessary to understand the customer and his/her regional and cultural influences. Chances of an Indian or a Chinese bargaining at a retail store are higher than that of an American customer. This affects the pricing and the promotion done for the product. Often, the advertisements and the promotion strategy are re-used in different parts of the world on account of the type of customer. This make a difference on spends and proper consumer behaviour can often bring the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful campaign. Decision making by customers include the availability of the product in the region and information that helps him/her make the required decision pertaining to the purchase of the product. Let us use a few examples to explain the link between the marketing mix and consumer behaviour. The denim and jeans industry which include some internationally recognised brands including Levis, Lee and Pepe understand that within their target range, we include the young crowd. Commonly people up to 30 years of age. They, therefore make sure that the campaigns and marketing include a specific intention to pull these customers in. The ads therefore include several young people in harsh surroundings. KFC and McDonalds have learnt that people tend to eat more in bright coloured surroundings. Therefore, all their outlets usually have bright colours across the walls. A study showed that the These are only very simple examples of consumer behaviour. Understanding the performance or the process of aligning the 4 Ps as per our customers needs is huge in scope and profitable in practice. Link between Marketing Mix and Market Research Market Research is the process of gathering data or info in order to better understand the aspects which would affect the performance of a product on the market. We have to understand if a particular move or step is worth the risk. Incorrect or inadequate market research often leads to poor performance due a poor understanding. Most companies are founded on the principle of profitability. Goods or services they provide should aim to be something that the customer needs and the company can benefit from. That is where market research plays it hand at making a decision. Doing that research accurately will determine if your business will flourish or fall flat on its face. The research conducted around a single product includes analysis of the customer during the purchase phase, the reaction to a specific advertisement, the positioning of the product on the shelves of the stores they appear in, the comfort of the customer with the product etc. In a business strategic sense, they are used to collate Market Information (data about competitors and the supply and demand situation), Segmentation (understanding what kinds of customers appeal to what kind of customer reacts to a specific form of promotion based on common criteria), Market Trends (the fluctuation of the market), Risk Analysis, Competitor Analysis etc. Each and everyone of these activities brings the product manufacturer/service provider with the info he/she needs to process and successfully sell the product. This changes the manner in which the product is sold. The price, the positioning, the promotion and the product itself depends on this research. Link between Marketing Mix and RD Research and Development in a company often implies the need or the drive to improve the product and allow for a better replacement to make its way into the market. The idea behind research and development is to maximise the benefits that the consumer gets out of the product. The idea behind research and development is to improve the products and possibly charge a premium on the improved product which will increase profitability and allow the company to re-invest in research for a better product or a better variant of the same. The benefits from research are manifold. They include better products and hence a more loyal customer and possibly new ones. A company which thrives on research like a Pharmaceutical company is normally not considered the best kind of investment for a player in the stock market. This is because of unusual and over the top spending patterns for research which doesnt necessarily return the investment made. Research and development is also to keep one step ahead of the competitor. To remain at or reach to the top of the table, a company must constantly come out with a product thats just better than the competitors product. Pricing is always a major aspect to consider while working the specifics in research. The price of a product depends on the amount of research that goes into its development. The premium charged on a product comes from patents that protect it against duplication. Patents however, are only offered for a temporary period. Post that, the product is open to duplication. In this case, the price drops to a minimum, usually to push for maximum sales and to allow a return from plain sales. In promotion , the results of research are often touted in the ads about the same. This comes from Surf Excel and Bournvita ads which talk about extra acting chemicals and extra nutrients respectively to make it a better choice than competitor products. Link between Marketing Mix and Sales Force The sales team that drives the amount of revenue coming into the company involves the final point of contact with the customer. This is the point where all the promotions and pricing bring the customer to the final decision making stage. The best salesman is who gets the sale done and the papers signed. It is assumed at times that a large sales force implies the sale of more products. This is not true. A sales force means training. The training involves teaching your sales force selling the product and the nuances associated to the product. This leads to an automatic rise in the spends of the company and very easily reflects on the prices of the products. The size of a sales force depends on the reach of the product in terms of distribution. The type of product also as a major say in the strength of the sales force. Pharmaceuticals have lesser sales force as they cover doctors in mostly urban and sub-urban areas. FMCG sends their sales force all across the country and the world to maximise sales. Link between Marketing Mix and Brand Portfolio The brand portfolio is a system used to categorise the products into high-earners, dead-beats and break-evens. The brand portfolio is created for both analysis of the past and application in the future. The portfolio will contain details about the product that helps the company make decisions about the products future. These include the promotional activities that the product will go through, the price at which we make it available to the customer, the positioning of the product and the condition of the products complete development. The price of a high-earning luxury item can be increased and the smaller items which lose you money will be the losers which will be either pushed back from promotion or pulled out altogether. The idea behind a brand portfolio is to keep a check or an eye on the products performances. Application of Key Learnings to Reckitt Benckiser in the liquid antiseptic division Reckitt Benckisers liquid antiseptic is the very popular Dettol. Dettol has been a strong contender in the liquid antiseptic industry. It has ruled the roost in the industry for several years and still holds solid ground. Dettol enjoyed over 80% of the market share in its antiseptic form. The soap and the liquid soap formats however, had just about 15% of the industry. The soap and liquid soap formats did not enjoy the same success that the antiseptic did. The demand for Dettol rose from about Rs. 105 billion in 1999 to Rs. 160 billion in 2009. The demand forecast graph for Dettol over the past 10 years can be seen below. Consumer Behaviour Study of Dettol A consumer behaviour study to understand the success of Dettol as an antiseptic brand was conducted to understand the reasons for the popularity of the brand. The study revealed that 85% of the respondents knew about Dettol i.e. they were aware that the product existed. 72% of the respondents used it as a preferred antiseptic. 72% also continue using Dettol because of Brand Loyalty and 56% are open to using other Dettol products. Dettol and Reckitt Benckiser have never had to worry about the competition so far. The users mostly preferred Dettol to other products. The figure below refers shows the analysis, study and the results of the research conducted. Pricing Strategies surrounding Dettol The Dettol variants have always been competitively priced with the market. The Soap variant was priced at Rs. 16/75mg and Rs.26/125mg. This was priced against the similar Savlon product which was priced at Rs.16 and Rs.24.5 respectively for the two package varieties. Both of the products however, are far higher than the alternate Medimix which was Rs.12 and Rs.17 for the two variants. At this point, a manager would wonder whether or not the right idea would be to work towards the price. Dettol can charge a minor premium on the product price because it holds a certain edge over the existing products. However, Savlon is catching on fast considering its an antiseptic which doesnt hurt as much. The manager therefore, tries to make the best of the current scenario and ensure that the competition wouldnt eat into its market share. In liquid soap, Dettol was exactly the same as the Fem variant which both sold as Rs.55/250ml. The market share of the liquid soap for Dettol is very low. A change in the price might even help the return to the market and allow Dettol to take the product ahead. The Shaving Cream division sees Dettol lying between the Old Spices Rs.37.50/70g and Rs.24.50/30g and Palmolives Rs.36/70g and Rs. 19.50/30g. Market Research and Research and Development of Dettol Reckitt Benckiser and Dettol say Good health begins with hygiene. The Dettol variants were restricted to products which represent hygiene and banked on the very reliable name of Dettol to push the hygiene factor across to the customer. Dettol was broken down into the Antibacterial Soap, Liquid Handwash, Shaving Cream and Band-Aid. The marketing team at Dettol looked into what could be done to maximise the reach of the Dettol brand and where it could be used conversely to decide what kind of variant would be required and what type of product is needed for the next step. The products all promote killing germs, freshness and absolute cleanliness and purity. Dettol has performed extensive research on the expansion plans of their major brand. The Dettol brand took the reach of Dettol to go as far as possible. The reach of Dettol moved from homes and hospitals to hotels, theatres, railways, educational institutes, saloons, school events. Trend Analysis of Dettol between 2000 and 2004 The trend analysis has shows sales numbers on a high. The numbers have constantly been increasing over the past several years. In 2000, the sales numbers were close to 48000. In 2001, the numbers went up to 55000. Uptil 2003 following this, the number remained largely stagnant and then moved to dip slightly below 54000. However, the year 2004 was a fantastic attack on the market and shot up numbers in a single year in 2004 to 63000. We can tell from the demand forecast table that the demand made for the hygiene industry products kept going up. The demand kept going up. Sales number increasing means we need to bump up the sales force. Ideally, the need for a greater sales force comes from the need for more retailers. The more the retailers, means that the reach of the product has increased and there are more people who are willing to buy and to sell. A sales force involves training. The need for greater performance is what keeps a company going. To maximise sales, they have to increase sales force. To increase sales force, they have to spend more money on the hiring, training and keeping the sales force. This automatically leads to greater spending in the event that the product might not do well, thus bringing up the costs of the product. SWOT Analysis of the Reckitt Benckiser Dettol industry Below we have a brief SWOT analysis of the industry. Strengths: High market share of antiseptic liquid Brand loyalty Most trusted Brand High quality at affordable prices Weaknesses: Poor marketing strategies for Dettol Shaving Cream Dettol Talc Burning sensation of Antiseptic liquid Opportunities: Dettol Water Purifier due to increase in epidemics Opportunity to capture the shaving cream segment Threats: Competitive Pricing Attractive Packaging of competitor products Good Advertisements by competitors

SWOT-Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Situation Analysis (SWOT Analysis) The following SWOT analysis captures the strengths and weakness within Dragon Biotech and the opportunities and threats that exist in our environment. This analysis highlights areas to be leveraged and points out where we must improve within the firm and within our industry and market. As we look at our SWOT analysis to follow, we are in a sustainable overall position, we have strengths to balance our weaknesses, and particularly our knowledge of where we are heading for and what our customers need. We also have some attractive opportunities. However, we have a weakness in competiting against price-oriented competition from both local and international brand names. Strengths: Dragon Biotech's strengths include: Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strong business model embracing both generic and proprietary drug development. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Proven proprietary technology platform that outperforms competitors' methods. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Solid financial position with established cash flow. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Flagship product, EPO, achieved remarkable revenue growth in a US$4,8 billion market. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unique marketing strategy to penetrate geographic areas with quick drug approvals. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Experienced well-connected management team and board of directors. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Captured 30% of EPO market share in china, endorsed by Chinese medical Ass...

The Creation of God in Apocalypse Now in Relation to Frazers The Golde

The Creation of God in Apocalypse Now in Relation to Frazer's The Golden Bough      Ã‚  Ã‚   Very rarely do filmmakers intend to create cinematic masterpieces which integrate and draw upon lush literary qualities and leave the viewer with a deeper feeling of life and death than he or she had before viewing the film. Even if some filmmakers do attempt to create a masterpiece, symbolic and complex, many fall short. However, when Francis Coppola created Apocalypse Now, he succeeded in creating a masterpiece, drawing upon the complicated story within Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the savage observations within Frazer's The Golden Bough. The character of Colonel Kurtz in both Conrad's and Coppola's works, is one of a complicated, volatile renaissance man; he is at the same time a ruthless, body collecting warrior and a artistic philosopher. Kurtz's "divinity is like fire, which under proper restraints, confers endless blessings, but if rashly touched, burns and destroys what it touches" (Frazer 13). Kurtz, as a savage icon, is capable of greatness and is brutally ma licious at the same time. Where Coppola strays from Conrad, he does so to show Kurtz's deliberate choice to become a god-like figure and be destroyed in the tradition of the savages. Through the savage beliefs of tabooed head and hair, the slaying of the divine king, and sympathetic magic, Coppola creates a more savagely realistic character in Kurtz.    Perhaps one of Col. KurtzÕs most prominent physical features in Apocalypse Now is his shaven head. Frazer explains that, to the savages, the head and hair of their divine king is tabooed, and "to touch the top of the head, or anything which had been on his head was sacrilege" (Frazer 812). To the savages, their king ra... ...in Cambodia after he slays Kurtz because either Chef had ordered the air strike, or because Willard, eventhough he is mesmerized by the culture, is a unwavering part of the western world. Just because Willard is portrayed by Coppola as a unconventional man and can slay Kurtz in accordance with savage customs, doesn't make him a savage. Eventhough Frazer is an Englishman, Coppola believes his observations of savages are precise, and so he chooses to create his born again savage god-king, Kurtz, accordingly.       Works Cited Frazer, James. The Golden Bough. 1922. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1951. Vickery, James B., The Literary Aspect of 'The Golden Bough'. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1973. Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Remarks on Frazer's 'Golden Bough'. Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey: Human Press, Inc., 1979.      

Gulf War :: essays research papers

St. Augustine's Just War Theory and the Persion Gulf War On August 2nd, 1990 the first Iraqi tanks crossed into Kuwait, as part of an invasion that marked the start of a six-month conflict between the United States and Iraq. These tanks were ordered to invade Kuwait by Saddam Hussein, the ruthless dictator of Iraq. The Iraqi troops looted Kuwaiti businesses and brutalized Kuwaiti civilians. Saudi Arabia began to fear that they may be invaded as well, and on August 7th they formally asked President Bush for US assistance. The US pledged to defend the Saudis, and to remove the Iraqis from Kuwait. Great masses of troops from many different nations were deployed in the Persian Gulf area. At 4:30 PM EST on January 16, 1991, the first aircraft with orders to attack Iraqi targets were launched from Saudi Arabia, marking the beginning of Operation Desert Storm. Dictators like Mr. Hussein cannot be allowed to take advantage of smaller countries like bullies after lunch money. There has to be someone to stop them, or they will gain more and more power and land, just as Adolf Hitler tried to do in World War II. That someone, in the case of Mr. Hussein, was the United States, along with a multinational coalition. The US had just cause in entering a war against Iraq because of Iraq's invasion of the small and defenseless nation of Kuwait. Actions such as that must be repulsed. Iraq had no just cause in invading Kuwait; their reasons were either obscure or for their benefit. The US had to help Kuwait regain their nation. In protecting the Saudis from invasion and removing the Iraqis from Kuwait the US had the right intention. The real reason the US decided to fight the Iraqis was to restore Kuwait's government and to defend Saudi Arabia. There was no underlying reason, such as to receive better prices on oil or to make the Kuwaitis indebted to the US so as to receive favors. Throughout the war, the US made clear their purpose and intent in fighting the Iraqis, and not once did they stray from it. Legitimate authority was established when the Congress voted to follow United Nations resolution 678, section two of which "Authorizes Member States co-operating with the Government of Kuwait, unless Iraq on or before 15 January 1991 fully implements, as set forth in paragraph 1 above, the foregoing resolutions, to use all necessary means to uphold and implement resolution 660 (1990) and all subsequent relevant resolutions and to restore international peace and security in the area." The vote to follow the resolution was as good as a declaration of war, as far as legitimate authority is Gulf War :: essays research papers St. Augustine's Just War Theory and the Persion Gulf War On August 2nd, 1990 the first Iraqi tanks crossed into Kuwait, as part of an invasion that marked the start of a six-month conflict between the United States and Iraq. These tanks were ordered to invade Kuwait by Saddam Hussein, the ruthless dictator of Iraq. The Iraqi troops looted Kuwaiti businesses and brutalized Kuwaiti civilians. Saudi Arabia began to fear that they may be invaded as well, and on August 7th they formally asked President Bush for US assistance. The US pledged to defend the Saudis, and to remove the Iraqis from Kuwait. Great masses of troops from many different nations were deployed in the Persian Gulf area. At 4:30 PM EST on January 16, 1991, the first aircraft with orders to attack Iraqi targets were launched from Saudi Arabia, marking the beginning of Operation Desert Storm. Dictators like Mr. Hussein cannot be allowed to take advantage of smaller countries like bullies after lunch money. There has to be someone to stop them, or they will gain more and more power and land, just as Adolf Hitler tried to do in World War II. That someone, in the case of Mr. Hussein, was the United States, along with a multinational coalition. The US had just cause in entering a war against Iraq because of Iraq's invasion of the small and defenseless nation of Kuwait. Actions such as that must be repulsed. Iraq had no just cause in invading Kuwait; their reasons were either obscure or for their benefit. The US had to help Kuwait regain their nation. In protecting the Saudis from invasion and removing the Iraqis from Kuwait the US had the right intention. The real reason the US decided to fight the Iraqis was to restore Kuwait's government and to defend Saudi Arabia. There was no underlying reason, such as to receive better prices on oil or to make the Kuwaitis indebted to the US so as to receive favors. Throughout the war, the US made clear their purpose and intent in fighting the Iraqis, and not once did they stray from it. Legitimate authority was established when the Congress voted to follow United Nations resolution 678, section two of which "Authorizes Member States co-operating with the Government of Kuwait, unless Iraq on or before 15 January 1991 fully implements, as set forth in paragraph 1 above, the foregoing resolutions, to use all necessary means to uphold and implement resolution 660 (1990) and all subsequent relevant resolutions and to restore international peace and security in the area." The vote to follow the resolution was as good as a declaration of war, as far as legitimate authority is

Playgroups support and offer valuable opportunities Essay

Playgroups support and offer valuable opportunities for parents to meet and share their experiences and for children to play and socialise. They are coordinated by qualified community workers who give parenting tips and advice and provide information about other community services for families. Expert guest speakers are invited to talk about topics related to parenting or childhood development. Parents are encouraged to become involved in planning and running playgroup activities. Playgroups provide a range of learning experiences to stimulate children’s intellectual growth. They learn about interactions with other children and can develop their communication skills. The community workers can help parents with behaviour-management techniques, provide information for parents about topics such as child development, health, hygiene and child safety. They can also help with developing social networks for parents, and identify developmental problems and refer families to relevant services. BENEFITS FOR FAMILIES Supported playgroups bring a number of benefits to the communities in which they operate and to the people who take part. These benefits areThis is a service that lends toys, games, puzzles and educational aids to families. The items from the toy libraries must be returned at a certain time. At some toy libraries, children are allowed to attend the library to play with the toys there. Leisure library – this provides play materials for adults, especially for disabled adults and families from disadvantaged backgrounds, who have not known the joy of play. Teenagers can also benefit form these libraries, as there is challenging activities that could positively counteract effects of boredom, such as drugs and alcohol abuse. The libraries for children, the toys/resources that are lent, can help children to develop physically, mentally, socially and emotionally. They can learn through play by imitating, exploring, creating, solving problems and sharing with others, (brothers/sisters). Toy libraries promote ACTIVE LEARNING. The libraries also help low-income families who are not able to provide their children with adequate learning opportunities. The parents may not be able to send their child to any form of pre-school centres. Specialist toys and equipment, which can be very expensive to buy, can be available for children who have special needs. Many toys which can be bought at home, end up lying about the house, with the toy library, 1 toy is exchanged for another. Other benefits for having a toy library is that it can help parents learn about and are empowered to provide suitable stimulation for their child. Some may say that parents don’t want to get involved, but the fact is that the parent doesn’t know what to do or how to do it. The toy library could help the children and parents to play together, to share the activities, this would help to strengthen the family unit. Children who are ‘at risk’ can receive preventive stimulation, the toys at the library may be graded, this can help the child make steady progress on their development. The child’s self confidence may increase with each toy, when they master the activity. Therapists report that children receiving therapy and also belong to a toy library, generally improve faster with their development and social well-being. There can be additional services that can be offered by toy libraries, these are names of childminders, schools in the area. Leaflets giving information about organisations, nutrition and different workshops, that are available in the local area. Homestart This is a charity organisation, in which parent volunteers help families and children through rough patches in their lives. Volunteers help all types of parents, mums struggling with post-natal depression, young couples who don’t have any idea of what to do during their babies early years, professional women having difficulty coping with the switch from the structured work environment, to home life and late parenthood. The volunteers provide non-judgement support to allow the people to build on their own strengths. Homestart volunteers set out to end the isolation that parents with young children experience. It offers friendship, practical help and support. They are trained how to talk, encourage, when necessary to guide mums and dads. The parent volunteers create an atmosphere in which families can cope with the pressures they are facing, this can then reduce the potential, for family breakdown. The volunteers can also help families get their act together sufficiently so they no longer need the supervision of statutory social services. E. g. in 2003/4, 822 children whose families were supported by Homestart were removed form the child protection register. The volunteers work alongside parents, not telling them how to bring up their children, but may offer advice if asked. Sure start children’s centres These centres are in the most disadvantaged areas. The services they provide are:- Good quality early learning, combined with full day care provision for children, this could be effective for both child and parents. The child would make friends, learn and develop their skills and their developmental stage. The parents may be able to go out and find work. There are effective links with Jobcentre Plus for training or employment. Their would be support and services to parents and children who may need different services. I. e. special needs. The workers there, give information and advice to parents on a range of subjects, I. e.  childcare, looking after babies and young children, education services for 3 and 4 year olds. They have drop in sessions and other activities for children and parents, this can help parents socialise with other parents, make friends, look at other children and see other children playing, parents playing with their children and learning them to do the same. It can stop parents form being isolated in their home, getting them out and active, letting them discover new activities, learning about themselves and others around them, discovering new hobbies.