How EU policy affects the European Automotive Industry Essay

How EU policy affects the European Automotive Industry - Essay Example However, during the last five years, there has been a slowdown in economic output across the EU, and, while the forecasts are positive, modest growth of 2.0%-2.3% is expected in 2004. Weak growth has led to reduced consumer and business confidence. Industrial production has decreased, including the production of durable consumer goods. Levels of private consumption have fluctuated during early 2003, following modest growth in the previous two years. This is partly due to poor labor market conditions, with EU unemployment rising during 2003. Economic indicators are weak in some major EU economies such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Only the United Kingdom (UK) has managed to resist these trends (Trends and drivers). This has greatly affected the car industry, given the car's status as the ultimate consumer and fashion item, as well as the importance of engineering and design in the manufacturing process. Average profit margins have declined from around 10% in the 1960s to less t han 5% today, and some volume car makers are actually losing money (EMCC dossier). Despite increasing competition worldwide, European automotive has maintained a strong position in exports and global sales. The strong bond between Europe's vehicle manufacturers and the sophisticated customer base in the largest car market in the world constitutes a prominent competitive advantage, while the notable presence of European producers in emerging markets, such as China and the Russian Federation, offers a potential for future growth and profits (info-crono-archivio). Furthermore, EU enlargement created new opportunities for the European automotive industry. The combination of expertise, affordable labor and the proximity to the large European markets has led to the emergence of a very dynamic cluster in the new Member States - especially Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and Hungary (info-crono-archivio).Despite these advantages, many challenges remain: the EU automotive industry lags behind the US and Japan in terms of productivity. Labor productivity in the EU-15 is 25 per cent lower than in the US and 30 per cent lower than in Japan; labor costs per hour worked in the EU-15 are comparable to those in the US, but more than ten per cent above those in Japan and almost three times as high as in Korea (data for 2001, converted using purchasing power parities). Annual working time in the automotive industry in EU-15 is more than 20 per cent shorter than in the US (in 2001); there are major technological challenges ahead, most prominently the fuel cell (info-crono-archivio). Influences of EU policies European legislation is one of the main drivers of the European automotive industry. Emissions and recycling legislation have a strong impact both on vehicle technologies and construction (Trends and drivers). EC, industry and consumer concerns for environmental sustainability, road safety and mobility have led to a number of significant technological developments. These have both positive and negative effects on profitability. For example, a limited number of specialist high technology suppliers might prosper while vehicle makers see their already narrow profit margins cut even further. Such a development would make vehicle makers vulnerable to further consolidation and restrict

Acromegaly Essay Example for Free

Acromegaly Essay I. Introduction The human body contains various structures and organs that allow regulations and maintenance of homeostasis. Foundation is built through the framework of the skeletal system, motion is possible due to the muscular system humans have and other body systems that allow humans to perform daily actions. All of this anatomical structures are possible due to the two main controlling system found in the body; the nervous system and endocrine system. The nervous system can be considered as information processor of the human body, but for it to be more effective in transferring and processing information; it works in tandem with the endocrine system. The purpose of the endocrine system is to act in response to the information the nervous system has processed. The endocrine system is made up of glands that secrete hormones, chemicals that are secreted to the bloodstream to be spread in specific target organs in the body. Seven major glands are found in the body, in which each gland works to ensure that the body develops properly and be regulated to maintain homeostasis. However, certain conditions are inevitable in the human body and anything bad or harmful to the endocrine system can affect a human’s development and growth. II. Endocrine Disorder  The Disorder Each person is unique and grows differently from each other. Various aspects can be considered when considering diversity. These aspects can be factors of the development of the human body itself. Some may be hereditary, inborn and some can be a result of exposure to unhealthy surrounding. A person grows, but there are cases where growing exceeds the normal rate and reaches to extreme compare to other people. This occurrence is called acromegaly, in which the secretion of growth hormone (GH) in the pituitary gland exceeds its normal production even after the growth plates in the body has closed already. Thus, making structures and bones that are still responsive to growth hormone particularly in the hands, feet and face to overgrow (Marieb, 2010). Acquiring the Disorder Acromegaly is a disorder of hyper secretion of growth hormone, in which the chances of getting it is very rare and can vary through the development of the human body. This condition is due to abnormal production of growth hormone that functions to determine body size, affecting tissues in the body. From muscle growth, short, facial bones to the long bones of the body, growth hormone acts as a metabolic hormone that affects human size and shape in an extensive period of time. It is very comparable to a person with gigantism disorder, only difference is that in acromegaly there is a continuous growth of different structures in the body even though the growth plates have closes. The chance of getting this disorder is low, estimated 40 to 60 out of a million people yet it is hard to identify early on (Abbassioun, 2006). One person can develop and acquire the disorder and not be able to notice it right away. Gender and Age Preference of the Disorder The fact that acromegaly is a disorder in the endocrine system, there is an equal chance of male and female acquiring it, unlike if it was a disorder in the reproductive system. Both sex has a percentage of 55 to 59 patients in a million on acquiring the disease (Parkinson, 2003). It seems very few but many of the people that have the disorder tend to disregard or notice it. There is a possibility that the disorder will take years before a patient will notice the major changes of appearance in the body. Even though some may notice it, there are high chances that the person that has it will not look for medical help for treating the disorder. In terms of age bracket, in children when there is an overgrowth it is often termed as gigantism. However, when it exceeds beyond the child age limit, on adults to be exact, it is highly considered as acromegaly. Geographical Preference of the Disorder Acromegaly is a rare disorder in the endocrine system with certain treatments and therapy to reduce the chances of the disorder from getting worse. Worldwide, acromegaly is equally distributed, however, the number of cases left untreated is often found in many developing countries. With the inability to pay for treatments and therapy and the lack of professional skill, most cases of acromegaly in developing countries are not cured. Fatality of the Disorder The increase of size and mass of bones, muscles and many tissues in the body as a result of acromegaly tends to disrupt the normal functions of many organs. For instance, the enlargement of the bones can overgrow faster than tissues and structures around it. In some cases, it can cause cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease due to the enlargement of bones and muscles that inhibits both cardiovascular and respiratory system to function normally. Bones can also get brittle and fragile and even result in more chronic disease such as osteoporosis. Treatment of the Disorder There are numerous treatments on the condition of acromegaly. Certain therapies and treatments worldwide are known to be effective. Out of a hundred patients with acromegaly, 60 of those patients can be cured through surgery (Stewart, 2000). In particular, the reductions of growth hormone levels are the most effective treatment known today for cases of acromegaly. If things comes to worse, the removal of a tumor in the anterior pituitary is the most practical thing to do to take out excessive amount of growth hormone. However, treatment of acromegaly cannot change back what the disorder have already done to the human body such as bone deformities (Bolanowski, 2006). III. Topic Hormone  Growth hormone or somatotropin is the hormone involved in the disorder of acromegaly. Produced by somatotrophs in the anterior pituitary gland, it functions as a metabolic hormone and determinant of body size. Growth hormones functions mainly on growth effects but it also has other aiding purpose in different parts of the body such as mobilization of fats, blood level increase, glycogen breakdown and more. The chemical nature of this hormone is protein based, hence the name somatotropin. It is originally made in the hypothalamus where it is secreted, then passes through the anterior pituitary gland before it enters the bloodstream. It is regulated through negative feedback, inhibiting the release of growth hormones when the amount in the bloodstream is high already. In terms of target tissues, it is very general, pretty much all the bone structure and most of the muscular system is affected by the growth hormone. It also has a very short half-life, ranging from twenty to thirty minutes. Typically, growth hormones are secreted the most during sleep; however, it decreases with age. Growth hormones cannot be naturally conjugated due to its own ability to inhibit its release when it is too much in the body already. IV. Mechanism of Action  Normal Effect of Growth Hormone The release of growth hormone in the body is due to two hormones that has antagonistic effects found in the hypothalamus. Growth hormone-releasing hormone or GHRH activates growth hormone release when it is needed to synthesize protein and does its growth promoting functions in the body. Inhibition of its secretion is due to the release of growth hormone-inhibiting hormone or GHIH (Marieb, 2010). GHIH is triggered by increase on levels of growth hormone in the bloodstream. There are two ways growth hormone can be classified in terms of when it is activated. First is indirect action, where it functions as a growth promoter. Second is direct actions such as metabolism and anti- insulin. Effect of Growth Hormone to Person with Acromegaly Hypersecretion of growth hormone is the major cause of acromegaly, Over secretion of growth hormone in children can be considered as gigantism, however, in adults, which age bracket shouldn’t grow bigger than before, an occurrence of over secretion of growth hormone is considered acromegaly. With gigantism body grows at a proportion, to say the least. In the disorder of acromegaly, a body part grows while certain structures everywhere else in the body doesn’t, which result in oversized parts of the body such as the hand or face. The main receptors of growth hormone on its indirect actions are skeletal and muscular.

Ts Eliot Mood And Theme :: essays research papers

T.S. Eliot -mood and theme WITH REFERENCE TO THE LOVE SONG OF J. ALFRED PRUFROCK AND PREDULES. DISCUSS HOW T.S. ELIOT CONVEYS MOOD AND THEMES. Both Prufrock and Preludes are based in the same rootless world of sordid tedium. In Prufrock Eliot is conveying a theme a strong theme and is based heavily in the Persona of Prufrock himself. Preludes is a poem of changing moods, some subtle, some profound but this time conveyed primarily through diction and repetition. One theme of Eliot's, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, is the exposure of the modern individual's inability and refusal to address inadequacies that he sees in both him and his society. Two ways Eliot conveys his theme is through the persona of Prufrock and repetition . One method used by Eliot to expose this theme is his use of the persona of J Alfred Prufrock. Prufrock is in part a shallow conformist, 41 ....My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin, 42 My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin- 43 (They will say: 'But how his arms and legs are thin!')...... However, almost tragically, Eliot has Prufrock aware of the shallowness of the society to which he conforms. 26 There will be time, there will be time 27 To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet. Prufrock observes his society's ability to totally disregard any question of substance, that is, the 'overwhelming'; questions. Yet despite his observations Prufrock is not prepared to confront his society, more importantly, himself. In deeper tragedy Prufrock is defeated by his knowledge of his inadequacies and states quite sincerely, 'And in short, I was afraid'; Two of the minor themes of 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' concern the frustrations felt by the individual towards their society. Specifically the individuals insignificance in their society and the individuals inability to express themselves and be understood as an individual within that society. Repetition plays a crucial role in conveying the theme of insignificance. The r epetition of, 'They will say:..';, conveys Prufrock's feeling of insignificance and reveal a man totally absorbed in the judgments of others and not at all concerned with his worth as an individual. Eliot's repetition of 'Do I dare?'; within the sixth stanza emphasises Prufrock's feeling of insignificance. 'Do I dare/ Disturb the universe?'; Despite the superficial judgments his society passes on him, Prufrock is still hesitant in speaking out against their empty lives.

Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative Essay

Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative Standing at the front of a PepsiCo conference room, Bill Bruce gestured enthusiastically, pointing to the sketches at his side. Bruce, a copywriter and Executive Creative Director, headed up the creative team on the Mountain Dew account for PepsiCo’s advertising agency, BBDO New York. In fact, it was Bruce who devised the famous â€Å"Do the Dew† campaign that had catapulted Mountain Dew to the number three position in its category. With his partner, art director Doris Cassar, Bruce had developed ten new creative concepts for Mountain Dew’s 2000 advertising to present to PepsiCo management. Gathered in the room to support Bruce and Cassar were BBDO senior executives Jeff Mordos (Chief Operating Officer), Cathy Israelevitz (Senior Account Director), and Ted Sann (Chief Creative Officer). Each of the three executives had over a decade of experience working on Mountain Dew. Representing PepsiCo were Scott Moffitt (Marketing Director, Mountain Dew), Dawn Hudson (Chief Marketing Officer, and a former senior ad agency executive), and Gary Rodkin (Chief Executive Officer, Pepsi Cola North America). Scott Moffitt scribbled notes as he listened to Bruce speak. Moffitt and the brand managers under him were charged with day-to-day oversight of Mountain Dew marketing. These responsibilities included brand strategy, consumer and sales promotions, packaging, line extensions, product changes, and sponsorships. But for Moffitt and the senior managers above him, the most important decisions of the year were made in conference rooms with BBDO creatives. Each of the ads would cost over a million dollars to produce. But the production costs were minor compared to the $55 million media budget that would be committed to air these spots. Historically, PepsiCo management had learned that selecting the right creative was one of the most critical decisions they made in terms of impact on sales and profits. Mountain Dew had carried PepsiCo’s soft drink revenues during the 1990s as cola brands struggled. But now the Do the Dew campaign was entering its eighth year, a long stretch by any consumer goods baseline. Many other brands were now sponsoring the same alternative sports that Mountain Dew had relied upon to boost its image. And teens were gravitating to new activities and new music that Dew’s competitors had successfully exploited in their branding activities. Figuring out how to keep the campaign working hard to maintain the brand’s relevance with its target consumers had become a chief preoccupation of senior management at both PepsiCo and BBDO. At the same time, key competitors were raising their ad budgets as competition in both the Carbonated Soft Drink (CSD) and non-carbonated drinks categories was heating up, sending Dew sales below targets. Choosing the right ads to maximize the impact of Mountain Dew’s relatively small media budget was a make-or- break decision. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Professor Douglas B. Holt prepared this case. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. Copyright  © 2001 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 502-040 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative PepsiCo and BBDO PepsiCo was widely considered to be one of the most sophisticated and aggressive marketing companies in the world. In North America, the company  had three divisions, each with categoryleading brands. Pepsi and Mountain Dew were the number two and three soft drinks. Frito-Lay dominated the salty-snack category with Ruffles, Lay’s, Doritos, and Cheetos. And the company had recently acquired Tropicana, the leading juice brand. In 2000, PepsiCo had acquired the SoBe line of teas and â€Å"functional† drinks from South Beach Beverages, which it operated as a stand-alone subsidiary. BBDO was one of the ten largest ad agencies in the world, with worldwide billings of about $15 Billion. Of the largest full-service agencies, BBDO was particularly renowned for the quality of their creative work. The roster of the New York office, BBDO New York, included many high-powered clients such as General Electric, Visa, M&M/Mars, Charles Schwab, and FedEx. Their top 10 accounts had been BBDO clients for an average of 32 years. BBDO’s relationship with PepsiCo dated to breakthrough campaigns for Pepsi in the 1960s. BBDO took over Mountain Dew from Ogilvy & Mather in 1974 and had held the account ever since. In 1998, PepsiCo hired Uniworld, the largest African-American owned ad agency in the United States, to develop a separate Mountain Dew campaign targeted to African-Americans. The Carbonated Soft Drinks Category Similar to most other countries, in the United States soft drink consumption was ubiquitous. And, until recently, soft drinks had meant cola. The retail carbonated soft drinks (CSD) category had long been dominated by the two cola giants, Coke and Pepsi. In the so-called cola wars of the 1960s and 70s, Pepsi directly attacked Coke with taste tests and with advertising designed to make Pepsi the hipper and more stylish â€Å"choice of the new generation†, implying that Coke was a drink for older and less â€Å"with it† people. The soft drink category, and colas in particular, boomed throughout the 1970s and 1980s as people substituted away from coffee to soft drinks as a source of caffeine. The industry also consolidated as once-important brands (RC Cola, Orange Crush, A&W Root Beer) faded into the background. By the 1990s, three companies controlled all of the major national brands: The Coca-Cola Company (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite), PepsiCo (Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain De w), and Cadbury-Schweppes (Dr. Pepper and 7-UP). CSDs were a promotion intensive category. In most grocery stores, Coke and Pepsi controlled a great deal of shelf space and displays. They had so much clout that their bottlers were able to choose how to stock the shelves and what to display. Impulse purchase displays had become an important source of incremental volume. A substantial and increasing share of volume came from convenience stores, where most purchases were of single servings purchased for immediate consumption. The major brands ran seasonal promotions, such as â€Å"under the cap† games in which every tenth bottle had a free bottle give-away written under the cap. More junior brand managers spent considerable time developing and implementing these promotions. Product, promotion, packaging, and pricing innovations were constant though usually incremental, quickly diffusing throughout the category. In the last decade, one of the major innovations in the category had been the 20-ounce single serve bottle, usually priced at $.99 and sold as an impulse purchase. The margins on this bottle were higher than the twelve-packs or 2-liter bottles. Also, all of the large brands introduced 24-pack cases sold to heavy users. Brand managers worked to keep package design contemporary. For example, at PepsiCo, both Pepsi and Mountain Dew had substantial make-overs in the 1990s resulting in richer and more vibrant colors and 2 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative 502-040 simplified graphics. Other brands, including 7-UP and Sprite also executed similar packaging redesigns. For most of the twentieth century, PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company competed fiercely, each responding in tit-for-tat fashion to the other’s successes. Pepsi rolled out lemon-lime Slice in the 1980s to compete against Sprite, but soon withdrew support for that brand. Recently it was rumored that the company was plotting yet another new lemon-lime introduction. In the 1970s, Coca-Cola introduced Mr. Pibb to attack Dr. Pepper and Mello-Yello as a me-too competitor against Mountain Dew. With Mountain Dew’s national success in the 1990s, Coca-Cola launched a second frontal assault, introducing another copy-cat brand called Surge. In  addition, both companies had launched other new products without much success: Coke had flopped with OK Cola (the cynical retro cola), and Fruitopia (the neo-hippie fruit beverage). PepsiCo had similar problems with the introduction of Crystal Pepsi (the clear crisp cola), though was able to establish Pepsi One as a niche brand. In the 1990s, cola growth slowed and the â€Å"flavor† CSDs did very well. Sprite, Mountain Dew, and Dr. Pepper all enjoyed great success, although 7-UP continued to struggle (See Exhibit 1). In 1999, however, all CSD sales suffered as a result of customers’ sticker shock to a category-wide 5% retail price increase, and also a trend toward experimentation with noncarbonated drinks and bottled water as substitutes for soft drinks. Sports drinks were led by Gatorade, tea and juice blends by Snapple, Arizona, and SoBe, and the highly caffeinated â€Å"energy† drinks by Red Bull. These drinks, sometimes termed â€Å"functional† or â€Å"alternative,† often included a stimulant (caffeine or similar substance) and plant extracts reputed to have medicinal value (ginko, guarana, St. Johns Wort, ginseng). Many of these drinks were launched by small companies with grass-roots marketing efforts focused on music and sports sponsorships, on-site promotions, and non-traditional distribution (e.g., sandwich shops for Snapple, record stores for Red Bull). Industry rumors were circulating that CocaCola, Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo, and Cadbury-Schweppes were working aggressively to develop functional drinks to tap into this growing segment. Advertising and Branding Over many decades, Coca-Cola had become â€Å"America’s drink† (and later the preferred drink in many countries around the world) through advertising that conveyed that Coke served as a social elixir. Coke promoted the idea that the drink brought people together in friendship around ideas that people in the nation cared about. From 1995 onward, Coke had struggled as it experimented with a variety of new branding ideas. Pepsi rose to the rank of Coke’s loyal opposition in the 1960s with the successful â€Å"The Pepsi Generation† ad campaign, in which the brand harnessed the ideas and passions of the 1960s counterculture. More recently, Pepsi used celebrities—particularly musicians such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Faith Hill, Ricky Martin, and Mary J. Blige—to convey the idea that Pepsi was an expression of youth attitudes. Nonetheless, the Pepsi brand also had struggled to maintain sales in the 1990s. 7-UP was successful in the 1970s branding against the colas as the â€Å"uncola† in ads that used a charismatic Jamaican actor to describe the purity and naturalness of 7-UP in a tropical setting. Similarly, the sweet cherry-cola concoction Dr Pepper challenged the audience to â€Å"be a Pepper† with well-received dance numbers that encouraged consumers to do their own thing rather than follow the masses in drinking cola. From the late 1980s onward, 7-UP faded as the brand was used as a cash cow with ever-shrinking media investments. Meanwhile, Mountain Dew rose from its regional status to become a major â€Å"flavor† brand. The three major flavor brands dominated different geographic areas: Dr Pepper dominated Texas and the rest of the deep South, Mountain Dew dominated rural areas, particularly in the Midwest and Southeast, and Sprite dominated urban-ethnic areas. 3 502-040 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative Category advertising spending exceeded $650 Million (See Exhibit 2). PepsiCo spent substantially less as a percentage of sales than its competitors. Instead, the company relied on exceptional creative to make the advertising work harder for less cost. PepsiCo viewed the creative development process as a key organizational competency, a strategic weapon that was central to their financial success. Mountain Dew Brand History Mountain Dew was invented by the Hartman Beverage Company in Knoxville, Tennessee in the late 1940s. The bright yellow-green drink in the green bottle packed a powerful citrus flavor, more sugar and more caffeine than other soft drinks, and less carbonation so that it could be drunk quickly. The drink became a favorite on the Eastern seaboard, through Kentucky, Tennessee, and eventually spread up through the Great Lakes states (skirting the big cities) and into the Northern Plains of Minnesota and the Dakotas. PepsiCo, amazed by Dew’s success in what brand managers would come to call  the â€Å"NASCAR belt† (the stock car racing circuit that drew rural men as its primary audience), and in need of a â€Å"flavor† soft-drink to round out its line-up, purchased Mountain Dew in 1964. PepsiCo originally assigned Mountain Dew to the Ogilvy & Mather ad agency. The strategy for the new brand extrapolated from Dew’s origins and existing packaging. The beverage’s heartpumping caffeine and sugar rush were linked to its backwoods heritage to produce the idea of a comic â€Å"hillbilly† character named Willie who drank Mountain Dew to â€Å"get high† on the soft drink equivalent of moonshine liquor. The tagline, â€Å"Yahoo! Mountain Dew!† was accompanied by â€Å"Thar’s a bang in ever’ bottle.† In 1973 PepsiCo assigned the brand to BBDO, its agency of record for Pepsi. For two decades client and agency worked to expand the brand’s reach from America’s hinterlands into the suburbs and cities of the major metropolitan areas. The major campaign of the 1970s—â€Å"Hello Sunshine†Ã¢â‚¬â€ sought to tie Mountain Dew’s distinctive product characteristics to a set of backcountry recreational images. The yellow-green product and strong citrus flavor are represented over and over by the gleaming sun sparkling in beautiful natural settings. The product name is represented in virtually every ad by mountains, dew drops reflecting in the sun, and condensed drops on cans to represent dew. The energizing effects of the caffeine and sugar are toned down and now are a refreshing part of an active outdoor lifestyle. Often the ads featured casual coed athletic activities that always ended in a plunge into a rural pond or creek. This campaign pulled the Mountain Dew brand into more contemporary terrain, but it was still too rural to get much traction in the suburbs. So in the 1980s, PepsiCo directly targeted suburban teenagers with a new campaign called â€Å"Country Cool.† The creative idea was to marry the popular athletic endeavors of suburban kids (cool) with Mountain Dew’s active rural lifestyle (country), all punctuated by the refreshing Dew plunge. Ads featured male teens performing on skateboards, mountain bikes, and BMX bikes. A new tune was crafted for the occasion: â€Å"Being cool you’ll find is a state of mind. Your refreshing attitude. Things get hot. Cool is all you got. Dewin’ it  country cool. So chill on out; when the heat comes on. With a cool, smooth Mountain Dew. Dewin’ it Country Cool. Mountain Dew. Dewin’ it Country Cool.† BBDO jettisoned the â€Å"country† component of the campaign in 1991 to build an entire campaign around athletic stunts. This advertising departed dramatically from anything that BBDO had produced in the previous sixteen years. The spots featured daredevil maneuvers of sports like windsurfing, rollerblading, motocross cycling, and paragliding. The closely-framed shots, which put 4 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative 502-040 the viewer in the middle of the action, also suggested excitement and energy. The spots were set to aggressive rock music rather than studio jingles. In 1992, a new song called â€Å"Get Vertical† is introduced with the lyrics â€Å"Ain’t no doubt about the power of dew, got the airborne thrust of rocket fuel.† Cultural Trends PepsiCo and BBDO managers paid close attention to cultural trends. They were particularly focused on track music and sports trends since these activities were so central to youth culture. Music. Three musical trends dominated the airwaves in the 1990s. Rap music exploded to become the most popular genre in the country. At first, gangsta rap, which flaunted misogynistic and violent lyrics, was said to represent the reality of life in the â€Å"hood† (the American ghetto). From 1992 onward, gangsta rap broke out with a lighter sound and slightly less aggressive lyrics, sometimes called gangsta-lite, that made the music much more accessible while maintaining the forbidding connotations. By 1993, media coverage of the travails of celebrity rappers like Snoop Doggy Dog and Tupac Shakur ruled not only the music magazines but People and Newsweek. Rap music, and the hip-hop lifestyle of which it was a part, permeated teen life. MTV’s program Yo! MTV Raps and specialty  magazi nes like The Source and Vibe became mainstream cultural venues. By 1999, rap remained very popular amongst male teens, especially in urban areas, though its Top 40 appeal had subsided somewhat. At roughly the same time, the alternative rock music scene, which throughout the 1980s existed as a small subcultural scene found mostly on college campuses, also exploded. Two Seattle bands—Nirvana and Pearl Jam—put CDs at the top of the charts with aggressive and emotive music that combined equal parts punk and heavy metal. The media tagged this music â€Å"grunge† and anointed Seattle as grunge headquarters. Grunge was marketed heavily by the culture industries— music labels put out dozens of grunge bands, films that displayed the grunge attitude appeared, and fashion runways and J.C. Penny’s stores were clogged with flannel shirts and clothes that had the look of the vintage Salvation Army gear that was the uniform of the grunge scene. Grunge faded in its influence in part due to the death of its most talented lead actor when Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1995. Later in 1990s, techno music began making significant inroads into American youth culture. Invented in the 1980s as â€Å"house music† in low-budget studios of Chicago and Detroit, this beatdriven dance music became the lifeblood of dance parties called â€Å"raves† in places like London and the Spanish island of Ibiza. Raves quickly spread throughout continental Europe and beyond. Raves were all-night dancing marathons often set up in warehouses, exotic outdoor locales, and other improvised spaces. Raves attracted young people, mostly teens, who danced for hours at a time, not in pairs, but in free-form groups. The highly rhythmic music and long-winded dancing combined to produce for some fans an ecstatic trance-like state. The music was produced almost entirely by disk jockeys sampling records with tape loops and other electronic tricks. Many sub-genres have since emerged that mix-and-match musical styles from around the world. Part of the scene was a drug called ecst asy, a drug that induces promiscuous affection, sensory overload, and euphoria. And, to keep the energy flowing all night, the dancers demanded energizing drinks. In particular, an enterprising Austrian company marketed Red Bull, a drink that was once an Asian hangover cure, as a rave stimulant. Either straight or mixed with vodka, Red Bull became the rave drink of  choice. Raves diffused rather late to the United States, but proved to be most popular in the major metropolitan areas. 5 502-040 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative Sports. The so-called â€Å"alternative sports† took off in the early 1990s. Teen enthusiasts transformed casual hobby activities—mountain biking, skateboarding, paragliding, BMX biking, and in-line skating—into highly technical, creative, and often dangerous sports. Snowboarding became an overnight hit with teens. Bungee jumping was a fad that disappeared quickly. As these sports became increasingly risky and creative, they began to attract spectators. So-called extreme sports— skiing down extremely steep terrain or jumping off tall buildings with a parachute—were covered by ESPN. ESPN also aggressively promoted circuits and tournaments to professionalize these new sports, which culminated in the Extreme Games in 1994, a non-traditional Olympics of sorts. Mountain Dew was one of the founding lead sponsors of the Extreme Games, which later became the X Games. Later, NBC followed with the Gravity Games, and MTV also began to cover these sports. Grung e music, more aggressive styles of rap, and various hybrids were prominent aural expressions of these sports. GenX Ethos. During the 1990s, teens and young adults evinced a growing cynicism toward the dominant work-oriented values of the previous generation and toward corporations more generally. They found that working hard to get ahead in terms of salary and occupational prestige was harder to swallow in an era of corporate reengineering. Their cynicism also extended to corporations themselves and their marketing efforts. As this cohort became increasingly knowledgeable about how marketing worked and increasingly jaded about why brands were popular, they were not interested in listening to â€Å"sales messages† that tried to persuade them into believing a particular brand of soft drink or beer was cool. Instead, these youth adopted a campy  interest in non-trendy products, television programs, and music of previous eras. As these odd new tastes became commercialized in programming like Nickelodeon cable channel’s â€Å"Nick at Nite† series—which featured less- than-notable programming from the 1950s-1970s– â€Å"retro† was born. The Do the Dew Campaign In 1992, senior management at PepsiCo sensed an opportunity to increase business on Diet Mountain Dew. Diet Mountain Dew’s distribution was limited mostly to the rural regions where the brand was strongest, even though regular Dew was now a national brand. Diet Mountain Dew performed very well on product tests versus other diet drinks in the category because the heavy citrus flavor did a better job of masking the undesirable taste of the artificial sweetener. So PepsiCo allocated money for incremental advertising to support an effort to expand Diet Mountain Dew distribution. Bill Bruce, then a junior copywriter working on several brands, was assigned to the project. The strategy statements that guided the initial creative idea and subsequent spots in the campaign are reported in Exhibit 3. Bruce came up with the â€Å"Do Diet Dew† tag line (which soon evolved into â€Å"Do the Dew† to support the entire brand) and several new ideas to embellish what BBDO had begu n with the Get Vertical campaign. The first breakthrough ad of the new campaign, Done That, features a hair-raising shot of a guy jumping off the edge of a cliff to take a free-fall toward the narrow canyon’s river bottom, set to throbbing grunge music. This was the first ad to feature the â€Å"Dew Dudes†Ã¢â‚¬â€four young guys who are witnessing the daredevil stunts presented in the ad and commenting on them. Done That became a huge hit, capturing the country’s imagination. The ad was widely parodied and the phrase â€Å"been there, done that† entered the vernacular. For 1994 and 1995, BBDO produced three carbon-copy â€Å"pool-outs†1 of Done That. By 1995, after two years of these ads, consumer interest in the creative was 1 The noun pool-out is derived from a verb that is particular to the advertising business– â€Å"to pool out.† The idea is to develop a pool of ads that are all closely related derivations from the same creative idea. Some advertisers feel that pools deliver a 6 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative 502-040 fading fast. According to Jeff Mordos, if the creative hadn’t moved to another idea that year, consumer’s flagging interest and the potential of a revolt by PepsiCo bottlers likely would have forced PepsiCo to develop an entirely new campaign. For 1995, three of four spots produced relied upon different creative ideas. One of these spots, Mel Torme, became the second hit of the campaign. The spot was a parody featuring the aging Vegas lounge singer Mel Torme, tuxedo-clad atop a Vegas hotel crooning â€Å"I Get a Kick out of You,† with lyrics altered to incorporate Mountain Dew references. He impresses the Dew Dudes with a base jump of his own. Similar ads followed. In 007, a teenage James Bond engages in a frenetic pursuit scene with typical Bond stunts, accompanied by the familiar Bond theme music. The Dew Dudes are not impressed until Bond comes upon a Mountain Dew vending machine. In Training, brash tennis star Andre Agassi performs extreme stunts as training exercises, and then plays an extreme game of tennis with the Dew Dudes as his coaches. In 1997, BBDO came up with two breakthrough spots. The director of Nirvana’s classic music video â€Å"Smells Like Teen Spirit† was hired to direct Thank Heaven, which mimics a music video. The spot stars the lead singer of an alternative rock band called Ruby. She sings a punked-up version of the classic song â€Å"Thank Heaven for Little Girls,† in which the grunge style suggests the â€Å"little girls† of old have been replaced by the feminine brand of aggressiveness presented in the ad. Jackie Chan deploys the Hong Kong movie star’s patented martial arts with humorous stunts into the campaign’s  jaded, â€Å"seen it already† motif. The ad begins in the midst of what seems like a classic chase scene from a Chan film with lots of harrowing action. When Chan faces down his enemy, the Dew Dudes magically appear as Confucian wisemen who assist Chan with cans of Mountain Dew. Other ads produced were significantly less effective. Scream , a high-speed amalgam of extreme sports shots that are organized to answer the lead-in question—â€Å"What is a Mountain Dew?†Ã¢â‚¬â€did not fare well. And Michael Johnson, a spot developed to broaden Dew’s appeal in the African-American community, did not meet the company’s expectations. By 1998, PepsiCo managers worried that the advertising was becoming too predictable. In particular, they were concerned that the use of alternative sports was becoming less impactful due to oversaturation. Many other brands, including companies like Bagel Bites, AT&T, Gillette Extreme Deodorant, and Slim Jims beef jerky snacks, were now major sponsors of alternative sports. To keep the campaign fresh, they needed to find alternative ways to express Mountain Dew’s distinctive features. Parking Attendant, produced in 1999, was a solid effort at advancing toward an alternative expression. The spot features a parking attendant who takes liberties when parking a BMW handed off by a stuffy businessman. The kid drives as if in a police chase, flying from one building to another, accompanied by a frenetic surf instrumental that had been featured in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction a few years prior. Mountain Dew Market Research Mountain Dew’s distinctive demographic profile reflected the brand’s historic popularity in the NASCAR belt (see the Brand Development Index Map in Exhibit 4 and lifestyle analysis in Exhibit 5a). And Mountain Dew had much lower penetration of the total population than its major competitors. But its consumers were the most loyal in the category. Mountain Dew had the highest â€Å"gatekeeping† rating of all CSDs—it was the drink that mothers tried the hardest to keep out of the  more consistent campaign while others feel that the ads become too formulaic when they are so similar. Regardless, there is a great temptation when an ad breaks through and becomes a hit to develop pool-outs to extend the popularity. 7 502-040 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative stomachs of their children. Periodically, the PepsiCo research department fielded a major study to assess the â€Å"health† of the brand, and to direct any fine-tuning. A 1997 â€Å"brand fitness† study profiled the status of the Dew brand versus its major competitors (Exhibits 6a-d). PepsiCo monitored both the effectiveness of individual ads, as well as the cumulative impact of advertising on the overall health of the Mountain Dew brand. The contribution made by a single ad toward building brand equity was notoriously challenging to measure. Both quantitative and qualitative research provided data from which managers make useful inferences. But Pepsi managers had yet to find a research method that was accurate enough to rely upon to provide definitive judgments on ad effectiveness. PepsiCo routinely gathered a wide variety of data that hinted at an ad’s impact. In addition to formal research, managers monitored â€Å"talk value† or â€Å"buzz†Ã¢â‚¬â€the extent to which the ad has been picked up by the mass media. In particular, The Tonight Show and David Letterman were useful barometers. Feedback from the Mountain Dew website, unofficial websites, and the brand’s 800 number were important gauges as well. In addition, PepsiCo carefully monitored how the salesforce and bottlers responded to the ads, since they were getting direct feedback from their customers. PepsiCo managers used all these data as filters. But, ultimately, the evaluation of advertising rested on managerial judgement. Based on their past experience with the brand and with advertising across many brands, managers made a reasoned evaluation. However, PepsiCo managers did rely on market research to assess the cumulative impact of advertising on the brand. Because many other factors—especially pricing and retail display activity—had an immediate short-term impact on sales, it was often difficult to draw causal relationships between advertising and sales. But advertising campaigns do  directly impact how the brand is perceived. And these perceptions, in turn, drive sales. So PepsiCo had assembled a set of what they termed key performance indicators (KPIs), intermediate measures that were directly impacted by advertising and that had been proven to significantly impact sales. Managers tracked KPIs, also referred to as brand health measures, both for teens and for 20-39 year olds. But managers were particularly concerned with brand health amongst teens because at this age soft drink consumers often moved from experimenting with a variety of drinks to becoming loyal lifetime drinkers of a single soda. The latest study, conducted in the spring of 1999, reported Mountain Dew’s teen KPIs. Dew improved 6 points on â€Å"Dew Tastes Better† (to 48% versus a year ago). Unaided brand awareness had dropped 5 points (to 39%). â€Å"For someone like me† had increased 5 points (to 53%). And â€Å"Dew Drinkers are Cool† increased 5 points (to 64%). 2000 Planning In 1999, Mountain Dew became the third largest carbonated soft drink at retail, overtaking Diet Coke. However, part of this success in gaining share had to do with the sustained weakness of Pepsi and Coke. In 1999, the problems that the colas were facing seemed to be spreading to Mountain Dew, Sprite, and Dr. Pepper. All of the leading CSDs began to show real weakness as alternative non-carbonated drinks began to attract a great deal of trial, especially amongst teens. While Mountain Dew sales began to lag, all of the â€Å"brand health† indicators remained strong. And the advertising continued to significantly outperform competition. In planning for 2000, Moffitt and his senior management were particularly concerned with two dilemmas: –  How to keep the â€Å"Do the Dew† campaign working hard to build the brand given that extreme sports were becoming overexposed –  How to respond to the growing threat of non-CSDs, especially Gatorade and the new highlycaffeinated and sugary energy drinks like Red Bull Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative 502-040 A detailed strategy statement was developed by Moffitt’s team at Pepsi-Cola North America, in conjunction with the account team at BBDO New York led by Cathy Israelevitz. This strategy was boiled down to a single sentence to focus the development of new creative: Symbolize that drinking Mountain Dew is an exhilarating experience. This document was used to brief Bruce and his creative team (Exhibit 7). Exhibit 7 Mountain Dew FY 2000 Brand Communications Strategy Objective: Expand appeal of Mountain Dew to new users while reinforcing it among current users Positioning: To 18 year old males, who embrace excitement, adventure and fun, Mountain Dew is the great tasting carbonated soft drink that exhilarates like no other because it is energizing, thirstquenching, and has a one-of-a-kind citrus flavor. Communication Strategy: Symbolize that drinking Mountain Dew is an exhilarating experience. Target: Male Teens—18 year-old epicenter –  Ensure appeal amongst 20-39 year olds (current users) –  Drive universal appeal (white, African-American, Hispanic, and other ethnic) Product Benefits Energizing Emotional Benefits Exhilaration Personality Irreverent Quenching Excitement Daring Great Taste Fun Source: PepsiCo Super Bowl In addition to these strategic issues, Moffitt had to consider carefully where these ads would be broadcast. Mountain Dew’s national media plan focused on a younger audience. Typical buys would include MTV, The Simpsons, and ESPN during alternative sports broadcasts. However, with its long run of sales increases in the 1990s, Mountain Dew was becoming less of a niche brand. Partly in recognition of this expanding customer base and partly to celebrate within the company Dew’s arrival as the third most popular CSD, top management decided to feature Mountain Dew rather than Pepsi during the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl had for decades been a hugely influential event for advertisers. The game drew the biggest audience of the year and the ads received an amazing amount of attention. In recent years, the frenzy around the advertising had grown disproportionately to the game itself. The media paid almost as much attention to the ads shown as to the teams and players. The networks interviewed the advertisers and the stars of the ads, and even replayed the ads on their programs. So a Super Bowl ad now had a huge ripple effect in free public relations. In addition, the Super Bowl was an extremely important contest for advertisers and especially for ad agencies. To â€Å"win† the 9 502-040 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative Super Bowl (to be voted the top ad in the USA Today Ad Meter poll reported in the newspaper the following day) was a prestigious honor within the industry. Finally, Super Bowl ads provided a powerful sales tool to motivate retailers and distributors. PepsiCo and other grocery products advertisers used their annual Super Bowl advertising to sell in retail displays. Super Bowl advertising, as a result, had become a distinctive genre within advertising. The demographically diverse audience demanded advertising with hooks that were easily understood. Insider humor did not work. While MTV ads could talk in a colloquial language to teens, Super Bowl ads could not afford this luxury. Second, the heated competition to win the affection of the audience had led to â€Å"big† productions that would stand out against an ever-more impressive set of competitors. The New Creative Bruce and Cassar had just finished presenting ten new ad concepts for PepsiCo to evaluate. For each concept, PepsiCo managers were given a â€Å"storyboard†Ã¢â‚¬â€a script and a set of rough pencil sketches that depicted the most important scenes. Bruce and Cassar talked through each storyboard to help the client imagine how the ad would look if it were produced. The storyboard served as the skeletal outline of the ad. The creatives put flesh on these bones by describing in detail the characters, the action, how the scene is depicted, and the music. Of the ten new concepts, Moffitt and his senior managers hoped to select three ads to produce. The two best ads would run on the  Super Bowl and then all three ads would be broadcast throughout 2000. It was already October, so there was barely enough time to produce the ads presented to get them on the Super Bowl. Asking Bruce to try again was not an option. The ten initial concepts were quickly whittled down to five finalists. 1) Labor of Love. A humorous spot about the birth of a Dew drinker. The doctor in the delivery room calls out â€Å"code green† and retreats to catch with a baseball mitt the baby as it shoots out of its mother like a cannon. 2) Cheetah. One of the Dew Dudes chases down a cheetah on a mountain bike. The cheetah, running on the African plain, has stolen his Dew and he wants it back. He tackles the cat, pulls the can out of the cat’s stomach, but finds that it’s empty and full of holes. 3) Dew or Die. The Dew Dudes are called in to foil the plot of an evil villain who is threatening to blow up the planet. Performing daredevil maneuvers down a mountain, they get sidetracked in a ski lodge with some girls, but accidentally save the world anyway, powered by a spilt can of Dew. 4) Mock Opera. A parody of the Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody sung by the Dew Dudes who mock the cover of the original Queen album. The ad portrays the story of the altered lyrics: alternative sports action in which the athletes just miss cans of Dew as they shoot by. 5) Showstopper. A take-off on an extravagantly choreographed production number that mimics a Buzby Berkeley musical/dance film from the 1930s. The dancers are silver-clad BMX riders and skateboarders who perform for the Dew Dudes posing as directors. PepsiCo viewed the evaluation of new creative as the most challenging aspect of brand management. Unlike decisions on new product ideas, consumer promotions, or product improvements, there was no market research or marketplace data to guide the decision. Junior managers typically did not sit in the agency presentations as they were not yet seasoned enough to judge creative work. PepsiCo believed that managers first had to gain knowledge of how advertising 10 Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative 502-040 worked to build brands through years of seasoning and tutorials on several of the company’s brands. So Scott Moffitt was the most junior person in the room. The skills and judgment that he demonstrated would be key to moving up the ladder at PepsiCo. Bill Bruce finished presenting his last storyboard and scanned the room to lock eyes with the PepsiCo executives who would be deciding the fate of his ideas. Scott Moffitt didn’t return the gaze. Instead he looked anxiously at his superiors, knowing that the spotlight would next focus on him. This was his chance to prove himself not only to PepsiCo senior management, but also to BBDO. BBDO’s senior managers had become influential advisors, whom PepsiCo’s top marketing executives routinely relied upon to help guide branding decisions. With six years of experience under his belt, this was Moffitt’s chance to earn their respect as a contributing member to these critical discussions. Moffitt was eager to make a strong impression with nuanced and well-reasoned evaluations. Following long-standing protocol in packaged goods companies, the junior manager at the table gets the first crack at evaluating the creative. Moffitt cleared his throat, complimented Bruce on the high quality of the new work he had presented, and began his evaluation. 11 502-040 Exhibit 1 -12- CSD Sales/Share (Million Cases/Percent Market) 1990 Coke Pepsi Diet Coke Diet Pepsi Sprite Dr. Pepper Mountain Dew 7-UP Surge Mello Yello 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 (Est.) Sales Share 1,565.5 20.1 1,370.0 17.6 726.9 9.3 490.0 6.3 295.0 3.8 364.8 4.7 300.0 3.9 Sales Share 1,597.9 20.1 1,338.0 16.9 741.2 9.3 500.0 6.3 313.1 3.9 385.3 4.9 327.5 4.1 Sales Share 1,613.9 20.1 1,327.3 16.5 732.6 9.1 509.5 6.4 328.1 4.1 414.0 5.2 351.1 4.4 Sales Share 1,680.4 20.2 1,305.9 15.7 740.6 8.9 491.5 5.9 357.6 4.3 445.6 5.4 387.6 4.7 Sales Share 1,776.7 20.4 1,310.0 15.0 767.6 8.8 511.2 5.9 396.3 4.5 485.1 5.6 455.0 5.2 Sales Share 1,868.6 20.8 1,344.3 15.0 793.0 8.8 521.4 5.8 460.3 5.1 515.0 5.7 509.6 5.7 Sales Share 1,929.2 20.8 1,384.6 14.9 811.4 8.7 541.5 5.8 529.8 5.7 536.8 5.8 535.6 5.8 Sales Share 1,978.2 20.6 1,391.5 14.5 819.0 8.5 523.5 5.5 598.0 6.2 566.8 5.9 605.2 6.3 Sales Share 2,037.5 20.6 1,399.8 14.2 851.8 8.6 529.7 5.4 651.8 6.6 599.4 6.1 665.1 6.7 Sales Share 2,018.0 20.3 1,371.8 13.8 843.0 8.5 503.0 5.1 671.5 6.8 630.0 6.3 705.0 7.1 211.5 2.7 207.7 42.9 2.6 211.3 49.5 2.6 209.9 59.5 2.5 64.0 221.5 2.5 64.6 219.9 2.5 61.6 217.7 2.3 59.0 216.7 69.0 46.6 2.3 210.9 51.8 42.4 2.1 204.9 26.7 41.6 2.1 Source: Maxwell Report Exhibit 2 Advertising Spending: Television Media Major CSDs ($MM) Coke Pepsi Mountain Dew Sprite Dr. Pepper 7-Up Surge 1990 $157.4 $129.8 $ 12.9 1991 $139.9 $141.3 $ 20.0 1992 $168.1 $137.8 $ 25.9 1993 $131.1 $144.0 $ 29.1 1994 $161.5 $120.6 $ 30.3 1995 $124.7 $133.1 $ 38.3 1996 $199.8 $ 98.1 $ 40.4 1997 $156.8 $133.1 $ 43.1 1998 $140.4 $140.5 $ 50.3 1999 $167.7 $165.9 $ 45.0 2000 (Est.) $208.3 $159.6 $ 55.9 $ 32.0 $ 32.2 $ 38.8 $ 0.0 $ 36.1 $ 49.3 $ 37.4 $ 0.0 $ 27.5 $ 50.1 $ 23.7 $ 0.0 $ 26.9 $ 52.8 $ 29.4 $ 0.0 $ 36.0 $ 61.5 $ 27.3 $ 0.0 $ 54.6 $ 65.4 $ 23.2 $ 0.0 $ 57.9 $ 67.9 $ 33.1 $ 0.0 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 69.9 $102.4 $ 38.7 $ 19.6 $ 87.7 $106.8 $ 45.1 $ 0.2 Source: Competitive Media Reports 60.6 81.0 38.7 15.5 56.2 86.8 27.0 21.0 502-040 Exhibit 3 Mountain Dew Brand Communications Strategies (1993-1999) Objective 1993-94 1995 -13- Increase awareness and trial of Mountain Dew Distinguish Mt. Dew within the competitive environment through contemporary communication of the trademark’s distinct, historical positioning Strategy Target You can have the most thrilling, exciting, daring experience but it will never compete with the experience of a Mt. Dew Male teens/young adults You can have the most thrilling, exciting, daring experience but it will never compete with the experience of a Mt. Dew Bull’s eye: 18 yr. old leading edge male Executional Direction -Distinct campaign with Dew equity consistency -Leverage â€Å"full tilt taste† and â€Å"rush† as point of difference Broad: 12-29 year olds -Shift to a unified trademark focus modeled after â€Å"Do Diet Dew† -Explore outdoor settings -Predominant male, mid-20’s casting -Preserve balance between â€Å"outlandish† and â€Å"realistic† actions/sports 1996 1997 Optimize Dew’s positioning equity among the target in a highly relevant and contemporary manner (You can have the most thrilling, exciting, daring experience but†¦) there’s nothing more intense than slamming a Mt. Dew Bull’s eye: 18 yr. old leading edge male Optimize Dew’s positioning equity among the target in a highly relevant and contemporary manner (You can have the most thrilling, exciting, daring experience but†¦) there’s nothing more intense than slamming a Mt. Dew Bull’s eye: 18 yr. old leading edge male Associate Mt. Dew with thrilling and exhilarating adventures in a light-hearted manner Bull’s eye: 18 yr. old leading edge male -Strengthen brand perceptions among AA Broad: 12-29 year olds Broad: 12-29 year olds -Bring â€Å"Do the Dew† trademark campaign to the next level -Continue â€Å"Do the Dew† trademark campaign and encompass the Mt. Dew experience -Encourage product trial where familiarity is low 1998 Build badge value and authentic, true Icon status for Mt. Dew in the world of youth-targeted consumer goods Broad: 12-29 male/female -Evolve the â€Å"Do the Dew† campaign against core target with fresh and relevant copy -Develop ethnically-targeted â€Å"crossappeal† spot -Enhance product perception 1999 Optimize relevance of Dew’s positioning among the target Associate Mt. Dew with the exhilarating intensity of life’s most exciting, fun adventures Male Teens (16 yr. old epicenter) Develop pool of â€Å"Do the Dew† executions -Invite teen girls while continuing as male CSD -Explore other metaphors beyond alternative sports to express â€Å"exhilarating intensity† -Maintain cross-over appeal among 2039 year olds -One execution should have AA/urban relevance -Communicate quenching -Inclusion of water-greenery elements not mandatory Source: PepsiCo 502-040 Exhibit 4 Mountain Dew Brand Development Index Map Source: BBDO New York -14- 502-040 Exhibit 5a Spectra Lifestyle Analysis MOUNTAIN DEW CONSUMPTION INDEX LIFESTAGE SPECTRA LIFESTYLE 18-34 W/Kids 18-34 W/O Kids 35-54 W/Kids 35-54 W/O Kids 55-64 65+ Total Lifestyle Upscale Suburbs 82 77 101 56 45 13 64 Traditional Families 118 121 160 79 42 35 96 Mid Upscale Suburbs 101 111 108 71 64 18 66 Metro Elite 139 85 141 47 47 21 72 Working Class Towns 237 139 242 121 67 42 139 Rural Towns & Farms 225 153 212 141 91 39 140 Mid Urban Melting Pot 148 104 97 52 49 31 74 Downscale Rural 309 142 291 127 87 43 158 Downscale Urban 99 98 107 73 55 32 76 Total Lifestage 171 112 165 83 61 31 100 Source: AC Nielsen Product Library 11/97 to 11/99 -15- 502-040 Exhibit 5b Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative Lifestyle Glossary Lifestyle Glossary Upscale Suburbs â€Å"The American Dream†, a nice house in a nice suburban neighborhood. College-educated executives and professionals who index high on travel, eating out, playing golf, going to health clubs, buying imported cars, watching/reading business and news. Low African-American and Hispanic. High income. Traditional Families Like Upscale Suburbs, but lower socio-economic level. Mix of lower level administrators and professionals with well-paid blue-collar. Index high on: gardening, DIY home improvement, driving SUVs, camping, classic rock, sports radio. Low African-American and Hispanic. Mid-high income. Mid/Upscale Suburbs Live in first-generation suburbs that are now part of the urban fringe. Lower income than Traditional Families, but more college-educated and white collar. Index high on: baseball fans, casino gambling, using internet, attending live theatre, reading science and technology, listening/watching news. Low African-American and Hispanic. Mid-high income. Metro Elite Younger and more urban, college-educated, ethnically diverse. Very attuned to new fashions. Geographically mobile. Index high on: health clubs, bars and night clubs, fashion magazines, VH-1, music, film, computers. Middle income. Working Class Towns Well paid blue collar families living in suburbs of smaller cities. Index high on: auto racing, fishing, hunting, country music, camping, televised sports. Own trucks or minivans. Low African-American and Hispanic. Middle income. Rural Towns & Farms Small towns mostly in the middle of the country, dominated by blue-collar and agricultural work. Index high on: rodeos, fishing, woodworking, chewing tobacco, wrestling, camping, country music, TV movies, USA and TNN channels. Don’t read magazines and newspapers. Low African-American. Lower income. Mid Urban Melting Pot Urban multi-ethnic neighborhoods. Old European ethnic enclaves and new Asian immigrants, mixed with African-American and Hispanic neighborhoods. Index high on: menthol cigarettes, dance music, boxing, pro basketball, lottery, Home Shopping Network, heavy TV viewing, urban contemporary radio. Lower income, low college, service industries. Downscale Rural Poor rural areas in Appalachia, throughout the South, and the Plains States. This socially conservative and religious area is sometimes called â€Å"the bible belt:† While indexing high African-American, these are very segregated neighborhoods with little racial mixing. Lowest on education, occupation, income, housing. Index high on: trucks, chewing tobacco, belonging to veteran’s club, target shooting, tractor pulls, country music, fishing and hunting., daytime drama TV programs. Downscale Urban Same socioeconomic profile as Downscale Rural but very different cultural profile, more similar to Mid-Urban Melting Pot. Mostly African-American and Hispanic urban neighborhoods. Source: AC Nielsen Product Library 11/97 to 11/99 16 502-040 Exhibit 6a Brand Imagery – Mountain Dew Product Imagery *Too sweet Most entertaining ads Fun to drink Intense experience Lots of flavor When need energy boost In mood for something different *At a sporting event User Imagery (54%) Psychographic Imagery Adventurous Wild Active Daring *Courageous Exciting Free-spirited Rebellious Spontaneous Athletic Youthful Cool Hip *Out-going (Someone you’d spend time with) Source: BBDO New York -17- 502-040 Exhibit 6b Brand Imagery – Surge Product Imagery *Can’t relate to ads *Low quality product *Not always available Unique Intense experience *Tastes artificial When need energy boost In mood for something different Source: BBDO New York User Imagery (49%) Psychographic Imagery Wild Rebellious Daring Adventurous Active Up-to-date Athletic *Trendy Youthful *Leading-edge Exciting Spontaneous Individualistic *Powerful Hip In style -18- 502-040 Exhibit 6c Brand Imagery – 7 Up Product Imagery *Least fattening Lowest calories Low in sodium *Too little flavor *Not sweet enough *Not filling *Healthy/good for you Most refreshing Source: BBDO New York User Imagery (48%) Psychographic Imagery Sensitive Relaxed Peaceful *Healthy Feminine Kind *Nurturing (Nice) (Loyal) (Cooperative) -19- 502-040 Exhibit 6d Brand Imagery – Sprite Product Imagery Lowest calories Most refreshing *Thirst quenching *Goes down easy Low in sodium In a nice restaurant *After exercise/sports (In the evening) (In the morning) Imagery (56%) Psychographic Imagery Feminine Sensitive Peaceful *Nice Relaxed Free-spirited *Cooperative *Friendly *Happy Kind (Innovative)

Listening awareness between a Man and Woman Essay

It’s a learning experience to discuss communication variances between men and woman, but society must also forget, even for a brief moment that, â€Å"Men are from Mars, Woman are from Venus†. Everyone shouldn’t ponder how a woman or men would act, without knowing the self-esteem factors of listening can do. Don’t we ponder why woman are so easily give up in asking for directions, while men tend to not give up easily and try find there way out of an unknown town. Currently, society is just the beginning to understand the true differences between men and women. Besides the obvious physiological differentiations, there are also differences in the way men and women think, speak, behave and sharing listening factor variances that will help guide the way women and men can help communicate without it having any effect on one’s self-esteem. Non-verbal communication, because actions may sometimes speak louder than words â€Å" Women are more spontaneously emotionally expressive yet also have less ability in controlling their emotions, while men are more direct minded and straight to the point† (Jeff Thompson, Psychology Today Article). Body language is becoming for as a significance tool to identify any mixed signals, warning signs or welcoming behaviors between a man a woman, and this can lead to a low or high self-stem as well. Such as, people are enjoying more quiet moments, and just using welcoming body language or positive non-verbal communication, and simply the other person would listen by responding back with a sincere smile, hug, etc. Another aspect of non-verbal communication, it can send of the varied vibes of male dominance, men tend to have a more closed approach, while woman will show more affiliate body movement and response to a non-verbal reaction. Listening with reactions, and no verbal can leave men and woman having a dissimilar outlook, such as when woman touch there self’s too much, it may be identified as flirting, while the woman is seeing the man as squeamish or impatient. To say you are listening would be reinforced by eye contact and position of the body, facial expressions is a huge key factor for listening nonverbal communication. Therefore, nonverbal communication is important to resolving conflict, enjoying each other’s company, meaningful conversation and increasing trust between a man and woman. Another listening skills that will help improve men and woman self-esteem is active listening. Active listening will help improve empathy, build trust, and teach a person listen as much as he or she would speak during conversations. â€Å" Unfortunately, most people focus more on the speaking than they do on the listening† (Susan Cross, Psychology Today Article). If a women or man were to sit back an listen to what is happening, they would learn more and be able to think of a greater and responsive answer in a conversation that is happening. The problem that most people have is becoming a poor listener, because they are not actively listening or fully engulfing what is happening around they, and will is not only be perceived as rude but that they miss out on important knowledge of any given conversation, speech, for both sexes. Active listening is becoming extinct; because of modern day technology of social media is becoming more and more of a distraction. Using active listening, it will help a person understand any speaker, because the more that is being heard, the more the person and respond and reflect how the other person will be feeling. Active listening involves sensing, processing, and responding in empathic ways. Sensing, the man or woman would be able to take all that he or she is hearing and dissect a great response. Processing, is putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and responding after the active listening is to show a non-verbal response, giving a clue to the speaker that active listening is happening. In other word’s, men and woman alike should defiantly wait before they speak, a moment too soon may seem rude, not responding will leave a bitter reaction to the other person, so listen wisely with open ears and mind. A countless tool for men and women to comprehend, and learning what may affect the outcome of any given outcome, is reflective listening. For example, with active listening being used through text messages, emails, social media than a modern day phone call, reflective listening is becoming more critical to one’s communication. Various of incidents of miscommunication happens, because one person may not quietly understand a person’s reaction, were as reflective listening must be used to either help clarify what he or she is saying, or further create another question to have a more clarifying and direct response. â€Å"Empathy is surprisingly difficult to achieve. We all have a strong tendency to advise, tell, agree, or disagree from our own point of view.† ( Dalmar Fisher, Communications in Organization Article). Roughly, people want acceptance, and men tend not to reflect or show a response when accepting and agreement, and men also won’t show any acceptance when it’s disagreement. Woman will easily overuse emotions, rather it be acceptance of positive or negative news. Both sides should lean towards personal and reflective stories, than what is impersonal, distant or may push the opposing person away. If a woman or man can’t fully understand what the speaker is saying, just reiterate and clarify what just happened, verses driving the speaker with questions and turning the speaker into the listener. Reflecting listening, both sides will be able to show acceptance and empathy, not with indifference, cold objectivity, or fake actions that can lower the speaker’s or person dignity. Possibly the most significant, the reflective listener will try and respond to feelings, and not just to content, but with feelings. The speaker, rather is be a man or woman is often not looking for the solution of the surface problem, but rather for a way to deal with the emotional ramifications, and when it come’s to knowing how to communicate with a man or woman’s self-esteem, were all human beings. The outcome of non-verbal communication, active listening and reflective listening with men and woman will cause relationships to develop and learn to accept empathy, increase trust with one another. Having both sides listening, it is encouraging for both sides to discover and solve problems easier; people automatically believe they are naturally born listeners. Both men and woman, ten to listen for what we want to listen, than really listen to what the speaker is saying. Great relationships, rather is be friendship, spouses, workplace are only happening with knowing what good listening skills can be brought to all ends of the table. Communications is a key factor when it comes to listening between a man a woman, if it doesn’t happen or it’s built up between both sides, it would eventually fall apart and unable to rebuild. For both sides to appreciate what is current, and with woman that tend to hold on to past, just learn from it, rather than holding on to a distant memory. Furthermore, listening does build’s lifelong foundation between people, the foundation just needs to be up kept, and for both sides to speak up, but not forgetting to listen.

Volkswagen has said it will cut investment by 1 Essays - Transport

Volkswagen has said it will cut investment by 1 Essays - Transport Volkswagen has said it will cut investment by 1bn ($1.1bn; 750m) a year as a result of the diesel emissions scandal. The troubled German carmaker said efficiency and technology would be the company's watchwords as it "repositioned itself for the future". It added that all new diesel cars would be fitted with the "best environmental technology". There will also be greater focus on hybrid and electric vehicles. " We are becoming more efficient, we are giving our product range and our core technologies a new focus, and we are creating room for forward-looking technologies by speeding up the efficiency programme ," said VW's Dr Herbert Diess . The carmaker said it would now be fitting the kinds of clean diesel technologies needed to meet stricter US standards across all its cars in both the US and Europe. It also revealed that its flagship Phaeton model would in the future be purely electric, capable of driving long distances on a single charge. Analysis: Theo Leggett, BBC business correspondent It's no surprise VW is cutting investment. It is facing potentially huge fines, class action lawsuits and possible criminal penalties, in the US and quite possibly other countries as well. The 6.5bn it has set aside to cover the costs of the emissions scandal is unlikely to be anywhere near enough. The company now says it will only use "the best environmental technology" in its diesel cars. In practice, this means abandoning so-called 'lean NOx traps' in favour of more complex and more expensive urea injection technology. A cynic might say it should have done that much sooner. So now VW will focus on developing electric cars and plug-in hybrids, using standard parts and processes that can be rolled out across different types of vehicles and different brands. It's fair to say the industry as a whole is moving in this direction anyway. Even so, Volkswagen's change of course does look rather like a scandal-induced handbrake turn.

Short - Causes of the Boer Wars essays

Short - Causes of the Boer Wars essays There were significant political conflicts between the two sides. The Boers treated all blacks very badly and did not give basic human rights even to the blacks working for them. They made them pay taxes but could not vote. It was said to be through religious reasons that the Boers treated blacks so badly. This awful treatment infuriated the British, who had abolished slavery in all its colonies as well as at home in 1834. The Dutch wanted to keep its slaves. Europeans working in the Boer territories were also mistreated. These Uitlanders as they were known were key to the Boers economic success, yet were still denied the vote. The war occurred also because of strategic reasons. The British had already seized Swaziland, Bechuanaland and Basutoland, which more or less surrounded the Boers who feared that if the British took any more territory, they could be under siege, particularly if their route to the sea was blocked. The British wanted to control all of Southern Africa, not just small areas that were isolated the Boers were their main opponents. There were economic issues involved in the war. The Boers took control of the Transvaal and set up the Orange Free State. They found gold in the Transvaal and this area became very rich indeed. Later diamonds were found in this area as well, and there was argument between the British and Boers over in which nations territory they lay. Certain individuals had a major role in provoking the war. Cecil Rhodes was probably the most ambitious of Britains leaders abroad. He was a real imperialist, and strove to expand the British Empire further, especially through his dream of a Cape Colony to Cairo railway. He was strongly anti-Boer, and his actions seemed to shape British policy back at home. Also highly influential was Sir Alfred Milner, who was the British High Commissioner and was also strongly anti-Boer. He ...

Adverse vs. Averse

Adverse vs. Averse Adverse vs. Averse Adverse vs. Averse By Mark Nichol Adverse and averse share the root verse, which stems from the Latin term vertere, meaning â€Å"to turn.† But their meanings are distinct and, taken literally, antonymic: Adverse, from the Latin word adversus (â€Å"turned toward, facing†), means â€Å"antagonistic†; the original term conjures of image of confrontation. Averse, meanwhile, comes from aversus (â€Å"turned away†) and means â€Å"strongly disinclined† or â€Å"strongly unfavorable to.† Other forms of adverse are adversary, meaning â€Å"opponent,† and adversity, referring to the quality of opposition. Adversary is also an adjective, but, perhaps because of confusion with the noun form of that word, adversarial came to prevail in that usage. Avert, meanwhile, is related to averse and means â€Å"to turn away, to avoid.† (Veer, though it has the same meaning, is unrelated; it’s from a Germanic word meaning â€Å"to slacken.†) A whole family of other words with the verse root exist: Converse means â€Å"the exact opposite† and has the noun and verb form convert, meaning â€Å"someone who turns† and â€Å"to turn,† respectively, and the noun form conversion, referring to the act of converting. Converse also means â€Å"to speak with someone† (to â€Å"turn† speech) and leads to the adjective conversant and the noun conversation. (The latter used to also mean â€Å"living together† or â€Å"having sexual relations.†) Diverse, originally divers, means â€Å"distinct† and is the parent of diversity, divergent, divert, and diversion. Extrovert, which means â€Å"turned outward,† is mirrored by the antonym introvert. (These also serve as noun forms.) Inverse means â€Å"turn about† or â€Å"turn over† and has the verb form invert and the noun form inversion. Obverse, meaning â€Å"turned toward,† is the opposite of reverse, â€Å"turned away,† which, unlike the more rarely used obverse, has a noun form, too: reversal. Perverse, which means â€Å"turned away (from what is correct),† has the noun forms pervert, for a person, and perversion, for the quality. Transverse means â€Å"turned across† (the rare noun form is transversal), and traverse means â€Å"to pass across.† Versus also ultimately derives from vertere by way of, well, versus. (The Old English suffix -weard, from which we derive -ward seen in toward, forward, and so on is akin to versus.) Other related words include verse (from the idea of â€Å"turning† from one line of verse to another), versed (â€Å"knowledgeable† literally, â€Å"one who knows verses,† with the connotation of one who â€Å"turns over† a subject of study), and versify, or â€Å"write verse.† Anniversary, meanwhile, literally means â€Å"year turning,† and universe, originally meaning â€Å"all together,† is derived from the words for â€Å"one† and â€Å"turn.† University, referring to a place of learning, stems from the idea of â€Å"whole,† with the connotation of â€Å"community.† (Varsity, an alteration of a shortening of university, denotes the primary group of athletes in any sport who represent a university or other school.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with225 Foreign Phrases to Inspire YouAffect vs. Effect

Identify and Explain foreign subsidiary transactions and how Essay

Identify and Explain foreign subsidiary transactions and how determination of functional currency affects group profit for Qantas - Essay Example 2) Maintenance and overhauling cost of each subsidiary is shown in their financial statement as opposed to financial statement of parents. Each subsidiary is likely to incur this cost based on their need for maintenance. This is also based on the underlying principle of matching concept whereby each subsidiary (JETSAR) recognizes the revenue it earns from freight and air passengers it is necessary to match the maintenance cost incurred against the revenue earned. Qantas Ltd cannot undertake the transaction as this would result in bearing expenses for revenue that has not been earned by the parent company. 3) External segment tours and travel revenue of Jetstar would be recorded in the subsidiaries books of account (Qantas, 2010). This is the revenue that does not contain any inter group transaction (that are automatically eliminated in the consolidated statements) but rather pertains to sales made to external customers (Hodge, 2009). This segment is not targeted by Qantas Limited and revenue arises as a result of operations conducted by Jetstar Pacific. The business reason for this transaction not being undertaken by Qantas Ltd is that Jetstar is essentially targeting its flight at different routes in order to maximize cost saving for the entire group such as undertaking the route to New Zealand. The revenue principally arises as a result of operations undertaken by Jetstar and thus are recorded in subsidiaries books. The functional currency is defined as the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates (Hodge, 2009). If the functional currency of the subsidiary of Qantas Limited is Australian dollar (AUD) then the subsidiaries financial statements would involve the statement of Assets and liabilities, revenue and income in the Australian dollar only. If the subsidiary has a functional currency other than the Australian dollar for example the American dollar

Differeng approaches to Strategic HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Differeng approaches to Strategic HRM - Essay Example This implies that people (employees) form key components of an organisation development intervention. Thematic Analysis As presented in this case study, the Company "cockpit for you" is struggling with multiple problems, which it has to solve in order to achieve its short-term and long-term objectives. The thematic areas that have negative influence on the company should be critically considered by the management in formulating the strategic policies. This is core in organizational development because, if the influences emanating from the thematic areas are not addressed properly, the company risk loosing the targets it sets to achieve. In this regard, the areas include the following. First, restructuring of a company is not easy since the company has to spend a lot of money in consulting for the best option that it should adopt. Moreover, the situation becomes worse if the restructuring is hurriedly done without formulating and following the procedure (Armstrong 2006, p. 27). Consid ering the latest restructuring measures in the company, the modes of operation and employee relations changed, prompting the workers and management to adjust to the new production system. The alterations also led to changes in the company’s niche market, which affected the overall sales of the products in the market due to stiff competition. The little competition that the company experiences also influences the operations in the organization. This is because limited competition reduces the probability of engaging in creativity and innovation in the production and the delivery of services (Houldsworth & Jirasinghe 2006, p. 77). In fact, it is mainly through competitive business practices, which could enable the workers innovate new ways of manufacturing its products. Lack of healthy competition seemed to promote monopoly in the production of goods in the company and could lead to price fluctuation (Blyton & Turnbull 2006, p. 102). The other area that has negative influence on the organization is the fact that it has a bad reputation as an employer compared to the others operating in the region. For instance, it pays its workers poor salaries, making it less attractive to employees and job seekers. This problem of poor pay for the employees reduces their motivation, thereby interfering with the production of quality goods and low returns due to poor sales (Houldsworth & Jirasinghe 2006, p. 79). Currently, many people are attracted to quality products that guarantee them better utilities and value for their money. As pointed out in the case, the company is still very marked, and owner-initiative and creativity of the employees are not valued or even blocked. This aspect is very detrimental to the success of the organization because the practice limits the workers’ participation in decision making (Blyton & Turnbull 2006, p. 108). An employee whose ideas are valued would be motivated to propose for better means of production and service delivery, th us being able to contribute positively in an attempt to fulfil the company goals. In the organization, there was a corporate culture that the employees and the management identified with (Legge 2005, p. 105). Essentially, it is the organizational culture that defines the relationship among the workers, management and stakeholders and the attitude towards work (Cole 2006, p. 32). Since the existing corporate culture

Web search (see instruct) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Web search (see instruct) - Essay Example Research has shown a number of curriculum models as effective. Creative curriculum is an approach, which is based on theory and research of understanding how children learn (teachingstrategies.com). It focuses on hands on child-centred approach with creativity being the keyword. In a class when children are told a story about ships in oceans, instead of imagining the scene they are taught and encouraged to set their boats in water. This is an example of creative curriculum in place during the classroom instruction. On the other hand, bank street curriculum focuses on building interaction among students and inculcating a sense of community feeling and social responsibility in them (bankstreet.edu). The activities are designed to turn children into social individuals who care for and work for the well being of others. The attempt is to acquaint the children with the physical world, which is taught through playing with blocks, paint, clay, water etc. The prospect of making children work together for instance by getting them to work with blocks, paves way for social interaction and also builds their association with the outside world. The Montessori method believes in exploring, self-study and focuses more on preparing the environment than the child. (michealolaf.net) It is not the teacher who educates the child but the environment and peers around him. Hence the teacher must prepare and adapt to the environment in order to develop the learning opportunity for the child. Yet another interesting feature is that the class size is relatively larger than other classes thereby increasing the scope for independent learning. According to the approach, when a child is left in a room with other children and educational materials for company, the learning is more than through conscious effort. This curricular model can be applied in class by setting a time for such an activity. This method has been hugely successful, as research shows profound effect on

The Important of the Immigrants in the USA Essay

The Important of the Immigrants in the USA - Essay Example The actions of immigrants to reach United States in the modern world have come to be derided and admired in equal measure but this has not deterred immigrants from putting in the effort to get to this country because they believe that they can have better lives within it (Foner & Fredrickson 2005, p.46). Those who deride immigration, whether legal or illegal, often do not take into account that it is immigrants who help in the development of a large chunk of the economy as well as its society and political scene so that America has become a unique and diverse society. Most of the immigrants to United States in the eighteenth century tended to come from northern Europe specifically Germany, Britain, Netherlands, and Scandinavian countries. These immigrants often came to this US to take advantage of the opportunities available and start their life afresh. The immigration that took place between the mid eighteenth century and the first half of nineteenth century was as a result of the agrarian revolution in Europe which forced many peasants out of their land, which they had worked for generations (Evans, 2001). As a result, many of them came to United States because it held the promise of significant land holdings, as well as work in its growing and developing cities. Those immigrants who came to United States after 1850 were predominantly of eastern European origin as well as of Irish descent. While the former often came to United States to escape the almost unceasing state of conflict and poverty that affected their homelands, the Irish immigrated mainly because of the potato famine that hit Ireland during this period. Most of these immigrants to United States from Eastern Europe were illiterate and often ended up working menial jobs in cities as New York and Chicago in order to make ends meet. From mid-20th century, immigrants ceased being predominantly from Europe and instead from across the world, as many individuals wanted to come to

Proposals for any topic in banking managment Essay

Proposals for any topic in banking managment - Essay Example All these funds are to be deployed in various avenues considering the risk and return factors. These avenues are, however, not alike in their returns. The assets, such as cash in hand, money at call and short notice, are held as per the liquidity requirements, and the return on these funds is almost zero, except money at call and short notice. Investments under Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) serve the purpose of liquidity as well as income. (Alberto and Lapuz, 2005, 7)The rate of return on such investments should be adequate enough to cover financial and operating costs. Further, lending is a significant area of employment of funds in terms of size of funds involved as well as quantum of revenue generated. However, it carries a high degree of credit risk. In addition, banks also use a portion of their funds for creating their business infrastructure, which facilitates an enabling environment to conduct business and generate income. Efficient management of funds essentially includes raising of funds and their use in the manner that generates revenues sufficient to meet the operational as well as financial costs and contributes a reasonable return on capital. Thus, the objective of earning profits shall be fulfilled by an appropriate design of funds management on sound commercial principles.

Medical Malpractice in the Death of Mrs. Hoover Case Study

Medical Malpractice in the Death of Mrs. Hoover - Case Study Example In order for it to be considered a criminal case, the defendant's actions must be considered to be so grossly negligent that it was with willful and malicious intent that they committed the act that lead them to trial. Specifically, ""That degree of negligence or carelessness which is denominated as gross, and which constitutes such a departure from what would be the conduct of an ordinarily careful and prudent manas to furnish evidence of that indifference to consequences which in some offenses takes the place of criminal intent."24 or "Negligence, to be criminal, must be reckless and wanton (Monico 1)". The type of tort that is appropriate for this case is malpractice. This is clearly a case of malpractice because the defendant acted outside her Scope of Practice. According to the Federation of State Medical Boards, "Scope of practice define s those health care services a physician or other health care practitioner is authorized to perform by virtue of professional license, registration, or certification. Health care professionals' scopes of practice sometimes overlap reflecting shared competencies (Federation of State Medical Boards, 2005)". As a Medical Assistant, Smith acted outside her scope of practice as a Medical Assistant as defined by her State's laws and medical direction. A Medical Assistant may only order, obtain and provide medications with a Doctor's Written Orders (Buppert 1). In order to have avoided this situation completely, Smith could have chosen to remain within her scope of practice as a Medical Assistant. Smith could have advised Hoover to seek the care of another medical professional, or, if necessary, call for an ambulance or report to a hospital emergency room. Due to the fact that Hoover was in so much pain, Smith could have contacted an ambulance or a hospital for Hoover so that she could receive immediate medical care. The Doctrine of Respondeat Superior dictates that Dr. Jones can be held liable in this situation. Specifically, Respondeat Superior can be used when "it is determined that the medical provider exercised control over the negligent provider's means and methods of work (Regan 1)". As Smith's superior, Dr. Jones worked closely with Smith close enough to the point where she knew the exact medication that his patients receive. Dr. Jones is explicitly responsible for the actions of his employees and the occurrences within his office, and probably has multiple forms of insurance for situations like this. However, Respondeat Superior can prevail in this case because Smith ordered the prescription as if Dr. Jones had ordered it, leading the patient to believe that she was truly being prescribed this medication by her doctor. The Good Samaritan Law may not apply in this case. In general, the Good Samaritan Law's intent is to release the legal liability of an average person, including licensed medical professionals, who provide emergency care to a person experiencing a sudden medical emergency. The only exceptions to this case are actions that are considered to be criminal or grossly negligent. The Good Samaritan Law also does not change the scope of practice for those people who are performing as, or have identified themselves as, a medical professional while rendering emergency medical care. To cite the State of Georgia's Good Samaritan Law, "Nothing in this Code section shall be

Proposals for any topic in banking managment Essay

Proposals for any topic in banking managment - Essay Example All these funds are to be deployed in various avenues considering the risk and return factors. These avenues are, however, not alike in their returns. The assets, such as cash in hand, money at call and short notice, are held as per the liquidity requirements, and the return on these funds is almost zero, except money at call and short notice. Investments under Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) serve the purpose of liquidity as well as income. (Alberto and Lapuz, 2005, 7)The rate of return on such investments should be adequate enough to cover financial and operating costs. Further, lending is a significant area of employment of funds in terms of size of funds involved as well as quantum of revenue generated. However, it carries a high degree of credit risk. In addition, banks also use a portion of their funds for creating their business infrastructure, which facilitates an enabling environment to conduct business and generate income. Efficient management of funds essentially includes raising of funds and their use in the manner that generates revenues sufficient to meet the operational as well as financial costs and contributes a reasonable return on capital. Thus, the objective of earning profits shall be fulfilled by an appropriate design of funds management on sound commercial principles.

The Five Kingdoms of Organism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Five Kingdoms of Organism - Term Paper Example Some organisms have the ability to produce their food via photosynthesis. The organisms found under Kingdom Monera are very small. The organisms in Monera do not have chloroplasts or any of the other well-known organelles. Typically, organisms in this kingdom are very tiny. A good example of an organism classified in Kingdom Monera is the blue, green algae, which looks like algae. Kingdom Monera can be divided into Eubacteria and Archaebacteria. Eubacteria refers to a group of bacteria that have simple cells and rigid cells walls. Most of the bacteria use flagella for locomotion. Eubacteria incudes cyanobacteria and true bacteria. On the other hand, Archaebacteria refers to simple living organisms that have the same size as bacteria but are different to bacteria in terms of molecular organization. It among the largest Kingdoms in the classification of living things because of the abundance of plants. Kingdom Plantae is made of all plant species that exist on planet earth. The classification has been made based on their similarities and differences (Black 263). The organisms found in Kingdom Plantae are all eukaryotes. They have all the organelles and a nuclear membrane. They have chloroplasts, which are essential for photosynthesis. Most organisms are autotrophs while a few are both autotrophs and heterotrophs. They are primary food producers in the food chain. Plant cells have cells walls that are mainly made of cellulose. They can grow via cell division. Plants possess a developed vascular transport system. They possess organs and organ system. They can defend attacks from fungi and animals. Plants lack motility. They are not mobile, which means the cannot change locations via self-induced movement. The following is a typical plant cell. The organisms in Kingdom Plantae have been divided further into classes based on the presence of a vascular tissue,

Erick Ericksons Stages of Development Essay Example for Free

Erick Ericksons Stages of Development Essay Erick Erickson was a German psychoanalyst. His interest in identity was developed from his personal experiences he had at school. One of the main elements of his stage theory, which are known as Erikson’s Stages of Development, is the development of ego identity. Ego identity is the sense of connection or belonging between a person and a particular social religion, political group, value, sexual orientation, and so on. He believed that our ego identity changed constantly due to new experiences or different interactions you have with people daily. To explain his ideas more clearly he organized life into eight stages that start from birth to death, According to the theory if you complete each stage you will have a healthy personality and feel a sense of satisfaction with yourself. If you fail to complete each or an individual stage it can result in having an unhealthy personality or a bad self-esteem. Each stage has two outcomes. The first four stages occur in childhood, the next four are at adulthood. Since adulthood includes too many years he divided them into adolescence, middle adulthood, and seniors or maturity. The stages of development are: trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. hame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. identity diffusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, and integrity vs. despair. The fifth stage of development, identity versus identity diffusion, occurs in adolescence, which includes teens from ages 12 to 18. In this stage, adolescents discover who they really are. They begin to know what their role in gender is, what their role in society is, discover their strengths, weaknesses, and make goals. In order to accomplish this stage adolescents need to explore different identities and commit to one or try to â€Å"fit in†. I think that it is very obvious when you see a teenager in this stage because one day you might see them with a group of friends that are athletic and dressed in jerseys, running shoes and so on, then later you might see them with a group of Goths who dress in black. Deciding whether you will attend college or just go to a vocational school, and simply finding what you want to become in the future, or study is also a part of your identity, even religion and political views are part of finding out who you really are. It is a complicated process but that is why you need to mature to make the correct choices. You need the encouragement and reinforcement of your loved ones to help you. If you fail to accomplish this stage you have what is called an identity crisis or also known as a diffusion which means you are not committed to an occupation, a religion, or your cultural identity. This is considered to be a normal problem in a teenager’s life. There is a solution to this problem because but you explore the different identities and decide which one appeals to your life style and you commit to it, you are ready to move on to the next stage and be an independent adult. Erickson’s fifth stage is influenced from James Marcia identity statuses, which are, identity diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and identity achieved. Marcia’s ideas will help you better understand the importance of Erickson’s stages of development. Identity diffusion refers to when there is neither an identity crisis nor commitment. Identity achieved is when the person has gone through an exploration of different identities and made a commitment to one. Moratorium is the status in which the teen is currently in a crisis, while exploring a variety of identities and is ready to make choices but not ready to commit to one. Last is foreclosure which is when the adolescent is committed to an identity but they commit to an identity because it has been handed to them. These are not stages but rather a process to finding an identity. So how does this stage affect you personality? A teen who has answered the question â€Å"Who am I? †, and â€Å"Where will I go later in life†, learn fidelity. Fidelity is being loyal to a person, cause, or belief. Devotion is also learned through this stage. Devotion is defined as love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. You also become a more social person and do well with social relationships. Those who receive proper encouragement and reinforcement when exploring will move on to the next stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence and control. Being independent is admitting you did wrong, being able to think for yourself, you also learn how to take care of yourself. We need independence in order to survive. A teen learns to be true to themselves. The other outcome to this is stage, not finding who you are, can make you confused about your role in society, and cause you to have a weak self-esteem. You can also be an insecure individual who feels lost in the world. A person that has identified diffusion may be described as disorganized, complicated, and somewhat unethical. Finding your identity is a process full of anxiety, but it is very normal for a teen to go through all this trouble. A lot of the choices you make at this point in life are influenced by your peers. This is the time of age when you get the most peer pressure, you begin to rebel against your parents, and begin to explore your role as a men or women. I believe the process might be different for a female compared to a male. So the purpose of finding an identity is to know who you are, what you want in life, and what you want to become, to be an independent individual with a strong sense of self, who knows how to develop social relationships. People will begin to look at you different when you develop an identity, and they can treat you more serious, and more like an adult.