Physiological states Essays

Physiological states Essays Physiological states Essay Physiological states Essay A psychological issue or dysfunctional behavior is a mental or standard of conduct that happens in an individual and is thought to cause misery or handicap that isn't normal as a component of typical turn of events or culture. From the dramatization we utilized I discovered that the acknowledgment and comprehension of mental issue has changed after some time and across societies, I likewise l discovered that psychological issue don't have a characterized cause-any turmoil can emerge from a mix of natural, organic, and mental sources. Specifically one of the workshops we participated in helped me recognize how social powers can impact individual mental and physiological states.This was accomplished by every student being given a collapsed bit of paper where all were clear aside from one which had a dark spot on it. This encouraged me some psychological sicknesses might be brought about by social dismissal frequently prompting distrustfulness or trouble. It likewise showed me, in any case, that a people mental confusion can impact their contemplations on individuals around them and how these individuals see their conduct, regardless of whether these considerations are correct or wrong.From the work we did I learnt dramatization can be communicated in a few different ways and is a very various subject-a piece can likewise be deciphered in various manners and that is the thing that makes it dramatization. Anything can be depicted through dramatization, going from craftsmanship to writing. Especially, I found out about certain explorative techniques and how they can impact a piece-discussion theater, I thought, was one of the most intriguing thoughts. I think it permits the character and the crowd to turn out to be increasingly acquainted with the characters qualities and comprehend them on a more profound level. This is additionally valid for hot-seating, whereby essentially posing fundamental inquiries, a character can be created from a clear individual to a perplexing, many-sided character. Denoting the second has additionally demonstrated accommodating, by recognizing a noteworthy second in a bit of show permits the crowd to enable the entertainers to improve their scene, yet additionally enables the crowd to comprehend it further, on a more profound increasingly multifaceted level.One of the key snapshots of the workshop was where we took a gander at The Scream. From this I took in a huge sum about dramatization, however show depicted however craftsmanship. From one work of art, such huge numbers of undertones can be attracted and applied to dramatization. What I saw first about this artistic creation is the typicality of everything else other than the man shouting, it very well may be viewed as a kind of inward shout we as a whole vibe now and then when a desolation that we should keep quiet gets deplorable. Except if we are crazy, we keep the subsequent want to shout in sadness and dread inside-we are destroyed inside while outside everything goes on as ordinary. This work of art catches both the inward shout and the typicality around us. From this I discovered that individuals might be attracted to franticness or sorrow since they have nobody to defy, and open up to-their inward shout may make them crazy. I thought this focal thought was most mightily depicted by Huguettes group.They depicted their internal shout and disarray through a basic however susceptible idea. The four individuals from the gathering, Jake, Lucy, Honor and Huguette, were sitting around. They took it in goes to talk as they circumvented the circle, they all appeared to converse with one another, however didn't convey as each character was keen on their own issues and just their issues. The scene was attracted to an unmistakable completion when each of the four characters yelled ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?, this remained as an image of their inward shout uncovering itself.This was my most loved and most noteworthy piece of their piece as it was very ground-breaking and summarized all that we had recently concentrated from The Scream to Cagebirds, drawing joins between all the dramatization messages we had contemplated, this is the thing that truly stands out in my psyche and was one of the most impressive workshops.

The Childs Upbringing in Superman and New Snowsuit :: Superman Paula Brown Literature Essays

The Child's Upbringing in Superman and New Snowsuit Storyteller matured around ten (fifth grade). American. Father is by all accounts dead (Otto). Uncle Frank a dad figure - converses with her in an amicable, seeing way. Family appear to be easily off (material decorative liner, silver). Home a warm, amicable, secure spot - goes to it to get away different youngsters. Be that as it may, war is starting, so a disrupting time for a kid, especially one whose father is dead and whose uncle (whom she respects and likes - recognizes him with Superman) is being drafted into the powers. Mother keeps a serious close eye on her - minds what the film is that the youngsters are going to see (Snow White) previously permitting young lady to go. Kid creative and delicate - plays inventive games, spews in the wake of seeing film about Japanese at war and has bad dreams a while later. Appears something of a recluse - doesn't participate in games played by large bunches at school - rather plays with one 'erudite' kid and another who is an outcast. Welcome to Paula's gathering simply because 'it was for all the kids in the square'. Paula welcomes her to play label as it were since 'we need another person' Paula singles out her unreasonably on the grounds that she needs somebody to fault for her spoilt snowsuit. Different kids participate, so young lady feels separated. Feels safe comfortable yet when Mr. Real comes to tell about the harm, her mom says, 'For what reason didn't you reveal to me that you pushed Paula in the mud?' The young lady isn't asked what happened first, so feels that her mom is accepting the lie without hearing her side of the story. Uncle Frank goes to her room in a benevolent, seeing way, be that as it may, by then the young lady is feeling hopeless and can't state what occurred in a characteristic manner. At the point when Uncle Frank says they will pay for a new suit in any case, she most likely feels that even he doesn't trust her. This scene, in addition to the war and most likely her dad's passing, changed the young lady's life for ever - she grew up and the world appeared to be a gloomier place (last passage). Kiss Miss Carol =============== Joli is totally unique to the young lady in the main story. Despite the fact that he was conceived in England, his family are outsiders from Bangladesh. His father doesn't generally fit in - he communicates in Bengali to the kid, wears conventional garments (not at all like the youngsters even of some other foreigner families). He has his own religion and town life at home is still so essential to him that he sends his senior child home to sift through a question. The Child's Upbringing in Superman and New Snowsuit :: Superman Paula Brown Literature Essays The Child's Upbringing in Superman and New Snowsuit Storyteller matured around ten (fifth grade). American. Father is by all accounts dead (Otto). Uncle Frank a dad figure - converses with her in an amicable, seeing way. Family appear to be serenely off (material decorative spread, silver). Home a warm, well disposed, secure spot - goes to it to get away different youngsters. Be that as it may, war is starting, so a disrupting time for a kid, especially one whose father is dead and whose uncle (whom she respects and likes - distinguishes him with Superman) is being drafted into the powers. Mother keeps a significant close eye on her - minds what the film is that the kids are going to see (Snow White) previously permitting young lady to go. Kid inventive and delicate - plays innovative games, heaves in the wake of seeing film about Japanese at war and has bad dreams a short time later. Appears something of a recluse - doesn't participate in games played by huge bunches at school - rather plays with one 'erudite' kid and another who is a pariah. Welcome to Paula's gathering simply because 'it was for all the kids in the square'. Paula welcomes her to play label as it were since 'we need another person' Paula singles out her unreasonably on the grounds that she needs somebody to fault for her spoilt snowsuit. Different kids participate, so young lady feels disconnected. Feels safe comfortable yet when Mr. Authentic comes to tell about the harm, her mom says, 'For what reason didn't you disclose to me that you pushed Paula in the mud?' The young lady isn't asked what happened first, so feels that her mom is accepting the lie without hearing her side of the story. Uncle Frank goes to her room in a well disposed, seeing way, in any case, by then the young lady is feeling hopeless and can't state what occurred in a characteristic manner. At the point when Uncle Frank says they will pay for a new suit at any rate, she most likely feels that even he doesn't trust her. This scene, in addition to the war and likely her dad's passing, changed the young lady's life for ever - she grew up and the world appeared to be a gloomier place (last passage). Kiss Miss Carol =============== Joli is totally extraordinary to the young lady in the primary story. Despite the fact that he was conceived in England, his family are settlers from Bangladesh. His father doesn't generally fit in - he communicates in Bengali to the kid, wears conventional attire (not at all like the kids even of some other outsider families). He has his own religion and town life at home is still so critical to him that he sends his senior child home to sift through a debate.

Castrol and Its Distributors Essay Example for Free

Castrol and Its Distributors Essay We needed to experience summer preparing in the corporate area for hands on understanding, where we get a chance to incorporate the information picked up during the whole first year. Subsequently, the authoritative investigation was directed at Shekar Agencies, Bangalore, for a time of 5 weeks. The association was concentrated on a general premise. The goal of our examination was to: * Understand the structure of Shekar Agencies and how it capacities. * Understand the various features of the earth where the association works. * Understand the way of life of Shekar Agencies. Think about the dynamic procedures in Shekar Agencies. It might likewise have the capacity of shipping outside particles. The property of diminishing erosion is known asâ lubricity. 1. 2. 2 Manufacturing Process of Lubricating Oil Lube oil is removed from raw petroleum, which experiences a starter decontamination process (sedimentation) before it is siphoned into fractionating towers. A run of the mill high-proficiency fractionating tower, 25 to 35 feet (7. 6 to 10. 6 meters) in distance across and up to 400 feet (122 meters) tall, is developed of high evaluation prepares to oppose the destructive mixes present in rough oils; inside, it is fitted with a climbing arrangement of condensate gathering plate. Inside a pinnacle, the a great many hydrocarbons in unrefined petroleum are isolated from one another by a procedure calledâ fractional refining. As the fumes ascend through the pinnacle, the different portions cool, gather, and come back to fluid structure at various rates dictated by their individual breaking points (the lower the breaking point of the part, the higher it ascends before consolidating). Gaseous petrol arrives at Crude oil refining process A decent grease has the accompanying qualities: * High breaking point. In the event that one considers oils today, the principal type to ring a bell are mineral oil based. Mineral oil segments keep on shaping the quantitatively most significant establishment of oils. Petrochemical segments and progressively subsidiaries of characteristic, harvestable crude materials from the oleo-compound industry are finding expanding acknowledgment in view of their natural similarity and some specialized focal points. By and large, greasing up oils, which quantitatively represent around 90 % of oil utilization, comprise of around 93 % base oils and 7 % compound added substances and different segments (between 0. what's more, 40 %). Around the world, there are 1380 oil makers going from enormous to little. On one hand there are vertically-coordinated oil organizations whose principle business objective is the disclosure, extraction and refining of unrefined petroleum. Oils represent just a little piece of their oil business. At present, there are around 180 such nation al and global oil organizations occupied with assembling oils. The 1200 free grease organizations fundamentally focus on the assembling and advertising of oils and view ointments as their center business.

Automating the Quality Function Deployment House of Quality

Question: Talk about Automating the Quality Function Deployment House of Quality? Answer: As we looked previously, the development clothes washer has left underneath a ton of periods of insurgencies (Washing machine exhibit streams easily, 1998). The washing machine innovation has exceptionally evolved, develop this instrument modification both in states of structure in addition to innovation. All through this clothes washer stock mingling the zone there is yet deficiency, were quickly broken, hard to work, expensive and still loads of different protests or grumblings. Thusly, through such an event, specialists direct an assessment to check the degree of affirmation with the solace of clients by expressive the factors just as ascribes inverse to its customers with a strategy of Quality Function Deployment (QFD), this is the technique for planning and extension of products/administrations prearranged with an obvious acknowledgment of client necessities (Bedi, n.d.). From the data handling, purchaser voice data makes as loads of as eight alterable factors, to be specific th e presence of washing innovation, washer-framing hardware, an activity of washing device, shading washing apparatus, clothes washer assets, limit, stock guarantee, additionally cost. While on the innovative highlights of 10 factors, unequivocally the plan alongside ergonomics, hardware, electrical structures, washing mechanical assembly, materials, motorized, transmission devices, pulsator, buyer administration, and maintaining (Boosting Information Capacity, 2000). The result shows the highest need stock improvement is the proposed size of a washing apparatus, bubbles cleanser disposing of frameworks, material quality, the froth antenna, utilizing creative parts, an approved help community in various places, and fertilizer filtration game plan and so on. (Cleanser structures, 1988). Overall rivalry has pushed makers to convey stock that gathers buyer requests, checking unwavering quality expectation, to the furthermost point (Budzinski, 2004). In our opposite client vision and satisfaction that should focus on in each period of the made fine life arrangement. A critical technique for duty this is quality capacity arrangement (QFD), a prearranged apparatus that perceives indispensable procurer prospect and deciphers them in an appropriate specialized portrayal, which is operational in the arrangement, affirmation, and production (Raduta and Raduta, 1997). Item Preparation Phase Now, the client vision gathered from the opposite premise, which may involve showcase examine, client complaint, and appear differently in relation to the hopeful, are clarified in the specific specialized depiction utilizing the primary dwelling place of greatness (Santiago, 2008). The stepping stool during early stage the place of distinction is depicted underneath additionally epitomize with a worldview of a vehicle windshield wiper technique. The occasion is just particular for such a strategy just as isn't anticipated to be far reaching. Part Consumption Phase The creation, arranging stage clarifies customer needs into innovative qualities, finish up their target rules that will construct the item lively in the swap meet, and perceive the principle specialized character that requires being delayed forward to the division utilization stage (Rumpala, 2011). To execute part abuse, efficiency (i.e., The huge mechanical quality) from the development, arranging section is endorsed over and transform into the WHATs of the following location of greatness. Progress Deployment Phase The main part attributes recognized in the division organization stage is broadened included the technique activity stage. Now the third location of greatness is urbanized, wherever the WHATs are surrendered from the principle HOWs of the ensuing dwelling of significant worth, and the spearheading HOWs are the technique parameters to make the WHATs at the goal gauges (Yang, 2007). Efficiency from this stage includes fundamental movement limitations and their objective qualities, which must be wanted to the resulting period of the underlying control methodology (National Conference on Productivity in Policing, 1975). Sending is noteworthy in this period, not on the grounds that this activity appears buyer needs in creation, however too on the grounds that the improvement restriction and expectation esteems decided in this accomplishment have the intense impact on productivity, yield, cost, greatness, and trustworthiness. Creation Deployment Stage The purpose behind the assembling, organization is to grow oversee plans to ensure that the target estimations of significant procedure impediments is accomplished underway with least contrast. For the satisfaction of this guideline, the basic methodology parameters, just as their motivation, values, are expanded helper through the fourth residence of predominance. Creations for this stage incorporate strategy control outlines just as prevalence control checkpoints for each course parameter. The requirements and bearings for executing oversee methodology ought to likewise be specific in this period. Perusers worried into a factual prevalence control may downgrade over Montgomery (2001a). As by the unwavering quality perspective, this stage is a significant activity in the QFD course, on the grounds that productive direct plans are required to limit little child mortality just as unit-to-unit difference of parts notwithstanding advanced field reliability and strength. Front transfer washing or cleaning machines are agreeable to the earth in the strategy to clean garments. Exchanges of these cleaners despite everything hold-up the traditional top stacking clothes washers, most presumably because of the raised expense for the facade loader. The benefits of a front loader clothes washer include less water used during each cycle, more clothing hearty per load, just as raised turn speeds all through the flush round making garments dried up more quickly. There is no center fomenter. In addition, accordingly; the barrel can get a handle on 20-30% more pieces of clothing. Force star of front loaders uses around 18-25 gallons for each heap, that is 40-50 % a diminished measure of water than the top loader machine. This reduction is probably going to be there on the grounds that the top loader machines fill the pound with water to the greatest degree of pieces of clothing while front loader machine load only the 33% of the barrel. Uncommon High Efficiency ( HE) washing cleansers is proposed for the front stacking machines since froth is stayed in the washer after the wash cycle has completed (High-effectiveness high-vitality flashlamp-siphoned color laser, 1985). HE washing cleansers utilize a mediocre utilizing recipe which discharge unalike cleanser middle people contingent upon the temperature of water. In the Duet HT machine, washer uses water amount of 20 gallons for each heap that incorporates the clean and flush stage. The inside of hardened steel is of measurement four cubic feet. Besides, it arrives at a higher pivot speed of 1000 to 1200 revolutions for every moment (RPM). There are 14 diverse arrangement and includes a Catalyst activity of cleaning. The front stacking clothes washer uses 173 kW hours for consistently. Customer Requirements As Well As Engineering Stipulation The clothes washer Corporation has pointed with declining the water consumption in the Duet clothes washer with 75%. It was an open-finished errand, and one needs to think marginally outside the fight (Seal framework saves money on flush water use, 1997). Be that as it may, there were rich sleeves that can't be disregarded. They are as per the following: Continue High Washer Presentation: It was clear that in dropping water usage, there ought not be the penance in washing execution. In Europe, cleaning execution achieves is situated on the forward portion of the shop elements, just as in many countries machines without the greatest evaluations simply dont sell. Accordingly, they gave maintaining a high washing act a 10 for noteworthiness. Diminishing Water Convention: This is the primary point of the plan and, subsequently, was viewed as a 10 for centrality. Diminishing Energy Utilization: Energy decrease is additionally noteworthy in an eco-capability conspire, however it isn't their top priority, and, consequently was determined a 4. Maintain Cost Point: Customers for the most part anticipate high capability, however wont relinquish extra for it. However, a spearheading new plan with considerable water ventures could specify a to some degree greater expense. They evaluated the extent at a 6. Maintain Washer Exterior Dimensions: Clothes washers extent has been a model for various years, in addition any superfluities the organization makes require to strong in this hole. Its hugeness given as a 10. The Simplicity of Manufacturability: Whatsoever changes they make to the ongoing clothes washer configuration require to be manufacturable. The importance of this evaluated at a 7. The Simplicity of Serviceability: Every structure augmentations or changes they consolidate requires to be valuable by the patch up person. Its appraised at a 5. Trustworthiness: It is exceptionally basic that the organization configuration is very much manufactured and will outlast the presence of the clothes washer. A machine that needs standard defending will uncover inadequately on a particular organization. Thus, it is a 8 for centrality. Attractiveness: The plan must be a supplication to clients, and the hugeness of this evaluated at 8. IP Issues: The organization needs an imagine which won't expose to any patent infringement suits. Improved at this point, the collaboration might want to find a patentable novel structure to take out the adversaries from the market. Its appraised at a 4. As they are in the incredibly early periods of the arranging procedure, in addition to are not yet certain what design they will trail. Their expectation is that this Quality Function Deployment will let them know with regards to which plan attributes are basic when considering about potential devise. The manufact

6 Simple Tips for Writing an Amazing Fight Scene

6 Simple Tips for Writing an Amazing Fight Scene If youve reached the point of writing a big fight scene in your novel and are struggling, dont worry. Thats just your intuition as a writer telling you to take a minute and really think about what you want to do here.Conflict in literature isnt just a plot pointâ€"its a vehicle to move a story forward, to reveal important character traits, and eventually, to achieve catharsis at the end. Knowing this, when its time to write a scene involving major conflict, particularly a fight scene, its important to take a minute to step back and evaluate what needs to happen with that scene to make it effective. And beyond effectiveâ€"you need to take a step back to consider what needs to happen to make it memorable.What makes a memorable fightAnyone who has ever read the fight scene between Inigo Montoya and Westly in William Goldings The Princess Bride has read one of the most memorable fight scenes in literature.The man in black stood.You seem a decent fellow, Inigo said. I hate to kill you.You seem a decent fellow, answered the man in black. I hate to die.But one of us must, Inigo said. Begin.And so saying he took the six-fingered sword.And put it into his left hand.William Goldings The Princess BrideWhat follows is a series of specialized sword attacks and subtleties that, across approximately seven pages, is one of the most memorable fight scenes of modern literature. And since Golding wrote the screenplay to the movie adaptation of the book, its just as good on film.Obviously, writing a fight scene can be one of the most intimidating parts of your story to write. So, lets look at a few tips for making your fight scene memorable.1. Make it more than just a fightYour fight scene should, above all else, be a moment when your protagonist confronts the antagonist (or minor henchmen/bad guys) and reveals important information about them both. As youll notice in the scene from The Princess Bride, the dialogue that occurs between the two characters is a kind of meta, fairytal e-esque example of what makes all memorable fight scenes stand out from the rest.Consider the final fight between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. The famous No, I am your father line not only changed the protagonistâ€"it revealed something startling about the antagonist, thus developing both characters significantly within fight dialogue.2. Choose a great settingThe fight scenes in The Princess Bride and The Empire Strikes Back have something else in commonâ€"they both take place in great settings.This tip is a little tricky because in addition to choosing a great setting, you have to avoid too much description of the setting while the fight is taking place. Too much description not only slows the pace (which is usually the last thing you want to do when a confrontation is taking place), but it detracts the readers attention from the character development that needs to happen.Youll notice in both The Princess Bride and The Empire Strikes Back, we see the s etting of the epic fight scenes before the actual fights take place. This gave the writer (and director) time to reveal details about the great location that would soon be the setting of the upcoming fight scene.3. Dont over-describe movementsIn the same sense that using the fight scene to write a lot of setting description will slow down the action, over describing the fight itself will have the same effect. Instead of doing this, use as many action words (verbs) as possible while keeping descriptive words (adjectives and adverbs) minimal.Youll also want to avoid giving your readers a blow-by-blow account of every moment in the fight. Keep in mind these simple rulesâ€"make it powerful and quick, choosing emotion over extensive setting or movement description. Let your reader fill in some of these details in their own imaginations and it will keep the pace of your fight scene on track.4. Include emotion and dialogueYour first impression when reading that heading might be, but wait, wont emotion and dialogue slow the pace during fight scenes? Again, think back to the pivotal fight between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker when Vader finally admits that Luke is his son. Think about the pauses for effect and how dialogueâ€"in small dosesâ€"increased the tension during the fight in ways that only emotional dialogue can.As for emotion, dont falsely assume that the only way to show emotion is to describe it. Here is a moment when it is even more important than ever to show, dont tell, when you write. Think about the ways your characters can show their emotions through physical responseâ€"heart pounding, blood racing, grip tightening responses.5. Be realisticWith the almost meta moments happening throughout Goldings novel, realism wasnt his goal. We all know that in the real world, two opponents wouldnt carry on such witty banter as they try to win against the other. However, unless youre writing a Golding-esque Fantasy with elements of satire, keep your fight scenes as realistic as possible to keep your readers turning pages.Here are a few ways to ensure that your fight scenes are written as realistically as possible:Research the weapons your characters would most likely be using based on their job/role. If youre going to be using sophisticated weaponry or black-market technology, make sure you know it well by doing as much research as possible. While you dont want to go overboard on descriptions of these weapons or hi-tech gadgets, realistically mentioning them during the scene will make your fight more believable.Avoid over-use of dialogue and make sure that what is said has a purpose of either advancing the plot forward or revealing important character traits.Dont allow your character to have superhuman traits (unless its a superhero story), such as fighting off 12 guys at once or dodging bullets. This kind of unrealistic fighting should only take place when characterization requires it, such as stories of people with superhuman strength or sc ience fiction, in which an alternate universe or setting allows the laws of physics to be avoided.6. Know the purpose of the fightFinally, lets discuss the fights purpose and why youve chosen to write one in the first place. Before we do this, however, ask yourself this very important question: Am I throwing in a fight just to make the book exciting?If your answer to that question is yes, youd be better off thinking of other ways to ramp up the tension in your book. Sometimes a simple, menacing conversation between the antagonist and protagonist is all it takes to create conflict and tension. If your fights sole purpose is to build tension rather than the other tips Ive covered, it could very well be a distraction that doesnt do anything for your plot building and should be avoided.A fight is the perfect moment to reveal important things about your characters and create reader excitement, especially in interesting settings. However, its also a literal representation of conflict, and should be used with the utmost caution if you want your book to be a bestseller that readers cant put down. A fight for the sake of a fight gets old fastâ€"give your readers more in your fight scenes and theyll turn out better than you ever expected they could.

Raymond Carvers Cathedral of Irony - Literature Essay Samples

Raymond Carver’s preferred method of delivering information to readers in his short story â€Å"Cathedral† is one that is entirely coherent with the underlying theme of the impact of alienation and isolation upon those who fail to master the art of communicating with others. Carver employs a technique of storytelling in which everything that can be learned about the other characters is filtered through the perspective of a narrator who is less than fully articulate. Ultimately, â€Å"Cathedral† is the story of a man who has difficulty connecting with other people because he lacks sophisticated communication skills which is told by a man with such limited communication skills that the reader is forced is to piece together necessary information that the narrator has left out because the story is being related by a storyteller whose very inarticulateness is the driving force behind his transformation. The story contains a certain level of irony in that it is sometimes difficult to figure out what is going on even though the narrator uses plain language and an unsophisticated vocabulary. Carver seems to be suggesting something about the power of words here to effectively communicate thoughts. Many people assume that a story is more difficult to understand if the writer uses a sophisticated vocabulary or engages metaphorical language or long, complex sentences. While those elements require greater attention, they would not necessarily make it more difficult to communicate meaning. Understanding is all about effectively communicating meaning and this truism is addressed through narrator’s wife efforts to more efficiently communicate with the blind man: â€Å"The blind man made a tape. He sent her the tape. She made a tape. This went on for years.† Some—including, perhaps, the narrator—might think the very idea of long-distance communication with a blind ma n would be a difficult if not impossible undertaking. Even the simplest word choices would fail to communicate any meaning if the narrator’s wife had chosen to write letters; or, at best, writing letters would have mandated that someone be there with the blind man to read them to him. (And that is not even to get into the much deeper arena of how a reader could choose to communicate the written words of another!) The narrator’s wife may be alienated and isolated from her husband as a result of marrying an underachieving communicator, but she clearly is operating at a level above him when it comes to communication with others. She seeks out two-way interaction even through the one-way medium of recording her missives. Communication is not just about succeeding in the effort, it is about actually making the effort. The narrator starkly defines his difference from his wife on this point when he chooses to turn on the television rather than actively seeking to intensify the level of conversation with the visitor. Indeed, the narrator confesses that his nightly routine is one in which he â€Å"smoked dope and stayed up as long† as he could all alone after his wife had already fallen asleep. The narrator provides little insight into why this should be his nightly routine, but one can piece together through what is not said with what one does learn about him that watching television when there is only one other person in the room is an open act of rebellion. The narrator’s decision to watch television when the only other person in the room is blind is nothing less than a declaration of war against conversation and the act of communication. To watch television is to situate yourself as a receiver of information only; no transmission is required on your part. This decision places the nar rator as the polar opposite of a wife so eager to connect with others that she seeks out common ground on which to declare peace. Whereas she makes an extra effort to communicate with the blind man, the narrator almost goes out of his way to avoid communication. Irony is also exhibited in the fact that the narrator undergoes a transformation directly as a result of his lack of skills as an effective communicator. Cathedrals mean nothing to the blind man because he has never seen one; ironically, the narrator is no more capable of communicating the majesty of these architectural wonders than the man who has never seen one. This status changes only as a result of the narrator’s confession: â€Å"[I] can’t tell you what a cathedral looks like. It just isn’t in me to do it. I can’t do any more than I’ve done.† What he means, of course, is that he lacks the skill to take the information he has received via television and transmit it; a skill that, it can be assumed, his wife does not lack in light of the many years of transmitting information audibly on the tapes. The opportunity to communicate with â€Å"the blind man† opens up the potential for actually connecting with him as a human being named Robert. That opportunity arises only as a result of the narrator’s inability to articulate. Raymond Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral† is about the ability to communicate as a way of connecting to other people, but also about the ability to learn how to communicate. The narrator’s wife has learned how to communicate with her blind friend, and the result has been transformative for her. While she is still alienated and withdrawn from her own husband, that is a state of affairs arising from his lack of ambition to discover how to communicate with her. He is so withdrawn and isolated that even when relating the story of one of the most important moments in his life, he still manages to have difficulty communicating effectively, thus forcing the reader—like the blind man—to reach out and do the work of figuring out how to connect with this prickly human being. The irony of the story is not that it takes a blind man to help the narrator see the value of communication; the irony is that he only experiences his epiphany because he lacked the necessary ski lls to communicate the majesty of cathedral architecture to a blind man.

Analysis, Prevention and Recommendations on the Human...

STEP 1: Identify Preliminary issues Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been a prominent global issue for many years. HIV is similar to other viruses that humans can attain, but instead of your immune system working in your favor to get rid of the virus, the opposite occurs. HIV can remain undetected for a substantial amount of time and as a result, it has the ability to attack important cells in your immune system that help combat infections (What is, 2014). As time goes on, your body loses so many of these cells that nothing is helping your body fight away these infections. Unfortunately this ultimately leads to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if not treated in time. HIV can only spread by coming in contact with body fluids that have already been infected with HIV (Cohen, Pilcher, 2005). Up until recently the country of Greece has not experienced a severe outbreak of HIV. The only specific population that have been affected are men who have sexual intercourse with other men (Joint Technical, 2013). However, at the beginning of 2011, the number of people who contracted HIV by injecting drugs into their body increased. In fact, at the beginning of 2012, the number of HIV cases reported among people who inject drugs was higher than cases where men were having sexual intercourse with other men (Joint Technical, 2013). A key factor that has led to this increase is the financial crisis going on in Greece. Because of the alarming debt crisis, there have been manyShow MoreRelatedThe Disease Aids And The Us Public Health Department1288 Words   |  6 PagesDisease AIDS And The US Public Health Department The disease AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. The epidemic disease AIDS affected the US in 1981. 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Strategic marketing management - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 28 Words: 8479 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Strategic Marketing Management Introduction This course is designed to help you understand and learn advanced principles of marketing and is aimed at marketing managers, or professionals who are working in business or commerce. Who have perhaps a qualification in marketing and several years experience of working in a marketing role, or managers who would like to increase their marketing knowledge. Part of the courses assessment of learning will involve you in undertaking an assignment based on a marketing strategy plan carried out in your own company/organisation. You will be given detailed guidance and advice about this element of assessment later in this workbook. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Strategic marketing management" essay for you Create order Aims of the unit The aim of the unit is to identify and discuss key issues associated with marketing principles. The course is focused on strategic principles of marketing, which form an essential underpinning to an understanding of strategic marketing in action. The theoretical underpinning will be complemented by a series of short work-based activities. Objectives of the unit To equip you with the knowledge and skills to understand and interpret strategic marketing principles To provide you with practical experience of applying strategic marketing principles and preparing a strategic marketing plan within your own company/organisation. Learning outcomes On successful completion of this Unit you should be able to: Understand the strategic marketing process Recognise the importance of creating strategic advantage Produce a strategic marketing plan in your own company/organisation Understand the importance of developing a specific competitive position Strategic Marketing Management What does this workbook contain? This workbook contains a number of information and learning resources: Background and contextual information about strategic marketing management Key ideas, theories, concepts, structures, processes in relation to strategic marketing Recall and review and Activity points designed to engage you in reflection and action-focused thinking Case examples of strategic marketing in action Assessment You are required to write a 2,500-word assignment as follows: Prepare a strategic marketing plan for your own company/organisation, paying particular attention to creating and sustaining a competitive advantage over rival firms. Strategic Marketing Management How should this workbook be used? This workbook will direct your study throughout the learning experience. There are six sections, designed to be studied sequentially. However, a good learning technique is to refresh your learning by re-reading, so you are recommend to read back and forth between sections whenever you feel the need. Each section deals with a different topic and, together with any associated activities, practical work or further reading, is designed to require approximately 20 hours of study. The workbook uses an interactive learning approach. This is achieved through the use of self-assessment questions and activities throughout the text. These will enable you to apply the concepts presented in the workbook and explore issues that extend your knowledge and skills. Preparing to use the workbook If you are new to the study of marketing and/or this study method, then we suggest it is worth you spending some time becoming familiar with its contents and approach to learning and development. This will enhance your own understanding of key ideas in strategic marketing management, and your ability to lead and facilitate the learning of others. Strategic Marketing Management Table of contents Title Page Unit 1 The strategic marketing process Objectives 5 Drivers of change 5 Corporate strategy/ Marketing interface 7 Strategic marketing plans 8 Summary 9 Unit 2 Marketing Information Systems Objectives 10 MIS and the use of strategic intelligence 10 Summary 14 Unit 3 Strategic intent Objectives 15 Strategic intent/vision and mission 15 Goals and objectives 17 Stakeholders 18 Summary 19 Unit 4 Creating strategic advantage Objectives 20 Approaches to developing strategic advantage 20 Alliances and networks 22 Declining and hostile markets 24 Strategic wear-out 25 Summary 26 Unit 5 Developing a specific competitive position Objectives 27 Strategic alignment process 27 Innovation and new product development 28 Strategic evaluation 31 Summary 32 Unit 6 Implementation and control Objectives 33 Implementation 33 Control 35 Summary 37 Strategic Marketing Management Unit 1 The core theme of this unit is the importance of market-led strategic change to ensure organisational success. Objectives By the end of this unit you will: Be able to discuss, and give examples of drivers of change Understand the relationship between corporate and marketing strategy Know the process and structure of marketing planning and be able to discuss the differences between strategic and tactical planning Drivers of change Change is inevitable and companies that wish to maintain a market-led approach must take into consideration both cyclical and evolutionary change when developing their marketing strategies. The rate at which the external environment changes varies according to the nature of the business but increasingly all organisations are facing escalating levels of change. Change is inevitable. To survive companies need to adapt and to convert the threats caused by the changing environment into opportunities in order to avoid strategic drift. Marks and Spencer is a prime example of a company that has not adapted to the changing customer demands and as a result has lost many of its loyal customer base. Case history Drivers of change Greenhalgh (2001) identifies the following drivers of change that have created challenges for companies over the last few years: Domestic businesses of any significance have become rare. They are now global, drawing on supply chains that transcend national boundaries and serving customers worldwide Customer expectations of quality have increased and are now applied to all goods and services, rather than just luxury goods Concern for the environment has become a major item on companies agenda. They now have to consider their environmental responsibility as well as their profits. Large institutional investors are exerting their influence on how organisations are managed Start-up companies play an important role in introducing innovative products and new ideas to the marketplace. Young, technologically-competent workers are drawn to these vibrant workplaces, making it harder for other companies to recruit and retain them Strategic Marketing Management Activity 1.1 Consider thedrivers of change outlined above. Identify the impact of these factors on your own company/organisation. What is strategy? The term strategy is probably one of the most used and often misunderstood terms in business. There is no universal definition of strategy and yet it is used extensively. Strategy has the same meaning whether we are discussing corporate, marketing, promotional or even advertising strategy: it is concerned with how we might achieve our objectives. The difference between each type of strategy relates to the level at which the strategy is being developed. Corporate strategy according to Johnson and Scholes (1999), is: concerned with what types of business the company as a whole should be in and is therefore concerned with decisions of scope whereas marketing strategy aims to transform corporate objectives into a competitive market position. The main role of marketing strategy is to differentiate products/services from those of competitors by meeting the needs of customers more effectively. Therefore, according to Drummond and Ensor (2001) marketing strategy can be characterised by: Analysing the business environment and defining customer needs Matching activities to customer needs Implementing programmes to achieve a competitive position relative to competitors Strategic management consists of three elements: Strategic analysis concerned with answering the question where are we now? This involves analysing the external environment, internal resources and capabilities and stakeholder expectations Strategic choice what are the options available and which is the most attractive? Strategic implementation often the most overlooked of strategy. It is concerned with allocating resources and turning the plans into action. This process can be as equally well applied to marketing strategy. Strategic Marketing Management The corporate strategy/marketing interface It is impossible to discuss marketing strategy without first putting it into the context of corporate planning. The relationship between corporate planning and marketing planning can best be explained by figure 1.1 below. It is helpful to think of these decisions sitting in a hierarchy with corporate planning at the top and marketing planning below it. The diagram also illustrates that, alongside marketing planning, plans should be developed for other functional areas of the business such as human resources management (HRM), logistics, and operations. The vision and mission will drive the overall direction of the company and the functional areas of business will all work towards achieving the corporate objectives. The vision and mission will be discussed in Unit 3 Strategic intent. Strategic Marketing Management Marketing strategy is concerned with three elements customers, competitors and internal corporate issues as illustrated in Figure 1.2. Strategic marketing management has three major phases: firstly, strategic analysis in order to answer the question where are we now? This will include external analysis of customers, competitors and the macro environment and internal analysis of corporate capabilities; secondly formulation of strategy in terms of creating and evaluating options and thirdly implementation where the strategies are translated into action. The three stages are not mutually exclusive and are not necessarily linear. In fact it is expected that there will be some feedback and amendments as the process progresses. Strategic marketing plans A strategic marketing plan is the means by which the strategy is communicated within the organisation. The structure and content of a strategic marketing plan will vary considerable between organisations. However, normally the following components are included: Current situation external and internal analysis Objective setting Strategy formulation Marketing programmes Implementation issues Control measures Strategic Marketing Management There is no one best format for a strategic marketing plan and organisations will develop their own frameworks that match the needs of their companies. Strategic marketing plans need to generate action and not just be filed away. They should also be sufficiently flexible to take into account the changing environment. Activity 1.2 Read a copy of your own organisations strategic marketing plan. Give your opinion on whether the strategies outlined in it have been actioned. Has the plan shown sufficient flexibility to take into account the changing environment. If the answer to 3. is no, how could the plan have been improved? Summary In this unit we have seen that: Organisations operate in a dynamic environment and therefore they have to take into consideration those external influences that will impact on their business. These influences are often referred to as drivers of change. In market-oriented organisations it is likely that marketing will be the largest contributor to corporate strategy. Corporate strategy is concerned with what types of business the company as a whole should be in, i.e. the scope of the business. Marketing strategy is concerned with transforming corporate objectives into a competitive market position. A strategic marketing plan is the vehicle by which the marketing strategy is communicated within the organisation. The structure and format of a strategic marketing plan will vary considerably between organisations. There is no one best structure. Strategic Marketing Management Unit 2 Marketing Information System (MIS) Introduction The focus of this unit is to understand how the use of marketing intelligence and key marketing information can assist marketing managers to produce an effective marketing information system which will assist marketing decision makers to return higher profits. Objectives Upon successful completion of this unit you will: Understand the strategic use of information Understand how a MIS can assist marketing managers to make key decisions Marketing information is a key requirement for any strategic marketing plan and therefore the development of effective management and marketing information systems is an important task for marketers. Senior marketing managers should not become too heavily involved in the details of the MIS and marketing research but should be concentrating on how to utilize the information in helping to understand the market and develop successful marketing programmes. Definition A Management Information System consists of people, equipment and procedures to gather, sort, analyze, evaluate and distribute timely and accurate information to marketing decision makers. The MIS begins and ends with marketing managers. First, it interacts with them to assess their information needs. Next, it develops the needed information from internal company records, marketing intelligence activities and the marketing research process. Information analysis processes the information to make it more useful. Finally, the MIS distributes information to managers in the right form at the right time to help them in marketing planning, implementation and control. Developing information The information needed by marketing managers comes from internal company records, marketing intelligence and marketing research. The information analysis system then processes this information to make it more useful for managers. Strategic Marketing Management Internal records Most marketing managers use internal records and reports regularly, especially for making day to day planning, implementation and control decisions. Internal records information consists of information gathered from sources within the company to evaluate marketing performance and to detect marketing problems and opportunities. The companys accounting department prepares financial statements and keeps detailed records of sales, orders, costs, and cash flows. The customer service department provides information on customer satisfaction or service problems. Research studies done for one department may provide useful information for several others. Managers can use information gathered from these and other sources within the company to evaluate performance and to detect problems and opportunities. Information from internal records is usually quicker and cheaper to get than information from other sources, but it also presents some problems. Because internal information was collected for other purposes, it may be incomplete or in the wrong form for making marketing decisions. For example, accounting department sales and cost data used for preparing financial statements need adapting for use in evaluating product, sales force, or channel performance. In addition, the many different areas of a large company produce great amounts of information, and keeping track of it all is difficult. The marketing information system must gather, organize, process and index this mass of information so that managers can find it easily and obtain it quickly. Marketing intelligence Marketing intelligenceis everyday information about developments in the marketing environment that helps managers prepare and adjust marketing plans. The marketing intelligence system determines the intelligence needed, collects it by searching the environment and delivers it to marketing managers who need it. Marketing intelligence comes from many sources. Much intelligence is derived from the companys personnel executives, engineers and scientists, purchasing agents and the sales force. However, company people are often busy and fail to pass on key information. It is important to realise that staff are intelligence gatherers, and they need to be trained to spot new developments and urged to report intelligence back to the company. The company must also persuade suppliers, resellers and customers to pass along important intelligence. Some information on competitors comes from what they say about themselves in annual reports, speeches, press releases and advertisements. The company can also learn about competitors from what others say about them in business publications and at trade shows. Or the company can watch what competitors do buying and analyzing competitors products, monitoring their sales and checking for new patents. Strategic Marketing Management Companies also buy intelligence information from outside suppliers. Dun and Bradstreet is the worlds largest research company with branches in forty countries and a turnover of $1.26bn. Its largest subsidiary is Nielsen who sell details on brand shares, retail prices and percentages of stores stocking different brands. Marketing intelligence can work not only for, but also against a company. Kellogg used to allow the public to tour its plants but recently closed its newly upgraded plant to outsiders to prevent competitors from getting intelligence on its high tech equipment. Some companies set up an office to collect and circulate marketing intelligence. The staff scans relevant publications, summarizes important news and sends news bulletins to marketing managers. It develops a file of intelligence information and helps managers to evaluate new information. These services greatly improve the quality of information available to marketing managers. To summarise it is clear that a MIS has four main components: Internal records there is a wealth of information available within the organisation and it is essential that it is organised in such a way as to facilitate its usage. This may include sales data, customer orders, prices, stock levels, customer complaints, etc. Marketing research this is concerned with the systematic collection of information that is specific to a particular problem. For example, a piece of marketing research may be commissioned to investigate attitudes to a new advertising campaign. Marketing intelligence this may include any information that is collected on an ad hoc basis, such as competitor intelligence gleaned from the press, customer trends, registered patents etc. Marketing decision support systems the processes that convert the data into usable information. For example, statistical tools or modeling techniques. Activity 2.1 Write a short summary detailing how a MIS is used to support management decision making in your own company/organisation. Strategic Marketing Management Intelligence gathering: checking out competitors Competitive intelligence gathering has grown dramatically as more and more companies need to know what their competitors are doing. It is essential that managers are not myopic and spend time amassing information about their major competitors. Techniques that companies use to collect their own marketing intelligence fall into four major groups. Getting information from recruits and competitors employees Companies can obtain intelligence through job interviews or from conversations with competitors employees. According to Fortune magazine: Companies send engineers to conferences and trade shows to question competitors technical people. Often conversations start innocently but engineers and scientists often brag about surmounting technical challenges, in the process divulging sensitive information. Getting information from people who do business with competitors Key customers can keep the company informed about competitors and their products. This information can be vital and can prevent a company from being left behind on product launches or price discounting strategies dreamed up by competing companies. Intelligence can also be gathered by infiltrating customers business operations. Companies can provide their engineers free of charge to customers. The close collaboration the engineers on loan enjoy with the customers design staff often enable them to learn what new products competitors are developing. Getting information from published materials and public documents Keeping track of seemingly meaningless published information can provide competitor intelligence. For example, the types of people sought in job adverts can indicate something about a competitors new strategies and products. Getting information by observing competitors or analyzing physical evidence Competitors can get to know competitors better by buying their products or examining other physical evidence. An increasingly important form of competitive intelligence is benchmarking, taking apart competitors products and imitating or improving on their best features. Companies should take advantage of publicly available information but they should avoid practices that might be considered illegal or unethical. Strategic Marketing Management With all the legitimate intelligence sources now available, a company does not have to break the law or accepted codes of ethics to get good intelligence. Activity 2.2 Write a short synopsis of how your own company/ organisation gathers intelligence on its competitors. Summary This unit has demonstrated that: Marketing intelligence is an essential component of an effective MIS Internal records are a vital source of information for marketing managers Senior marketing managers should be concerned with how to use the information generated from the MIS rather than with the details of the system Intelligence gathering can be carried out in various ways but it is important not to break the law or accepted codes of ethics Strategic Marketing Management Unit 3 Strategic intent Introduction The focus of this unit is to consider the aspirations and future plans of an organisation, and the components of a suitable mission statement and development of appropriate objectives. Objectives Upon successful completion of this unit you will: Be able to define the terms strategic intent / vision and mission statement Know the components of good mission statements Be able to discuss the development of appropriate objectives Strategic intent/vision and mission Strategic intent refers to the aspirations of an organisation rather than just its current activity. According to Aaker, strategic intent provides: A long-term drive for advantage that can be essential to success. It provides a model that helps break the mould, moving a firm away from simply doing the same things a bit better and working a bit harder than the year before. It has the capability to elevate and extend an organisation, helping it reach levels it would not otherwise attain. It is apparent that many organisations that have an appropriate and well-constructed vision are focused on the future and ways of continually attaining sustainable competitive advantage. A vision can help guide strategy, identify and maintain core competencies and provide inspiration and motivation to its managers and its employees by providing them with a sense of purpose. Hamel and Pralahad (1989) suggested that strategic intent combines: A dream that energizes the company (i.e. acts as a motivator) Implied stretch, (looks for new opportunities rather than relying on existing businesses) A sense of direction A sense of discovery Coherence to plans Definition Strategic intent/vision: The desired future state or aspiration of the organization. (Johnson and Scholes, 1999, p.243) Strategic Marketing Management Mission statements A mission statement is concerned with providing daily guidance rather than a vision of the future. According to Piercy (2000), in order for mission statements to contribute anything they must: Reflect an organisations core competencies and how it intends to apply and sustain them Be closely tied to the critical success factors in the marketplace Tell employees, managers, suppliers and partners what contribution is required from them to deliver the promise of value to the customer Definition Mission statement: A generalised statement of the overriding purpose of the organisation. (Johnson and Scholes, 1999,p241) Mission statements are influenced by a number of factors, such as the resource availability, the external environment, the core competencies of the organisation and the current preferences of its current chief executive and senior management. The extent to which the mission statement serves its purpose is influenced not only by the quality and relevance of the mission but also by how it is communicated to staff and other stakeholders. A successful mission statement is one that is wholly embraced and believed by staff. Just having a mission statement is insufficient, the staff must also buy into the idea. Drummond and Ensor (2001) suggest that successful mission statements should demonstrate the following characteristics: Credibility it must be realistic and believable Uniqueness not bland and generic Specific capabilities embrace core capabilities Aspirational needs to motivate individuals Activity 3.1 Write a brief critique of your own companys mission statement in the light of the above characteristics Strategic Marketing Management Goals and objectives The vision and mission provide guidance on the overall direction of an organisation. Objectives, whether corporate or marketing, are the expected outcomes of the strategy. Goals are often regarded as less specific than objectives and more difficult to measure. However, it is normally accepted that objectives should be SMART: Specific Measurable- expressed in quantifiable terms Acceptable to stakeholders Realistic- attainable Time bound- achievable within a certain time frame Definition Goals and objectives Goal general statement of aim or purpose Objective Quantification (if possible) or more precise statement of the goal (Johnson and Scholes, 1999,p14)) Activity 3.2 Critically review your companys key objectives using the SMART method There are many different types of objectives with which an organisation should be concerned. Drucker (1954) identified the following: Market standing e.g. market share objectives Innovation e.g. number of new products launched Productivity e.g. inputs compared with outputs such as increased sales whilst maintaining the same number of sales staff Physical and financial resources relating to the use of resources Profitability e.g. return on investment Manager performance and development performance criteria Employee performance and attitude loyalty Public responsibility e.g. reduce dependency on fossil fuels It is likely that many organisations will place greater weighting on some areas than others. For example, the Co-operative bank places great emphasis on their responsibility to the public in the form of their ethical banking policy. There may be a danger that some companies are preoccupied with productivity objectives and trying to improve the efficiency of existing activities without actually questioning whether they are doing the right things. Stakeholders A key consideration when developing strategic direction relates to an organisations various stakeholder groups. Stakeholders refer to all the different groups of individuals that are influenced and/or have influence on the activities of an organisation. Stakeholders have different expectations and can exert varying levels of influence over the organisation. It is important that organisations have a good understanding of the varying needs of their various stakeholder groups. There are three main groups of stakeholders: Internal stakeholders (employees, management) Connected stakeholders (suppliers, distributors, shareholders, customers) External stakeholders (community, government, pressure groups) Definition Stakeholders: Those individuals or groups who depend on the organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom, in turn the organisation depends. (Johnson and Scholes, 1999, p213). The following figure illustrates an outline stakeholder map. Customers Banks/sources of finance Suppliers The local community Distributors Society at large Managers Employees Activity 3.3 Stakeholder map Draw a stakeholder map for your own organisation and consider the varying needs of each group and the implications on the organisations strategic direction. How does your organisation manage the differing expectations of each group? Strategic Marketing Management Summary This unit has shown that: Strategic intent relates to the aspirations of an organisation and is sometimes referred to as the organisations vision. An appropriate and well constructed vision can help guide strategy, identify and maintain core competencies and can act as a motivator for staff by providing them with a sense of purpose. Mission statements are more concerned with providing daily guidance rather than a vision of the future. They should reflect an organisations core competencies, relate to the critical success factors in the market and also inform employees and other stakeholders what contribution is required from them to deliver value to the customer. Objectives are a statement of what an organisation wants to achieve and wherever possible, they should be SMART. Stakeholders are a key consideration when developing strategic direction. Stakeholders consist of all those individuals who are influenced by the activities of an organisation and include internal stakeholders (employees and management), connected stakeholders (suppliers, distributors, shareholders and customers) and external stakeholders (community, government and pressure groups). Strategic Marketing Management Unit 4 Creating strategic advantage Introduction The focus of this unit is to look closely at how companies can differentiate themselves from their competitors by using a range of strategies. Objectives Upon successful completion of this unit you will: Understand the term strategic advantage Be able to describe, discuss and apply Porters generic strategies Understand the various types of alliances and networks, be able to discuss the motivations for and the factors that should be considered when establishing such relationships Be able to discuss the alternative strategies for declining and hostile markets Understand the concept of and the reasons for, strategic wear-out Approaches to developing strategic advantage One of the greatest challenges for any organisation is developing a coherent and appropriate strategy that builds on their internal resources and capabilities, capitalizes on external opportunities and will provide a distinct competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is the process of identifying a unique and enduring basis from which to compete. Porters generic strategies Porter (1980), a major contributor to the discussion of competitive strategy, suggests that there are three generic types of strategy that can provide organisations with a competitive advantage: Cost leadership Differentiation Focus Figure 4.1 illustrates the alternative sources of competitive advantage and highlights the options open to companies in terms of defining their source of advantage and their competitive scope (i.e. targeting a broad or narrow range of customers). Strategic Marketing Management Strategic advantage Broad industry -wide Strategic target Narrow specific segment Uniqueness perceivedLow cost position Differentiation Overall cost leadership Focused differentiation Focused cost leadership Figure 4.1 Cost leadership One possible source of competitive advantage lies in the ability of a firm to be the lowest cost producer in the industry. Firms pursuing a cost leadership strategy would typically concentrate on continually striving to reduce their cost base and improving efficiencies. This could be achieved through activities such as achieving economies of scale, cutting costs, global sourcing and using technology to develop more efficient means of production. Retailers, specialising in a narrow product range that seek out of town locations, (such as PC World) are able to achieve economies of scale and therefore pursue a cost leader strategy. Cost leadership can be a difficult strategy to sustain in the long-term due to the threat of competitors that may have even lower cost structures. For example, the U.K. based discount retailer Kwik Save was threatened by the entry of German -based Aldi and Lidl into the low cost retail market and was subsequently sold off due to operating losses. Differentiation Companies pursuing a differentiation strategy strive to offer products or services that are regarded as superior to those offered by competitors. The uniqueness of the product enables companies to charge a premium price. For this strategy to be successful customers must perceive that the higher price is justified in terms of the additional features and benefits they accrue. For example, Gap sell childrens clothing at a significantly higher price than other High Street retailers. Focus Cost leadership and differentiation strategies both target a broad market. In contrast, a focus strategy concentrates on a narrow segment of the market that is particularly attractive. A focus strategy, sometimes referred to as a niche strategy, is based on the assumption that these niche markets can be served more effectively and efficiently than by companies that are competing more broadly. Companies pursuing a focus strategy can adopt either a cost focus or a differentiation focus strategy. Strategic Marketing Management Cost focus Companies pursuing a cost focus strategy are concentrating o a niche market but are also concentrating on reducing costs. EasyJet has adopted a cost focus strategy, which has been very successful. It has concentrated on a narrow segment of the population and has driven costs down by direct bookings and removing all the peripheral services associated with air travel, such as on-board meals. Differentiation focus This is concerned with producing superior products for narrow market segments, such as Rolex watches and Ferrari cars. Activity 4.1 Using Porters model, select an example of a company that pursues a cost leadership strategy. To what extent does this model help companies to identify their competitive advantage? Alliances and networks Increasingly businesses are recognising that to gain a sustainable competitive advantage they may have to enter into alliances with other firms. Definition Strategic alliance: Business associations in which knowledge and resources are shared to the benefit of the partners Motivations for companies to enter into strategic partnerships include: Desire to exploit economies of scale Desire to create new knowledge and increase level of innovation Reduce risk Enter new geographical markets Exploit other assets and competencies for example Easyjet entered into a strategic partnership with Mercedes to provide cars for their car rental venture. Strategic Marketing Management Types of alliances There are many types of alliances ranging from an informal buying co-operative to a joint venture where a legally separate company is formed. The following table (Table 4.1) illustrates the major types of alliances. Table 4.1 Type of Characteristics Examples Alliance_________________________________________________________________ Acquisitions Includes both co-operative and Glaxo Wellcome merged with and mergers hostile takeovers. Often motivated SmithKline Beecham in 2000 to by desire to increase efficiencies form GlaxoSmithKline, the and to create synergy largest pharmaceutical company in Europe.Consortia and Involves independent organisations Eurofighter, a European joint ventures setting up specific projects or collaboration consisting of four ventures with other firms. Partner companies-BAE Systems (UK), Alenia (Italy), CASA (Spain), and DASA (Germany). The rationale was to reduce risk by sharing the significant development costs.Contract or Contractual agreements Franchising is utilized by a wide Licensing where the right to a product is variety of companies such as legally signed over to another McDonalds, Ford dealerships, Hertz party. This may take the form of car rental, and the Body Shop. franchising or sub-contracting.Networks Informal agreements based on Many airlines have informal code co-operati on rather than contractual sharing agreements that allow agreements. passengers to use several different airlines on the same ticket. Activity 4.2 Alliance examples Scan the quality press, such as the Financial Times and journals such as Marketing and Marketing Week and identify examples of strategic alliances and partnerships. Classify these according to Table 4.1 and identify the motivations for each of these partnerships. To what extent do you think they will help to gain a competitive advantage? Strategic Marketing Management Declining and hostile markets Many firms are faced not with healthy markets but ones that are mature or even declining. In this situation, many organisations assume that the most suitable strategy is one of strategic withdrawal. This is not necessarily the only strategy available to them and these markets can often be a source of opportunity if the right strategy is selected. Declining markets A declining market may be as a result of a variety of factors, often caused by changes in the external environment, for example: Development of new technology such as the Internet may replace traditional offline buying habits Changes in government policy such as regulations relating to financial services Growing interest in shopping on-line may prompt a decline for traditional retailers There are several alternative strategies for firms facing a declining market: Revitalise market e.g. Lucozade changed its emphasis to a sports energy drink instead of a drink for people feeling poorly. Milk or harvest e.g. Sony continued to milk the market for Walkman whilst investing in Playstations Divest or liquidate e.g. W.H. Smith divested Do -It -All in the light of intense competition from larger players such as B Q. Hostile markets Hostile markets are those with low margins, intense competition and over-capacity. Hostile markets may result from a declining demand or an increase in competition. Therefore they may even be growing markets. Strategic Marketing Management The following table (table 4.2) identifies six stages of hostility. Stages of hostility Explanation Margin pressure This is often due to over-capacity and therefore many competitors seek profitable segments. Share shifts This may result from acquisitions or loss of share by overpriced competition. Product proliferation Competition try to compete for market share by improving customer value through product proliferation. Self-defeating cost reduction Due to declining margins firms may concentrate on cost reduction, which in turn may lead to decline in product or service quality. Consolidation and shakeout This may consist of down sizing, followed by mergers and acquisitions and finally the formation of international players. Rescue Many markets can emerge from hostility, often through consolidation with fewer competitor present in the market Strategic wear-out Definition Strategic wear-out: Strategic wear-out occurs when an organisation no longer meets customer needs and the pursed strategy is surpassed by competitors. (Drummond and Ensor, 2001). There are many examples of companies that once had a successful strategy but have failed to adapt to the changing environment and have therefore suffered from strategic wear-out. Marks Spencer is a prime example of a company that is currently trying to overcome the problems of strategic wear-out. According to Davidson (1997) there are a number of reasons for strategic wear-out: Market changes: changing customer needs developments in distribution such as the Internet Competition from either existing or new competitors Internal factors: insufficient investment lack of management control of company costs misguided changes to winning strategy In order to avoid strategic wear-out companies should: undertake regular and detailed reviews of each element that makes up the external environment identify the ways in which these elements are changing evaluate the impact of these changes on the organisation undertake an internal audit to establish the appropriateness of actions both currently and for the future to ensure that customer needs continue to be met Activity 4.3 Identify two examples of firms whose strategies are suffering strategic wear-out. What factors have led to this strategic drift? To what extent do you think this could be avoided? What, if any, actions are the companies taking to try to rectify their position? Summary In this unit we have seen that: one of the greatest challenges for any organisation is to develop a coherent and appropriate strategy that builds on their internal resources, exploits external opportunities and provides a distinct competitive advantage Porter suggests that there are three generic forms of strategies that can provide a competitive advantage: cost leadership, differentiation or focus. Those companies that fail to consistently pursue one of these generic strategies will become stuck in the middle. Strategic alliances are increasingly being regarded as a means of gaining a sustainable competitive advantage Companies that once had a successful strategy but have failed to adapt to the changing environment are in danger of suffering from strategic wear-out. This refers to a lack of strategic fit between an organisations strategy and the markets needs. Strategic Marketing Management Unit 5 Developing a specific competitive position The main theme of this unit is how organisations can use innovation and new product development to gain a sustainable advantage over their competitors. Objectives Upon successful completion of this unit you will: Understand and be able to describe the strategic alignment process Understand the role of innovation in achieving a competitive advantage and the methods of encouraging an innovative culture Understand the criteria by which strategies can be evaluated Strategy alignment process Strategy can be regarded as the matching of an organisations resources and capabilities to the environment in which it operates. The process is sometimes referred to as strategic fit. It is a key step in the strategy development process and ensures that by matching markets, channels and customers with internal assets and competencies a sustainable competitive advantage is developed. It is not enough to just identify customer needs. The company must have the necessary skills and resources to meet these needs. This process is referred to as the strategic alignment process and is illustrated in table 5.1 as follows: Strategic Marketing Management Table 5.1 Stage Process Explanation 1 Identify utilizable assets Assets could include brands, property, patents, finance, and relationships and scale advantages. 2 Utilizable competencies Competencies relate to skills and may include marketing (e.g. ability to develop new and innovative products), selling (e.g. customer relationship management), operations (e.g. inventory control). 3 Select and rank business opportunities in terms of attractiveness This involves identifying market opportunities and then developing criteria by which to measure the attractiveness of each option. Portfolio analysis can be used to identify the most attractive strategies. (This will be discussed later in greater detail in relation to segmentation.) 4 Match internal assets (stage 1) and competencies(stage 2) with market opportunities(stage 3) This process will identify the areas in which it will be most effective for a company to compete. 5 Identify any assets or competencies that need to be strengthened During the strategic alignment process it may be that market opportunities are identified but that firm lacks the ideal assets and competencies to capitalize on this opportunity. A firm may decide to develop or acquire the necessary competencies to exploit this market (e.g. entering into a strategic alliance, employing new staff, acquiring brands). Innovation and new product development Innovation has been referred to as the lifeblood of an organisation. A company must continuously seek real product and marketing improvements in order to satisfy customers and fend off competitors. Innovation is most often associated with new product development. However, this is only part of the equation and innovation relates to changes in products, processes and practices. Jansen (2000) defines innovation as: The commercialization of something new, which may be: A new technology A new application in the form of a new product, service or process A new market or market segment A new organisational form or a new management approach Or a combination of two or more of these elements. Strategic Marketing Management Many organisations are striving to develop organisational cultures that encourage innovation. For example, in 1999, Procter and Gamble announced a major internal restructuring, sacking 13% of the workforce to streamline management and speed up decision -making. Innovation teams were set up within the company and the management of new ideas was passed to new business managers rather than existing businesses. These changes resulted in the successful launch of Swiffer, Febreze and Dryed. Innovation is not the same as invention. There are very few inventors that have successfully invented a commercial business opportunity, notable exceptions being James Dyson, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard. Inventors rarely develop innovations that change markets, make fortunes, and change the way the world operates. Innovation is led by commercial application, whilst invention is led by the scientific process. Activity 5.1 Critically review your own companys use of innovation, with reference to two or more concrete examples. New product development (NPD) It is apparent that new product development is a key aspect of the innovation process. The reality of new product launches is that the majority are not unique or novel. Many of the NPD launches are variations of existing products. Booz et al (1982) identified four types of new products: New to the world New product lines or line additions Product revision Reposition There is much risk attached to new product development. Research in the USA found that less than 1% of products launched in 1998 achieved $100 million of sales in their first year. More than two thirds failed in their first year. Failure of new products There are a number of reasons that may account for the high failure rate of new products. Drummond and Ensor (2001) suggest the following: Under-investment Failure to deliver customer benefits Forecasting errors Internal politics Industry response To this list could also be added: Lack of management enthusiasm The NPD process is too slow and beaten to market by competitors Process Traditionally companies adopted a linear process to NPD, as illustrated in Figure 5.1 below. However, it is still a useful framework for ensuring that all the major factors have been reviewed and considered. Firms are facing the dilemma of ensuring that new product ideas are assessed rigorously but at the same time getting new ideas to market first. The challenge facing organisations is to develop NPD processes that are still rigorous and yet enable firms to get to market quickly. Drummond and Ensor (2001) suggest the following strategies for optimising the NPD process. Multi-functional teams- to ensure a balanced viewpoint Completeness and evaluation complete all stages of the NPD process Customer involvement used to evaluate possible ideas and productsParallel processing- undertaking activities concurrently Strategic direction- links must be made between corporate strategy and NPDKnowledge management- the transfer of knowledge is essential to help develop a learning organisation Activity 5.2 Comment critically on the strengths and weaknesses of the process that your own company goes through prior to the launch of a new product or service Strategic evaluation Once an organisation has identified the various strategic options available, it is then necessary to evaluate them in order to identify the best strategy that will gain the best source of competitive advantage. In reality many companies do not adopt formal processes and instead rely on gut feel. However, there are a number of approaches that can be adopted to assess strategies. Criteria Johnson and Scholes (1999) suggest a list of criteria by which companies can evaluate alternative strategies: Suitability does it Exploit strengths and weaknesses? Rectify weaknesses? Deflect threats? Seize opportunities? Feasibility can it be implemented? Sufficient finances? Deliver the goods? Deal with competitors responses? Access to technology etc.? Time? Acceptability: To stakeholders? Legislation and environmental impact? Strategic Marketing Management Summary In this unit we have seen that: Successful strategies rely on strategic fit between an organisations resources and capabilities and the environment in which it is operating. This process is referred to as the strategic alignment process. Innovation is more than just developing new products. It relates to changes in products, processes and practices. Innovation has been referred to as the lifeblood of an organisation and companies are increasingly looking for ways to improve their level of innovativeness The new product development process has traditionally been regarded as a linear process. In order to speed up the development of new products it is increasingly being recognised that companies have to develop techniques such as parallel processing to increase the pace of development. Firms need to concentrate on creating the right organisational conditions and culture in order to facilitate effective innovation. Once an organisation has identified various strategic options it must evaluate them in order to identify the best strategy. Some firms may rely on gut feel whilst others develop criteria by which to evaluate the alternative strategies. Strategic Marketing Management Unit 6 Implementation and control This is the final unit in the module and its main theme is the challenge of implementing a strategic plan and transforming the plan into commercial reality. The implementation of plans is probably one of the most difficult tasks facing marketers. Control is also a vital component of any planning process. It is necessary in order to measure the success of the plan and to also inform future strategies. Objectives Upon successful completion of this unit you will: Be aware of , and be able to discuss, barriers to implementation of marketing plans Know the dimensions of an effective marketing feedback and control system Identify suitable control systems for measuring the success of plans Implementation Marketing implementation is concerned with translating marketing plans into action. The marketing plan is the vehicle for communicating the strategy within the organisation and addresses the issue of what should happen and why it should happen. Implementation is concerned with how the strategy should be carried out, who is to be responsible, when things will take place and where things will happen. Too often in organisations the implementation stage is overlooked and as a result a good strategy can fail. It is important therefore that organisations devote as much time and energy to the implementation of plans as they do to creating marketing strategies. Strategy success There are two factors that contribute to the success of a strategy: The strategy itself The ability to implement the strategy Bonoma (1984) suggested that the various combinations of these factors would lead to four alternative business outcomes, as illustrated in Figure 6.1: Strategy Execution Skills Good Bad Appropriate Chance Success Chance Problem Failure Figure 6.1 Strategic Marketing Management Success This is the most desirable situation where an effective strategy is well implemented. Chance In this situation the strategy is weak. However, if the strategy is well implemented there could be a chance that it will be successful. Problem This occurs often. A strong strategy has been developed but is poorly executed, resulting in problems. It is interesting to note from this model that it is probably better to have an inappropriate strategy that is effectively implemented than a good strategy that is poorly implemented. Failure This is the least desirable outcome a strategy is neither appropriate nor effectively implemented. Obviously this is a simplified model that will vary depending on the specific situation and the degree to which strategies are inappropriate. However, it does present a graphical representation of the importance of implementation in the planning process. Activity 6.1 Refer to figure 6.1 and consider which quadrant your own companys marketing strategies would normally fall into. State the reasons for your selection. The major problem with implementation of plans lies in the failure of companies to manage change successfully. Inevitably a new strategy is going to result in the need for change. Many people are resistant to change because they are familiar with the status quo and fear the consequences of change. Therefore any new marketing strategy is going to be met with suspicion, unless the company can engender a culture that not only accepts change but also welcomes it. Marketing managers need to be aware of the internal barriers that exist, and then need to develop strategies to overcome these barriers. Organisations need to learn how to effectively manage change. Activity 6.2 Critically review the internal barriers to successful implementation that exist in your own company. What barriers exist, why are they present and how might they be overcome? Strategic Marketing Management Control The marketing planning process would not be complete without some form of evaluation of performance and assessment as to whether the marketing objectives have been achieved. There are three main components of control: Setting targets/objectives against which performance can be measured. Measurement of performance Corrective action A key aspect of control is that it should lead to corrective action. Failure to meet targets may be as a result of unrealistic objectives (and therefore targets may have to be reviewed) or poor performance of individuals (and therefore additional training, advice etc. may have to be offered). If targets are met then individuals should be rewarded and objectives may also have to be reviewed for the future. Definition Control: Control consists of verifying whether targets have been achieved. Its purpose is to identify any problems or errors in order to rectify them and prevent reoccurrence. It operates on everything things, people and actions. Evaluation of marketing plans can also be used to inform future marketing decisions. Therefore, the planning and control cycle is a continuous feedback loop. Marketing performance control Kotler et al. (1999) identify four main types of controls for marketing activity: Annual planning this involves evaluating the performance of the previous years marketing activities, such as sales, market share, customer satisfaction. Profitability profitability is a major concern of any marketer. Profitability can be calculated not only by product but also by distribution channel, market segment or even individual customer. Efficiency control this is concerned with optimisation of assets, for example, return on promotional spend. Figure 6.2 below illustrates some of the various measures that can be used to evaluate the marketing mix. Strategic control it is imperative that marketing activity is ultimately helping to achieve organisational goals. This can be undertaken in the format of the marketing audit that will review all marketing activity Strategic Marketing Management Figure 6.2 Activity 6.3 Control mechanisms Identify your own companys control mechanisms. Classify them according to financial and non-financial controls. How effective are these controls in helping to improve the marketing planning process? What recommendations would you make to improve the control process? Strategic Marketing Management Summary In this unit we have seen that: Marketing implementation is concerned with translating marketing strategy into action. This very important stage is often overlooked by many organisations. In some cases plans fail, not because they are inappropriate plans, but because they are poorly implemented. The development of an organisational culture that welcomes change is a key ingredient in the successful implementation of marketing plans. Managers need to be familiar with the process of change and the impact it has on people in order to effectively manage change. The final stage of the marketing planning process is the development of control mechanisms to monitor the success of marketing plans. The outputs of these measurements should be linked to action, in the form of either corrective action or the revisiting of marketing objectives. The results can also be used to inform future decisions.