The Gender Recognition Act Is it welcome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

The Gender Recognition Act Is it welcome - Essay Example An analysis of the reasons why transsexuals feel that they were born in the wrong gender or why they feel the need to change to the opposite gender will also be covered. This will include looking at the way society reacts to those who have undergone gender reassignment or are about to undergo such treatment, as well as the way in which society treats those who have chosen to live as the opposite sex without having the surgical procedure. Often transsexuals face ridicule from family and friends and society as a whole tends to mock those that are either in the process of changing gender or have fully undergone the transition. The study will look at the change in attitudes over the last few decades to establish whether transsexuals are more readily accepted then previously or whether they are still ostracised and ridiculed and held up as objects of scorn. To give a full picture of how transsexuals are treated the study will divide society into different age groups and classes to establish whether people of a younger generation are more accepting of transsexualism as well as whether class also plays a part the acceptance or non-acceptance of transsexuals. The study will conclude with an in depth analysis of whether the Gender Recognition Act is a welcome piece of legislation. This will take account of the attitudes of those who have undergone the transition as well as those who have chosen to live as the opposite gender without having gender reassignment and compare their views of the Act with society as a whole. There will be a discussion centred on those who feel that the Act is necessary and those that are totally opposed to the Act. It will also cover the reasons why these groups are either for or against the Act and will answer the topic posed of whether the Act is welcome. Modern diagnosis of transsexualism began in the 19th century after a study conducted by a

Argument analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Argument analysis - Essay Example Throughout the book Lewis uses very persuasive and precise arguments to make his case. At the beginning of Chapter Two, Lewis examines the problem of pain. The argument is based on some contradictory premises: 1. Because God is good and all powerful, he would want to create a good world 2. The world is not good 3. God is therefore either not good or not all powerful Lewis examines these premises throughout Chapter two and decides the issue is more nuanced. Words like â€Å"omnipotence† are problematic, as is the word â€Å"goodness.† Our words and terms do not really fit God, in all his glory. We cannot be expected to understand the mysterious ways of the universe, Lewis argues. Essentially this is an argument about faith. Lewis seems to be saying: If you don't really understand things, just trust the priests to understand it for you. These premises rely on a number of logical leaps that Lewis uses throughout his argument. For example, he looks back over history and con cludes that religious feeling has always been with us. From the dawn of humanity people have believed in something larger than themselves. At first their knowledge of these phenomena was far from perfect and they mistook all sort of occurrences as signs of divine power. Now nothing is more certain than that man, from a very early period, began to believe that the universe was haunted by spirits . . . It is therefore theoretically possible that there was a time when men regarded these spirits simply as dangerous and felt towards them just as they felt towards tigers. What is certain is that now, at any rate, the numinous experience exists and that if we start from ourselves we can trace it a long way back (15). This is an interesting observation, but it would have been best to explore what a numinous experience really is. Is it an actually transaction with the supernatural? Or is it something physiological? Without an understanding about the reality of mystical experiences it is hard to go much further with this. There are for example, studies which suggest the commonly observed phenomenon in near-death experiences—a white light at a tunnel—is a physiological reaction that can be replicated by cutting off oxygen to the brain. Is this too a numinous experience? He asks us to expand on our definitions of goodness and omnipotence while narrowing the possible explanations for phenomena in the world. Indeed, as Lewis explains: The problem of pain is a problem about the order of the universe. As Lewis puts it, Christianity is not a solution to the problem, but in fact brings the problem into question as it promises something better than pain: â€Å"for pain would be no problem unless, side by side with our daily experience of this painful world, we had received what we think a good assurance that ultimate reality is righteous and loving† (21). So how has Christianity promised any of this? Those who believe pain dominates all, argue that it cannot and that it is a sham. But Lewis does not believe this. The argument Lewis makes can be generalized by saying that humans do have a power over their lives and are not part of a clockwork universe. They choose how to live and who to obey. If they wish to turn their backs on God and ignore him they are entirely capable of doing so. If they wish to behave in a bad manner and injure their fellows and disrespect authority, again they can do so. But this will not make them happy or fulfil them in any way. They have

Coca Cola New Product Analysis

Coca Cola New Product Analysis The Coca-Cola Companys core undertaking is to benefit and refresh everyone it reaches. Founded in 1886, we are the worlds leading manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, which are used to produce nearly 400 beverage brands that make up for our wide portfolio. Our corporate headquarters are established in Atlanta, and we are holding local operations in over 200 countries around the world. Our activities cover all sectors of the beverage industry. We are the second leading player in functional and Asian specialty drinks, while ranking number one in value for the ready-to-drink tea sector (ref.1, p.1). description of the new product, strategic role in the future position of the company Bubble Buzz will be a bottled beverage and will be positioned as the only ready-to-drink Bubble Tea product available on the market. The beverage will have a green tea base with enhanced fruit flavors (passion fruit, strawberry and lime) as well as tapioca pearls. It will bring an entirely unique drinking experience to its consumers. It will present itself as a funky and unusual alternative to traditional tea while providing the great taste of authentic fruit juice in an attractive and convenient packaging. The strategic role of Bubble Buzz for The Coca-Cola Company is centered around three objectives: To stay at the forefront as the market leader in innovative product introductions and successful product launches; To strengthen and satisfy the needs of the more adventurous Generation Y consumers with a new eye-catching and functional product. To become the market leader in the functional drinks segment with increased market shares. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Consumption: The sales volume for the functional drinks segment (ref. D2) in UK has reached $342.2 millions in 2004 for a volume of 125.9 million liters (ref.2). This product segment has shown a steady growth since 1999: an increase of 13.5% over a period of 6 years (Appendix A). The consumption rate per capita in 2004 has reached 3.94 liters, which represents a 4.0% increase compared to 1999 .The growth of this particular market is largely due to a slow shift in consumer trends. Trends: Through the early 1960s, soft drinks were synonymous with colas in the mind of consumers. In the 1980s and 1990s, however, other beverages (from bottled water to tea) became more popular. Coca-Cola and Pepsi responded by expanding their offerings through alliances (e.g. Coke Nestea) and acquisitions (e.g. Coke Minute Maid), but also by focusing efforts on portfolio diversification. Today, while the soft drink industrys value has increased in 2004, the volume sales of carbonated soft drinks has declined due to a large proportion of consumers who are opting for the trend towards healthier alternatives in the functional drink segment (energy drinks, smoothies, milk juice drinks, sports drinks) as well as bottled juices and water .Companies have been actively engaged in new product developments in order to counter the growing concerns about negative health impacts of high-fructose drinks, but also to increase the demand in a market where product offerings are quickly maturing .New flavor introductions and health-conscious formulations have been launched in an attempt to offset the decline in carbonated soft drink sales .The functional market is expected to show sustained growth and consumer interest in the future years as cons umption shifts to trendier, healthier and more sophisticated products . SWOT ANALYSIS (Strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats) Strengths Brand strength Effective stride in new markets Results of operations Strong existing distribution channels Weaknesses Reliant upon line extensions Reliant upon particular carbonated drinks Brand dilution Entrance into difficult non-core categories Saturation of carbonated soft drink segment Opportunities New product introductions Brand is attractive to global partners Strong competition Threats Potential health issues Free trade STRENGTHS Brand strength The Coca-Cola Company is the largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups in the world. The Coca-Cola brand is unarguably one of the most recognizable brands in the 200 countries where it sells its products. The strong brand name is one of the basis for the companys competitive advantage on several of its core markets. Effective strides in new markets Coca-Cola has partnered with several companies (such as the joint venture with Nestlà ©) in order to increase the ability to react to demands and changes in the markets of iced tea, coffee and juices. The developing markets are more complex than the carbonated soft drinks. Results of operations In 2004, net-operating revenues totaled approximately $21.9 billion, an 8% increase from 2002. Gross profit totaled $14.3 billion in 2004. The company generated $5,968 million from its operating activities and re-invests heavily into its business. The ability to generate significant cash flows is one of the its key strengths (ref.16). Strong existing distribution channels Coca-Cola has operations worldwide and is well established in its distribution channels (such as store retailers or vending machines). Therefore, a new product launch can typically rely on the existing distribution system in order to reach the majority of its target market while requiring no major supply / delivery developments. WEAKNESSES Relying upon line extensions Coca-Cola is relying on brand extensions increase sales in specific lines, particularly its long-time carbonated soft drink products (i.e. the introduction of Vanilla Coke helped maintain sales for the core Cola beverages). However, there is a strong risk of cannibalizing existing sales in the long term (for example, Bubble Tea might deter on sales for iced tea). Reliant upon particular carbonated drinks The long-time presence of Coca-Colas Coke beverage has established this particular line as a flagship product. While the core Coke products bring a solid base of sales and loyalty to the company, consumers expectations also become more and more anchored and single-lined, taking away freedom in the areas of line diversification and product modifications (taste, packaging, price). Brand dilution The tremendous amount of existing brands and new product being introduced by the company could diminish the value and differentiating strength of each product that is being manufactured. Entrance into difficult non-core categories The Coca-Cola Company is a truly global multinational business giant. While some categories of products are distributed in many areas of the globe (Coke, Powerade, etc.), geographical needs already require that these global brands are heavily adapted to their target region. Furthermore, many smaller and diversified product lines are more or less popular in one particular region over another. Therefore, the process of diversifying the production and marketing each product involves costly investments. These capital requirements typically increase as the product becomes heavily focused (for example, since the Coca-Cola brand is highly recognizable worldwide, marketing a bottle of Coke in Japan would be less difficult than marketing a bottle of Qoo in that same country Qoo being a lesser-known non-carbonated drink which was one of Coca-Colas newest brand introduction in 1999). Saturation of carbonated soft drink segment Due to the countless number of brands available on the market, it becomes increasingly difficult in the soft drinks segment to innovate and create new products that genuinely stand out from their competition. And as we have seen, an analysis of the industry has shown that growth in the soft drinks market becomes difficult and challenging when the conditions and consumer trends cause a market demand that stays stagnant. OPPORTUNITIES New product introductions The functional drinks market is one that particularly allows more innovation opportunities and gives greater freedom for creativity in the design, production, manufacturing, distribution, promotion and retailing choices and processes. Brand is attractive to global partners Because of the companys size (including value, brand name and operating revenues) and wide portfolio base, Coca-Cola enjoys a strong purchasing power over its suppliers, and also attracts large partnerships with various levels of consumer reach (e.g. Burger King, movie studio promotions, sponsorship agreements, etc.). Existing brand awareness also provides an international playing field for powerful marketing strategies. THREATS Strong competition Coca-Cola is competing in a global market that is characterized by an oligopoly between several (but few in numbers) competitors. The fight for market shares and sales in crowded markets becomes a complex one. Potential health issues The current trend of consumer and consumers groups awareness towards goods and services is both beneficial and threatening for companies in the food and beverages industry. Over the last few years, concerns over health issues have risen in the media through an expanded and ever-growing network of knowledge outputs (journals, TV channels, internet and so on). The move of the younger generation towards a healthier lifestyle call for careful planning and decision-making in new product developments. Large companies can also easily become the target of consumers apprehension. Free trade In an era of globalization, large international competitors can come out with comparative advantages (the constant fight to remain the first mover and market leader in a long-term spectrum). Issues arise when dealing with price competition and economic growth. Trade organizations are also faced with public pressure which can disrupt operations in one or more areas of the company. TARGET MARKET Segment identification: RTD (Ready-to-drink) bottled Bubble Tea, to be established within the Functional Drinks sector Segment needs: The product will cater to both physiological needs (hydrating and nutritional value) and social needs (perception of a social, fun drink with a sense of belonging within peer consumer groups) (ref.11, p.127). Segment trends: The current trends include a shift away from junk foods and carbonated drinks, a growing interest for healthier / beneficial products for the mind and body (ref. 10), the trend towards the availability of on-the-go products for those with an active lifestyle, as well as the trend for personalization through customization (or for beverages, through variety-seeking in a wide introduction of flavours ref.6). Segment growth potential: Statistical reports anticipate a segment growth of 1.72% over the next 9 years (2015) for the 10-29 years old subsets (ref.12). Refer to Appendix E. Size of the segment (population): 8,688,300 (329,600 L). Refer to Appendix E. Positioning strategy: The only RTD bottled bubble tea available. Funky eye-catching bottle, functional packaging, premium-priced, cool, new and unusual, unique drinking experience, aspects of play (tapioca pearls, oversized colored straw), variety of flavors, sweet, refreshing, for hip young people, healthier alternative to heavy-sugar drinks. The objectives of the marketing plan are strategically centered around 3 criteria: to create a strong consumer awareness towards a completely new bubble tea product from Coca-Cola, to establish a wide brand recognition through the capture of market shares in the functional drinks segment, and to become the top market leader in that particular segment within the forecasted sales figures. PRODUCT STRATEGY The core Bubble Tea beverage in a pre-bottled, ready-to-drink format. The actual product Packaging and labeling: see figure below Branding: colorful, aspect of play, round shaped, prominent Bubble Buzz logo written in modern font, catchphrases such as Think outside the Bubble and Get Your Buzz. Trade name: Bubble Buzzà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, a Coca-Cola product Brand personality: energy, funky, cool, functional, original, funny, healthy, etc. Brand equity: Coca-Cola provides a quality, consistent, innovative and accessible soft drink reputation. Augmented product Nutritional information, Status (social drink), Features promoting the website, Health benefit of a green tea base (ref.17) Marketing considerations Product life cycle: Bubble Buzz is a low-learning product. With a strong marketing campaign, sales [will] begin immediately and the benefits of the purchase are readily understood (ref.11, p.301). Since Bubble Buzz is prone to product imitation, Coca-Colas strategy is to broaden distribution quickly, which is currently feasible thanks to the companys high manufacturing capacity. Product class: Food beverage à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   Soft Drinks à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   Functional Drinks (refer to Appendix D2 for a break-down of the functional drinks market). Bubble Buzz follows the practice of product modification (ref.11, p.304): Coca-Cola is introducing an existing beverage (bubble tea) but redefines the drink with a new, more convenient package. Bubble Tea will now become a widely available drink in multiple retailing (distribution) channels. PRICE STRATEGY The price strategy that will be undertaken should consider the following aspects: Consumer demand The product lifecycle Potential substitutes Customer demand Customer demand is a crucial factor which is driven by tastes, income and availability of others similar products at a different price (mentioned later in the potential substitutes section). For a lot of consumers, value and price are highly related: the higher the price, the higher the value. Consequently, Coca-Colas intention to position Bubble Buzz as a unique, innovative and attractive product gives it a certain control over Bubble Buzz price. To be able to implement higher pricing though, the minimization of the non-monetary costs to customers should also be include along with awareness of the product (notably by advertising) and value (benefits) . The product lifecycle The company should take advantage also to the fact that the newer the product and the earlier in its lifecycle the higher the price can usually be. It ensures a high profit margin as the early adopters buy the product and the firm seeks to recoup development costs quickly and it also brings a certain prestige to the product. Potential substitutes Coca-Cola is constrained by the monopolistic market in which it competes. The main characteristic however is product differentiation. Other constraints (See Appendix M) PROMOTION STRATEGY Objectives: To initiate strong awareness about the launch of Bubble Buzz throughout Generation Y (10-29 years old) consumers as well as their parents. To win market shares over our top functional drinks competitor, PepsiCo. Message: The promotional outputs will convey the clear message that Bubble Buzz is a healthy drink for sporty and young people who simply enjoy taking care of their body and life. Concepts: Think outside the bubble: Be Bold, Be Original, Be Different, Be Yourself. A good spirit in a good body. For the out-of-the-ordinary individuals who like to challenge themselves. Media selection: Before choosing the appropriate medias, it is important to note that Generation Y consumers only give partial attention to media. However, they can be reached through integrated programs. They are typically using more than one communication media at a time; a behaviour that is often called multitasking. This group of consumers doesnt give its full attention to one single message, but rather uses continuous partial attention to scan the media. Marketers can still communicate with Generation Y by using a variety of targeted promotional tools. Another important tactic to reach our target market is through Viral or Buzz marketing, which Coca-Cola will heavily use in this campaign (campus, contests). Advertising: Refer to APPENDIX H for detailed explanations Output Examples Television MTV, Much Music, VrakTV, YTV Radio MIX96, CKOI 96.9, 94.7 FM, Universities Magazines For girls: Cosmo, Elle For boys: Sports Illustrated (or Kids edition) Internet Banners on select websites (gaming, sports, etc.) Official promotional website: www.BubbleBuzz.ca Outdoors Billboards and prints in select areas including: Campuses, transportation (bus, metro, stations) Tourist areas in high seasonal periods Outskirts of key cities in geographical reach Others Not relevant Personal selling Direct contact with retailers, sales kit strategies to be explained later in the text. Public relations Stands or special displays and events in schools, malls, sports events (i.e. 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games), sponsorship activities Publicity Conferences, press releases (print and online), buzz marketing through TV coverage Promotional Mix: Consumer oriented: Contests: Win another Bubble Buzz flavour, Uncover a secret code underneath the bottle cap and win sporting goods and electronics by logging on the website, Win a trip for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. (Arguments: It will increase consumer purchases and encourage consumer involvement with the product). Samples: distributed in supermarkets, school/universities. Samples are a way to avoid product resistance since people are not used to find bubbles in their drinks. Arguments: It will encourage new product purchases and it represents low risk for consumers since they get it for free. They have nothing to loose by trying it. Point-of-purchase: in supermarkets (to reach the parents of generation Y). Arguments: It is also a mean to increase product trial and provides a good product visibility. Others: In subsequent years, engage in product placement in TV shows or movies. Trade oriented: Allowances and discounts: case allowance (Arguments: The free goods approach will be used so it can encourage retailers to buy more of the product to get a certain amount for free). Cooperative advertising: to encourage retailers to buy our product and to maintain our high level of advertisement that consumers expect from Coca-Cola. Other considerations: Scheduling of the advertising: Pulse scheduling (promotional presence year-round, but emphasized and intensified before and during summer). IMC (integrated marketing communication) Target Audience: Intermediary: personal selling will be more often used Ultimate consumer: Coca-Cola will use more of mass media because the amount of potential buyers is large. PLACE (DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY) Bubble Buzz will be distributed through these channels: supermarkets, convenience stores, independent food stores, discount stores, multiple grocers, vending machines, direct sales. China is the target country were going to expand our product. Reasons: With a total population of 1,313,015,000 in the end of 2005 and 327,714,000 in our target market (age 10 to 25 years old), compared with the total population of Canada304,453 million, there definitely is a great potential worth to work on. absolute expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages is expected to increase from 1,777 billion in 2005 to 2,154 billion in 2010 (though the proportion of consumer expenditure on this part is decreasing from 28.39% to 25.75% ) Soft drinks industry is one of the fast growing industries in China, especially fruit/vegetable juice, RTD tea, and Asian speciality drinks and bottled water have shown a sharp increase during 1998 to 2003. Bubble tea was originated in Taiwan. Soon after its introduction in China, it became one of the most popular beverages sold in tea stores on the streets due to the similar taste and similar cultural background. So, it is a good chance for us to enter into this market. Since we are the top sponsor for the upcoming Beijing Olympic in 2008. With more opportunities to expose to the public, it is going to benefit our sale there. Our entry-strategy for entering China is through licensing. Reasons: We have already provided licenses for manufacturing our products in China (licensing the bottlers and supply them with our syrup required for producing). Therefore, added in one or two more products in our production chain would not be that difficult. It is relatively low risk when compared with direct investment there. It is low cost to export our new products there since we can maintain lower labour cost and lower material cost if we produce our products locally, especially in China. Changes to be made: Price: Price sold in China is going to change to accommodate the local desire. As we set our price sold in Canada $2.00. Compared to the price sold in the bubble tea store ($ 3.50), it is about 57.14%. So, with the information we gathered from the tea store in China  [1]  , the price sold there would be 57.14% of what sold in the tea store$12 Yuen in China currency. Then, it would be around $7 Yuen, about CAD$1  [2]  . Naming the product: In order to be recognized and accepted more easily for the local market, we need not only translate our product name but also make sure theres not hidden unintended meaning that would damage our product. Develop other flavours that would attract the local market: Since milk based bubble tea sell better in China, we will add in this product line. Also, we will avoid using too many artificial colors as they are not appreciated as much as in Canada. Moreover, people in China are becoming more and more health concerned, especially the amount of sugar and additives added in the drinks. We will make some changes in the ingredients used to appeal the local market, i.e. less sugary drinks. Promotion: In contrast to the radio ads in Canada, we will use more TV and Web advertisement there due to the highly exposed environment in China. Also, we will put more emphasis on the ads on the public transportation such as underground/subway system and bus service due to the more frequent use of the public transport service there. Also, since the outdoor display screen is quite popular in big cities, we will also take advantage of it

Chinese Immigrants :: essays research papers

Chinese Immigrants lived in really poor conditions. Small rooms were packed full of 20 to 30 immigrants. Rats and mice were everywhere, and catching diseases were often and deadly. Since there were no good vaccinations, many died from diseases caught from their workers. Sometimes the dirt would be inches high. Living in these conditions would be very harsh, yet still more and more immigrants from China came to mine and work on the railroad. The Chinese played a very important, yet dangerous job building the railroads. They would be lowered in small buckets down cliff faces to stick explosives in the side of the cliff, then be brought back up. Many people died from either galling off ledges or being blown up, and it was sick and sad to watch your friend being blown up. The Chinese were willing to do this because it was basically the only thing that they could do. Discrimination against them was high, so they wanted to do something that they would not be made fun of doing. They were willing to work for low pay, since even as low as their salary would be, it would still be more than they got paid in China, because of overcrowding and the Civil War. I think that Chinese railroad workers were definitely exploited by the owners. With very low wages, and poor working conditions, I don’t see why the Chinese put up with that. The owners didn’t really care for them like they did for white people. Also, the owners convinced the Chinese that work would be safe, saying that nobody would get hurt. This made them feel better about dangerous jobs, but after many deaths, the immigrants found out that it was not safe at all. "Whereas,...California and pacific coast having proved that...The Chinese and their competition with free white labor is one of the greatest evils...Therefore be it Resolved, that we rid this monstrous evil by urging the United States congress the necessity of... prohibiting the immigration of Chinese.

Krispy Kreme Essay

Krispy Kreme has been in the doughnut business for over 64 years and has been a specialty retailer for doughnuts from the very beginning. Krispy Kreme implements a differentiation strategy, attempting to distinguish their donuts based on taste, quality and simplicity. The company’s goal since its infancy has been to satisfy customers by providing a unique experience. This bold strategy has differentiated them from their competition and created a competitive advantage. Customers are allowed to see how the doughnuts are made through the Doughnut Theatre then served the newly baked treats hot and fresh. The bright neon light that shines from every Krispy Kreme location reads â€Å"Hot Doughnuts Now,† is one of Krispy Kreme’s key marketing strategies. When this sign is lit up, customers know that they will get fresh doughnuts that have just been made. Krispy Kreme provides Code of Ethics which covers a wide range of business practices and procedures. It focuses on recognizing, dealing and reporting any ethical issues. Krispy Kreme’s commitment to social responsibility shines through their fundraising program, which offers three different ways of raising profit for your school or organization. Krispy Kreme has assisted non-profit organizations raise over 46 million through fundraising. Although Krispy Kreme has many competitive advantages, it has its disadvantages as well. The first is the extremely unhealthy nature of its products. By the time a person takes the first bite of their second Krispy Kreme donut, they have already exceeded the USDA’s recommended fat intake for the entire day. This is sure to turn off all consumers who have health concerns or are watching their weight. The second disadvantage is the single product concept and the lack of variety of Krispy Kreme products. Historical success for quick service type products revenue growth is slowest among any restaurant type. The product is not a necessity in hard times and external environmental conditions could hurt consumer’s willingness to buy. Krispy Kreme will encounter many indirect and direct challenges as it continues to increase its market share across the globe. Recent improvements  in IT have reduced mistakes in distribution and lowered the amount of computer malfunctions, but there is still room for improvement. Krispy Kreme will have to continue to supply the baking technology to their new factory stores which will be costly. Communication, along with the distribution of production technology and needed ingredients to each individual store can be difficult. Preserving order will be possible only through identifying certain technologies that will assist in the process of distribution and communication. With the recent upgrades, the employees must be able to operate the new technology without experiencing problems that could damage consumer confidence in the company. Another challenge to Krispy Kreme is the lack of publicity through advertisements. Krispy Kreme depends solely on name recognition and reputation of its business. By choosing to not spend its money on commercials, they risk the chance of having no recognition in certain areas. Moreover, McDonald has a great relationship with its younger consumer base though its mascot and Starbucks has worked out deals with Barnes and Noble to have its coffee shops located inside the bookstore. This way people do not just have to get their coffee and leave, they can relax and read at the same time. Krispy Kreme offers none of these benefits. One of the major problems in their current strategy is that they do not have different approaches in their marketing at all. They do not factor in age or demographics in their methods. No matter what area Krispy Kreme is located, everything will be exactly the same. Finally, growth may cause Krispy Kreme to become less attractive as they become more mainstream. Krispy Kreme may want to slow their growth in location to maintain the authenticity and exclusiveness associated with high quality products. As a universal product and a global brand Krispy Kreme considers its market as truly anyone and anywhere. This concept allows the company to move ahead with their proved business model in all markets. Although some markets will  be more successful than others, in my opinion Canada will emerge as the success story for Krispy Kreme. The Canadian market is more accustomed to the idea of having a donut as breakfast or a snack item versus other foreign markets. Although Canada has Tim Hortons as a popular donut shop, Tim Hortons is not famous for their donuts. Moreover, Canada is similar to the U.S. market in terms of demographics and this will play a great role in its success. References 1. Lamars Donuts News. October 25, 2002. http://www.lamars.com (05/20/04) 2. Krispy Kreme Homepage. http://www.krispykreme.com (05/21/04) 3. â€Å"Case Study: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts†. Corechange. (05/20/04) 4. â€Å"Krispy Kreme Announces store†¦Ã¢â‚¬  October 31, 2002. PR News Wire. http://www.prnewswire.com (05/20/04) 5. â€Å"Krispy Kreme word-of-mouth tactics†¦Ã¢â‚¬  October 21, 2002 Brandweek. V43.p9 (05/20/04) 6. www.moneycentral.com (05/21/04) 7. Miller, Beth. â€Å"The New Doughnut Dynamic†. St. Louis Business Journal (05/20/04)

Kfc strategic brand managemnt Essay

The fast food industry in Malaysia is saturated with players such as McDonalds, KFC, Wendy’s, Chili’s, Nandos and the like. The industry is relatively large in terms of the participating brands in fast food business. Fast food business is categorised according to the food served as well as their facilities and locations. There are restaurants selling specifically burgers, pizzas or only chicken, Mexican cuisine and many others. According the location, some restaurants are drive-ins whereas others provide in house catering as well as off premises catering.The market of the fast food business is stratified, but all in all inclusive of all groups of the society. As observed in many restaurants, they provide meals even for children, hence allowing all ages to enjoy their meals from the restaurants. Fast food business enjoys a high level of prominence in Malaysia as the trend of home cooking is currently on the fade, and the intertwinement of a busy life, promotes the fast foods as the reliable and available sources of food during breakfast, lunch and dinners. Moreover, the eating habits of Malaysians give a good breeding ground for the fast food industry to flourish as people are fond of food and eateries have become places where business deals are concluded as well as assignments completed, for instance Starbucks. As per this year, it is projected that the sales of this industry will jump up according with the increase of tourism as it is the proclaimed year of tourism; this will eventually see, the increment in revenues collected by the fast food restaurants as the tourists will add up to the current population in Malaysia. 1.2COMPANY OVERV IEW This study focuses on the brand of KFC or otherwise as known as Kentucky Fried Chicken. This is an international brand that hosts a large number of franchisees all over the world. KFC started in USA, and slowly infiltrated the rest of the world with its premier tasting chicken. In Malaysia, this brand started its operations in 1973; it has sustained a healthy growth over the years with many outlets being opened all around. With the introduction of ‘Meals on Wheels’, customers are able to be delivered food upon orders made through the internet or by the phone. The fast food business is very competitive as there is a stiff competition in securing market. The plenty number of fast food makes the competition even higher and harder, moreover,  it is not easy for newer businesses to penetrate especially if such a business does not do so with innovation. KFC has enjoyed recognition and surely it is a major brand. However with all the fame, KFC struggles with loyalty from customers. Customer loyalty is the tendency of customers having a strong purchase relationship with the business. Loyal customers are those who maintain purchases with the particular brand regardless of any changes. Customer loyalty can be expresses in two ways; either as a behaviour or the number of times that a customer comes back to purchase from the same brand. The increase of competition may be attributed as one of the causes that lead the decrease of loyalty. This is because the market is flooded with any options which a customer may be able to choose from. Moreover, innovative strategies and more value added service to purchases tend to decrease loyalty. The perception of service value is an important factor that builds or destroys loyalty. It has been an area where many brands have been concentrating on in order to keep in phase with the on-going competition. KFC has attempted to revise its menu and incorporate new stuff that will make its brand more adorable to customers. Initially, KFC has been centred on its 11 spiced recipe of chicken. The core product I KFC is its fried chicken; over time, the brand has added burgers, pokkits, rice and potatoes to its menu so as to improve the menu by diversifying what they offer. 1.3BRAND A brand is termed as an identification of a particular product or service that is specifically different from other product. The study of brand equity and its management produces loyalty from customers that is highly associated with satisfaction. Brand equity that takes a customer centered approach enables the easy creation and maintenance of loyalty. Brand equity, as explained by Keller consists of brand salience, performance, imagery, judgement, feeling and brand resonance. Keller portrayed the composition of brand equity in a form of a pyramid where brand salience forms the base and brand resonance is at the apex of the pyramid. 1.4SALIENCE This is at the base of the pyramid, and in fact it is the foundation of a brand. This depicts the extent that a customer considers your brand during purchase. It deals with the situation whether your brand is recognisable or  even well thought of by customers. for the success of any brand, there is a need of having a strong salience amongst customers, as this wil affect the chances of your brand being sold or even adored by customers. KFC fares reasonably well with salience, as its products carry much recognition as well as they is generally accepted by the market. This is evident by the fact the chicken meals served there as it is distinguished for only selling amazingly tasting chicken. Brand salience consists of brand awareness and brand associations. Brand awareness is defined as the extent to which a product is recognised and recalled. Brand associations are the connotations that surround the product. As explained above, salience forms the base of brand management that eventua lly leads to loyalty and satisfaction. If at all a company lacks or has minimal salience, it is highly likely that it shall face much challenges to sustain its existence. 1.5PERFORMANCE Performance is on the second tier of the brand equity pyramid. After the establishment of the brand identity in the salient base of the pyramid, next is the performance and imagery. To further mark a distinction of a product from another, there is a need to highlight or show how the product performs, albeit its functions or in what way does it satisfy the need and desires of customers. Brand performance highlights its relevancy, value and service of the product. In terms of KFC, the performance is at the capacity of a meals restaurant where each meal is value added to allow the customers to enjoy partaking their meals. However, in the performance of the service, many flaws are identified in KFC that may amount to the decline in loyalty. Apart from the rich flavours of the food as expected, the service given is usually below expectation. There are usually long queues in the outlets as well as the level of tideness and cleanliness is a debatable issue. These factors give a low percepti on of the service given, hence a potential obstacle to customer loyalty. 1.6IMAGERY This term encompasses the image and personality of a brand. The image of the brand is what the brand projects or portrays to the customers whereas brand personality reflect on the values and visions that a product embraces. Actually, brand imagery is all about the definition of a brand. This is important as it describes the features and peculiarities tat are unique to  the brand alone. KFC attempts to project itself as a restaurant where a family can always have reliable means. On top of that, it has identified itself to be selling halal food; of which it is an added advantage with regards with the high number of population in the country consuming only halal foods. More so, it has identified itself as children-friendly by providing kiddies meal as well as areas where kids can host their birthday parties. In general, I has established itself to be a casual dining area where individuals can enjoy their meals in a relaxed manner. 1.7JUDGEMENTS These refer to the some of the responses from customers towards the products. This covers judgements in terms of action as well as spoken word on the product. Furtherly, judgements of the brand acts as a feedback mechanism to the brand by showing whether the customers as the sole market for the product are by any chance impressed with the products. KFC has been able to gather positive comments over te quality of service and the items on the menu, but there has been a slump in the feedback that has been received. Customers judge it as being an innovative compared to the other restaurants. This has pushed KFC to revise its menu items and introduce some tangible changes to the products, for instance the introduction of Zinger burger Reloaded, and in a bid to diversify their menu items, the introduction of more fish based meals in the menu. 1.8FEELINGS Feelings towards the brand work hand in hand with the judgements over the brand. This is more likely the satisfaction meter of a product amidst its customers. It addresses the potential feelings that are harboured by the customers to the product and the service altogether. The issue is whether it makes the customers feel all the positive feelings and emotions towards it. KFC is positively thought of by many customers as the meal is quite special in a way. Together with the corporate social responsibility program it has embarked on; the one of building homes for the homeless, the society does not repel it as it is a positive act. In addition to that, the number of employment it creates, alone, allows people to develop a positive outlook to it. 1.9RESONANCE Brand resonance is at the topmost part of the pyramid. It reflects the  relationship between the product and the customer. It expresses the level of attachment that a customer has to the product. More so, it points out the level of engagement the product yields on a customer. Brand resonance is measured in terms of its activity and intensity. The depth and extent of this engagement between the product and the customer result as the product of the salience, performance as well as the judgement and feelings bore by the customers to the brand. KFC seeks to maintain a high level of attachment of customers. However, it should be noted that, loyalty has a foundation in keeping the customers satisfied. The approval of the customer, in terms of the feedback from the customers help in the building of better channels where loyalty is groomed. 10.0RECOMMENDATIONS IMPROVEMENTS IN THE QUALITY OF SERVICE OFFERED. There is always room for improvement in terms of the services rendered by the company. The reluctance to improvements is costly. This is evident from the fact that retaining a customer is less costly compared to the conversion and recruiting new customers. With such knowledge, it is essential that operational activities are constantly under review as well as scrutinised for their performance. The review of feedback is necessary as it generally maps out the perception of the service by customers. Such improvements can be in the form of fast service provision as well as more levels of hygiene in the outlets. TRAINING OF STAFF in order to increase the responsive nature of the brand, there is a need to continuously train the staff of the company so that the product and services offered are distinguished from their high levels of credibility and performance; this is interpreted as good perception of the brand by the customers. KFC should implement the time to time checks and training to the employees to make sure the customers are attended to with utmost importance. BRAND MARKETING To improve on the loyalty of customers, it is suggested to reinforce the  marketing strategies undertaken by the company. Market strategies are based on the 4 Ps are Product, Price, Product and Promotion. An effective marketing mix will enable the brand to be positioned in an advantageous place. For the case of KFC, the brand manager may opt on placing more promotions and refining the product in order to better suit the wants of the customers. the marketing of the brand should aim at establishing satisfaction on the side of the customers so that loyalty can be promoted. INTRODUCTION OF DISCOUNT CARDS This suggestion directs to the introduction of cards or coupons that will offer discount upon purchase of the products. It may be a way of marketing, but it actually serves both purposes; marketing and loyalty in customers. These cards or coupon act like a link between the customers and the brand since the customers may view it as more economical sound to utilise the coupons or cards to purchase the same brand. In other sense, these cards give a sense of relation, making it fussy for customers to switch brands as they will consider this as the switching cost. FOCUS ON A REPEAT BUSINESS With the market competition set so high, it is crucial for a brand that seeks to maintain customer loyalty to gear the operational philosophy towards generating an atmosphere that encourage repeated purchases. The brand manager should focus every aspect of the brand to achieve this goal. This will help to maintain loyalty in customers as repeated transactions are highly encouraged. This can be in the form of giveaways, or free products when a certain number of purchases re made. For instance, KFC may offer free meal on the fifth visit to the restaurant. This helps in locking the customers in the restaurant. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT There is a need of assessment of the performance of the outlets in order to be able to raise the bar of standards higher, keeping in mind that satisfaction is key to customer loyalty. This assessment can be carried out by considering the comments of the customers s well as by assessing whether the key performance indicators are achieved in due time and thoroughly. In the scene of KFC, this is possible through the crosscheck and assessment of the outlets by putting a comments box where customers are free to leave comments with regards to the service they got. TEAMING UP WITH TRENDS The society at present is flooded with trends. This can be in the form of personalities, games or even movies. The teaming up with whatever is trending in the society puts the brand in a position where it hammers a competitive advantage over the market. For instance, McDonald’s is assured with loyalty from customers by the contract it as with te upcoming FIFA World Cup. KFC should follow suit with the sponsoring of a great event, and thus, it will also secure a great deal of allegiance from customers. CONCLUSION Customer loyalty is an advantage for a business because of two main things. First, loyalty asures increased revenues and sales and secondly, loyalty gives a prestigious feeling. Any flourishing business desires to be known by the population as well as attaining profits from the service rendered. KFC is a brand that is mature in the market hence, it has experienced times and times of revenues, however loyalty is slumping. The time is right for KFC to re-invent itself, not only on what meals they sell, but a wole change that will rejuvenate the business. This sort of changes aims to be innovative and strategic, and will target the operations of KFC as a brand. KFC should strive to have the competitiveness that is market wothy. References Garvin,D(1988),Managing quality: the strategic and competitive edge, Free Press, New York. Jacoby, J. & Chestnut, RW (1978), Brand Loyalty: Measurement and Management, John Wiley, New York. Loverlock, C. & Wirtz, J. (2004), Service Marketing, 5th edition, Pearson Education International, New York. Boulding, W. et al., (1993), â€Å"A dynamic process model of service quality: form expectations to behavioral intentions†, Journal of Marketing Research, Dyer, W., (2003) The Family: The Missing Variable in Organizational Research, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice, 27(4). Australian Oxford Dictionary, (2004), available at http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195517965.001.0001/m-en_au-msdict-00001-0051392 accessed on 12 April 2014 Huse, M. (2000) Boards of Directors in SMEs: A Review and Research Agenda, Entrepreneurship & Regional