Monday, September 30, 2019

Berlucchi Market Analysis

————————————————- Berlucchi ————————————————- Marketing Plan 2012 Table of contents Executive Summary Introduction Guido Berlucchi & Co. SpA is one of Italy’s leading sparkling wine producers. After years of outstanding success, the company finds itself facing a stable market, with competition becoming even more intense, distribution more complex and consumers more sophisticated.The executive Committee is convinced that the strategy that drove the company’s development in its first 40 years needs to open up a new growth path, thus this marketing plan for the strategy for the upcoming three years. External Analysis Customer analysis Approximately 35% of the 313,000 million inhabitants of the U. S. drink wine at a per capita rate of 11. 5 liters. In te rms of demographics 69% are white, 14% Hispanic, and 11% African American, with the remainder 9% from other races.The average age of the American wine consumer is 49, with Millennials making up 26% of wine consumers,  generation X-ers aged 35-44 at 19%, ages 45 to 54 at 21%, and those over 55 at 34%. 24% of wine consumers in the U. S. have a college degree Segmentation by frequency Wine consumers are divided into two categories, core wine drinkers and marginal wine drinkers. The core group drinks wine once a week at least and represents 57% of wine consumers whereas the marginal group has a glass of wine in a time span ranging from once every 2 or 3 months to 2 or 3 times a month. 8% of all wine consumers have a glass of wine more than once a week and are considered to be the high frequency wine drinkers. Segmentation by age Thirty two percent of baby boomers (47 to 65) have a glass of wine compared to 17 percent in 2005. 62 percent of Generation X-ers (aged 35 to 46) are core win e drinkers, compared to only 43 percent in 2007. 6 percent of Millennials (aged 17 to 34) drink wine on a daily basis, 26 percent of them drink wine several times a week and 19 percent drinks once a week on average. This comprises the core wine drinking segment of Millennials, accounting for 63 percent of them compared to 37 percent in 2007.There is a significant difference between younger Millennials (17 – 25) and older Millennials (26 – 34). Older Millennials consume wine with greater frequency, consumed more glasses of wine per drinking occasion (2. 92 glasses on average) and were found to be highly experimental as 89% of older Millennials frequently purchase wine of an unfamiliar brand. Also interesting is that 60 percent of older Millennials found â€Å"fun and contemporary† looking labels of great importance when choosing wine to drink at home compared to just 31% of Baby Boomers.All Millennials and high end wine drinkers throughout the Generation X and ba by boomers often visit wine related web sites and Facebook pages or follow wine twitter accounts. The generational differences are also noticeable in the preference of domestically produced wines and imported wines. * 63% of Millennials, (70 million consumers), are reported to either â€Å"primarily drink imports† or â€Å"equally drink imports and domestics† * 43% of Generation X members (44 million consumers) report the same preferences * 32% of Baby Boomers (77 million consumers) report these preferences Segmentation by geographyWine consumption per person is lowest in the Midwest where 13% buys 4 or more bottles per month compared to 24% in the South, 25% of those in the North East and 29% in the West where 10% of the adult population even purchases 11 or more bottles per month. The top three states for Wine consumption are California, New York and Florida. The top three emerging markets, where the capita per wine consumption has grown the most over the past three years are Texas, Illinois and New Jersey Western states, especially those that produce wine locally such as California, Washington and Oregon, have proven more ikely to favor domestic wines while eastern states are more receptive to imports. Amongst others, New York, Florida, New Jersey and Washington DC all import more than 30% of the total wine consumption from outside the U. S. Competitive analysis Direct Competitors Listed below are the top 3 sparkling wines in the US at the current moment. They all fall in the range of our target customers in terms of their taste and their prices making them a direct threat and therefore a direct competitor. JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset No. 69 Burgundy, France ———————————————— Jean-Charles Boisset's JCB wines are made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Burgundy region of France, this refreshing rose is light and crisp, offeri ng raspberry and red currant aromas. Many wine lovers associate this brand with romantic outings. It is currently listed as number one on the top sparkling wines in the US available at only 7 stores, and at a very affordably price it is sure to be serious competitor. Price: $20 ————————————————- Toso BrutMendoza, Argentina Toso has been producing sparkling wines in the Mendoza wine region of Argentina for 85 years. Their non-vintage brut is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes. Light and refreshing, it offers aromas of lemon and apple with buttery and toasty notes. It is very popular in the US with people looking for something inexpensive, well made, clean and bubbly especially for large events like weddings, receptions and birthday parties. ————————————————- Pri ce: $11 ————————————————-Taltarni Brut Tache Australia ————————————————- Made from Chardonnay, it is an established household name, known for producing extraordinarily high quality sparkling wines in Australia. They are known to be very environmental friendly because they recycle the vines and they refrain from using Diuron and Simazine on their property, thereby reducing the impact on ground water. One disadvantage however is that its prices compared to other wines has been progressively rising lately. Price: $25 Indirect competitorListed below is one of the top wines in the US at the current moment, although it does not fall under the category sparkling wines it is nonetheless a competitor in the total wine market especially now that it is making is mark on the US market making it worth the mention. Moscato’s Asti, Italy ————————————————- Moscato is currently one of the fastest-growing wine varietals in the U. S. Moscato wines tend to be sweeter and less alcoholic. Gallo, which holds 44 per cent of Moscato’s market share, saw sales of its own Gallo Family Vineyard Moscato increase by 124%in 2010, according to marketing research firm IRI.More than half of all Moscato consumers are under the age of 45, while nearly one-third are between the ages of 25 and 34. ————————————————- ————————————————- Moscato’s popularity with the younger generation could, perhaps, be due to hip hop influences. Ka nye West claimed  on MTV that he liked Moscato, while Lil’ Kim sang â€Å"Still over in Brazil/Sipping Moscato. † A more likely reason, however, is the low price tag that many Moscatos enjoy. ————————————————- ————————————————-Price: $5,99 – $16,79 Market analysis Overall size The U. S. wine industry has steadily increased in size and revenue over the past ten years and has grown into the fourth largest wine producing country in the world. In 2010 the U. S. became the leading wine consuming country, consuming as much as 330 million cases a year. This means Americans drink 3. 96 billion bottles of wine, surpassing France’s 3. 85 billion bottles and have spent more than $40 billion on wine in 2010. California is the largest wine produc ing and consuming state in the nation, currently it accounts for 61% volume share of the U.S. market. Projected growth Wine market is currently witnessing steady growth in both developed and emerging economies. Increasing disposable incomes, rising awareness about the medical benefits of wine, and the resultant consumer shift towards consumption of premium alcoholic beverages are driving the growth in the wine industry. US wine market is one of the fastest growing markets of the world, both in terms of production and consumption As per our findings, the US wine market is expected to hit a value of around US$ 33. Billion with 871 Million Gallons of wine sales by 2013. The market (in volume terms) will grow at an annual growth rate of over 3% during 2010-2013. The economic recession had impacted the US wine industry by consumers starting to enjoy low-priced bottles and wines by glasses. The millennial segment is the future of the US wine industry, and their numbers are increasing as y ounger members are attaining the drinking age. Moreover, rise in the number of female wine drinkers in marginal segment is also fueling the growth of the US wine industry.This trend, coupled with government’s initiatives, is playing a greater role in promoting reforms and competitiveness in the wine industry of the US. The market for sparkling wine in the USA has been growing rapidly in recent years according to some top findings from the Wine Market Council Report: Profitability Sparkling wine sales in the U. S. are estimated to have outperformed table wine brands for the third straight year in 2011, when American drinkers will have consumed the equivalent of 900 million glasses.More than 40 percent of those 15 million cases are sold during the holiday season. The overall wine market is projected to increase 1. 7 percent by year-end, to 313 million cases, its 18th consecutive annual gain. Sparkling wines account for a modest 5 percent, but growing, share of that volume. Entr y Barriers The wine industry in the U. S. has high barriers of entry because of high investments needed to buy land and machinery together with high costs of advertising and distribution. Because of the strict laws and high taxation of alcohol in the U. S. large economies of scale have the best chance of becoming and remaining profitable. Distribution System Throughout the U. S. the three tier system is enforced for the distribution of all alcoholic beverages. The system works as follows: * Non-U. S. Producer * 1st Tier – U. S. Producer / Importer * 2nd Tier – Distributor * 3rd Tier – On/Off Premise Trade (restaurants/ bars/ retailer) Non-U. S. producers are only allowed to sell directly to an importer, Importers and U. S. Producers are only allowed to sell to retailers, and only retailers are allowed to sell to consumers.Some states have partially or completely prohibited the distribution and/or the retailing tier and have these operated by the state government itself or contractors operating under its authority rather than by independent privateers. In any case taxes must be collected at all three tiers, even though in some states the importer and the distributor can be the same company, it must still pay taxes for both tiers. Trends A broadening of the consumer base, a greater range on offer, and an increasing desire among some consumers to make sparkling wine a regular rather than occasional treat are the main factors driving the trend.Americans still do not drink as much sparkling wine as consumers in other countries like Germany and the UK, but there is a strong long-term growth trend establishing for domestic and particularly mid-priced imported sparkling wines in the years ahead. At the moment Moscato has experienced a sharp increase in sales, up 73%, driven largely by younger drinkers. Cheaper and in wide range of flavored wines have become more popular as well due to restaurants adding less popular varietals to their glass pour l ist because the higher profit margin.This has resulted in wine consumers becoming more open-minded to seeking out unique varietals. Italy’s Macro Environment analysis: Demographic The Italian Population is currently approximately 61,261,254 but the growth rate of the population is gradually slowing, with most of the increase coming from immigration. Birth rates and death rates are virtually identical. However, the national figures conceal contrasting regional trends. In general, the birth rate and average family size are higher in the south of Italy than in the north, although populations in Molise, Basilicata, and Calabria are declining through continued emigration.For the country as a whole, life expectancy rose during the second half of the 20th century, reflecting higher nutritional, sanitary, and medical standards. At the beginning of the 21st century, the majority of the population was between 20 and 49 years old, with the largest group between ages 30 and 44. The age s tructure is built up as follows: 0-14 years:13. 8% male 4,315,292female 4,124,624. 15-64 years:65. 9% male 19,888,901female 20,330,495 65 years and over:  20. 3% male 5,248,418female 7,109,074 GDP Contribution by Economic Sector  and Top Industries: Agriculture:  3. 9%Industry:  28. 3% Services:  67. 8% (2011) Economic Italy  is currently the world's largest  wine  producer. However it has not been immune to the global economic downturn but it has been able to weather the financial storm. Wine is a key player in Italian trade with exports in 2011 valued at 3. 6 billion euros, compared to imports of 326 million euros. Sparkling wines account for 11% of exports. A sector report presented at the Vinitaly wine trade fair showed that the economic downturn was responsible for a 5. 1% decline in Italian wine exports in 2008 over the previous year.In this moment of economic crisis and uncertainty, people try to satisfy their desires. Italian cuisine is the most popular all o ver the world. In Italy the Docg sparkling wines do better than others, indicating that high quality standards and strong local identity, as much as the price, are central factors for the customers’ choices. Italian exports   rose 17 per cent in the first nine months of 2010, according to Coldiretti, the   Italian farmers   association. The growth had been even higher at 22% for the first six months of the year, primarily due to explosive demand from the US. Ecological (Natural)The future of wine grape supply depends on the availability of groundwater and high temperatures will decrease the availability of wine grapes. High water use by the industry, and in particular the treatment of wastewater, is likely to come under increasing public scrutiny. Over the five years through 2015-16, the level of capital intensity is likely to increase marginally due to investment in water treatment. Political The wine and grape industry in Italy is regulated by laws and decrees issued by the Ministry of Agriculture (Ministro Delle Risorse Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali).Italy is also a member of the European Union and shares the Common External Tariff regime. EU duties are charged by the Italian Customs Agency on the CIF (cost, insurance and freight) value of the product imported into Italy. Below are the 4 wine designations: * DOCG:  the highest classification for Italian wines, introduced in 1963. It denotes controlled production methods and guaranteed wine quality. There are strict rules governing the production of DOCG wines, most obviously the permitted grape varieties,  yield  limits, grape ripeness, winemaking procedures and ageing specifications.Every DOCG wine is subject to official tasting procedures. To prevent counterfeiting, the bottles have a numbered government seal across the neck. * DOC: a step below DOCG, the DOC classification accounts for the majority of wines produced in Italy. The quality control regulations are less stringent than t hose applied to DOCG wines. * IGT: The IGT classification was introduced in 1992, to allow a certain level of freedom to Italy's winemakers. Prior to 1992, many wines did not qualify for DOC or DOCG status not because they were of low quality, but because they were made from grape varieties (or blends) not sanctioned under DOC/G laws.The IGT classification focuses on the region of origin, rather than grape varieties or wine styles. * VDT:  VDT wines are typically of lesser quality than those labeled with IGT, DOC or DOCG, but not always; the ‘Super Tuscans' (see below) are often labeled as Vino da Tavola. U. S. Macro Environment analysis The following macro environmental factors have an indirect effect on Berlucchi’s success in the US market. The major forces of the macro environment should be highly regarded as the company is looking to enter unfamiliar territory while at the same time striving to acquire a competitive advantage.Demographics According to the Wine Int elligence USA Sparkling Report 2012, over 30 million Americans say they drink sparkling wine at least once a year. For the majority of this population their sparkling wine experience is confined to perhaps one or two glasses a year, on special occasions. However, what appears to be driving the growth in sparkling wine is the segment of consumer; estimated at around 9 million, and female-dominated, who say they like to drink the bubbly stuff at least once a week. Many of these people say that sparkling wine is their favorite drink, ahead of still wine.California| California accommodates 37,691,912 people, houses more people than any of the other states of America and has eight of the 50 most populous cities in the U. S.. Remarkable is that only 39. 7% of the people living in California are white non Hispanics and 38. 1% are Hispanic whites, only 6. 6% is black and 13. 6% of Asian ethnicity. The ethnic makeup is very different from the countries average. Of the persons aged 25 years o r older 80. 7% has graduated high school and 30. % has a bachelor’s degree or higher. The Median house hold income is $60. 883. Texas| Texas is the second most populous U. S. state, housing 25,674,681 people who are mostly located in the major cities of Houston, San Antonia and Dallas. Similar to California, Texas also houses a relatively large number of Hispanics. 38. 1% of the population is white of Hispanic decent and 44. 8% is non-Hispanic white. The division of other ethnic groups is quite similar to the nations average. 80% of adults 25 years or older have a high school degree and 25. 8% of them have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The median household income is $49,646 a year. |New York| New York is the third largest state after California and Texas with a population of 19,465,197 of which roughly 64% lives in the New York City metropolitan area. The percentage of the population that is of African American decent is slightly higher than the nations average, 17. 5 % as well as those with an asian heritage, 7. 8%. The median household income is $55,603, 84. 4% of the persons age 25+ are high school graduates and 32. 1% has a bachelor’s degree or higher. | Florida| Florida is the fourth most inhabited state in America, accommodating 19,057,542 people.Notable are that it contains the highest percentage of people over 65, 17. 6% and the 8th fewest people under 18, 21%, also its population is expected to double between 2000 and 2030. Florida’s ethnic makeup shows few differences from the countries average with the exception of persons of Hispanic or Latino origin which is 23% and growing faster than in any other state. 85. 3% of the adults 25 years of age or| Social-Cultural In the U. S. wineries have become more than just wine producers and sellers. They're often venues for gatherings as diverse as  weddings  and business meetings.Some wineries have onboard restaurants and gift shops and are also lively tourist attractions. That says something for the ingenuity of savvy wine producers, but it says even more about the changing American attitude toward wine. Recent consumption gains for sparkling wine have been driven by many factors over the last few years including the adoption of wine in early adulthood by the large Millennial generation, the availability of quality wine at all price levels, and the acceptance of moderate wine consumption as compatible with a healthy lifestyle. EconomicThe turbulent economy has had a moderately negative affect on the nation’s collective wine consumptions growth. Within the 2008–2011 period, stock market volatility had little effect on how much wine consumers were drinking. In 2008, 61% of respondents stated they hadn’t changed the amount of wine they consumed despite the poor economic conditions. The economy has had a direct effect on prices over the last 10 years, prices went down significantly during the recession, but as the economy has improved, t hey have bounced back very quickly and even surpassed previous highs.Fine wine prices dropped 19 percent from August 2008 to August 2009 and they increased 33 percent from August 2009 to August 2010, surpassing their previous pre-recession prices. Political Wine is regulated by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives division of the internal revenue service which makes it subjected to high levels of control and tax. Us wines are shaped by politics including which grapes grow where, what can be written on the label, which wines are exported or imported, which wines are available in local stores, and how much a wine costs.In the  United States, the wine laws are more flexible than European standards in regards to regulations on what viticultural and winemaking practices are allowed in each wine region. A sizable portion of American wine laws relate to  wine labelling  practices. The United States imported 932 million liters of wine in 2010. The majority of imports came fro m Italy ($1. 3 billion). Depending on the type of wine, U. S. tariffs on imported wine from nations with which the United States maintains normal trade relations range from 5. 3 cents per liter to 22. 4 cents per liter.Tax rate for natural wine imported to New York for example is $0. 30 per gallon Internal Analysis Current products Berlucchi’s current products: * Cuvee Imperiale Brut * Cuvee Imperiale Max Rose * Cuvee imperial Demi Sec * Cuvee imperial vintage * Cuvee Storica Franciacorta DOCG * Bianco imperiale * Cellarius Brut * Cellarius Rose * Cellarius Pas Dose * Berlucchi ’61 brut * Berlucchi ’61 Rose * Berlucchi ’61 Saten * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Brut Millesimato * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Saten millesimato * Palazzo Lana Franciacorta Extreme millesimato PricesThe sparkling wines of Berlucchi are between â‚ ¬15 and â‚ ¬28. The average price per line: * Berlucchi bianco imperiale: â‚ ¬10 * Berlucchi ’61: â‚ ¬15 * Cuvee imperia le: â‚ ¬20 * Cellarius: between â‚ ¬15 and â‚ ¬20 * Palazzo Lana: â‚ ¬28 Target Market Geographically speaking, Berlucchi is targeting Italy. Berlucchi won market leadership in its first few years because of its mission to ‘democratize the bubbles’. With their below average price for sparkling wine, and their distribution through grocery stores, Berlucchi sparkling wine was accessible for everyone. Distribution channels Grocery retailersIn 2006 70% of all Berlucchi sales went through the grocery retail distribution channel. Because of the company’s solid penetration of this channel, they established an undisputed leadership position. HoReCa and specialty stores Berlucchi produced a product especially made for this channel, which won considerable success and allowed the company to re-establish its reputation among connoisseurs and win over specialized dealers. Positioning By distributing through grocery retailers, Berlucchi positions itself in a totall y different range than most other Italian sparkling wine, which are available in specialty stores.The company’s solid penetration in this modern distribution channel anchored the positioning of the Berlucchi brand. But having a lower price does not mean they work with a bad quality, although some may look at Berlucchi as a cheap supermarket wine. The Berlucchi brand guarantees a high-quality, prestigious, accessible product. Competitive Advantage Berlucchi stands out because of their innovative spirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments, but off course, still in an accessible and qualitatively good manner. The solid penetration in the modern distribution channel of grocery retailers is something no other ompany has accomplished. Marketing Mix The marketing strategy that has secured Berlucchi’s success over the last thirty years can be summed up in three key words: Italy, mass market, and corporate brand. In the 1960s, the company’s fou nders saw an opportunity to create a sparkling wine market in Italy using the champenoise method. This method meant educating both trade and final consumers through constant communication, the aim of which was to eliminate the image of Italian spumante as a sub-category of wine, or a lower-quality version of the more familiar French champagne.In just a few years’ time the company won a leadership position in the Italian market. They had a clear mission: â€Å"To make bubbly accessible to everyone†. The firm achieved this mission with an extensive distribution strategy. Berlucchi spumante wanted to create a festive atmosphere on any occasion. The best way to achieve this was to reach the consumer through the simplest distribution channel, for instance grocery retailers. Berlucchi has always implemented a push rather than a pull strategy, focusing communication and commercial investments on trade.Another marketing strategy of Berlucchi was based on avoiding product proli feration in the portfolio, in keeping with the need to educate Italian consumers on the traditional method. Berlucchi came up with a series of simple, distinctive brand visuals, which over time have come to be identified with the company. Financial Performance SWOT analysis Confrontation matrix * S1 x O4, because despite the challenging economic environment we are currently in, sparkling wines are set to gain share in the US alcohol market.Berlucchi has a below average price and that could be an opportunity for them to gain share in the US alcohol market. * S3 x O3, because Berlucchi has an innovative spirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments. They could have an opportunity in the US alcohol market, because most Americans show an interest in broadening their horizons in terms of what kinds of wine they buy. * S3 x T3, because consumers in the wine market are constantly evolving. That could be an opportunity for Berlucchi, because they have an innovative s pirit and desire to experiment with new products and market segments.Corporate strategy Berlucchi grew in a few years after founding to be leader in its market thanks to a clear mission: ‘democratize the bubbles’. The founders were convinced they could produce an Italian sparkling wine of comparable quality to the current products on the market. The aim was to produce a high-quality, prestigious, accessible product for a below average price. The basic reason for their attitude was that they could not justify the substantial price difference between Berlucchi products marketed through large retailers and the same wines sold in specialized stores and wine bars.Eventually Berlucchi grew to be a market leader in the large grocery retailers and an important player in the HoReCa and wine shops, without ever letting go of the initial corporate mission. Segmentation The wine consumers in the U. S. can be segmented in to the following groups based on consumption and spending pat terns: Daily Musts | Variety Seekers| Personal Image| Savvy Buyers | Occasional Consumers | Represent 16. 4% of wine drinkers| Represents 14. 4% of wine drinkers|   Represents 14. 1% of wine drinkers| Represents 2. 6% of wine drinkers| Represents 34. % of wine drinkers| Spending share of 49. 3 % | Spending share of 34%| Spending share of 3. 1%| Spending share of 9. 7%| Spending share of 4%| Median age is 61| Median age is 50| Median age is 34| Median age is 48| Median age is 55| Annual income averages $62,000| Annual income averages $100,000| Annual income averages $62,000| Annual income averages $80,000| Annual income averages $63,000| | Target Market The segments most viable for targeting are the Daily Musts, the Variety Seekers and Personal Image consumers and through using a differentiated strategy all three can be targeted.Daily musts Although this segment is brand loyal, by applying low cost strategy and attractive packaging this segment can be entered, after which the focus should be customer retention and maintaining everyday low price offers in combination with a loyalty program to create loyalty to the berlucchi brand and maximize customer equity. Variety seekers Premium brand images and first-class packaging will strongly appeal to the Variety Seekers and expert ratings, premium pricing and event or celebrity sponsorships will truly entice this segment to try berlucchi brand wine.However because of their low brand loyalty a truly aggressive loyalty program is necessary to retain their business. Advertisement be should focused on wine magazines and internet media. Personal Image This segment shows the most potential profitability on the long term and should be engaged to ensure a significant market share in the next decade as this is the fastest growing segment. The focus has to be on moving them towards Variety Seeker of Daily Must habits. Innovation through products and packaging and leveraging social media would speak most to the Personal Image wine drinkers. PositioningDaily Musts and the Personal Image consumers can be catered to with one product in the area , the product’s should have a below average to average price level and focus on offering an accessible product of decent or higher quality. The product targeting the variety seekers should be higher priced to project a somewhat prestigious image and high quality. Below you can see the product value proposition for Berlucchi’s target customers. Objectives Market share Brand familiarity Revenue Timeframe: 3 years Marketing Mix Product As described in positioning, there are three target groups for which there are different product needs.To accustom all potential customers it is neccessary to introduce two different lines of products. Lines Cuvee Imperiale – Brut – Max Rose – Demi Sec – Vintage ‘For over half a century, Cuvee Imperiale has been synonymous with festiveness, joy, and raising a toast, and its consistently fine taste has made it the Italians’ favourite classic-method sparkler. Its four styles make it the perfect choice for both casual moments and the most special of occasions. ’ This line will serve the needs of the Daily Musts and Personal Image consumers, it has a below average price, it is accessible and has a high quality.Palazzo Lana – Brut – Saten – Extreme ‘The timeless elegance of the Palazzo Lana Berlucchi, the handsome mansion that inspired the first Franciacorta,   is present once again in these vintage-dated Franciacortas. Produced from free-run must, and rare both in quantity and quality, the three are bound together by a common thread of gracefulness, complexity, and avoidance of excess, each wine dedicated to those who enjoy them thoughtfully. ’ This line will serve the needs of the Variety Seekers consumers, it is above average prices, has a prestigious image and has a high quality. Packaging Daily mustsThe Daily Musts cons umers are flexible in their response to different packaging designs. Personal Image They consider wine consumption an extension of their personal images, however are more focused on store brands. Variety seekers This consumer group appreciates premium packaging. When lining together these consumer characteristics and the packaging of the chosen products, we can come to a conclusion of no necessity to change the packaging of the products, due to the already existing compatibility of consumer needs and the product packaging. Price Cuvee Imperiale The price for the Cuvee Imperiale line will be $15.Berlucchi will have to lower their price a little bit than they have in Italy, but this way they can compete with the competitors in the US, for instance the Toso Brut from Argentina. The Cuvee Imperiale will be a good competitor due to their below average price and good quality sparkling wine. Palazzo Lana The price for the Palazzo Lana line will be around the $30 in the US. One big competit or is the Taltarni Brut Tache, their price is around the $25. Berlucchi Palazzo Lana is more expensive, but Berlucchi will still be a good competitor since the prices of Taltarni have been progressively rising lately.It will also be a good competitor, because of its prestigious image and high quality. Place Locations Below is a table with 6 states located in the U. S. whom are known to have an extremely large wine drinking population, and therefor will be the best states in the US to introduce the Berlucchi’s wines. Type| California| Texas| Florida| New York| Illinois| New Jersey| Population| 38,053,956| 25,901,361| 19,057,542| 19,465,197| 12,869,257| 8,821,155| Binge drinkers| 14. 7%| 15. 6%| 12,40%| 15. 2%| 17. 5%| 14. 4%| Casual drinkers| 56. 2%| 51. %| 56,3| 59. 1%| 58%| 59. 7%| Heavy drinkers| 5. 9%| 5. 2%| 5,3| 4. 3%| 4. 7%| 4. 5%| Retailers: Within each one of these 6 states the wines will be available in two types of store retailers: * Specialty stores: A small retail outlet that focuses on selling a particular product range and associated items. Most specialty store business operators will maintain considerable debt in the type of product that they specialize in selling, usually at premium prices, in addition to providing higher service quality and expert guidance to shoppers. Superstores: A very large retail store that stocks highly diversified merchandise, such as groceries, toys, and camera equipment, or a wide variety of merchandise in a specific product line, such as computers or sporting goods. Specialty stores: Berlucchi’s wines will be available in the best of the best wine shops in each state. They will be placed in these shops according to the stores location and popularity. State| Specialty Wine Stores[1| California| 867| New York| 533| New jersey| 265| Florida| 252| Illinois| 211| Texas| 181| Superstores:More than a third of all wines sold in America are purchased at Superstores. Wall-Mart 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $307,7 36,000 Extending its lead, it is making solid progress on improving its merchanides through different new projects. The company’s grocery business accounted for more than half of its 2011 sales. Wall-Mart constantly hires wine scouts to research new wines in order to further broaden their inventory. Wines located in a Wall-Mart store Kroger 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $78,326,000 America’s largest traditional grocer is food focused and price led.It includes a wide variety of all sorts of wines. In 2012 Kroger hired wine stewards for a few of its Texas stores. The political push to sell wine in grocery stores is now in different Kroger stores. Wines located in a Kroger store Target 2011 USA Retail Sales ($000): $65,815,000 Target will try to become more beverage focused and currently has strong store innovations and loyalty programs. They combine grocery store bargains with wine shop-level service and expertise. Wines located in a Target store Restaurants:In addition to these retail stores, the wines will also be available in a variety of restaurants in each state. These restaurants will include non-fast food restaurants that have an ideal location for different types of customers to reach. Below is an example of one of the restaurants that look real promising in terms of boosting Berlucchi’s brand image. Since 1979 Antonello Ristorante located in California has captured the essence of Old World authenticity with a new Italian. Antonello's award-winning wine list boasts more than 700 foreign and domestic labels.For special occasions or business meetings, there are eight Promotion The goal is to become the first thing that comes to mind for a person from one of our targeted segments when in the market for wine. According to professor Jacob’s Creek of the University of South Australia’s Wine Marketing Research Group, it is not the brand but the wine regions that influences consumers choice the most. The promotional strategy us ed to differentiate the Berlucchi wines from others is to sell the idea of living the southern European care free, want for nothing life style using the campaign slogan: ‘A taste of the Italian life’.This should invoke an emotional response to advertisement as consumers in the Daily must segment, who are older and often retired or near retirement age can relate to the care free living. The variety seekers can relate to the ‘want for nothing’ aspect and high end allure of Milan or Rome and the younger personal image consumers can indulge in the American romanticized cultural image of Europe. Promoting the Brand As Americans are not yet aware of how many wines are actually Italian and no wine markets itself distinctively as such, the Berlucchi products can be analyzed as a new product.To start the introduction phase a launch event will be held in Los Angeles, California to which columnists/writers for different lifestyle and food magazines, influential taster s and VIPs’ will attend to experience the different wines by Berlucchi that will be launched in the U. S. which will result in features in magazines such as ‘food and wine’, Decanter, WineEnthusiast and Fine. During the introduction phase a print ad and a broadcast media advertisement featuring Robert Deniro will run.Because of his Italian heritage and wine expertise as he owns his own vineyard, on the other hand because of his long and outstanding acting career he is recognizable and idolized by people across generations. The broadcast ad, which will run for thirteen weeks, will be shown during lifestyle television shows and cooking shows such as ‘Master chef’ and ‘come dine with me’ and can even be featured on the shows. The print ad will run for a total of 30 weeks, appearing once to 10 times throughout that period in different magazines and as banners on different online magazines.To promote the brand directly to the target group, Be rlucchi nights will be organized during which selected restaurants will serve free glasses of Berlucchi wine that go well with the dish ordered. The before mentioned strategies will be very effective for the Daily must and Variety seeker segments, but to ensure the involvement of the personal image segment a social media campaign needs to be launched. Each bottle of Berlucchi wine will have a code and instructions printed on the back side of the label.After purchasing a bottle a consumer can befriend Berlucchi on Facebook or follow them on twitter, after which the phrase â€Å"Having a taste of the Italian life #Berlucchi #;code;† should be posted online. In response a code will be send back to the consumer which entitles him or her to a 61% discount on their next purchase of a bottle of Berlucchi Cuvee Imperiale and they enter a lottery for a set of 3 Berlucchi Franciacorta ’61 bottles. The low price and exciting price will attract the segment and by posting they imme diately communicate the existence of Berlucchi to their friends. Loyalty program – – – Budget ; Control – – Recommendation – – – Appendix Figure 1a Figure 1b Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Top 3 states in wine consumption Figure 6 Top 3 states in emerging wine markets Figure 7 Figure 8a Figure 8b Figure 9 Daily Musts| Variety Seekers | Personal Image | Savvy Buyers | Occasional Consumers| * Represent 16. 4% of wine drinkers * Accountable for 49. 3 % of all wine sales. * Median age is 61 * Annual income averages $62,000. Daily Musts are the heaviest wine consumers and consumers and drink on a daily basis. They are brand loyal and flexible in their response to different packaging designs and tend to buy based on low prices. * Represents 14. 4% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 34% * Median age is 50. * Annual income averages $100,000. They tend to spend more per capita than the Daily Musts, appreciate premium packaging, q uality wine and variety. They often view higher price as a sign of higher quality. The Variety seeker is most likely to use the internet to secure information before purchases and look at wine as an extension of their personal image and tend not to be brand loyal. | * Represents 14. 1% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 3. 1% * Median age is 34 * Annual income averages $62,000.This group will grow in consumption as their ages and incomes increase. The Personal image drinker’s habits are in development, and they tend to turn to social media and the Internet for information. They consider wine consumption an extension of their personal images, however are more focused on store brands. | * Represents 2. 6% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 9. 7% * Median age is 48 * Annual income averages $80,000This group enjoys trying a variety of wines and tends to buy on value, however not necessarily focused on low price since they only consume moderate to small amounts. * Represents 3 4. 5% of wine drinkers * Spending share of 4% * Median age is 55 * Annual income averages $63,000| Figure 10 Segmentation by lifestyle Figure 11 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. SVB, 2012 [ 2 ]. See Appendix figure 2 [ 3 ]. See Appendix figure 3 [ 4 ]. See Appendix figure 4 [ 5 ]. See Appendix figure 5 [ 6 ]. See Appendix figure 6 [ 7 ]. http://www. gayot. com/wine/top10american-sparkling-wines/main. html [ 8 ]. Wine Institute, 2011 [ 9 ]. Press Democrat, 2011 [ 10 ]. See Appendix figure 7 [ 11 ]. With the exception of the state of Washington [ 12 ]. https://www. cia. ov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/it. html [ 13 ]. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_wine-producing_countries [ 14 ]. http://quickfacts. census. gov/qfd/states/06000. html . S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts [ 15 ]. http://www. tax. ny. gov/bus/bev/abt_tax_information_individuals. htm [ 16 ]. Be rlucchi Case page 15 table 2 [ 17 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/ [ 18 ]. See Appendix Figure 1a [ 19 ]. See Appendix Figure 1b [ 20 ]. http://www. wine-searcher. com/wine-197764-0001-berlucchi-palazzo-lana-brut-franciacorta-docg-italy [ 21 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 22 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 23 ].Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 24 ]. Berlucchi Case page 5 [ 25 ]. Berlucchi Case page 11 [ 26 ]. Berlucchi Case page 21 table 23, 24 [ 27 ]. See Appendix figure 10 for more info. [ 28 ]. See Appendix figure 11 [ 29 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/#cuvee [ 30 ]. http://www. berlucchi. it/we-do/#palazzo-lana [ 31 ]. See Appendix Figure 10 [ 32 ]. See Appendix Figure 1a [ 33 ]. http://www. statemaster. com/graph/hea_alc_con_cas_dri-health-alcohol-consumption-casual-drinkers [ 35 ]. http://www. wkrn. com/story/19808909/kroger-begins-focused-push-for-wine-in-grocery-stores [ 36 ]. Based on research findings of SymphonyIRI group, INC

Sunday, September 29, 2019

After high school Essay

As we get older, more and more problems begin to form. When we reach our teenage years though, it becomes worse. One problem I think the hardest is for young adults is deciding what we want to do for the rest of our lives when we are so young. You can go to college, military or the working field depending on your preference. When we’re in high school, we have to raise our hand and ask to use the restroom, go to the office to make any phone call no matter how important it may be and have ridiculous dress code rules. You are treated like a child from kindergarten all the way up to senior year and yet they expect you to make the most important decision of your life then. One thing that people do straight out of high school is go directly to the work field. Although its normally in most people’s best interest not to, not everyone is made for college. Unless you are extremely lucky, it has been found that people who didn’t advance to other education after high school make 85% less than those with a college diploma. My brother has a roommate in college and his dad dropped out of college after his first year or two and he makes more money than most people will ever see. His wife doesn’t have to work and his kids have it made when it comes to the materialistic things in life. He owns his own real estate company in Pittsburgh and sells and rents houses to people. He does most of his own work so he doesn’t have to pay people to do it, which is very convenient for him. Although most people do not get as lucky as him, that’s okay for some people because money isn’t everything though. Sometimes it’s better to take time off of school instead of wasting all that money when you don’t even know what you are planning on doing for the rest of your life and going straight to college. There are many reasons why people decide to not go to college, not because they just don’t think that they can do it. Sometimes people have kids before they plan, family problems or even they just can’t get help to pay for it so it holds them back from attending. College is an expensive thing that most people don’t want to pay for. You have years of loans to pay back and for a lot of people; they end up miserable at their jobs after a few years. It is also very hard to get help to pay for you college education. When my cousin tried getting help for college, because she had a full time job and no kids she could get barely any money even though she wasn’t getting any help from her parents. If college still isn’t the right thing for you but you don’t want McDonalds to be your only definite in for a job, the military is a great option. Although you have to work your butt off for it, the military gives awesome benefits. Of course it’s nothing that the NBA players make, which is ridiculous, but it is still a lot just for being in the military. A player in the NBA averages about $5. 15 million per year and all the do is dribble and shoot a basketball for a living where people in the military have to work their tails off every single day to fight for our country and they only get about $70 thousand per year. There is a lot of schooling that they will pay for you so you can still get an education while being in the military. Not only will you get your schooling paid for, but also you can even get paid for going. Also, they have programs like ROTC where you can still train for the military but you are in an actual college getting your education. As well as getting your education paid for, you also get free medical care, financial security and you can retire around 20 years before other people do. If you get all of that stuff paid for, is there even anything left to buy? Food and housing. No worries, in the Army, you receive a regular paycheck and free housing including meals. If you live off of base, you will still receive a housing allowance. Even if the amount of free meals and the checks don’t cover all of the food you want, some restaurants and grocery stores offer military discounts, which will also save a lot of money. My dad owns houses and rent them out to people and the first thing he looks at is what kind of job they have to make sure they can keep up with rent. Last summer there was a guy from the Army that tried to rent of my dad and he told him that the monthly paying isn’t going to be a big deal because he gets checks from the Army specifically for his housing so it is totally free for him. Although college isn’t everyone’s best option, I believe it’s more worth it than working forever at a job that barely gets you by. Colleges can really help you out when you aren’t exactly sure what you want to do. Some even make you take a full year of general education classes just so you are sure that you want to be in that major. Nobody should waste thousands of dollars just to change their mind like 50-70% of college kids end up doing. Also, most colleges have classes that help you transition from high school to college and help get good study habits and things like that. For most kids, what they do for the school like sports, music, theatre and clubs is the most important part of high school. Proceeding to college gives you the opportunity to further your career in things like that where there are plenty of sports, clubs, different bands and also sororities and fraternities. Although that would be going to college for the wrong reasons, a college education in general expands your knowledge base, makes you more organized and exposes you to a whole new world of learning. There are also so many different types of colleges though. Depending on your preference, you can go to school for a few months or 12 years. There are community colleges, tech schools, four-year schools and also schools that are totally based on what you want to do. At the four-year schools, you have to take a certain amount of general education courses where as a college with a certain amount of month program, all of your classes are dedicated for your major. Every school that you go to has a variety of majors to choose from which also make the college option hard. There are some things that people will never even hear of until they go to college and even then, there are thousands of jobs you can do with most majors that people will probably never even know throughout their entire life. A lot of people don’t realize that a really big benefit of going to both college and the military is the life long friends that you make. Of course you’ll always have your friends from high school, but college and the military both give you the opportunity to start over and make new friends. As you can see, there are benefits to every option you decide to do when you graduate high school. There are also a lot of cons to the option that you decide. It all depends on the person and what they are like. It’s just a very hard decision to make when you are barely old enough to stay outside past 11pm. We are very uneducated about the all the different majors in college and the benefits of or other options if we decided to not go to college. We have only lived about a quarter of our life and we are expected to decide what we want to do for three more quarters of our life. This decision is the one that is going to affect you for the rest of your life and I just don’t think that we are educated enough to make it.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

A nuture theory of human behavior

A nuture theory of human behavior The nature versus nurture debate is one of the most convoluted in the field of psychology. In the 17th century, a French philosopher, Renà © Descartes posited that â€Å"we all, as individual human beings, have certain innate ideas that enduringly underpin our approach to the world† (Crawford, 1989 p 64). The use of the terms â€Å"nature† and â€Å"nurture† henceforth has referred to the roles of heredity and environment respectively in human development. Some scientists believe that human beings behave as they do in response to genetic predisposition. This is known as the nature theory of human behavior and is the view espoused by naturalists (Scott, 1995). Other scientists think otherwise; that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so. This is known as nurture theory of human behavior and is the view of empiricists. Presented in the paper are the theories of nature vs. nurture, elucidation of perception, intelligence and perso nality within the debate. In addition, the paper discusses eevidences in favor of nurture and the influence of environment on behavior and morality. In exploring the nature versus the nurture debate, the writer presumes that nature endows human beings with inborn abilities and traits while nurture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as humans learn and mature. Theories of Nature vs. Nurture According to naturalists, personality is natural. This group believes that personality is a result of evolutionary process. Human beings, it believes, inherit behaviors due to a complex interaction of genes. As such, genes control their behaviors. They believe that form and characteristics measured with personality tests remain stable throughout human life. They further believe that human beings may sharpen their types or personality but can never change them altogether. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution led naturalists such as George Williams, William Hamilton, and many others to the idea of personality evolution. They proposed that physical organs and personality is a result of natural selection (Herschkowitz, 2002). Human beings do as their genes dictate. In support, Steven Pinker (2004) includes conservativeness, religiousness and liberalism as gene related traits. William Paley, in agreement, believes cognitive capabilities, temperaments, and cheating behaviors are inheritable. There are however various assumptions about nature. Evolutionary psychologists believe that behaviour is a result of natural selection in the environment of evolutionary adaptation (EEA). Interpersonal attraction therefore can be explained as a consequence of sexual selection – men and women select partners who enhance their reproductive success (Crawford, 1989). Arguments for the supremacy of nurture posit that personality is nurtured. This group argues that one does not get personality from inheritance. They argue that the mind is a blank slate at birth. The definition of nu rture has extended to influence of development that emanates from prenatal, parental, peer influence and extending to the role of media, marketing and socio-economic status (Scott, 1995). They dispute that types and characteristics measured with personality tests change incessantly throughout one’s life. Harvard psychologist B. F. Skinner’s, experiments, produced birds that could dance and play tennis. Today, known as the father of behavioral science, Skinner ultimately went on to prove that human behavior could be conditioned in much the same way as animals. If environment did not play a part in determining an individual’s traits and behaviors, then identical twins should be the same in all respects, even if reared apart. However, a number of studies show that they are never exactly alike, even though they are remarkably similar in most respects (Michaels, 2001).

Friday, September 27, 2019

Friendship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Friendship - Essay Example It was not a pleasant experience because we were strangers to one another. Even though my uncle was not happy about our lack of knowledge of each other, he introduced us as first cousins after which we became friends. I was also able to meet other cousins during my stay in the city but my friendship with this particular cousin has grown beyond any other personal relationship that I have had and I, in this paper, look at friendship and the extent to which Akst’s writing applies to friendship and possible deviations. Basis of friendships Akst, in his article, noted Aristotle’s explanation of three forms of friendship: â€Å"those based on usefulness (contacts), on pleasure (drinking buddies), and on a shared pursuit of virtue – the highest form of all† (Akst, 24). Our friendship developed from shared goals and dreams that we aspired to achieve in the future. The only contrasting aspect that existed between my cousin and I was our preferred professions. My co usin preferred a business career. He was a self-proclaimed businessperson and believed that business was the only key that could unlock his fortunes. On the contrary, I had education-oriented goals. I aimed at working hard in school to secure good grades that would qualify me to attend top ranking universities in the country. We however shared common goals despite the different paths that we chose to our respective success. A reflection, ten years later, of our friendship echoes Akst’s point that friendship built on shared pursuit of virtue is the highest form of all existing types of friendship basis. (Akst, 24) Advantages of having friends in the society Wilson in his article addressed the positive implications of friendship. According to Wilson, â€Å"living in a society of friends has many advantages. Friendship can moderate our behavior† and â€Å"friends help us establish and maintain norms and can tell us if we are running off when others do not notice, will no t break the news, or lack the necessary credibility† (in Akst, 26). In any given friendship, there exists a common trait. Personal traits among true friends are always in accord in terms of moral beliefs, ethical standards and political or religious affiliations. The concept of moderation of character in friendship was demonstrated through our relationship. Based on our contrasting success strategies, my cousin opted to venture into business while I pursued my undergraduate studies. Over the years, my cousin equipped himself with versatile entrepreneurial skills while I concentrated on my studies. Within a period of two years while I was in college, my cousin was able to establish and run a successful business firm. In his part, my cousin challenged my strategy of success. He argued that I did not have to finish college in order to own a business. My cousin reckoned that I could continue with my studies while operating a small business venture. He was able to instill in me the art and skills of a young entrepreneur while I was still pursuing my childhood dream of becoming a scholar. After considering his advice, I started supplying the college’s administration with stationeries and later expanded my market to cover the entire college and its environs. It was through our friendship that my cousin moderated my obsession with academic studies and established a renewed perspective of business in my character. Friendship concepts overlooked by the author Misunderstandings in friendships In his argument, Akst failed to mention that friendship is not always perfect. His analysis of the concept of friendship overlooked mistakes and misunderstanding among friends. In my personal opinion, mistakes and misunderstanding serve to strengthen friendship. In my relationship with my cousin, we have had

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Polly Peck Fraud Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Polly Peck Fraud - Essay Example However, in spite of all these efforts, fraud still exists all over the world as seen in the case of Polly Peck Fraud. More than 20 years ago, city funds and small financiers were surprised as one of the safest bets on the London Stock Exchange imploded. The share price of an international trading corporation, Polly Peck International (PPI), collapsed following raiding of its premises by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) at the center of the empire constructed by Asil Nadir, its apparently outstanding chief (Casciani, 2008). Asil was a 71-year-old British citizen of Turkish-Cypriot origin. When he was arraigned to court, he protested his innocence but then ran away from the country asserting that he will not get a fair hearing. In 2010, 17 years later, he came back stating that he wanted to clear his name. Instead, a jury confirmed that he was a thief following a mammoth and sometimes a bewilderingly complex trial. According to Casciani (2008), Asil was found guilty of ten thefts from P olly Peck amounting to? 29 million, and he was cleared of an additional three lawsuits regarding approximately? 5 million. PPI was built by Asil Nadir out of very little. The rise of Asil in the 1980s started with an amazingly shrewd investment in a small textile company which he simply referred to as Polly Peck. He used Polly Peck as a means to construct a trading empire throughout Europe hence adding International to the Polly Peck along the way. Nadir and PPI possessed at the company’s height what was once one of the largest electronics companies in Europe, Del Monte- the global fruit brand, and leisure complexes and hotels. According to The Guardian (2012), he posted stratospheric profits each quarter hence everyone wanted a piece of PPI in the get-rich-quick environment of late 1980s Britain. As a result, PPI was worth ? 2 billion by the end of the decade hence, making it an FTSE 100 player. Some shareholders had observed returns of over 1,000 times their original stake although very few of them got out prior to crash down of PPI. One of Nadir’s plush management companies in Mayfair was raided by the Serious Fraud Office on September 19, 1990. The following day, PPI’s share price trailed in the middle of rumors and speculation. Nadir started to be investigated by the Serious Fraud Office by looking at allegations of insider dealing- a line of investigation that was dropped later. Instead, Serious Fraud Office asserted that it had obtained evidence that Asil had stolen millions of pounds that belonged to investors of PPI. Asil had a very high degree of control over finances of PPI him (The Guardian, 2012). He had authority to withdrawing or depositing money without obtaining a counter-signature from another director. The Guardian (2012) asserts that the jury was told by the prosecution that Asil, with the support of close confidants, used over 50 transfers to steal about? 151 million from PPI from August 1987 onward. While in the court , the businessmen agreed that the Asil instructed majority of transfers.  

What the real reason gas prices are rising Research Paper

What the real reason gas prices are rising - Research Paper Example Predictably, Obama is being attacked by the Republican opposition for not doing enough to control prices and for what they deem a flawed energy policy which, if corrected would drop prices to what GOP Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich claims could be $2.50 per gallon. The price of gas is determined by mainly by world politics; make that Middle East politics, speculation and forces of supply and demand. This discussion will address these and other, possibly less obvious, factors that determine the price of a gallon of gas. As consumers pump gas into their vehicles the dollar amount is literally right in front of their eyes as the digital display quickly calculates the total. People feel they are being taken advantage of when that number increases every week for the same amount of product. Some blame oil companies, others their local gas station or regional oil refineries. While all of these entities profit from gasoline none are the real culprits, none have much, if anything, to do with the escalation of prices. The global demand for refined gas does have a major impact. In other words, the person pumping their gas is more to blame than oil companies. During the recent recession the demand for gas dropped because unemployed persons don’t drive to work and fewer were taking a vacation. As the recovery is taking hold worldwide the demand goes up along with prices. (Faucon, 2012). â€Å"Analysts warn that oil could become even more expensive in the second half of the year as supplies struggle to catch up with rising demand.† The average consumer would be better served to pump their gas into a more fuel-efficient vehicle. This would lower demand therefore the price. (Motavalli, 2012). During his cross-country energy tour Obama called for Congress to stop subsidizing the enormously prosperous oil companies with billions of dollars in tax

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Gap analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gap analysis - Essay Example Proficiency in communication as an art can be learned depending upon motivations and goals (Littlejohn & Foss, 2008). The advent of information technology with electronic means of communication modernized even its learning process traversing what once were limitations in terms of culture, space and ethics (Littlejohn & Foss, 2008). Sociopsychologist, Cybernetics, and Sociocultural groups may slightly vary in interest, rights, and values in the aspects of communication as well as it motivations, but, bottom-line is the crossover between and among communicators (Littlejohn & Foss, 2008). Being proactive makes an efficient manager bringing about flexibility and the ability to make appropriate responses (Harrell, 2003). Being polite brings about respect, trust and honesty, a mark in trade that can be a lasting legacy (Harrell, 2003). With the advent of Information technology coupled with electronic communication means what is left as the gap facing global communications seems to be the priceless possession which is attitude (Harrell, 2003). It is the individual resolve to prosper as overall attitude determines the quality of life one may live (Harrell, 2003). The gap facing global communication is gradually easing up. Thanks to the contributions of Information technology and its latest electronic communication art.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Diversity Audit Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Diversity Audit - Research Paper Example This unit examines a newly created organization and the effects of application of diversity audit on its operations. Creating an Organization A thriving organization ought to be effectual and well-organized in its operations. An effectual organization should be unique and should take into deliberation its staff and clients needs. A good example of a business organization is the bread baking industry. The organization takes into deliberation of its client’s satisfaction, as a result, serves both its interests and the community’s interests (Collins, Denis, 153). Company’s Background and History on One Page The bread baking organization has been in operation for the last two years. The company has organization chart, which governs the daily running of behavior inside the organization. The chart is prearranged according to the flow of authority within the company. The person at the top of the company is the boss followed by the assistant boss. Third in the position a re the departmental managers, and lastly are the employees. The company was started because of the high demand that was prevalent in society (Collins, 231). The manager He or she is the individual who supervise the day by day running of the organization. He makes all the judgments pertaining to the daily running of the organization. ... Their roles include coordinating the activities within the company to yield the maximum profits. Workers They are individuals the company employs to aid in the production process. They possess unique skills because of working in a range of departments with dissimilar task to perform. The company has engaged a total of two hundred employees. Conducting a Diversity Audit on the Organization The company’s objective is to satisfy the clients need while maximizing the company’s profits. The organization’s objectives are achievable only when the company’s aspects are reviewed to examine the effective ones from the non-effective ones, as a consequence there is a need to carry a diversity audit on the company. Evaluation and Recommendations for the Organization In Terms Of the Diversity Audit The diversity facilitates evaluation of the company’s merits and demerits. It assesses the company’s procedures, strategies and administration to determine area s where to review to lead to a positive change in the company. The evaluation of the company’s workers is that they are not properly aggravated; as a result, they do not give the company their bests. Secondly the policies of the business do not cater for the employees entire requirements. The promotion criterion in the strategies does not consider the firms employees, since there are no set criteria in the firm for promoting the employees. Lastly, the diversity audits conducted on the management showed the management was not contended with their basic wages, as a result, there did not effectively supervise the firm’s daily operations. After the diversity audit, there are a variety of proposals implemented to make

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Construction Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Construction Law - Essay Example As the contractor was excluded from the design stage so the employer retains the risk for any mistakes or errors in the design (Gerrard, 2012). On the other hand, in the ‘Design and Build procurement’, the contractor is assigned the responsibility for both, designing and construction by the employer. All the Design and Build strategies have the same parameter, that the contractor will become responsible for design and construction of the project at a given point of time for a fixed amount of money. The client/employer is required to seek professional help for preparing a detailed statement of requirements before signing a contract with the contractor. Thereafter, the contractor will be liable for design, labour, material which will lead to a single point of responsibility. The contractor’s efficiency will escalate as he exercises control over design and construction. Moreover, any arguments over design will be between the contactor and professionals instead of the employer and professionals. 1.(b). Engineers are going to be appointed by the employer or contractor depending on the procurement model. A chief engineer should be nominated if several engineers from various fields are to be appointed. Engineers should be given authority and access if the design is based on a process of technology, to which the employer holds licence. Under the standard build procurement, an engineer is required to meet the employer’s needs for inviting tenders. On the other hand, in a design and build procurement, the role of an engineer is based on providing a performance specification, standards for material input and design which will be included in the Works Specification (NEC Contract, 2012). To be more precise, a structural engineer is responsible for designing the structure of a building together with drainage and installation. He will also provide professional and expert opinion to the client about the structure and cost of every part of the buildin g. His work must co-ordinate with the architect and services engineer. A services engineer’s role is to design and identify mechanical and electrical services keeping in view the employers specifications. They are to provide advice on matters like environmental issues, sustainability and cost. Following novation, engineers will be responsible to the contractor instead of the employer (APUC, 2012). 1.(c). Compensation events are those which do not arise because of a default on the contractor’s part and therefore entitle him to compensation in price and time. A resource forecast is used to assess the impact of any compensating event on cost and time. Compensation event pass through notification, quotation, revision and implementation stages. An event should meet the criteria mentioned in Clause 60 of NEC3 to be treated as a compensation event (Eggleston, 2006). Clause 60(1) states that: â€Å"A Project Manager gives an instruction changing the works information except: a. A change made in order to accept a defect or b. A change to Works Information provided by the Contractor for his design which is made either at his request or to comply with other Works Information provided by the Employer.† In this scenario, the Employer has instructed the Contractor to provide a design on an arch detail which was not included in the original

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Public Support for NASA Essay Example for Free

Public Support for NASA Essay Established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, NASA believes in these words of Abraham Lincoln: â€Å"With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed (â€Å"External Assessment;† â€Å"Public Opinion of the American Space Program†).†Ã‚   After all, NASA is dependent on public funding for its unspeakably expensive space programs.   Even though the government has spent an immense amount of money on the Iraq War, and it is common knowledge that at least forty seven million people in the United States, including at least eight million children cannot afford health insurance, NASA’s programs must continue. These space programs cost billions of dollars, while the cost of providing health care for a single American child is far less.   Therefore, public support for NASA must dwindle according to the times.   The American public is pretty wise as far as funding for NASA’s space programs is concerned.   This is the reason why public support for NASA slipped during the year 2001 after its rise in the 1990s (David).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite the current trade deficit of the United States – a loud and clear message that American consumption is beyond control – as well as the health care failures confronting the country besides the overuse of public funding on the Iraq War; the famous Gallup Poll has revealed that the American public is by and large supportive of NASA at present (Jones).   Of course, the Gallup Poll is a survey conducted through the scientific method.   So therefore, its results are considered credible.   All the same, Bergin reports that there is an obvious gap in support for the prestigious space agency of the United States among the group of Americans aged 18 to 24.   Perhaps the Gallup Poll would be considered credible still.   Regardless, Bergin adds that the young people of the United States are the future voters and taxpayers whose support is crucial for NASA’s future planning.   Hence, the Office of Strategic Analysis and Communications has assumed the responsibility of finding out whether the communications and public relations department of NASA is failing the young members of the American public (Bergin).   In other words, the young people of the United States must be inspired by the space programs of NASA.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   NASA has plenty of supporters willing to convince the public about the value of its work.   The Citizens for Space Exploration, for example, is a â€Å"multi-state organization† comprising U.S. taxpayers who are supportive of the United States’ space exploration investment (Citizens for Space Exploration).   The organization describes itself thus: â€Å"We are private citizens, small business owners, students, teachers, space and non-space business representatives, and county and municipal officials (Citizens for Space Exploration).†Ã‚   Seeing that people from almost all walks of life are backing NASA today, there is no doubt that the United States’ space exploration investment is almost fully supported by the American public.   Moreover, it may very well be that the young people of the United States are taking the problems of Iraq as well as health care more seriously than the older Americans. This is making them disbelieve in the value of NASA to the American society.   The goals of NASA, after all, do not appear as serious as the problems confronting the nation.   According to the Presidents National Space Policy, NASA must achieve the following goals for the United States: (1) Enhancement of knowledge about the universe, the solar system, and the Earth through robotic as well as human exploration; (2) Strengthening and maintaining the security of the nation; (3) Enhancement of â€Å"economic competitiveness† in addition to â€Å"scientific and technical capabilities of the United States;† (4) Encouragement of private, local and state use of, and investment in space technologies; and (5) Promotion of â€Å"international cooperation to further U.S. domestic, national security, and foreign policies (â€Å"External Assessment†).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apparently NASA did not help to secure the United States against the terrorist attacks on 9/11, which is why young people do not believe in the capabilities of the space agency.   Levin and Watson write that the majority of people in the United States had doubts about NASA even after it had managed to send man to the moon.   According to David, the American public is not very interested in sending people out of the Earth’s atmosphere in any case.   Hence, a survey conducted in the year 1971 by the Roper Organization revealed that two-thirds of the Americans were of the opinion that the government was spending far too much money on the exploration of space. However, the American public showed a great deal of support to NASA after the Columbia accident.   Although the accident entailed an increased need of public funding for NASA’s space programs – the number of Americans that had previously claimed that they wanted public funding for NASA to be reduced, declined.   As a matter of fact, soon after the Columbia accident, the National Opinion Research Center conducted its annual poll to discover that the number of people wanting a reduction of public funding for NASA had declined to thirty five percent (Levin and Watson).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even so, the American public has consistently ranked the budget of NASA lower in importance than defense, health care and education.   When public funding for NASA fell during the 1990s – to the point of being halved – the space agency had little to spend on Research and Development, considering the massive amount of expenses it incurs on virtually all of its departments and programs.   After the Columbia disaster, the agency complained that the decline in public funding was indirectly responsible for the accident. As an example, NASA had cuts its budget for photographing the launches of shuttles.   Without vivid photographs of the patch of foam that had struck a wing of Columbia eighty two seconds after its launch, engineers at NASA had mistakenly concluded that Columbia was not in danger (Levi and Watson).   This may very well be the reason why public support for NASA increased after the accident.   After all, NASA cannot be shut down under the Presidents National Space Policy.   Thus, the American people must have gathered that they ought to support NASA as best as possible to ensure the safety of other Americans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Still, the people of the United States do not believe in the extravagance of NASA’s programs.   Educated Americans are more likely to assume that the benefits of NASA continue to exceed its costs.   The majority of the Americans, on the other hand, are of the opinion that the space program should be similar to the Centers for Disease Control in delivering practical benefits to their lives.   Rich Americans, mostly men and white, are known to support NASA much more than the others.   The others are not too confident that the space agency is â€Å"worth its price tag (David).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although NASA is not supported by eighty percent of the Americans at present, and only a little more than half of the population of the United States is known to believe that the benefits of NASA exceed its costs; it is possible for the space agency to raise public support for its programs by communicating with the Americans, especially the young Americans, more often.   The young people can be inspired to enjoy NASA’s creativity.   All the same, there are a number of concerns on the young American mind that must be addressed before NASA’s experiences can be thoroughly enjoyed by all. These concerns include the health care problems facing the nation, as well as the tremendous amount of money that has been spent by the U.S. government on the Iraq War.   Undoubtedly, young people are more likely to believe that the problems faced by their nation present them with a great responsibility.   Hence, NASA would have to be patient if it is not supported by the young people of America.   After all, nobody ever said that NASA was more important to the United States than its defense, health care and education.   The United States is also suffering from a trade deficit at present.   NASA should consider it a blessing, therefore, that even fifty percent of the Americans support its programs. Works Cited Bergin, Chris. â€Å"Constellation concerned by the gap in public support for NASA.† http://www.citizensforspaceexploration.org/index.htm. David, Leonard. â€Å"Poll: Public support for NASA slipping.†http://www.space.com/news/nasa_poll_020510.html. â€Å"External Assessment.† http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/nsp/assess.htm. Jones, Jeffrey M. â€Å"Americans continue to rate NASA positively.†   31 Oct 2007. 19 Novhttp://www.gallup.com/poll/102466/Americans-Continue-Rate-NASA-Positively.aspx. Levin, Alan, and Traci Watson. â€Å"Public Support Could Prove Crucial for NASA.† 18 Aug 2007. 19 Nov 2007. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-18-inside-shuttle_x.htm. â€Å"Public Opinion of the American Space Program. Sep 2007. 19 Nov 2007. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/hqlibrary/pathfinders/opinion.htm.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Kite Runner And Atonement Analysis English Literature Essay

The Kite Runner And Atonement Analysis English Literature Essay In this semester we read many interesting books, and I chose two books to compare and to discus about them. These books are The Kite Runner and Atonement. These books have many similar themes, like discrimination, differences between social classes, guilt-innocence, sacrifice, cowardice, family broken and deceit, but the principal and the reason why I chose these books, is because both stories talk about forgiveness and redemption and how the principal characters try to repair the bad actions that they did in the past. In this essay I would compare both stories, and all the things that caused that Amir (The Kite Runner) and Briony (Atonement) committed injustices with other characters. And after a certain time they could repair their errors that they did in the past, to be in peace with their selves. First I have to give the definitions for forgiveness and redemption. Forgiveness is the action that someone does to forgive someone or something, also to give the pardon to someone. Redemption is the act of redeeming something that was done in the past. The principal characters in these novels are Amir and Briony. Amir grew up as the only son of a rich widower. During his childhood he sees his father with respect and admiration. He also tries to obtain his father admiration and love. In some way he made differences (social differences) with his best friend Hassan, by referring him as his servant and also betray him. In other way Hassan always helped Amir, and considered him as his best friend. At the beginning of the novel Briony is a young rich girl. She likes to write stories. In her childhood she made differences with the people of lower position. She ´s a little mean girl, and with the time she become an adult girl who mature and think over her bad actions that she did when she was a child. Although that Amir and Briony had a different personality, they born in a high position. And I think that because of this difference they had to act as the rich people and not get involve with their servants. That ´s why I think that both stories have a part of discrimination, because the characters or the events that happened in these novel where referred to the differences of the social class. Also I think that it causes that both grew up with the idea that they couldn ´t get involved with their servants, or consider them as friends. Two examples of this actions could be when Assef told Amir and Hassan that they couldn ´t be friends, because Hassan was just Amir ´s servant (The Kite Runner). In Atonement, when Cecile did not defend Robbie, when he was captured by the police man. She did not confess the true about what happened between them. Other theme that these novels have in common is guilt versus innocence. In The Kite Runner, Amir blames Hassan, when Amir accused Hassan of stole Amir ´s father watch and Hassan falsely confessed. Amir did this because he observes that his father have affect for Hassan, and if he knew that Hassan acted in a brave way by confronting Assef, Baba ´s love to Hassan will increase. So, Hassan did not have other option and he left Baba ´s house, even though that he was innocent. In the Atonement, Briony accused Robbie of rape his sister, Cecile. She was a little and confused girl, because she did not notice that between Cecile and Robbie existed more than a sexual attraction. Also the events that happened before and after Robbie and Cecile having sex, made that Robbie were find guilty of Lolas rape. Also Cecile did have the courage to defend her love for Robbie, even though that she can prove Robbies innocence or Lola knew the true and she did not say anything, because she knew the person who rape her (Paul Marshall). These novels have also examples of sacrifices. The principal characters have to give up to something important. In The Kite Runner, Baba and Amir had to leave their hometown for the invasion of the Russians. Also Hassan made many sacrifices, like when he was rape by Assef just to defend Amir ´s kite. Other sacrifice that Hassan did was when he died by defending Baba ´s house. In the novel Atonement, I think that Robbie did the sacrifice of not defending himself by not saying the true. I think that he did that to protect Cecile ´s reputation. Also I think that in some way Briony made a sacrifice by consoling the French guy, who was dying. I think that the biggest sacrifice in this novel was the one that Cecile and Robbie did, by been separate. Another theme that these novels have in common is deceit. Many of the characters of these stories live in a deceit, in a certain time they confront it, because the past can ´t be forgotten. In The Kite Runner has an example of deceit. It is that Amir during his childhood he live in a deceit, because he did not know that Hassan was his half brother. Baba knew the true, but he did not say anything. In the novel Atonement, the biggest deceit could be when Lola lied about who was her rape. She was forced to confess that someone raped her. Briony though that this person was Robbie, so Lola said that Robbie was this person. Cecile did not believe in what she said, but the rest of the family did, so Robbie was sent to jail. Another theme that these novels share is Cowardice. Both novels have examples of this theme. For example in The Kite Runner, cowardice is presented when Hassan was raped by Assef. Amir was watching this action but he did not do anything to help Hassan, even though that Hassan acted in a brave way to defend Amir ´s kite. Also I think that Baba was coward by not saying the true about Hassan, he did not have the courage to say that Hassan was also his son and give him a better life. In the Atonement novel, cowardice is presented when Lola did not say the true about who was the guy who rapes her. That was an act of cowardice, and even though Lola got married with the person who really raped her. Also I think that Cecile was coward by not explaining Briony what was happening between her and Robbie and even more when Robbie was send to jail. I also found that in both stories exists a broke family. I mean that after a certain point or for some reason the relationship between the family members is broken. It happens in The Kite Runner, when Amir knew the true about his half brother, Hassan. For this action Amir felt betray by his father. And the admiration and the respect that he felt for his father become resentment. In the Atonement novel, Cecile was the person who decided to cut with her family. After that Robbie was send to jail, she was disappointed and angry. She left her house and never come back. Ceciles family will not be united anymore. These novels also talk about forgiveness. In atonement, Briony wants to fix the injustice that she committed when she was a child by writing a novel about a love story with a happy ending. At her short age she was confused about the events that she saw. She was too young to understand what happened between Cecile and Robbie, when they were having sex at the library, Briony though that it was an aggression to her sister. So, she told the police what she saw. Briony contributed to send Robbie to jail. Also I think that for the events that Briony saw like when Cecile and Robbie where at the fountain and the letter that Robbie wrote to Cecile, made that Briony had a bad impression about Robbie. These actions made that Briony started to feel hate and fear for Robbie. The time pass and she grew up and mature, these things made that she reconsider her actions against Robbie. Also she remembered that Paul Marshall was the person who raped Lola. So, Briony wanted to amend the damage that her lie caused to Cecile and Robbie, she wrote a novel about Cecile and Robbie with a happy ending. Also she wrote something that she couldn ´t done, it was that she apologized with Cecile and Robbie; it was like a wish, because she didnt do that. These actions should be considered as redemption. In the Kite Runner, forgiveness is presented when Rahim called Amir and told him all the things that happened to Hassan and his family. He gave an advice to Amir, and it was that he could amend all the damage that he caused to Hassan by rescue Sohrab, Hassan ´s son. Rahim also told Amir that by doing this could be the only way to be good again. He considered what Rahim told him, so he decided to go back to his hometown and rescue Sohrab. I consider this action as an opportunity that the life offers to Amir to be good again, and in some way to thank and reward Hassan for all the help, the support, and friendship that Hassan gave to Amir. Also I think that rescued Sonhrab, was Amir ´s obligation, because Hassan died by defending Baba ´s house. It was a debt that Amir needed to pay. I think that both characters received a punishment in a certain time of their lives that made them to pay for their bad actions. For example when Briony was working as nurse, she lived something that made her to reconsider about what she did and what she should do to be in peace with herself. This happened when she was with the French guy, who was dying. She felt alone and without love, she felt like if she were in the same place of the soldier. In The Kite Runner, Amir also received a punishment for a certain time. It was that he couldn ´t have family. I think that for Amir to have his own family was important. Because he expressed his wish to have children. I consider this as a punishment to Amir, because he was a selfish person with Hassan, because he did not want to share his father love. And I think that the destiny charged this action to Amir by not having his own family. At the end of the novels forgiveness is reached by Briony and Amir. They have to do something to obtain the pardon of the people that they hurt, to find a way to be good again, to be in the right way, to feel what the people that they hurt suffered and be in peace with the others. They have to do a little sacrifice to reach the redemption of their selves. Briony and Amir wanted to amend what they have done in the past. Both did what they tough that was correct to reach the forgiveness of the people that they hurt. Amir and Briony were looking for an interior peace that they needed. They need to be free of sins to have a better life, to clear their conscience. They needed to amend their errors, to apologize with the people that they hurt. At the end of the novels both characters, Amir and Briony could be in peace with their selves. They did what they thought that was right to amend their mistakes and injustices. In The Kite Runner, Amir could rescue Sonhrab. Amir gave Sonhrab the right to have a united family, to have a mother and a father again. And Amir let himself to have a complete family, to have a son. To protect and defend Sonhrab as he couldn ´t do with Hassan, when he was rape by Assef. Also to not commit the same mistakes that her father, Baba, did with Hassan. In Atonement, Briony related the love story about Cecile and Robbie. She gave her sister the best end to her love story. The end of Cecile and Robbie ´s love story deserved. Even though that in reality it was impossible, because Briony never confront Cecile and Robbie by telling them the true, and also she never apologize herself for what she did. Briony did what she thought that Cecile and Robbie will tell her to amend the consequences that her lie did to Cecile and Robbie ´s lives. She thought that the readers would like to read a happy ending in her novel. Also she demonstrated that as writers we have the power to change the things and do them in the right way. Both novels show us, the readers, that saying lies bring us bad consequences. Lies could ruin the life of other people; lies could hurt people, could hamper the happiness of a person and also could change your life. These novels teach us that saying lies are not good to the person who is saying them neither for the people who we are telling the lies. The themes that I mentioned like, discrimination, differences between social classes, deceit, sacrifice, guilt, innocence and cowardice are related to forgiveness and redemption in these novels. These themes were involved in the routine lives of Amir and Briony. In some way these themes are involved to the bad actions that Amir and Briony did against other characters. Because Briony and Amir had a better style of life, they had everything, and they grew up with the same ideas that their social class have about their servants. As humans we always judge poor people and we have a bad image of them. We always commit injustices toward the poor people, we discriminate them by thinking that we are better than them, and we also thought that they are weak people, who would never understand us. The people with a high position think that they can blame the poor people, and we end up that they are the bravest people and that we are the cowards. So to amend our errors we have to look for their forgiveness, to be free of any fault. In my personal opinion I consider these novels a lesson of life. The principal characters committed injustices and acted in a mean way with people who did not deserve to be excluded. At the end both characters, Briony and Amir, reconsider what they had done and were looking for forgiveness. That ´s something that humans do, we always commit injustices with the people that give us love and understanding. Some of us do it lately, but I think that never is too late to mend our errors. I also think that to obtain the pardon of someone we have to do something notorious, which can prove that we really wanted to be forgiven. In my personal opinion, I think that the character that success is Amir. Amir did a big effort to be forgiven; he also could amend his errors by rescue Sonhrab. Amir also will learn the role of be a father. I don ´t like the Briony obtain the forgiveness by the right way, because she should have the courage to look for her sister and confront Lola to made her to say the true. These novels made think that the past is always behind you and that some day it can reach you. We have to always amend our injustices, we have to repair our mistakes, and we have to do some sacrifice to be forgiven. Also I learn that the mistakes that you committed in the past, the future will charge you them in an expensive way. We have to try to be good with the people that are around us, to not commit injustices, to always mend our errors and to look for forgiveness. urse_banner Teacher: CJ. Macho Student: Guadalupe Aquino B. Title: Similar themes and focused in Forgiveness in the novels The Kite Runner and Atonement Date: December 14, 2009.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essay --

Taylor Siegel December 11, 2013 â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world† is an inspirational quote said by Nelson Mandela. Unfortunately, many kids are being deprived of a proper education. Too many kids are dropping out of school to help their parents earn money to support their families economic needs. Essentially, something must be done to help these children get a better education. Too many kids are dropping out of school and something must be done to stop them. The general dropout rate is 2.2% and the New York dropout rate is 2.7% and that is too much. 40 percent of children who are suffering from poverty are not prepared for primary schools. Primary school is very important because it prepares kids for later life. Kids who do not attend primary schools fall behind and have a lot of trouble catching up to the other students. Sometimes parents aren’t making enough money to pay for transportation or the parents get divorced and the parent in charge isn’t working so one of the kids has to help support the family. Kids from low income...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Foreign Investment In Brazil :: essays research papers

INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"For those who believed that Brazil would forever be the country of the future, I have a piece of bad news. The future has finally arrived.† For years, the largest and most industrialized nation in Latin America has been known as the country of tomorrow. That slogan may soon be out of date. Under the guidance of former finance minister and current president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, this tenth largest economy in the world, once known for its high tariffs and even higher inflation, has entered a period of steady growth, the fruit of a newly-stable political and commercial environment. In combination with the upturn in its economy, Brazil’s demonstrated preference for foreign products and strong direct investment presence bode well for expanded sales of equipment and services in future years. EMERGING SECTORS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Access to Brazilian markets in most sectors is generally favorable, and competition and participation characterize most markets by foreign firms through imports, local production and joint ventures. Many sectors such as healthcare, the environment, transportation, telecommunications and financial services, have been growing at a phenomenal rate and opportunities to further expand trade and investment are highly encouraged. Healthcare Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brazil is an excellent market for U.S. manufacturers of health technology products and services. In the medical device sector, the products that should have the best long-term prospects in Brazil are medical imagining equipment, electro-diagnostic apparatus and technologically advanced disposable medical products. In the pharmaceutical sector, long-term prospects for over-the-counter drugs and vitamins are excellent because of the high cost of private medical assistance and a growing trend towards home treatment. In the healthcare services sector, the best market opportunities include the following areas:  hospital management and consulting services  training for allied health-care personnel  hospital renovation  health maintenance organizations In order to provide more efficient health care, the Brazilian government has begun to reform the country’s entire medical care delivery system. It has decentralized the system, giving more autonomy to the states and cities in the planning and controlling of local health care programs. Overall, improvements in Brazils public healthcare sector, coupled with its trade liberalization measures, should improve the prospects for U.S. technology firms in the Brazilian market. Environmental Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Brazilian market for environmental technology had an estimated value of over $1 billion in 1994. However, the National Department of Sanitation and Environmental Equipment estimates that the total investments needed to equip Brazil with necessary pollution control supplies and services amounts to over $19 billion.