Use of Phone Cameras Essay Example for Free

Use of Phone Cameras Essay Over the years, technology has reached new heights in terms of the services it offers to today’s generation. Our youth’s ingenuity has also evolved into higher levels in terms of getting away from studying. The rampant use of modern electronic devices to cheat on examinations have been so that carrying a cell phone, digital camera or some other electronic gadget has been banned in schools in China, South Korea, and the Philippines. (West, 2000) Cell phones have proved to be the leading gadget used for cheating in secondary school. The earlier method was using text massages to forward questions to other people outside the classroom who would look up the answers. With the advent of digital cameras being augmented to cellular phone features, the application has reached greater levels. In the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, students photographed test questions using their cell phone cameras. These images were then sent to classmates outside the exam room who had the job of looking up the answers and sending them back to their friends in the examination room. Ros Yabin, the dean of their college was amazed at the students’ ingenuity and at the same time exasperated at the dishonorable act saying: If theyd spend as much time studying, theyd all be A students. (Glater, 2006) In China, a move to ban the use of cellular phones during examinations has been implemented to prevent massive cheating that has supposedly happened during their previous nationwide examinations. Further more, cell phone scramblers have been procured for the examination sites to beef up proctoring security. China’s minister of education hopes that these measures will be sufficient to regain the quality of their nationwide exam results. Similar actions are being done by South Korea, ever since 183 students in four organizations, including six female high school students were involved in an exam scandal that offered students to send correct answers to a nationwide examination in exchange for money. (Lee, 2004) These techniques are not limited to cellular phones. Another student from a California secondary school loaded his notes onto a Sidekick digital micro recorder and tried to access it during the examination. When questioned by the teacher, he initially reasoned that he was merely using the dictionary feature. The student was investigated by school authorities and was eventually proven guilty. (Glater, 2006) iPods have not yet achieved high popularity as a tool for cheating, but it is quickly rising through the ranks. Since it has gotten a lot easier to record one’s voice with the use of a computer, students have begun to take advantage of their iPods in their examinations. One Pepperdine student in 2004, who dictated all his notes in a file in his iPod and listened to it while taking the exam. He would have gotten away with it had it not been for one of his classmates who told on him. (Glater, 2006) At the journalism school at San Jose State University, students who were caught using spell check on their laptops, their examinations were invalidated because part of the writing test was to measure their ability in spelling. Whether they’re cell phones, digital camera features, micro recorders, or any other new-fangled device out on the market, student ingenuity will make use and abuse the possibilities of his new toys in making it easier for him to pass his weekly quizzes. It is up to teachers and proctors to keep open eyes and ears, to be mindful about any device that the student brings to the table. It is also the responsibility of school officials and the government to uphold the quality of education in their respective areas. References: Glater, Jonathan (April, 2006).Cheating gets easier with gadgetry. New York Times V. 125 Is. 43 23 – 24 Glater, Jonathan (May, 2006). Colleges Chase as Cheats Shift to Higher Tech. New York Times V. 125 Is. 44 11 – 13 Lee, Howard (2004). Exam Scandal: Answers Relayed From Other Organizations. Seoul Today V. 87 Is. 13 28 32 China Moves to Block Cellphone Cheats. Retrieved April 24, 2007 from The Chronicle website: http://chronicle. com/wiredcampus/article/1307/china-moves-to-block-cellphone-cheats West, Jordan (2000). Cheating and Technology. San Diego: Holdfast

Organizational information systems and their functionalities

Organizational information systems and their functionalities The concept of an information system is used in organizations in reference to a computer system which provides the management and other personnel with updated information on the organizational performance such as current inventory and sales. The organizational information systems are designed/developed administered and maintained in order to capture, analyze, quantify, compile, manipulate and share the information. The management information systems are those systems that serve the general, predictable management functions with technological advancements, the enterprise resource planning software and the executive information systems which have improved functionality, integrated and high flexibility. (Hoganson, 2001). The internet further accelerates the information system processes and information exchange through avenues such as e-mail, intranets and the extranets. It allows for wider accessibility and a faster rate of information exchange. The internet technologies such as web-casting and videoconferencing allows for quick and real-time exchange of information. Other modes of mobile computing in line with the internet communication have also increased the accessibility these include; the multi-functional mobile phones, and the IPad. Organizations information systems and their functionalities Organizations implement the information systems for the purposes of improving on efficiency and the effectiveness, to achieve the purpose of implementation, the organization should determine the capabilities of the information system, the work systems and the development/implementation methodologies. The traditional information was composed of executive information systems, the decision support system, management information systems and lastly the transaction processing. The advancement of technology has led to the emergence of new categories of information systems that include; Databases Enterprise systems The enterprise resource planning Office automations Global information systems Expert systems Human Resource Management Systems Information system functionalities The information system functions are varied, for the Riordan Manufacturing Virtual Organization the functions of the information systems will include; The document and record management This is the most crucial aspect of information system especially for the manufacturing organizations such as the Riordan Manufacturing Virtual Organization, the information in the documents is analyzed, quantified compiled and manipulated to enable the organization to determine the means to create the new products and services, the information also provides the market information such as demand and supply, procurement, shipment and customer billing. (Fairhtorne, 1961) The documents include accounting, marketing, financial, manufacturing and human resource. The information system serves as the organizational library since the information is collected and indexed according to the requirements and type of the organization. The information systems improves the accessibility of the information Information, this is because the location and retrieval of the archived information involves a direct and logical process. The designing of the information systems employs a very careful plan which outlines how the information is organized and indexed. Information system as a collaborative tool These serve the purpose of data and information sharing through the use of the information systems software and hardware. The information systems allows the exchange and of data between different departments of the organization and resource sharing in the context of real-time communication, therefore the utilization of the information systems as the collaborative tool in a manufacturing organization such as the Riordan Manufacturing Virtual Organization greatly improves its efficiency. Data mining The information systems enable the analysis of empirical data and the extrapolating of information. Manufacturing and even processing organizations use the extrapolated results in the forecasting and definition of the future trends in the market. Information systems as Query tools The information systems functions as the query tools by allowing the sorting and filtering of information in accordance to the management specification and the system administration. These enable the user to find specific information that is needed in performing a given function. The organizations have a workforce with a varied and wider knowledge base, the information systems ensure a successful navigation of various information levels. The information system administrator helps in ascertaining that the varied collection, retrieval and the analyzation of the systems operate on a common platform. The querying of the information also employs the use of the intelligent agents which customizes the information in order to fit to the individual needs of the organization. The Human Resource Management Systems These systems employ the use of the client-server, the Application Service Provider, and the Software. Human Resource Management Systems have increased the administrative control. Human Resource Management Systems encompass; the Payroll, Work Time, HR management Information system, Recruiting and Training (Learning Management System) Global interconnectivity The payroll module enables the automation of the pay process through gathering data about the employees attendance, calculation of various deductions and the taxes, and the generation periodic pay cheque and reports The work time module collects the standardized time and work related efforts, it provides a broad flexibility for data collection, the distribution of labor and the data analysis features. The HR management module covers many aspects of HR ranging from the application to the retirement. These include; the system records, the basic demographic, the address data, the training and development plans, and the compensation plan records. The advanced systems provide the ability to read the applications and data entry in relevance to applications of the database fields, through the global interconnections the employers are notified and provided with a good management position and overall control. The Human resource management function involves; recruitment, placement, evaluating, compensation and the development of the organizations employees. (Caldelli Parmigiani, 2004) The businesses use the computer based information systems to; produce the pay checks and payroll reports; maintain the personnel records; and enhance Talent Management. The global interconnectivity enables online recruitment and analyzing of personnel usage in organizations; identification of the potential applicants; and the recruitment through online recruiting sites or publications that market to both recruiters and applicants. The globalization also provides the training module creates the system for organizations to easily administer and track the employees training and career development efforts. HR managers can also track the education qualifications and skills of their employees, the process of outlining training courses or the web based learning materials are also enabled through the interconnection of the HRMS. A failure in the operation of a major system of operation of the human resource management system could lead to fatal losses that can cause the fall of an organization. Therefore the main reason for the protection of this system is because it the backbone of all the operations of the organizations which depend on human resource for the utilization of other resources.

Modern Retail On Traditional Formats Scm Applications Marketing Essay

Modern Retail On Traditional Formats Scm Applications Marketing Essay Indian retail industry has always played an important role in improving the GDP growth rate and lifestyle of the country. The industry which traditionally comprised on mom and pop stores spread hither and thither is in the revolutionary phase in the present era. The way retailing is done has come a long way with the emergence of organised or modern retail outlets. There are big players like Big Bazaar, Spencers and Vishal Mega Mart to name a few who have changed the face of retailing in India. These modern retail outlets have enormous financial and technological support as compared to the traditional and unorganised retail outlets. An attempt is made in this paper to study the evolving formats of modern retail and to know their impact on the traditional distribution partners like retailers and distributors. This paper also throws light on the supply chain management tools used by the modern retail outlets through case analysis. Impact of Modern Retail on Traditional Formats SCM Applications Abstract Indian retail industry has always played an important role in improving the GDP growth rate and lifestyle of the country. The industry which traditionally comprised on mom and pop stores spread hither and thither is in the revolutionary phase in the present era. The way retailing is done has come a long way with the emergence of organised or modern retail outlets. There are big players like Big Bazaar, Spencers and Vishal Mega Mart to name a few who have changed the face of retailing in India. These modern retail outlets have enormous financial and technological support as compared to the traditional and unorganised retail outlets. An attempt is made in this paper to study the evolving formats of modern retail and to know their impact on the traditional distribution partners like retailers and distributors. This paper also throws light on the supply chain management tools used by the modern retail outlets through case analysis. Introduction to Indian Retail Industry Indian Retail industry, the industry which stands second in terms of employment generation after agriculture is undoubtedly characterized by the widely dispersed retail outlet situated at each nook and corner whether its urban India or rural. It is the industry which is unlikely known for its unorganized formats. Paanwalas and kiranawallas, street hawkers present everywhere are the various firms operating hither and thither; and meeting the basic needs of the general public and creating a means of earning livelihood for many. In India, the retail industry is broadly divided into the organized and unorganized sectors. The total market in 2005 stood at Rs. 10,000 billion, accounting for about 9-10% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP). Of this total market, the organized sector accounted for Rs. 350 billion (about 3.5 % of the total) of the total revenues. According to AT Kearney, the organized retailing industry is expected to cross Rs. 1000 billion revenue mark by 2010. Tradi tionally, the retail industry in India comprised of large, medium and small grocery stores and drug stores which could be categorized as unorganized retailing. Most of the organized retailing in India had recently started and was mainly concentrated in metropolitan cities. Within a short span of five years retail sector in India has witnessed great changes mainly on account of a gradual increase in the disposable incomes of the middle and upper-middle class households. In order to reap the benefit of growing economy more and more corporate houses including large real estate companies are coming into the retail business, directly or indirectly, in the form of mall and shopping center builders and managers, hence the sea change in retail sector is highly evident. Indian Organized retail Sector and the Major Players: The Industrial Policy Resolution, 1991 has given a new tool known as LPG i.e. Liberalization, Privatization, and Globalization which resulted in several structural and demographic changes of the Indian Economy. These changes marked the beginning of the new era of Retailing in India and helped the retail industry to grow. Besides this last decade has witnessed the growth of GDP at the rate of 6.6 per cent, resulting in increased income levels and higher purchasing power for the population. Though the early signs of organized retail were visible even in the 1970s when Nilgiris (food), Viveks (consumer durables) and Nallis (sarees) started their operations but the retail still had a long way to go. While these retailers gave the necessary ambience to customers, little effort was made to introduce world-class customer care practices and improve operating efficiencies. Moreover, most of these modern developments were restricted to south India, which is still regarded as a Mecca of Indian Retail. Turn around in Indian retail has taken place in various phases and the journey is still in continuation. Notable among the early entrants were players like Shoppers Stop, Pantaloon, Ebony, Foodworld, Subhiksha, etc.   Thus one can easily make out that the major players of organized retail sector in India are: Figure 1 The Study Research Problem: The aim of this paper is to study the emergence of modern retail and its impact on traditional channel partners like retailer and distributors. The research problem can be formulated in terms of following questions: What are new retail formats? What supply chain management tools are employed by modern retail? What impact these outlets will have on retailers and distributors? The provide answers to these questions, the objectives of the study are: To study the emerging retail formats To study the impact of modern retail outlets on the traditional distribution system To study the variety of SCM tools employed by the modern retail formats To analyze the role of SCM application in modern retails formats Research Methodology: To gather the required information for this study, both secondary and primary source of data was used. Active primary data was collected from the retailers and distributors in both the cities through structured personal interviews. The information other than this was collected through traditional secondary sources like journals, news articles, websites and books. The scope of the study is limited to the two cities Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, India. These cities differ in terms of their population, demographics, size and volume of business and the marketing strategies used by the non-durable and durable goods manufactures in two different cities. Further they are un-researched in this aspect. Sample profile of respondents: The data was collected from the various types of retail formats dealing in consumer non-durable and durable goods like tooth paste, soap, chocolates, cold drinks, refrigerators, mobile phones and televisions. The inclusion criterion was the availability of the products chosen for the study. Following tables describe the sample profile: Sample of Dealers/Retailers Sample Descriptors Profile of Durable Goods Dealers Profile of Non-Durable Goods Retailers Sample Size (N) 50 Retailers/Dealers 50 Retailers Area Moradabad and Delhi Moradabad and Delhi Retail Format Multi Brand Outlets, Exclusive and Dealers cum distributors General Store / Provisional store Confectionary Store, Supermarket, and Departmental Store Inclusion Criteria Availability of Products Availability of Products Table 1.1 Sample of Distributors Sample Descriptors Profile of Distributors Profile of Distributors Sample Size (N) 30 Distributors 15 Distributors Area Moradabad and Delhi Moradabad and Delhi Brands HUL-5, Godrej-3, Cadbury-4, Pepsi-4, Coke-4, ITC-5, Pillsbury-3, Nestle-2 Sony-1, LG-2, Samsung-2, Nokia-2, Motorola-2, Neelkamal-2, Supreme-2 and Whirlpool-2 Inclusion Criteria Availability of Products Availability of Products Table 1.2 Emerging Retail Formats in India India is watching resurgence of Retail sector whereby it has grown from the traditional Mom and Pop stores present here and there in the neighbourhood catering to the convenience of the consumers to the emergence of shopping centers mainly in urban centers with facilities like car parking and finally growth of modern retail formats like hyper and super markets trying to provide customer with 3 Vs- Value, Variety and Volume (Lakshmi Narayanaswamy, Mudit Sharma,). A brief description of the various modern formats of retailing emerging in India: i. Malls: Malls are an upcoming trend in retail market. They form largest share of organized retailing today. Located mainly in metro cities, in proximity to urban outskirts. Ranges from 60,000 sq ft to 7,00,000 sq ft and above. They lend an ideal shopping experience with an amalgamation of product, service and entertainment; all under a common roof. Examples include DLF City Center, The Metropolitan and Big Bazaar around Delhi, Crossroads and R-Mall in Mumbai and Spencers in Chennai are revolutionizing the way middle class Indian consumers shop. These malls have very efficient and effective supply chains which ensure product availability and tracking of the product is feasible easily. ii. Specialty Stores: A specialty store concentrates on a limited number of complementary merchandise categories and provides a high level of service in an area typically under 8,000 square feet (Levy, Michael 2006); Chains such as the Bangalore based Kids Kemp, the Mumbai books retailer Crossword, RPGs Music World and the Times Groups music chain Planet M, are focusing on specific market segments and have established themselves strongly in their sectors. Since this format has less diverse product range thus it is comparatively easy to manage supply chains. iii. Discount Stores: According to Levy and Weitz a Discount Store is a retailer that offers a broad variety of merchandise, limited service, and low prices. Discount stores offer both private labels and national brands, but these brands are typically less fashion-oriented than brands in department stores. The discount stores or factory outlets, offer discounts on the MRP through selling in bulk reaching economies of scale or excess stock left over at the season. The product category can range from a variety of perishable/ non perishable goods. The coverage of products in this kind of format is quite extensive and the demand fluctuation is also high thus if offers challenges in managing supply chains effectively. iv. Department Stores: Levy and Weitz defines Department stores as the retailers that carry a broad variety and deep assortment, offer some customer services, and are organized into separate departments for displaying merchandise. These are the large stores ranging from 20000-50000 sq. ft, catering to a variety of consumer needs. They can be further classified into localized departments such as clothing, toys, home, groceries, etc. Departmental Stores are expected to take over the apparel business from exclusive brand showrooms. Among these, the biggest success is K Rahejas Shoppers Stop, which started in Mumbai and now has more than seven large stores (over 30,000 sq. ft) across India and even has its own in store brand for clothes called Stop!. It is one of the most complicated retail formats catering to the most diversified set of consumer needs. It becomes very difficult to manage the inventory of so many products and brands. v. Supermarkets: As defined by Food Marketing Institute Supermarket is self-service food store with grocery, meat and produce department and minimum annual sales of 2 million. In India, there is growing number of such stores especially in metros and big cities (Anjali, Gupta 2006). These are located in or near residential high streets. These stores today contribute to 30% of all food grocery organized retail sales. Super Markets can further be classified in to mini supermarkets typically 1,000 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft and large supermarkets ranging from of 3,500 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft. having a strong focus on food grocery and personal sales. vi. Hyper Market: Combination food and drug stores average 4,600 square meters of selling space. Hyper markets are even larger, ranging between 7,400 and 20,400 square meters. The Hyper markets combines supermarket, discount and warehouse retailing principles. Its product assortment goes beyond routinely purchased goods and includes furniture, large and small appliances, clothing and many items. The basic approach is bulk display and minimum handling by stores personnel, with discounts offered to customers who are willing to carry heavy appliances and furniture out of the stores. Pantaloon Retail India Ltd. (PRIL) is now emerging as Indias first Hyper Market chain. Modeled along the lines of global Hyper Market Chains like Wal-Mart, the Big Bazaar will stock several product categories. vii. Convenience Stores: These are relatively small stores 400-2,000 sq. feet located near residential areas. They stock a limited range of high-turnover convenience products and are usually open for extended periods during the day, seven days a week. Prices are slightly higher due to the convenience premium. viii. MBOs: Multi Brand outlets, also known as Category Killers, offer several brands across a single product category. These usually do well in busy market places and Metros. Supply Chain Management Tools Employed by Modern Retail Formats: The rate at which transformation is taking place in Indian Retail Sector is unprecedented; the entire retail sector is under going sea changes. The organized retail sector is no doubt having a vast ocean of opportunities in front of it but it possesses certain challenges too. The task of an effective and efficient retailer is to satisfy the customer at the right time with the right product at the right cost, all the time. The challenges that a retail organization faces are many like: huge stock-keeping units (SKUs), seasonal variations of product lines necessitating the introduction of new SKUs, complex tax structures, the sheer geographic spread of the country, changing consumer demands, etc. This level of efficiency calls for retail automation and integrated supply chain management on the part of retailer and a retail organization has to plan to make this system work properly and try to satisfy the needs of every customer without fail. The discovery of automatic identification technologies has been a boon to retailing; they were first introduced globally in the 1960s to assist logisticians identify products in the supply chain. Following are the recent developments in the technologies to trace the goods in the supply chain: i. Barcodes Multi-dimensional barcodes: Corporations have become obsessed with driving down logistics-related costs, including transportation and warehousing. In order to facilitate the movement of goods in transit and to reduce the cost of transportation and to ease the process all most all items in a distribution centre are marked with UPC barcode. In fact, Walmarts buying office has a sign reading, If Your Product Doesnt Have a Barcode, Dont Bother to Take a Chair in Our Waiting Room. Even in India the Retailers in organized sector are beginning to barcode all their products; organizations like Foodworld (RPG Group) and Shoppers Stop (Raheja Group) have urged their vendors to supply merchandise only with standard barcodes. ii. RFID: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an early technology starting to emerge. In order to stop the pilferage of goods in over crowded retail stores this technology plays a great role. It is expected that in coming few decades, RFID will directly connect physical products to logistics systems as the only truly automatic identification technology. This technology helps to track the product and customers use pattern even post-purchase. P G currently tags (RFID) a small number of cases and pallets of products as part of a trial with Wal-Mart stores in USA. The company is focusing on the supply chain and has not even begun to think about whats going to happen to the items post-sale. iii. Retail Software: Most retailers in the organized sector in India have to use retail software in their back end and front end operations and are constantly looking to upgrade their systems as they evolve. To help this growing retail sector get the best, many Indian software companies have developed software packages to suit the different and varied requirements of these retailers. Among the few who are in. the market is Chennai-based Polaris Retail InfoTech Ltd, a subsidiary of Polaris, which has entered the market with its software, Retail Excel. Reputed organizations like Wipro Infotech, Tata Consultancy Services and NCR Technologies have created robust, retail automation software. The Chennai-based T.V. Sundaram Iyengar Sons are currently test-marketing their new point-of-sale system for small and medium retailers in grocery and other related segments. The Bangalore ­ based VMoksha Technologies has developed software for the retail segment while Pune-based Zensar Technologies has tied up with th e RPG group for retail software. The list of that developing retail software is growing by the day. There are many other packages like MS Retail, Shopper, Retail Pro, Retail Magik, etc. that help enable the fast implementation of retail automation in India available in the market. Not to mention large ERP packages like IDA, SAP Retail, BAAN, Island Pacific, etc. Analysis and Findings Impact of Modern Retail Outlets on Traditional Distribution System: The number of modern retail outlets is growing day by day. The customers show shopping preference for these outlets but the extent to which they will influence the traditional retail is uncertain. There are certain categories of products which customers prefer to shop from the modern retail outlets. While the customers still prefer neighbourhood retail stores for their daily groceries and requirements. The analysis of the data collected from traditional channel partners is: The data was collected by the traditional retailers dealing in non-durable products in Delhi and Moradabad to know the impact of modern retail on their business. It was observed that in Moradabad 70% of the retailers feel that the impact of modern retail formats will be important and they too need to work on their formats to meet the customer and companies requirement. Other 20% said it is going to have average influence on their business and it can be cope-up whereas 10% retailers were of the view that it will not have influence on their business. They also opined that they are in operation from last so many years and facilities like home delivery and credit which they provide to their customers are not provided by these new formats. While retailers in Delhi were of different opinion, 15% retailers pointed out that modern format have already influenced their business highly and their sales have decreased by 50% and other 40% said that the influence is important on their business and they need to react accordingly. Around 40% retailers said that it is having average influence whereas 5% retailers located in the residential areas said that the influence of the modern formats is unimportant for their business. Figure 2 The data collected from the durable products dealers also reveals the mixed response towards the growth of modern retail outlet. In Moradabad 70% of the dealers said the impact of modern retail will be important and they too need to work on their formats to meet the customers expectations and companies requirements. Other 30% retailers were of the view that the facilities like home delivery and credit which they provide to their customers will help in marginalizing the impact of new formats. While dealers in Delhi were of different opinion, 15% dealers pointed out that modern format have already influenced their business highly and their sales have decreased by 50%. Other 40% said that the influence is important on their business and they need to react accordingly whereas 5% retailers located in the residential areas said that the influence of the modern formats is insignificant on their business. Impact of Modern Retail on Traditional Retail Outlets 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Highly Important Important Average Unimportant Importance Percentage Moradabad Delhi Figure 3 Apart from retailers, modern retail outlets also have influence on the distributors. It was observed from the data collected by the non-durable distributors that 70% distributors of different non-durable brands under consideration said that the impact of the modern retail formats on their business is going to be moderate as they are the one who supply to these formats. But other 20% said that the big modern retail outlets make purchases directly from the companies thus their will be significant impact. While other 10% feels that the impact is going to be high. Figure 4 Majority of the distributors dealing in consumer durables like Mobile Phones said that the impact of modern retail is going to be high because outlets like Big Bazaar, Subhiksha have already started procuring directly from the companies and they pass on the margins to the customers. While for products like CTVS, refrigerators and moulded furniture the impact is going to be moderate and distributors can provide better geographical coverage and inventory turnover. They also shared that may be in near future, the companies seeking advantage of reducing the distribution margin through direct supply to these outlets can lead to have moderate impact on their business. Impact of Modern Retail on Durable Goods Distributors 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Very High High Moderate Low Very Low Degree/Products Responses Mobiles T.V./Refrigerators Moulded Furniture Figure 5 Case-Study Analysis of SCM Applications in Modern Retail- (a) TANISHQ Tanishq is a division of Titan Industries Ltd, Indias largest jewelry maker. It is Indias only fine jewellery brand with a national presence, and an acknowledged leader in the branded jewellery market. Tanishq is sold exclusively through a company-controlled retail chain with over 60 boutique stores spread over 39 cities. This network is supplied and supported by a network of 32 CFAs (Clearing and Forwarding Agents). With the network of boutique stores poised to grow, the Tanishq management had to increase visibility along the supply chain, CFAs and boutiques across the country. The Tanishq team picked Wipro Infotech, Indias premier IT solutions company, to put together the solution. The Wipro Infotech team designed a web-based solution, Goldmine, to facilitate the flow of information between various distribution entities. Goldmine offers a platform for the sales, management and factory teams of Tanishq to monitor key activities and parameters along the distribution chain. It also se rves as an integration platform to pull together existing information systems in the company such as SAP/Oracle, DOS-based point-of-sales systems in boutiques, without modifications. Wipro Infotech developed the solution using the .NET framework with an ASP .NET presentation layer. Challenges addressed: The most significant supply chain management issues addressed by Tanishq are in the areas of reducing cycle time, increasing efficiencies and reducing costs in the areas of tracking movement of goods and sales indenting, order status, sales visibility, communication (reports) and exception reporting. Goods in transit: The new system provides details of goods that have been dispatched from the factory to the CFA and then to the boutiques. This functionality also enables tracking of stock return cases from the boutiques to the CFA. And from there on to the factory. This helps the organization track goods in transit and monitor loss of goods effectively if any. Indenting: The ordering of goods by the boutiques is automated. They can refer to online product catalogues and price lists before placing orders. Goldmine enables online indenting for replenishment, shop-specific indenting as well as customer-specific indenting. Such online indenting is based on norms set by the administrator for each variant. Hence, the company can enforce prudent credit norms through Goldmine at the point ­ of-sale system. Say a boutique has a great track record, selling Rs 20,000 ­25,000 worth of bangles, but not up to the Rs 50,000 level it had reached in the past, the company can set prudent indenting levels for gold for that boutique. This information is transmitted to the point-of-sale system via Goldmine and is actually enforced. Previously, under the manual system, the company had no means of systematic enforcement of such norms. . Order status: This functionality provides visibility on the status of orders placed by boutiques. This is made possible by the daily synchronization between the Oracle system at the factory and the web-based solution. Boutique users no longer have to send emails or call up anyone to find out the status of their orders. They get it at their own convenience from Goldmine. Sales visibility: With sales information flowing in from the boutique into Goldmine, visibility of sales from each boutique is improved. Management can now track the effectiveness of marketing programmes and promotions at the boutique level, according to category and price band. Bestseller information for all boutiques is currently available on demand. Communication and exception reporting: Goldmine provides a platform for dissemination of information through content uploads, bulletin boards, and so on. Information on local gold rates (the most important component of material cost), market information, promotion scheme details and product catalogues are transmitted in real time. The company has over 40,000 product variants, so this system capability is crucial. The system also provides for discussion on queries raised by users at the boutiques for producing and modifying new and existing products. Discussions between factory users and boutique users are tracked and an escalation mechanism with alerts is in place in case queries are not handled promptly. Future plans: As Goldmine builds up the supply chain database, Tanishq intends to build a data warehousing application enabled with advanced data mining using SQL server. This will facilitate the use of relevant business intelligence in real time in the boutiques during a customer touch. Market leader Tanishq will set its benchmarks in retail automation and its applications for many in the industry to follow in future. (b) SHOPPERS STOP Shoppers Stop has implemented the US-based retail ERP system JDA. JDA facilitates the integration of all retail functions in Shoppers Stop efficiently. Efficiencies in the buying process: It is JDAs merchandise management system that now performs the buying process and merchandise management control practices. Pursuant to range width and assortment plans, purchase orders are issued to suppliers through the central merchandising function. The actual delivery of stocks is then controlled on a weekly basis through the delivery authorization process mechanism. The delivery authorization number acts as a tool to control the overall inventory position. The delivery authorization is issued to vendors on a weekly basis based on the previous weeks actual sales and on the forward sales plan (forecast). The vendors then despatch the goods to the distribution centre based on the purchase order and delivery authorization. Every distribution centre gets a copy of the delivery authorization issued for the week. At the distribution centre support is provided by the warehouse management system (WMS) of JDA, which manages the warehousing function mos t efficiently. The challenges at Shoppers Stop are the spread of the 14 stores across the country in varying large sizes, ranging from 25,000 sq ft to 55,000 sq ft, the large SKU base, etc. Also, it has more than 300 suppliers who supply stocks to three distribution centres, which then redistribute merchandise to the 14 stores. Variety, colour and size of merchandise play a very important role in delivering a great shopping experience to the customer. Profitable growth: Shoppers Stop views SCM as an enabler of profitable growth; it firmly believes that ERP, if used well, can cut costs greatly by reducing cycle times and inventory levels. One of the key drivers of the profit-driven operation is the significant development in the retailer-supplier information integration in the supply chain the emergence of retailer control over the movement of suppliers goods into the retailers distribution centres. This has led to more complex relationships involving suppliers, third-party distributors and retailers through supplier-retailer collaboration where major suppliers and retailers have the opportunity to exchange timely information on consumer demand and put into practice the most appropriate product flows. SCM at Shoppers Stop: SCM at Shoppers Stop coordinates and integrates all activities associated with moving products, services and information into seamless processes linking all the partners in the chain, including the various departments, vendors, transporters and other service providers. The system facilitates perfect supply chain coordination with an able information system that controls all SCM activities. SCM at Shoppers Stop begins and ends with the customer. The guiding philosophy is to improve the organizations performance by managing constraints and uncertainties inherent in the earlier system. The focus is on using new tools and techniques. The first step in SCM is merchandise planning and sourcing. In Shoppers Stop, SCM is seen from a strategic perspective rather than just as an operational issue. Core supply chain issues such as month-end sales peaks, forecasting inaccuracy, constraint-based planning and so on continue to create problems for Indian retailers even after ERP implementation. Many organizations implemented SCM as a tool to contain costs. and identifying means for reducing pressure on margins due to competition. The mindsets of organizations underwent a transformation when they accepted to consider the use of such integrated SCM from end-to ­ end. The first step in SCM is merchandise planning and sourcing. The range width and assortment planning process is used to develop meaningful sales and space plans. The planning process starts six months before the actual beginning of the season to fill an agreed amount of footage with a product that matches customer demand. The challenge is to develop a balanced range which provides the appropriate mix of colour, price, st yling and fabric so that the customer is given the best possible choice at all times. Also on the agenda is having a mix of own-label products and brands in such a way that it aligns with the companys strategic goal of increasing own-la

The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir Essay -- Second Sex Simone Beauvo

The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir In the chapter of her book The Second Sex entitled â€Å"the Woman in Love,† Simone de Beauvoir characterizes the romantic ideal of the relationship with a man as a woman’s purpose as a form of self-deception (translated here as â€Å"bad faith†). The self-deception de Beauvoir describes is based in the thesis of The Second Sex. This is the idea that women have been deceived into believing that they are second-class humans. Western culture, according to de Beauvoir, teaches us that women are missing some elusive element of the self that endows men with freedom- a concept essential to the existentialist definition of the conscious being. Therefore, a woman can never find fulfillment as a thinking person as long as she believes that men are free beings and women their dependents. This state of affairs is reinforced through an all-encompassing system of thought that posits man as subject and woman as object, â€Å"doomed to dependency.† (In this chapter, de Beauvoir writes about the â€Å"modern woman† whose consciousness of her self has not yet matured. Therefore, when â€Å"woman† is referred to here, this is merely shorthand for the self-deceiving woman. The independent woman is another matter entirely.) De Beauvoir postulates that the reason why women’s idea of love is so much more intense than men’s is because the woman, unable to become a whole person in and of herself, thinks that by attaching herself to a man she can transcend her position in life. She can move from object to subject through osmosis- the ultimate expression of â€Å"being for the other.† She can claim a share of his activities and his accomplishments in the public realm which she is prohibited to enter. Giving herself wholly to the man ... ...that many women cling to even after they give up hope that â€Å"he† will ever come. Is there a solution to this paradox, this Catch-22 that de Beauvoir describes? Yes, she says, but only when certain conditions are met. First, a woman must have a solid sense of herself as an existentialist â€Å"free being† before she goes looking for love. Second, the love relationship must be a freely chosen association of equals committed to respecting each other’s freedom. As de Beauvoir writes on p.667: â€Å"Genuine love ought to be founded on the mutual recognition of two liberties; the lovers would then experience themselves both as self and as other; neither would give up transcendence, neither would be mutilated; together they would manifest values and aims in the world. For the one and the other, love would be revelation of self by the gift of self and enrichment of the world.†

Pojmans View on Merit Essay -- Philosophy, ethics

In this paper, I will attempt to elaborate on situations where actions have a fitting response to deeds performed. It is my understanding of Pojman's view of which I agree, that "Every action in the universe has a fitting response" (Pojman, 1999, p. 96). I also agree that "Evil deeds must be followed by evil outcomes and good deeds by good outcomes" (Pojman, 1999, p. 96). Take for instance if you commit murder, I feel that you should be put to death. Yes, I know some people may argue this fact but just think about the grieving family of the person who is no longer alive, they are in pain and they suffer while the person who committed murder is still alive. This is why I feel the one who committed the crime should be harshly punished, That person did not think of the hurt that it would cause there family or loved ones so in turn the one who did the crime should be put to death as well. Now I know this will now make two grieving families but again think of the main family at hand. I feel just putting the person in jail is not good enough because they are still living, mean while the other person did not have a chance and is now dead. I also feel why should we as citizens pay for a murderer to be alive in jail and able to stay alive watching TV when the other person is not able to do anything. Yes this is cruel punishment but again it is also just as cruel to commit murder with out legal and just cause. Here are a few more examples of Evil and Punishment: Rape: If a person rapes another person, say it is a male doing the act then I feel it should be a severe punishment. The punishment should be castration of the penis. This form of punishment would prevent the person from doing such act again and not allow then to have... ...hey did serve for us and our/their country and they did their best. It should not matter if they were hurt or not and it should not matter if they only served 4 years or less, No matter what they should receive benefits. I feel a good way of showing our men and woman appreciation is to help them say a marriage happens I feel the military should help out with at least half, and if the person dies they should pay for the entire funeral. To me that really would show appreciation to them for what hey did. Any person who serves should be recognized and rewarded as for what they did they did for us and their country and they did not have to do it at all. So in conclusion yes, I would agree with Pojman we do deserve what get rather it be good or evil/bad. Works Cited Pojman, Louis P. Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong. 5th edition. Thomson Nelson. Toronto: 2005.

International Trade and Globalization Essay

According to Hill, globalization refers to the shift toward a more integrated and interdependent world economy (2009). Globalization has several facets, including the globalization of markets and the globalization of production. Globalization of markets is to the merging of historically distinct and separate national markets into one huge global marketplace. Globalization of production is to the sourcing of goods and services from locations around the globe to take advantage of national differences in the cost and quality of factors of production (such as labor, energy, land, and capital) (Hill, 2009). There are several traditional international trade theories that would support the concept of globalization. The first theory is free trade that refers to a situation in which a government does not attempt to influence through quotas or duties what its citizens can buy from another country or what they can produce and sell to another country. Another theory is mercantilism, which is an economic philosophy advocating that countries should simultaneously encourage exports and discourage imports. The final theory is the theories of Smith, Ricardo, and Heckscher-Ohlin. Smith, Ricardo, and Heckscher-Ohlin show why it is beneficial for a country to engage in international trade even for products it can produce for itself. According to Adam Smith, â€Å"countries should specialize in the production of goods for which they have an absolute advantage and then trade these good for the goods produced by other countries† (2009). Heckscher-Ohlin theory predicts that countries will export goods that make intensive use of those factors that are locally abundant; while importing goods that make intensive use of factors that are locally scare (2009). Finally, Ricardo’s theory suggest that countries should specialize in the production of those goods they produce most efficiently and buy goods that they produce less efficiently from other countries (2009). There are two major factors that drive globalization. The first driver is the decline in barriers that allow the free flow of goods, services, and capital that has occurred since the end of World War II (2009). For example with the decline in barriers, countries can export merchandise freely without any disruptions in hipments. During the 1920s, many of the world’s nation-states erected formidable barriers to international trade and foreign direct investment (2009). Many of the barriers to international trade took the form of high tariffs on imports of manufactured goods (2009). The second driver of globalization is technology change (2009). For example, the constant change in technology allows companies the ability to produce more, which in turn allows other countries to participate the building of developments. Another example is throughout time, the progress in technology permits communication to be more advanced by allowing people to access the Internet and the World Wide Web. The final example of technology change is the change in transportation. The change in technology such as commercial aircrafts and freighters that are tractor trucks and cargo ships that allows shipments to be packed in containers and shipped across the world. The effects of globalization have impact to the military, especially during a time of war. Armed Forces Network (AFN) is the main source of television communications throughout Europe. AFN supplies network to the military in Afghanistan and Iraq so the troops can unwind and watch television. AFN provides cross-border flow of television services. Another effect of globalization that impacts the military while being deployed is food services. Food that the local nationals transport to different military posts in Afghanistan is shipped in from other countries and cross through Iran. The third effect on the military of globalization on the military is the acts of violence against the military overseas. A poor country such as Afghanistan, rely on their local grown produce but instead is being taken over by products foreign product verses using the locals products. The final effect of globalization that impacts the community is the problem of outsourcing jobs. American’s have a high unemployment rate due to the lack of jobs in the market. The military is over strength because of citizens not able to find work. In the deployment zone, many civilians are risking their own lives to work as a contractor for the government because they cannot find work.

Red Bull Marketing Essay

From 1987, Red Bull was launched in Austria with the tag line â€Å"Red Bull verleiht Fluuugel† (Red Bull Gives You Wiiings). It wasn’t until 1992 that Red Bull began to roll out in other European countries. â€Å"Part of the growth strategy was to enter new markets slowly and methodically in order to maximise buzz and build anticipation† Keller, K. L (2008 *A) By 1997, Red Bull was available in 25 markets globally, including Western and Eastern Europe, New Zealand and South Africa. Over the decade since its inception Red Bulls sales by 200%, from 1. million units to over 200 million units, and by 2004 the company had worldwide annual sales of nearly 2 billion cans in 120 countries. The Marketing Strategy used by Red Bull was not to pound the market with their presence but to be seen as an exclusivity, and to be perceived as the drink for all occasions when needed. In this way, marketers left empty cans in nightclubs, placed samples and dispensers in universities and allowed the value of Red Bull to spread via word of mouth. Red Bull marketed the following properties: * Improves Physical Endurance Stimulates Metabolism and Eliminates Waste Substances * Improves Overall Feeling of Well-being * Improves Reaction Speed and Concentration * Increases Mental Alertness These characteristics of the Red Bull product opened itself up to a whole range of potential consumers and marketing situations. Because of its properties, Red Bull used the slogan â€Å"Revitalizes Mind and Body†, and positioned the drink using a premium pricing strategy, marking the price up by at least 10% on the most expensive competitors product. Norbert Krailhamer explains: We are much more expensive that [cola]. This is OK because ours is an efficiency product, so we can charge this price premium, which is the secret of its success†¦ Due to the respect for a price premium brand†¦ we can charge what is fair for the benefit† Keller, K. L (2008 *A) A large portion of Red Bull’s success has to do with the use of the distinctive Red Bulls and Rising Sun logo and slender 250mL can as seen on their sponsorship sign writing and general advertising. It is debatable whether or not Red Bull would be as popular and successful without this insignia. Evidence of this can be traced to the introduction of Red Bull in Germany , where the demand was so great that they sold out of canned stock and had to switch to glass bottles to keep up with the demand. As soon as the bottles were introduced the demand dropped. The success of Red Bulls marketing strategy can be highlighted with the bungled entry of Red Bull into the United Kingdom in 1995. The marketers believed that the United Kingdom was too different from the Austrian market, so altered the marketing plan. The changes occurred in three distinct ways: â€Å"Extract: 1) the company marketed Red Bull as a sports drink, not a stimulation drink; 2) it did not pursue a word-of-mouth strategy, choosing instead to sell via the largest beverage channels; and 3) it created new advertising and focused on billboards rather than electronic media. As a result, Red Bull was considered a failure in the United Kingdomafter losing more than $10 million during the first 18 months in that market. † Keller, K. L (2008 *A) 1. Introduction: Red Bull GmbH, the Austrian based energy drink manufacturer is a remarkable brand that has grown to surpass some of the worlds most established brands. After founder Dietrich Mateschitz returned from Asia with the rights to patent Red Bull and alter it to suit the Western market, he had a defined idea in his mind as to what he wanted to achieve with the energy drink. After trialing more than 200 designs and finally cementing the right combination of caffeine, taurine, carbonation and flavoring the â€Å"original† Red Bull flavor was established. What follows is the amazing story of how Red Bull was marketed in Austria and then from 1992 onwards into the rest of Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and the United Kingdom. Some of the key stones in the Red Bull brand marketing triumph has been the simplicity of their marketing approach through application, the positioning of the product and the clever ways in which they have side stepped traditional channels when bringing the product to the market and building the buzz and anticipation of Red Bull rather than just solely relying on the decision making derived from traditional advertising methods. The diversity of the Red Bull brand has allowed itself to move with the market and remain the worlds most popular energy drink. Looking at the brands tangible flexibility can even be posed at the move in the market to sugar free beverages and the quick and succinct way that Red Bull acted in order to uphold its position and remain creditable at the same time. As of the 2009 financial year, Red Bull GmbH had net sales report of 3. 3billion dollars and now has 3900 employees worldwide. Source: BNET – Resources 2. Brand Positioning and Values From the day of inception, Dietrich Mateschitz had a clear plan for how he wanted to establish Red Bull. The current positioning has left Red Bull in a very strong position among the market place and the values that it represents are continually being lived up to through its corporate presence in our daily lives. The position of Red Bull is: â€Å"Revitalizes Mind and Body† this tangible benefit, direct from Red Bull endorses the product to satisfy consumer needs before they have even made a purchase. Red Bull has also positioned themselves as the â€Å"Premium Energy Drink† above all other energy drinks in the market. The key word in this phrase being ‘premium’ as Red Bull has an exclusive appeal and a higher market price than its competitors; factors that have been thought through very thoroughly by the Red Bull marketing team. The â€Å"Premium Pricing Strategy† that Red Bull has incorporated, dictates that Red Bull will be priced at a rate 10% higher than the most expensive competitors price to ensure the class standard of the Red Bull name and set the standard for all of the rest of the competitors. In addition to the Premium Pricing Strategy, Red Bull introduced the Seeding Program, whereby initially Red Bull would only be stocked in the best and most classy establishments, whether this be exclusive clubs, nightclubs, bars, sporting events and related events to build the necessary hype or buzz about Red Bull, and to enable the word of mouth from the social elite to filter down into the working class. Once the market place was saturated with Red Bull buzz, the general market received the product too. In addition to the Word of Mouth strategy, Red Bull would supplement this with event sponsorship, athlete endorsements, sampling, point of purchase marketing and select electronic advertising. This allowed Red Bull to cover the necessary avenues which potential consumers were likely to come into contact with the brand and go on to purchase the drink. The values of the Red Bull brand are derived from the benefits of the drink itself: * Improves Physical Endurance * Stimulates Metabolism and Eliminates Waste Substances. Improves Overall Feeling of Well-being Improves Reaction Speed and Concentration * Increases Mental Alertness The Red Bull brand encourages the consumer to go to their potential and offers an aid in doing so. But offering these benefits in their product, Red Bull values the extension of horizons and energetic approaches to life. This can be summed up through their corporate sponsorship of Extreme Sporting events, individual athletes, the creation of events or the sponsorship of teams. The reasoning behind this is that these events are fast paced, high energy, thrilling and require exactly what Red Bull has to offer. By encouraging these types of events and endorsing the elimination of comfort zones, Red Bull is positioning itself as a goal, a motivation and a stimulant that can be harnessed to achieve any goal. Red Bulls success can be likened to the single-minded approach they have used n order to connect with their target market; 14 – 19yr olds and then the next highest penetration 20 – 29yr olds. Red Bull is an active product in today’s trendy lifestyle habits and is being reflected through their values and displays encouragement of abnormal sporting activities. . The Red Bull Air Races† in Perth Australia; and sponsorship of Mark Webber and Formula One. From a nationality point of view, Red Bull chooses the idols of sport and eye catching events to promote itself as well as support the people in question. This is seen all around the world and has been a strong driver in the popularity of Red Bull in certain areas of the world. Because Red Bull is a stimulant drink, it makes sense to market to the whole variety of consumers in the market place. In its 23 years of operations, the initial people who would have used Red Bull for â€Å"party energy† at nightclubs and parties will now be moving through to the quieter portion of their lives, however this does not mean they will no longer need Red Bull. Working long or irregular hours, studying and going the added distance is still important; therefore Red Bull has applied its benefit across several generations and the cycle continues. 3. Brand Characteristics Red Bull is now a very distinctive product in the market place and can be recognized based on some key points. Two Red Bulls and Rising Sun Logo * Slender Silver 250mL can (with silver and blue pattern) The name Red Bull * Endorsed Events or Persons i. e. Mark Webber As opposed to other energy drinks on the market it is the most represented and advertised product on supermarket shelving in Australia, (per unit) and is represented by an 80:20 spread of cans to bottles in the standard 250mL variety(1). Dominant characteristics of Red Bull include its involvement in Extreme Sports, high-energy events and the encouragement of athletes and the involvement within comfort breaking activities. It is important to note that the Red Bull marketing strategy encourages the promotion of the brand through non-traditional channels and is not seen in the same context as traditional carbonated drinks, or energy drinks. This fact makes adds to the characteristics of the brand. People recognize Red Bull based on its involvement and support in events and occasions. Rather than times, controversies or lengthy advertising campaigns which try to deliver a message over a long period of time. The marketing message for Red Bull has remained consistent throughout the 23-year reign it has had in the marketplace; adding to the resilience of Red Bulls brand characteristics. The Red Bull Australia website promotes Red Bull as: â€Å"Red Bull  ® Energy Drink has always been and always will be more than just a hot secret for the night owl and the non-stop party-animal. It is appreciated by a wide range of people, such as the overworked taxi driver, the stressed manager, the exam-anxious student and the pressured journalist†¦. It is used by surfers in the summer and snowboarders in the winter. For day or night, for job or fun. People who need more energy learn to value Red Bull ® Energy Drink. And the number of people who do is increasing all the time. † Red Bull Australia 2010 The Red Bull Australia website explains, through a marketing set spiel the characteristics of the brand and the direct benefiters. The exert highlights very clearly the intentions of the brand and the way in which it is appreciated. 4. Product Benefits and Consumer Satisfaction Red Bull markets itself on the two phrases â€Å"Gives You Wings† and â€Å"Revitalizes Mind and Body†. This can be demonstrated through its ingredients: Caffeine, Taurine, Sucrose Glucuronolactone, Glucose and B-Group Vitamins. These six ingredients all combine to give Red Bull the kick that consumers need. * Improves Physical Endurance * Stimulates Metabolism and Eliminates Waste Substances * Improves Overall Feeling of Well-being * Improves Reaction Speed and Concentration * Increases Mental Alertness As stated earlier the benefits listed by Red Bull allow themselves to be focused on a wide variety of people, whether they be office workers, truck drivers, athletes, students or partying. The given benefits of Red Bull provide the reasoning to buy and continue re-buying. Consumer satisfaction based on the product benefits is evident through the sales figures that Red Bull has been generating, with positive growth of 10% or more per annum. Performance the American Market shows the Market share of Red Bull compared to its competitors: Based on its 42. 6% share of the energy drink market sales in 2006, it is evident that Red Bull is a satisfying and enticing product. A large portion of Red Bulls ability to satisfy both physically and mentally comes from the consumption of the drink and seeing the performance of those around the consumer who are either consuming Red Bull or endorsed by Red Bull. This positive reinforcement from the elements encourages the consumer to drink more and to be brand loyal to Red Bull. 5. Brand Communities Red Bull’s mass sponsorship and consumer loyalty would work considerably well with a network of dedicated Red Bull Communities, rather than just the Red Bull sponsored, run and presented events. The basic criteria for the Red Bull Brand Community have already been met with the purchase of a Red Bull Product, as they have features and needs that are common to the other consumers who had purchased Red Bull previously. Ways that Red Bull could maximize on this could be through loyalty reward schemes, groups, emailing lists, gatherings, committees or clubs. While the idea of a Red Bull Brand community is appealing the practical application of one of these communities would be an expensive and difficult task to manage. The on paper, and metaphorical idea of a Brand community is a safer, more cost effective and ultimately simple Utopia when thought through. The Brand Community idea is one that should have been conceived during the introduction to the market or while the market was considerably smaller and more manageable. Red Bull uses the basic premise of Brand Communities already with their Red Bull Events and Sponsorships, in which it is then upon the individual to become a consumer and subscribe to these communities. The stress between the brand, the individual and the culture in which both exist is not under any amount of tension in the current marketplace and does not need to be altered at any point in the near future. The Brand Community, which Red Bull could potentially highlight, contains around 1 Billion people globally and would require large amounts of money to communicate to all of these people, let alone bring attention to it and get consumers to act upon it. 6. Brand Equities Red Bull has at its disposal a large set of Brand Equity that it uses to distinguish itself from other energy drinks and its competitors. These include its logo, its amber coloring, its taste, advertising, packaging, pricing and its reputation as a reliable and beneficial product for onsumers. In comparison to its competitors, Red Bull prides itself on being an al rounder energy drink that can be consumed anytime, in the right conditions, at the right place and the right time. Which has worked well for Red Bull as they have positioned the brand specifically to suit any occasion and to answer â€Å"Yes† to any of the Three Right questions. The development of these brand equities has been a continuous run through the development of Red Bull as a brand and its establishment in all the countries it now occupies space in. The Red Bull logo is a key device in the success of Red Bull and is possibly the strongest asset that they have in terms of Brand Equity. Many comparisons of competitor energy drinks such as Rockstar, Monster and Sobe No Fear yielded results that consumers could not differentiate between the Red Bull and its competitors while using unmarked cups and blindfold tests according to Helium Comparison Tests. In a real market perspective this fact is worrying that competitors are fabricating similar tasting products and that they are indistinguishable from one another. However this instance is found across all products in any category when basing comparisons without brand equities such as packaging, logos and distinctive colorings. Red Bulls marketing strategy has ensured that the strength on the product based on its merits receives the credit it deserves. The initial slow entry into markets, creating buzz and desired anticipation of the products has proven valuable for Red Bulls long term existence and has given merit to them too, in that they did ot let down the people who had tried the product based on hype and anticipation, creating return buyers and brand loyalties. Red Bull’s price premium is considered a winner with the market place as people believe that paying for benefit is better than paying for volume, as can be seen with competitors such as Rockstar who sell only the 500mL cans of energy drink and who deliver solely on their marketability rather than on product benefit such as Red Bull has done. The pricing premium has ensured that Red Bull be taken on its quality rather than on a commodity measurement ike quantity. This perceived value given to it and received by consumers tightens the consumer’s loyalty to the brand. Red Bull has seen a long run of marketing in sporting events and endorsing athletes to create awareness to potential consumers of its benefits in sporting activities, on and off the field. This spending on endorsements and events is evidence to the wider community that Red Bull is not just about profiteering, but supports the sporting world and provides entertainment and encouragement to those people who would like to strive to this level. However know where does Red Bull market itself to state that it will put you in this position. The clever marketing strategies which Red Bull have used remain honest and aim solely to promote Red Bull in a positive light whilst involving the consumers it is reaching out to. The Brand Equity that Red Bull keeps is a well-earned set of criteria that has been nursed from the beginning of the brand back in 1987 in Austria. The expansion of Red Bull into more than 120 countries is a sign of strength and highlights the diverse regions of differing brand equities among varying cultures. The underlying success of Red Bull remains in the marketing strategy that put it ahead of the competition in the first place. Without this, the basics of brand equities would not exist and Red Bull would follow the same course of one of its competitors. Because of this I believe that Red Bulls greatest brand equity is the brand itself and its history among the market over the past 23 years. Combining all of the elements discussed previously and essential make up of campaigns, strategies, advertising, targeted markets, successes and failures. This long history will benefit Red Bull in the long term, as it will become even more cemented into the grain of society and stay as the go to energy drink, rather than the fad competition products which have entered into the market in order to unseat the firmly held Red Bull. As for the continuing growth of Red Bulls Brand equity listings that is to be foreseen in the future, but there is little doubt that it will continue to build positively as the Red Bull product range changes to suit the coming changes to the current market. When it does I have no doubt that Red Bull GmbH will be ready for it. . Conclusion The Red Bull Branding Story follows a long timeline of success and obstacles that Red Bull GmbH has turned into triumphs. Red Bull have managed to turn a small Austrian drinks company into a global giant as one of the fastest growing brands and now staying true to one of the most popular of the 21st Century. Over the course of the 23 years that Red Bull has been manufactured, we can see a growing trend and the synthetic need created by Red Bull for energy stimulation drinks; and now the popularity of them to a point where we could no longer exist without them. Red Bull has become part of pop culture and every day slang and jargon, which intensifies its impact on the market and its sustainability in the consumers mind. As far as brands go, Red Bull has remained faithful to its consumers and to its own marketing goals, with little to no changes to the marketing strategy, the product packaging and flavoring, besides of course the Sugar Free Red Bull. This steadfast approach to marketing has clearly worked and a comparison of Red Bull and other Energy drinks shows that these brands lack the same commitment that Red Bull has.