Marketing Mix Essay

Introduction Companies today try their best to continue to keep up with the changes of services, products and technology. Companies rely on their abilities in marketing to keep consumers interested in their products and services. The success of a company may rely on the company’s marketing performance. Marketing planning starts by thinking of the targeted audience needs, strategies, and the development of the products and or service needed. Developing a marketing strategy will consist of the marketing mix. The marketing mix is â€Å"the strategic plan that defines the company’s overall mission and objectives†. (Armstrong & Kotler, 2011) Sprint will be used as an example as to how they implement the marketing mix to their company. Sprint’s overall mission and objective is â€Å"To be No. 1 in providing a simple, instant, enriching and productive customer experience†. (Sprint, 2012) The marketing mix includes the four Ps (elements) of marketing. The four Ps are product, place, pricing, and promotion. To better explain how the four Ps work in a company we will see how Sprint applies the four Ps to their company. Frist P Element: Products Sprint is constantly trying to keep up with the technology changes to ensure customer satisfaction. â€Å"Sprint is one of the premier wireless providers for smart phones in the US†. (Sprint, 2012) Sprint cells top of the line phones and phone services for residential customers as well as business customers. Sprint is not limited to just new products or service, but to enhance products or services that are already established as well. Marketer’s decisions on products are based on the nature of what the customer’s needs are. For Sprint to make sure they are listening to their customers and to know what their needs are they have blogs and chatting sessions on their website where everyone from customers to employees can share their comments, ideas, suggestions and opinions about improving products and services that are already established. Improvements can consist of phones to be able to handle more information or new technology added to the phones. Improvements can also be as simple as color or size. Decisions on products are also by the targeted customer (younger=texting abilities, older=tracking system for their children, oldest=being able to see the numbers on the key pad). Improvements may also be a wider range of service accessibility for fewer calls dropped. Second P Element: Place Where can Sprint be accessible to their targeted audience? Sprint makes themselves available through their website, kiosks in malls, as well as local Sprint stores. All places provide the phones and services needed. Not only regular customers are targeted, businesses are targeted as well. Sprint offers plans for businesses which provide packages which consist of several phones on one plan. The business plans are specifically designed to make it easier to conduct daily business transactions. The store supplies physical one-on-one people for those customers who prefer the person-to-person interaction. The store also provides a hands-on scenario where customers are free to look at the phones and see what they look, sound and feel like. The store provides a comfortable opportunity for the customers to make a personal educated choice. On the other hand, Sprint also provides their website. Sprint’s website provides a wider range of phone choices (new and used), wide range of services (phone service, wireless service, etc.) and for customers that need to ask question, Sprint provides online help (chat session, contact numbers, website links). The kiosk is just a convenience catcher. It is in a mall in hopes that a passing by customer will catch a glimpse of the products and be curious enough to stop, ask questions and possibly purchase a product on their way to another store. The store, website and kiosk are designed to give the customers all the tools and information needed to make the best choice for their personal or business needs. Sprint prides itself to making sure all their bases are covered and provides total accessibility to their customers in order to provide them with quick and convenient service available. In marketing a place is also known as the warehouse where, in this case, Sprint houses their phones for distribution so it is available for its customers. Third P Element: Pricing Pricing is a crucial part of the four Ps. Price is also considered a flexible marketing mix element. Marketers must consider the research, development, and services when pricing. In addition, marketers have to think about the how their company will price their products and services based on how much they will spend on fabrication and how competitors are pricing the same products and services. Customers are an important thought in the pricing process as well because they are the ones that are going to produce the revenue for the company. Marketers are also at the mercy of the economy; they will have to price low enough to get a good number of customers and gain a profit, but no low enough that they will get financially hurt in the process. Producing the right or good price for products and or services a company might have to consider redesigning products and services that may already exist. Sprint might offer better phones at a lower service plan or a better service with less expensive plan. Many times Sprint offers free phones to get new customers to purchase their service plan. Customers are given several options so that they do not feel like they are trapped picking a plan that does not accommodate their needs. Fourth P Element: Promotion The last element is promotion. â€Å"Promotion means activities that communicate the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it†.(Armstrong &Kotler, 2011) This element is the one that helps with enticing the customers to buy their products and services. Promotions are done in numerous ways. Ways of promotion may include, but are not limited to, deals, rebates, discounts and internet sales. â€Å"Deals are short-term price reductions, commonly used to increase trial among potential customers or to retaliate against a competitor’s action†. (Kerin, Hartley & Rudelius, 2011) Deals and discounts are a very common way of promotion. Almost all retailers use deals in order to bring in existing, as well as, new customers. Sprint sometimes will have deals where you can add a particular feature to your phone service; like texting. These deals go on for a particular amount of time just so you can try it for a discounted price in hopes to get you to purchas e the feature. One common promotion that Sprint offers is rebates. Sprint gives out rebate promotions on some of their phones. A rebate, for example, is when a phone is purchased and the company (like Sprint) is willing to give you a portion or all of the money you paid for the phone for using their service. You will not be able to buy a phone without the service in order to get the rebate. At times the rebate is given when trying a new phone that they are piloting. Internet promotions are another way of getting people to buy products and services. Although Sprint is over both the store and the websites, they were able to provide in store special promotions that customers were not able to receive online. The same went for their website; they were able to provide online specials that were not given in the store. Most of the time the promotions were on phones; customers were able to purchase phones with a special on service or customers were able to purchase phones that have been refurbished or used. These particular internet promotions were not available if the customer went to the store and said that they saw the promotion online and ask if the store would honor it. Unfortunately, the answer to the customer’s question would be no. Conclusion The four Ps serve as the four main parts of the marketing mix. As shown each one of them has an individual function. Each element is equally important on its own as well as a whole of the marketing mix. All of the elements are an effective part of a successful combination. The combination consists of reaching the customer’s needs and wants and the company’s ability to produce revenue and profits. The four P elements of the marketing mix is one of the most crucial parts of a company’s marketing today and it proves to be a bit complicated at times. At times, not all customers will be satisfied and the company might suffer a loss but the ultimate goal is to be successful by any means using the help of the four Ps. References Armstrong, G. & Kotler, P. (2011). Marketing: An Introduction. (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Kerin, R. A., Hartley, S. W. & Rudelius, W. (2011). Marketing (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGrawHill Sprint.com (2012) About Sprint. Retrieved on December 20, 2012 from http://www.sprint.com/about/

Examples of successful campaigns produced by big advertising agencies

When it comes to advertising, a small business is more likely to it in house due mainly to the fact that it is very expensive to get an advertising company to do it for you. Where as a small company does not the luxury of having a large advertising budget, they need to do it by the most effective means possible. Three examples of successful campaigns produced by big advertising agencies are: * The Marks & Spencer's â€Å"Magic & Sparkle† Christmas Adverts which were made by a firm called Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe. It was run up to and including Christmas Eve. These adverts put M&S back on the map for food and clothing, boosting their sales tremendously. The adverts include many famous celebrities including Twiggy and Shirley Bassey, all who reportedly got paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100,000 and above. * Halifax pioneered an innovative approach to bank adverts in 2000, when it allowed its staff to star in adverts, singing popular songs with the words changed to reflect financial services products. Halifax worker, Howard Brown is the regular star of the adverts. Following the merger with the Bank of Scotland, this practice has continued, with the Bank of Scotland also allowing its staff to take part. These adverts were made by a company called Roberts & Robertson, and it became very successful for them. * Sainsbury's is another company that has done well out of a recent campaign to promote them selves. Sainsbury's did this with their â€Å"Try something new today† campaign. They showed how they are now offering all sorts of new products in store that many people would not have tried or liked, but are now widely available. Their campaign's were organised by a company called Redbus, who did market research and found out what customers want from their food shops. There are many different types of media that companies use to get their message across. These are Television, Radio, Posters and Magazines / Newspapers. Magazines: * More colour pagers to give the viewer a more detailed image * Better Reproduction and quality of the printing * Longer copy deadlines as some are monthly etc. * Few regional editions, different areas will be interested in different things * Diversity of subject matter, there is almost a magazine for any subject matter so you can target the exact audience * Reach specific groups of people either by age or what they are interested in. * Sunday colour supplement, this free magazine is often jam packed with different adverts and promotions * Weekly women's magazines will mean if you have a specific product such as something to do with babies etc you can put it right in their face. * TV Guides often have a lot of space at the back filled with more information about Television programs so products / services can be linked in with this. * Carry adverts for a broad range of products / services * Low cost per thousand, it becomes a lot cheaper when you are making many thousand copies * Business publications given free to company executives * Kept for a reasonable amount of time, as they do not perish and are harder wearing than a newspaper etc. * The amount of magazines that people often browse at when sitting in waiting rooms. * There is no sound or movement. * You have to book and produce a month in advance. * Many have many pages of adverts so that they could get missed. Posters * Must be clear and quick to the point.. * Relatively cheap to produce and make. * Can be seen again and again. * Can be placed near the shop where the product / service is currently on offer. * Posters cabn have large impact due to the size and colour and the boldness of the print. * They are very popular with art directors to get their message across in a different and eye catching way. * They have to be printed and distributed way before the product / service is available so they need to be created and planned months in advance. * Can become damaged and damaged so they need to have a level of looking after. * The message cannot be complex as many people will not stop to read an advert specifically just glimpse at it. * Some people see poster adverts as anti-environment. Radio * It gives the listeners an opportunity to use their imagination. * You can reach listeners whilst they are doing other things such as driving etc. * They can be local, regional or national. * Very popular and worth while during â€Å"drive time† * Radio adverts are quick to produce. * Intensive medium, it will make people think of it, even though they may have been thinking of something completely different. * Listeners for certain radio stations may be low and not worth while. * It is very difficult to advertise food and clothing product by radio as people want a visual representation. * You can buy a package from many of the bigger radio stations for certain â€Å"spots† during the day. Cinema * The visual power of the adverts is very effective with the visual representation and the sound in a cinema. * It is the strongest medium of all as you are going to watch it anyway because you are sitting down waiting for the film to start and as it is on such a large scale straight in front of you. * Campaigns can be local or national as all of the adverts can be edited onto the beginning of films by the cinema itself. * Book / soundtrack commercials are very effective too advertise for the film at the beginning as they are about to watch the film and may be interested. * Audiences often will chat through the adverts. TV * Hundreds of thousands of people watch TV every day so there is an enormous market to show the product / service to. * Vivid colour and sound though a television, giving the viewer a good visual representation of the product / service. * BBC channels do not have advertisements in them so that will cut down the number of viewers. * There are many channels on Sky that are becoming very specific to certain interests etc, so you are able to advertise to the right audience. * Many people either turn over when the adverts come on, or more recently with the creation of Sky+ etc you can simply fast forward them and skip them completely.

Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths

ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? Graduate School of Business MARKETING MANAGEMENT 555 ASSIGNMENT 2 Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? Actual Count: 3624 (Excluding cover, contents and reference pages) Page 0 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Neural Correlates †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Ethics of Neuromarketing †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 Free will & Decision-making †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 CONCLUSION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 REFERENCES:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 Page 1 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Deb unking the Myths? INTRODUCTION Neuromarketing, argues Lee, Broderick, & Chamberlain (2007) is an emerging interdisciplinary field that combines economics, neuroscience and psychology, with Neuromarketing being term just six years ago says Smidts (2002). The goal of neuromarketing suggests Laybourne & Lewis, (2005) and Smidts (2002) is to study how the brain is physiologically affected by marketing strategies and advertising. Brain activity resulting from viewing an advertisement is monitored and measured using neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), as shown in Figure 1, and electroencephalography (EEG) is used in order to evaluate the Figure 1 fMRI Image effectiveness of these strategies (Laybourne & Lewis 2005). McClure et al (2004) says neuromarketing studies usually measure preference between products in terms of brand familiarity or product preference. As a viewer may hold a cognitive bias in traditional marketing studies, measures such as the product preference for a particular advertisement is sometimes difficult to measure argues Schaefer, Berens, Heinze, & Rotte (2006). Walter, Abler, Ciaramidaro, & Erk, (2005) suggest in neuromarketing studies, brand familiarity and product preference have been correlated with neural activity. Further, consumer protection groups and academics view the field of neuromarketing with caution due to the possible ethical implications of designing advertisements to intentionally cause specific neurological effects (Commercial Alert, 2003). Laybourne & Lewis (2005) and Smidts (2002) says functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) are intrinsic neuromarketing are neuroimaging techniques and comprise the neuroscience aspect of the field. fMRI requires a participant to lay on a bed, with their head located inside the ring of a scanner. Researchers can measure the neural activity throughout the brain in terms of blood flow via oxygen usage by monitoring the participant? s brain with fMRI. As a contrast for this technique researchers can also use EEG equipment as it is fairly portable and light. Using numerous electrodes that are placed on the articipant? s scalp in a Figure 2 Brain Cap Page 2 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? net-like fashion, as shown in Figure 2, EEGs can measure brain activity by assessing electrical activity at the scalp. Using both behavioural responses as well as neural activations Fugate (2007) says researchers are able to use neuroimaging to monitor and conduct marketing studies of the participant? s response. Fugate (2007) explains neuromarketing as being the process that involves asking subjects to perform experimental tasks and control tasks whilst being wired to various electronic devices. Researchers are able to compare differences in the images produced during the respective tasks as the devices generate instant, colourful images of a working brain. Researchers are then able to see what parts of the brain have responded to the stimuli used (Fugate 2007). Fugate (2007) describes the mechanics behind neuromarketing, as a revolution in the marketing, however, Fugate (2007) has overlooked some critical scientific concepts, specifically the corollary nature to neuromarketing research. Nneuromarketing as a concept suggests Smidts (2002) emerged prior to the word actually being used in 2002, despite suggestions otherwise. Many studies lacked the spatial resolution to make any useful claims as to the mechanisms behind effective and ineffective advertising techniques due to limitations of neuroimaging techniques conducted in the past few decades (Smidts 2002). An example argues Reeves, Lang, Thorson, and Rothschild (1989), is their claim that in an EEG study television scenes with negative content causes activation of the frontal portion of the right hemisphere while positive messages cause greater left hemisphere activity in the frontal region. It is important to note that as only four electrodes were used (in addition to the two reference electrodes) cortical arousal was only monitored in terms of frontal versus occipital (Reeves, Lang, Thorson, and Rothschild 1989). Now days, EEG systems are much more precise and often have up to 256 electrodes to monitor brain activity. Many other studies from the same time period by Krugman, (1971); Rothschild, Hyun, Reeves, Thorson, & Goldstein (1988); Rothschild & Hyun (1990); Weinstein, Appel, & Weinstein (1980) also employ „hemisphere? activations as key findings. Nonetheless, suggest Weinstein et al (1980) it is not the fact that earlier research in „neuromarketing? has been imprecise that is of greatest importance, but rather how quickly the field has evolved over the last few years. Page 3 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? Conditioning & Marketing Two methods are typically employed in neuromarketing research as means of evaluating an individual? s preference between products: product preference and brand familiarity. Product Preference Product preference comparisons involve two known brands or products, which is unlike brand familiarity. Walter et al. (2005) uses an example of male participants being asked to rate a car? s looks regardless of cost and practical requirements, given the choice between a high performance sports vehicle, a midsized vehicle and a small car. Participants ranked the sports car first, followed by the med-sized car, with the small car ranked last. Walter et al (2005) suggested the sports cars as a primary reinforcer for social dominance, representing independence, power and speed. In this example, the sports car acted as a secondary reward. Money or cultural goods are secondary rewards that reinforce behaviour only after prior learning, through associations with primary rewards (innate reinforcers including food, water, and sexual stimuli). The three main functions of rewards as outlined by Walter et al (2005) can: (a) induce positive effect, (b) induce learning via positive reinforcement, and (c) induce consuming behaviour for acquiring the reward. Sports cars are preferred, as seen from the study conducted by Walter et al (2005), as they correlate with primary rewards that we innately seek. They also represents characteristics that we perceive our culture values. Morgan et al (2002), as cited by Walter et al, (2005) say this study was also adapted from a previous study of dominance and social hierarchy involving prime mates. In short, given two identifiable products, preference will be given towards one over the other, which is due primarily to the preferred product having more reinforcing qualities in terms of secondary reinforcers we identify as being relevant at a personally level, as well as to our cultural heritage. (Walter et al 2005) Brand Familiarity Comparisons between amiliar and unfamiliar products are defined as brand familiarity (Campbell and Keller 2003). When a consumer first sees an advertisement for an unfamiliar brand Campbell and Keller (2003) suggest they feel negative uncertainty towards it as it is unfamiliar. However, repetition of an advertising message, argues Campbell and Keller (2003), Page 4 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the M yths? at low levels, decreases this uncertainty and increases the effectiveness. One way that products can earn the trust of the consumer and become more familiar, suggest Fugate (2007), is through the use of celebrity endorsements. Repeated exposures can decrease the effectiveness of the advertisement by annoying the viewer, argues Campbell & Keller (2003), so therefore advertisers must keep in mind not to advertise too much. Consumers can only store knowledge for the familiar, but not the unfamiliar, so repeated exposures for an already familiar product provides more time for the consumer to process the advertisement and their associated experiences from using the product (Fugate 2007). Consumer can become bored and even annoyed more easily for unfamiliar brands as there is less knowledge to process (Fugate 2007). Therefore, for consumers to recognise a new brand entering into the markets Campbell & Keller (2003) suggest they need to be conservative in their marketing efforts by not overdo it. More identifiable brands, such as Pepsi, are able to advertise more often with less concern of annoying their audience argues Campbell & Keller (2003). Neural Correlates A key principle of neuromarketing, suggest Damasio (1996), is that it is based on finding a neural correlates for buying consumers such as product preference and brand familiarity. As most studies are only able to monitor neural activity observationally it is important to acknowledge that researchers are only able to seek a correlate and do not induce product preference via neural stimulation (Damasio 1996). Interestingly, peer reviewed evidence has been found linking brand familiarity and product preference with the medial prefrontal cortex, says Damasio (1996). The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), suggest Damasio (1996), is a repository of linkages between bioregulatory states and factual knowledge. In the more specific instance of advertising , this translates into experiences and product information being linked to positive effect, via the mPFC (Damasio 1996). IMAGE 1. mPFC Studies by Kable and Glimcher (2007) point to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as the locus of interest for neuromarketing studies are quite notable. As outlined in the sports car study earlier Walter et al (2005) advise product preference has been correlated with the activation of Page 5 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? several brain regions in the reward circuitry of the brain, including the mPFC. Preference has also been correlated with mPFC activity independent of prices argues Knutson, Rick, Wimmer, Prelec, & Loewenstein (2007) and was found to be predictive of subsequent purchasing. Studies by Paulus & Frank (2003) observed when using a visual discrimination task as a control they found coinciding results when a simpler preference judgement study was conducted. McClure et al. (2004) conducted one of the most compelling neuromarketing studies. Researchers conducting a study monitored neural activity when drinking either Coca-Cola or Pepsi (see Figure 3). Using an fMRI for an experiment McClure et al (2004) had two conditions, (a) brand-cued delivery, and (b) blind taste test. When conducting a blind taste test, brain activity between the Coca-Cola and Pepsi was observed as being nearly identical. However, in the brand-cued condition, significant differences were observed in with neural activity, primarily in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (McClure et al 2004). Figure 3 Coke Vs Pepsi The significant observation was no neural activation differences were identified when no brand nformation was provided, but when brands were identified, product preference and brand familiarity came into play with Coca-Cola being generally preferred by the participants, which caused significantly more activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex region of the brain says McClure et al (2004). An important aspect of the study is that no choices are made by the participant; the soft drink were given to the participants in the fMRI in small quantities; the manipulation was based when the brand was first announced; the finding was based on the activated regions on the brain as measured by the fMRI. Brand preference and previous conditioning is only demonstrated in brand-cued delivery, and only then is there significant ventromedial prefrontal cortex activation. Koenigs & Tranel (2008) in a follow-up to the McClure et al (2004) study shed more light on the paradox of cola preference. Koenigs and Tranel (2008) explain that subjects tend to prefer Pepsi over Coca-Cola, or have no reliable preference, in a blind-taste test, yet Coca-Cola consistently Page 6 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? outsells Pepsi therefore creating a Pepsi paradox. When brand information is available, CocaCola is preferred, however, when brand information is not provided, no reliable preferences can be made, which is creating the paradox (Koenigs and Tranel 2008). Cola preference was counterbalanced in the McClure et al (2004) study. Koenigs and Tranel (2008) tested predictions from previous studies by using participants with damaged prefrontal cortex. Koenigs and Tranel (2008) discovered that when patients are presented with brand information, it makes no difference on their preferences. The conclusion was this finding mirrors effects found in normal individuals participating in blind-taste tests. Gladwell (2005) suggest the strong brand image of Coca-Cola, not taste, is the reason Coca-Cola is preferred over Pepsi. Several studies have connected brand familiarity with mPFC. Schaefer et al (2006) and Schaefer & Rotte (2007) report that when comparing familiar and unfamiliar products with mPFC activity differences in neural activity are detected, which can also be connected to neurolearning literature of novelty detection in rat lesion studies suggest Dias & Honey (2002). Campbell and Keller (2003) suggest relative to behavioural principles, brand familiarity is of extreme importance to advertisers. Fear the unknown pushed consumers away, and in advertising, this fear creates uncertainty for product that results in consumers selecting a known product. For culturally familiar brands relative to unfamiliar brands Schaefer and Rotte (2007) demonstrate this as superior fr ontal activity and increased mPFC. In short, studies conducted McClure et al (2004), Paulus & Frank (2003), Walter et al (2005) have linked medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activation to preference judgements. Further, Schaefer et al (2006) and Schaefer & Rotte (2007) suggest mPFC can be attributed to the preference for the familiar over the unfamiliar, assuming that the consumer is going to buy a product either way (i. e. a vehicle). Preferences between the available choices in terms of their relative value, suggests Montague (2008), is the next step in the consumer decision making. Consumers can evaluate their choices by weighing the pros and cons of all the available choices (Montague 2008). Research by Sutherland (2004) shows that this process is primarily undertaken by the medial prefrontal cortex, which some have dubbed the „liking centre? f the brain. Several other areas have been implicated as key brain regions relevant to neuromarketing research, suggest Walter et al (2005), other than the medial prefrontal cortex. Some of these Page 7 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? regions include the ventral striatum, amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex, (Walter et al 2005). The ventral striatum says Knutson et al (2007), Walter et al (2005), is the reward center of the brain and has been correlated with self-reported self arousal but only as an indicator of the predicted value of the reward. This is used as a mechanism for learning as it is thought of as prediction error. The amygdale says Walter et al (2005) has also been correlated with reward intensity in neuromarketing studies, however, is commonly known for its role in processing emotional information. The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), says Walter et al (2005), consists of mainly two regions: the lateral and medial (and is mainly thought of as a measure of preference. The medial OFC is activated by rewarding stimuli, which includes the medial prefrontal cortex. Lateral OFC activity is correlated with punishing stimuli. The use of neuroimaging is not limited to neural activation measures says Fugate (2007). For example, in terms of hormonal secretions such as dopamine neuroimaging quantitatively measure this affect (Fugate, 2007). Though the field is expanding rapidly there is much to discover in terms of neural correlates and interest to neuromarketing, suggests Fugate (2007). Ethics of Neuromarketing In order to enhance a commercial gain a major issue for research in neuromarketing is the ethical concerns of neuroimaging. Neuromarketing is nowhere near ready to allow researchers to design a marketing campaign, so addictive that overrides an individual? free will. Founded or unfounded concerns are being allayed regarding this. A consumer protection group in America, known as Consumer Alert, has filed complaints to the US federal government, as well as a US senate committee, and universities, protesting the ethics of neuromarketing. Consumer Alert believe neuromarketing as â€Å"find[ing] a buy but ton inside the skull† (Commercial Alert 2003, 1). Commercial Alert (2003, 3) claims: â€Å"Our children are suffering from extraordinary levels of obesity, type 2 diabetes, anorexia, bulimia, and pathological gambling, while millions will eventually die from the marketing of tobacco. According to Consumer Alert (2003), the rise of neuromarketing will bring an end to free will. Lee et al (2007, 202) suggest â€Å"Unfortunately, the barely concealed disdain for the idea of „neuromarketing? in the neuroscience literature is clearly based on the opinion that marketing research is a commercial activity purely designed to sell products to the public†¦ † which many Page 8 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? academics are also hesitant to embrace (Thompson, 2003). Neuroscience academics tend to focus on more medically relevant questions, though there are many journals dedicated to economics and marketing (Thompson, 2003). As such, some believe that â€Å"brain imaging will be used in ways that infringe personal privacy to a totally unacceptable degree† (Editorial, 2004b, 71). An anonymous author in Nature Neuroscience, took a similar stance, saying â€Å"Neuromarketing is little more than a new fad exploited by scientists and marketing consultants to blind corporate clients with science. † (Laybourne & Lewis 2005, 29). Neuromarketing research may help reduce the problems raised by Commercial Alert (2003). For example, Montague, Hyman, & Cohen (2004) say, by examining the differences between the brain activity of compulsive overpurchasers may help to understand why these compulsive individuals tend to spend outside of their means. In addition, it can provide useful information for how clinicians treat these disorders by looking at the correlations between buying behaviour and clinical disorders. For example, the reward circuitry of the brain and in value-based decisionmaking and the medial prefrontal cortex are quite important says Montague, Hyman, & Cohen (2004). Two significant ethical issues are present in neuromarketing research argues Murphy, Illes, and Reiner (2008), being: (a) protection of consumer autonomy if neuromarketing reaches critical effectiveness, and (b) protecting vulnerable parties from harm. To mitigate, recommendations for a „code of ethics? to be adopted by the neuromarketing industry are proposed by Murphy et al (2008). Some of the recommendations include (1) accurate representation of scientific methods to businesses and the media, (2) full disclosure of ethical principles used in the study, and (3) protecting research subjects from any coercion. Free will & Decision-making Murphy et al (2008) suggests that if neuromarketing ever does reach critical effectiveness then the concerns of Commercial Alert (2003) may not be unfounded after all as neuromarketing may infringe on an individual? s free will. The importance of neuromarketing is not restricted to neuroimaging, but also includes computational neuroscience, which is the study of quantifying the component steps that underlie a given behavioural process. Value-based decision-making, for example, can be broken down into five steps suggest Rangel, Camerer, & Montague, (2008), Page 9 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? which are: (1) identifying the decision problem; (2) weighing the possible choices; (3) making a decision based upon the evaluation of the choices available; (4) after carrying out the decision, consider the resulting consequences; and (5) learn from the decision-making process in order to make better decisions in the future. Montague (2008, 584) says, â€Å"Viewed this way, it? s easy to see why „free? choice is an unconstructive way to conceptualize the way humans choose†¦ †. Vohs & Schooler (2008) suggests that free will and the ability to manipulate perception of it have also recently become apparent. However, it has been many years, suggests Libet, Gleason, Wright, & Pearl (1983) since neuroimaging studies have suggested that neural activity does precede conscious intention, especially if it can be monitored. The decision of whether or not to buy a product is a result of from balancing the gain of obtaining the product, says Knutson et al (2007), offset by the act of actually having to purchase for the product, which is an interplay of corresponding valuations and choices. Using computational neuroscience, rather than neuroimaging, Walvis (2008), is able to connect neuroscience with common marketing principles. Walvis (2008) suggests three propositions of how the brain organises information and states, â€Å"These three propositions function similarly to the basis of an artificial neural network model, implicating the importance of what other „elements? the brand is associated with, the strength of these associations, and the sheer number of associations that are present between the brand and other „elements? in the network† (Walvis, 2008, 182). These form the basis, say (Walvis, 2008, 186) for the â€Å"Three Branding Laws†, based upon how engaging the branding environment is to the consumer, how repetitive and targeted the branding efforts are, and how personally relevant the brand? s marketing strategy is to the consumer. The stronger these pathways and connections are, the more likely a given product will be selected by a consumer. We can again quantify factors involved in choice behaviour, through the use of an artificial neural network, by using these laws says Walvis (2008). Neuromarketing can greatly improve marketing techniques when using a strong neuroscientific basis for branding, as suggested by Walvis (2008), even without the use of neuroimaging, but rather employing other aspects of neuroscience. Page 10 of 18 ASSIGNMENT 2: Neuromarketing: Debunking the Myths? CONCLUSION Fugate (2007) suggests a revolution will soon overcome current market research as a consequence of several key implications of neuromarketing. Researchers are better able to evaluate an advertisement? s effectiveness much more scientifically, when applying neuromarketing techniques, in terms of how the ad affects the viewer? emotional state (i. e. , excitement or humour) as well as the viewer? s attention to the ad. Product appeal, suggested by Walter et al (2005) and the „sports car? study are also identified with respect to the findings with the reward circuitry of the brain. Neuromarketing was shown to be able to connect and quantify the effects of celebrity endorsements, suggested by Fugate (2007) that links the auditory and visual stimuli of the celebrity as they cause hormonal secretions in consumers that identify with the product endorsement, which can lead to a positive emotional response and feelings of trust. As researched by McClure et al (2004), logo/brand selection and emotional attachment was shown to be significant with consumers, which explained the result that Coca-Cola outperforms Pepsi. Only time will tell how much of an effect these new techniques will have on marketing success as the future implications of neuromarketing show great potential. Neuromarketing, in its current stage, is by no means adequate in determining if an advertisement is effective. Stimulating the medial prefrontal cortex does not mean that an advertisement will be effective as it is only a corollary response. The medial prefrontal cortex region of the brain is also the subject of other research studies, which include those in fear conditioning as suggested by Baratta, Lucero, Amat, Watkins, & Maier (2008), provocation resulting in eating disorders (Uher et al. , 2004), and startle responses (Day-Wilson, Jones, Southam, Cilia, & Totterdell, 2006). The field shows great promise as being the next step in market research despite the current flaws in neuromarketing research. Advertisers are likely to be more successful in making a longer lasting impression on the consumer if they took advantage to the many psychology studies that have been previously conducted as they would be better able to direct their efforts towards a target demographic. It is debatable if improved marketing capabilities are good or bad for the consumer; however, with ethics being enforced through legislation I feel we are seeing the myths of neuromarketing being debunked. 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Public Health and Health Care Paper - Essay Example Generally, the private sector in any health care system of a nation consists of diverse nongovernmental institutions of varying scale and scope. Public health is basically financed with government’s funds solicited from tax revenues. In the United States, â€Å"the public sector includes official (or governmental) agencies, voluntary agencies, and nonprofit agencies.† (Delaune & Ladner, 2006, 60) This essay is hereby written with the objective of describing public health and its role in the delivery of health care services. It aims to describe a selected public agency and determine its contribution to the core functions of public health. The essay will also examine specific ways the agency influences the workplace and health care provider. Finally, the roles of the agency workers are to be identified, including specific responsibilities, competencies, and skills. At the top of the hierarchy in the public sector’s delivery of health care is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) which is the sole governing body tasked with the responsibility of delivering health care services to the public. Next in line are state departments of health which vary in providing health care to their constituents. The state departments of health eventually relegate and coordinate health activities of local health units. A report from the USDHHS on Public Health in America proffered the public health sector’s vision as â€Å"healthy people in healthy communities† with the mission of â€Å"promoting physical and mental health and preventing disease, injury and disability†. (DHHS, n.d., 21) The national governing body ensures that its role in the delivery of health care services to the public encompasses the following core functions, to wit: â€Å"prevents epidemics and the spread of disease; protects against environmental hazards; prevents injuries; promotes and encourages healthy behaviors; responds to disasters

Current Imaging Process Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Current Imaging Process - Article Example During this initial process the receptionist confirms the date with the ordering physician's office, which will then notify their patient of the scheduled exam date. The ordering physician's office confirms the scheduled date with the patient, and they are notified to arrive at the radiology outpatient imaging center where the first encounter takes place between the radiology receptionist and the patient. During this first encounter the receptionist would typically greet the patient, confirm the appointment, verify the patient's identification, and validate the method of payment. After the receptionist's interview with the patient, the patient is then placed in a queue to be called by the radiology technician that will be performing their exam. While the patient waits in the waiting area the receptionist completes the work order. The radiology technician is notified of the pending ordered exam and receives a printed requisition form. The second point of patient contact in the process takes place when the assigned radiology technician calls the patient from the radiology waiting area. During this encounter the technician identifies the patient and escorts them into the exam room for an additional interview. The patient is fully involved in the process as they are asked to help provide relevant medical history, as well as the primary purpose of their visit.

The characters in Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

The characters in Of Mice and Men Essay Many of the characters in Of Mice and Men have dreams. What are their dreams and how near are any of them to achieving what they want? Many characters have dreams and aspirations in the story Of Mice and Men and try to achieve them in different ways. Many characters have dreams and I will be discussing the dreams of: Candy, Crooks, Curley and his wife. Candy, Crooks and Curley wife all have similar dreams, which is to have freedom and equality. All three characters are treated with very little respect and are seen as lower class due to race, gender, age or disability. Dreams are very important to the characters as they help them to escape from reality even if only for a short while. Their dreams are also significant as they are hope that things will get better and are vital to keep spirits high. However, many peoples dreams were affected by the economic downfall that America experienced. The story is set in the 1930s, which was when America experienced the Wall Street crash. This was when the stock market collapsed and many Americans lost thousands of dollars they had invested. This caused mass homelessness and led to the great depression. During this era there was lots of prejudice and discrimination against black people, women, the elderly and the disabled. This affected them the worst as any time when life was getting tough they were hit much worse and were the first to experience suffering. This tough lifestyle encouraged people to dream as many people believed in the American Dream which was that everyone deserved a piece of prosperity if they worked hard enough. So a dream helped people to get by as it encouraged people to work hard and remain optimistic that they can succeed and it also helped people by temporarily escaping from reality. One character in the story called Candy had a dream but it was crushed when he busted his hand and he gave up. Candy is the first person George and Lennie meet on the ranch and he was the swamper. Later on in the novel Candy overhears George and Lennie speaking of their dream and he becomes involved as when he busted his hand he received compensation and offers his money and says he would cook for them. For example Candy says: I aint much good, but I can cook and tend the chickens. This dream is very important for Candy as he is getting old and needs to retire soon so he becomes very enthusiastic and optimistic about the dream and starts to realise that he may be able to retire and live happily. This is shown when Candy interrupts George and the way that he is being inquisitive. Candy then talks of the dream to Crooks even though George said not to talk about it to anyone else. When Candys dog dies there is a sense of dramatic irony as it is almost foreseeing a bad event is about to occur. Later Candy goes into the barn to check on Lennie but instead discovers a shocking sight, Curleys wife laying dead in the middle of the barn and he sense it is the end of the dream for example he says: Oh Jesus Christ! this shows his show and despair as he knows its only the beginning of bad events. However, Candy doesnt want to let the dream go and shows he wants to carry on dreaming as he says: You and me can get that little place, cant we George? Candy feels very strongly about the dream as he starts yelling at Curleys dead wife that she ruined their dream. This is shown when he says: You God dam tramp and You done it didnt you. Although Candy does get quite close to his dream with George and Lennie I do not think he will achieve his dream as his hope has now gone as he faces reality that he can not work on his own and make his dream come true. Candys hope did inspire Crooks to dream and at one stage Crooks was thinking about joining their dream. Candy thinks that Crooks is a nice fella for a black man and that although he is black they get on well. Candy also says The boss gives him hell when he mad. This shows that if the boss is angry he will take it out on Crooks due to his minority ethnicity in the 1930s. Crooks has lots of possessions including law books. This is shown in the following quote: And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civic code for 1905. This shows us that he has an interest in law and his own rights. This gives us the impression that Crooks dreams of freedom as he keeps a law book on him so he knows what rights he does have even though there are very few. Crooks had a daydream about the past when he did not know of racism as a child and played with the white children unaware of the discrimination he was later to face. People treat Crooks with no respect yet he does not react but he doesnt have a choice as he is outnumbered and treated unfairly. Crooks does not mind Lennie and Candy visiting his room as they are similar to him as they are both treated with less respect due to mental or physical disabilities. When Crooks first hears about the dream he laughs at Lennie and says he is crazy. This is shown by the following quote: Youre as crazy as a wedge. What rabbits you talking about? This simile shows how crazy Crooks thinks Lennie is. . However, after Candy explains it all to him Crooks gets involved with it and says If you guys wanted a hand to work for nothing just for his keep, Id come and lend a hand. Then Curleys wife comes along and ruins the dream for Crooks by insulting the three of them. For example she calls them: A Nigger an a dum-dum and a lousy ol sheep Curleys wife then goes on to belittle Crooks even more by saying: Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it aint even funny. This make Crooks go silent and he no longer wants to be in the dream. For example: Crooks seemed to grow smaller. This shows that Crooks has now been silenced and has to accept that he has no say once again. Crooks is nowhere near close to achieving his dream of freedom and equality, as there will be racism and intolerance for a long while. Crooks hope was shot down when Curleys wife came in and ruined his dream. Curleys wife is described as very purty but jail bait. This is because she is very pretty but she is very promiscuous so Curley gets suspicious when she talks to another guy and he would start a fight if he caught her. Lennie thinks that she is very attractive and this worries George as he has a history of going for attractive girls as he held a womans dress previously and caused trouble. I think Curleys wife is exactly how the men think of her, that she is a tart. This is because she goes around giving other men the eye and is always flirting with other men. However, she is only like this because Curley gives her very little attention and treats her with no respect so if she had a good husband she would act appropriately. Life is very tough for her on the ranch because all she wants is some love and attention what Curley does not give her and the other men do not either, as they are afraid of Curley. I think she turned nasty in Crooks room because they were reluctant to talk to her and she just flipped out of frustration. Curleys wife dreams of being in the movies and being a famous actor as she met a man who said she could be a star and ever since then she hoped for the best. This is shown when she says: An a guy told me he could of put me in pitchers. Curleys wife needed to have dreams as they kept her going and made her fell as though her life would one day get better and she could be a movie star. When Curleys wife was found dead it ruined everyones dream. George and Lennie could no longer get their own place as Lennie was about to be hunted down and Crooks and Candy could no longer get out of the ranch and live with them as the dream was fuelled entirely on Lennies enthusiasm. Curley was a terrible husband to his wife as he paid no attention to her whatsoever and maybe she was better off dead than living with him. For example Curleys Wife says: swell guy, aint he? this shows that she is being sarcastic and really telling them hes a bad husband. So far most of the character we met, apart from the boss and slim, have dreams; however, it is unlikely that anyone will fulfill these dreams as one small event could end on big dream. Contrasting dreams are important to different people and when the novel was set dreams were more significant due to the corrupt way of society back then. So dreams were hope, inspiration and optimism to those who were disliked by society and were at a disadvantage. The title of the novel Of Mice and Men was derived from the poem To A Mouse. John Steinbeck may have chosen this, as the meaning of to a mouse is that no plan is foolproof, which is what happens in the story as the dream was not definitely going to happen and it did not. He may have also done this as in To A Mouse Robert Burns says: The best laid schemes o mice an men Gang aft agley. This translates as the best-laid plans of mice and men often go astray. This is an overview of Of Mice and Men as the dream was well planned but it went wrong. No Matter how much you plan and how near you get nothing is set in stone.

Native American Music Essay Example for Free

Native American Music Essay Native American music has many different musical styles. Within every Native American tribe there is a variety of musical styles and instruments. In response to the research that I have conducted, there are three main musical styles that are going to be my point of focus. The Sioux Grass Dance, the Zuni Lullaby, and the Iroquois Quiver Dance are the principal methods which contribute to Native American music. The Sioux Grass Dance is considered to be the most popular style of Native American Music. As one dances to this music, they follow a pattern known as toe-heel. This consists of the individual placing the left foot in front of the right and repeating with the other foot. Each male dancer makes many personal variations of this dance resulting in a solo display. The costume is an elaborate style that correlates with the vocal approach of music. Bells are tied around the legs of the dancers for an added effect. The Zuni Lullaby illustrates a contrast with Plains singing to assist in confirming that there is not an individual style to Native American music. Through the Native American styles of music, repetition becomes a prominent feature. This is not because the Native Americans cant find words to fit into the music, but because repetitions with slight variations are often too insignificannot for outside listeners to notice. In the Iroquois Quiver Dance the first thing to strike the ear is what is often known as a call and response form. One singer announces a phrase of lexical text, known as the call, the other singer answers him in a vocal pattern. This continues throughout the song. In illustrating many of the musical styles among Native American music, this has another name known as the Warriors Stomp Dance. The voices in the Iroquois Quiver Dance are relatively relaxed compared with that of the Plains singing. Instruments used to portray these various styles of music were often drums of all shapes and sizes, rattles, and often tambourines or bells with other percussion instruments. The drums were constructed by using such materials as clay, iron, wood or aluminum with heads of buckskin, chamois, or rubber. These drums were typically played with a single drumstick, holding a steady pattern of four beats. Also, in addition to these instruments there were wind instruments. The most common was the vertical flute, whistle, and occasionally panpipes. The flute was most often used to express a love song and never for religious ceremonies. Looking at Native American music, one can conclude that there are three main types of music: The Sioux Grass Dance, Iroquois Quiver Dance, and the Zuni Lullaby. Drums and wind instruments are used in portraying the music. The Native Americans dressed accordingly to the music that they dance to. All of these features add to what we have become acquainted with, Native American music.

Key Areas Of The Marketing Environment Marketing Essay

Key Areas Of The Marketing Environment Marketing Essay This assignment emphasizes on relationship approach to explain the concept of marketing. With regard to service, the concept of marketing takes into consideration manufacturers service organizations as well as service operations. Traditionally marketing was considered as a function which includes expertise planning and implementation of marketing mix. However, when it comes to services, this function of marketing is not taken into consideration. Marketing with regard to service is more about relationships, like those involving one-on-one transactions or whose scope is narrowed, for example, marketing of breakfast cereal or soap. Other kind of relationships whose scope is wider consist of significant social interaction which are on-going as well as long lasting, for example, service offered by hospitality industry or financial providers. Next, this assignment investigates the term relationship strategy and its nature. A detailed comparison about marketing and organizational behavior, concerning functions of businesses as well as academic regulations, drawn from the relationship approach are argued in this assignment. Lastly, the assignment emphasizes on the importance of service culture and internal marketing in this challenging global market to meet the marketing aspect and organizational behavioral needs of any business. 1.2: Analyze the relationship between businesses vision, mission and marketing strategy For any organization, mission statement is the most important statement which directs the business to achieve its goal and built its name in the market. Mainly, this statement includes three most important aspects, namely, vision, mission and core values. Vision is a wider thought of what the company wants to accomplish in future. Mission is mainly concerned which what steps the company is going to undertake to accomplish the set vision and core value involves the behavior of the company and its member throughout the course of goal accomplishment. All these three aspects are essential to direct the business through the path of success accomplishment. After the company has created the mission statement, it is then important for it to set the goals, objectives and strategic or action plan/s. Goals usually involves targets which the company needs to complete in order to accomplish the vision. Objectives are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-framed) statements to accomplish companys goals. Strategic or action plans are the detailed executive plans which illustrate the ways in which goal and objective can be accomplished. 1.3: Evaluate the tools and techniques available for analysing key areas of the marketing environment and use them in realistic business situations To analyze the key areas of marketing environment, the businesses are now emphasizing on strategic philanthropy concept. This concept helps to develop and evaluate the marketing issues, illustrates the focus of the stakeholders, and examines the aspects that need to be considered while executing the business plan. Today companies are realizing the advantages of strategic philanthropy concept not only for the employees and the investors but also for the community as whole. Currently, the companies are also formalizing and combining philanthropic decisions with other strategic decisions related to the performance of the company. 21st century companies are more emphasizing on management of social marketing issues for the interest of essential stakeholders. 1.4: Examine the factors influencing consumer choice and behaviour In the current globalised market, there is an accelerating need for ethical choices as proved by most researches. However, not much has been printed about the decisions made by the ethical consumers and the impact of their decision making on marketing. Due to limited proven research work about ethical consumer choice, this assignment will highlight the outcomes of national survey conducted on large scale in UK on ethical consumers. Equation modeling and reliability analysis methods were use to study this most important and ignored area and also to investigate the essential factors influencing ethical consumer choice and their interconnectivity. Two sets of data was used to create decision making model and its cross validity was examined. This innovative model of ethical consumer choice and decision making showed remarkable improvement on consumers buying choice. Study results of this researched proved that the buying intentions of the consumers were highly influenced. The assignment, however, further discusses implications of these results on marketing practitioners. 1.5: Assess the role of market research in business decision-making Market research results frequently produce negative reactions to discontinuous new products (innovative products) that later become profitable for the innovating company. Famous examples such as the fax machine, the VCR and James Dysons bagels vacuum cleaner are often cited to support this view. Despite this, companies continue to seek the views of consumers on their new product ideas. The debate about the use of market research in the development of new products is long-standing and controversial. This paper reviews the literature in this area and examines the extent to which market research is justified and whether companies should sometimes ignore their customers. The paper offers a conceptual framework that may help companies to decide when market research findings may be helpful and when they may hinder the development of discontinuous new products. Amplification of assessment criteria 1.1 Examine the main contexts of marketing 1.1.1 Assess critically the role of marketing in business, e.g. the impact of marketing on society In todays time, marketing researchers and professionals are extremely interested in the value generated by marketing. Even though there is large number of research work on marketing, it is still unclear how the market value is interrelated with the interest of the marketing generators. Researchers further plan to examine how customer value and customer satisfaction are interconnected. This will help to lessen the uncertainty created around both the concepts. Both customer value and customer satisfaction are two different concepts in terms of theory and practical aspects. This assignment examines this along with highlighting whether customer value helps to predict the behavioral results in better way with compare to customer satisfaction, when it comes to business marketing. To address this issue, there are two different models generated and examined in a cross sectional survey with the purchasing management of a company. A direct influence of value on intention of purchasing manager is suggested by first model whereas the second model arbitrates the value with customer satisfaction. This research study proves that both customer value and customer satisfaction are two different concepts measured and conceptualized in different way, still are harmonizing with each other. 1.1.2 Demonstrate the contribution of marketing to business strategy, e.g. major contexts of marketing applications (consumer goods; business to business; services marketing) There can be no more important aspect of constructing an effective marketing strategy than understanding competitors and your own organizations competitive position. The techniques such as Porters Five Forces Model and a SWOT analysis have already been identified as ways in which an organization can assess aspects. 1.2 Analyze the relationship between businesses vision, mission and marketing strategy 1.2.1 Explain the relationship between businesses vision, mission and marketing strategy, e.g. developing a marketing strategy which supports the businesses corporate strategy A management team needs information about external environments to make sound strategic decisions. Environmental scanning is the process of gathering information about those external environments to inform decision-making. That information may come from a wide variety of sources. It is important to ensure that data gathering, interpretation/analysis and strategy formulation are seen as three separate stages of environmental scanning. Some organizations use the information they collect to construct different scenarios, which also contribute to their planning and prepare them for a flexible response. 1.2.2 Identify the key influences on shaping marketing strategy, e.g. competitor; capability and resources; target customers; external environment. A great deal of attention has been devoted to the concept of market orientation in marketing academe and practice. Numerous perspectives have been proposed as researchers endeavor to conceptualize the market orientation construct and implement it in practice. 1.3 Evaluate the tools and techniques available for analysing key areas of the marketing environment and use them in realistic business situation. 1.3.1 Identify the main tools and techniques available for analysing key areas of the marketing environment, e.g. environmental scanning This article focuses on defining and discussing the concept of critical success factors as input into the analysis, resource analysis, and strategy evaluation steps in the strategic planning/strategy development process. The reader is provided with eight possible sources of critical success factors including analysis, analysis of industry structure, industry/business experts, analysis of competition, and analysis of dominant firm in the industry, company assessment, temporal/intuitive factors and PIMS results. Examples of CSFs from various sources are provided and a scheme by which the reader can assess the relative importance of identified CSFs is presented. 1.3.2 Demonstrate the use of the main tools and techniques available for analysing key areas of the marketing environment, e.g. scenario planning The methodological tools and techniques that analysts use to assess the evolving Innovation, Science and Technology-related (IST) factors impacting their enterprises competitiveness and strategic environment. Studies generally show that a limited set of conceptual tools are regularly utilized by analysts in some enterprises; nevertheless, they are perceived only to demonstrate mixed success levels in meeting planning or decision-oriented needs. A performance gap exists between organizational needs to proactively address IST factors impacting their organizations competitiveness and the insights actually delivered to decision-makers by existing methods and the analysts who employ them. In this paper, the author defines the scope of IST analytical applications, identifies the conceptual tools and techniques used, applies a model for assessing the utility of the tools, describes the reasons why the tools do not deliver what is needed, and makes recommendations for improving the use of IS T-focused analysis tools. 1.4 Examine the factors influencing consumer choice and behaviour 1.4.1 Analyze the process of consumer product acquisition and consumer choice, e.g. models of consumer buying behaviour; impact of memory, perception and learning on consumer choice The ways in which consumers make choices are clearly of interest to those involved in marketing. Consumer behaviour includes elements which are rational and elements which are emotional. However, the process involved in making a choice and buying decision can be analyzed and represented in a step-by-step framework. This section examines that process and the underlying factors which determine consumer behaviour. 1.4.2 Analyze the factors which influence consumer behaviour, e.g. impact of personality, motivation, opinions, attitudes and values on consumer behaviour; role of reference groups on consumption behaviour In the field tourism progress and planning, the decision making process is highly multifaceted because companies and communities have to combat with economic, social and environmental aspects of greater development. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be considered as an essential tool of methods and technologies of high applicability to provide for the attainment of greater tourism development. To investigate conflict, Spatial (environmental) data can be utilized which examines competition, explores influence on and helps in making decision. The impact assessment and simulation is highly significant for the development of tourism, and GIS can a role in terms of the environmental audit, exploring the suitability of sites for the planned developments 1.5 Assess the role of market research in business decision-making 1.5.1 Differentiate between market research and marketing research, e.g. their roles in determining structural characteristics and understanding marketing strategy decisions Even when there is increasing talks on international standardization versus customization, to empirical intuitions existing fragmented light to deliver. On the basis of an integrated analysis of 36 studies revolving around outcomes of standardization / adaptation, his past, and performance, this flow has been found to be characterized by non-significant, contradictory, and to a certain level, the results disconcerting related to the concepts inappropriate pictures, poor design and poor analytical methods. The main termination arising from this analysis is that if you standardize or adapt to accomplish better business performance will fundamentally based on the totality of the conditions in which a company is faced with a scrupulous foreign policy of a specific time period. 1.5.2 Analyze the contribution of market research to the decision-making processes of a business, e.g. the role of marketing information systems; the importance of competitive intelligence This paper reports case study of an inter-organizational (IOS) of Cisco and Xiao Tong in China. We interviewed their senior managers, heads of departments and employees who have been directly affected in their work. Other sources of are company documents and publicly available background The study examines the benefits of the IOS for both corporations. The also reveals seven critical success factors for the IOS, namely intensive stimulation, shared vision, cross-organizational implementation team, high integration with internal, inter-organizational re-engineering, advanced legacy and infrastructure and shared industry standard. Outcome 02: Know how to build marketing strategy 2.1 Analyze critically how strategic market analysis, marketing goals and marketing actions influence marketing strategy After designing core values, vision, mission, you need goals and objectives that will help to accomplish your vision. Objectives The objectives are broad statements of what you want. Therefore they should be included in your vision. You should look into the mission, as you will be involved to realize your vision. Examples of business objectives: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Improving profitability à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Increasing the competence à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ capture a larger market share à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ give improved customer service à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Advance employee training à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ An objective should accomplish below given criteria: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Good: Is it fitting with the vision and mission? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Acceptable: Adjusts the values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹of the company and its employees? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Clarity: Is it easy to understand and easy to explain? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Flexible: can be adjusted and modified as needed? Ensure the objectives are paying attention on the significant aspects of the business. Do not use too many objectives or else you mind lose your concentration. Even the design of your objectives do not conflict and get in the way with each other. Demonstrate how an over-all view on the strategic position of businesses and the understanding of their competitors impact on their marketing strategy Here are AgVA strategies, goals, objectives and action plan. It should be considered that the strategy is a sequence of techniques to use mission is to accomplish the vision. The objectives are statements of what I required to be done to execute the strategy. The objectives are explicit milestones to achieve the goal. The milestones can be accomplished with the action plans which include specific actions to be taken. Vision: a vivacious rural economy determined by value-added agriculture. Mission: To generate and foster the growth of value-added agricultural enterprises. Strategy: utilize local peasant leaders with the skills for the development of company and for business development. Objective: the interest of local farmers / development work experience. Objective: generate a Subscription twenty farmers February 1st. Action Plan: Establish a membership committee to employ local farmers heads. Recognize the 40 farm heads in major cities in the area. Call qualifying. Contact individually, in the hope that half of crowd will be ready to participate. 2.3 Analyze critically the links between growth strategies and the main types of strategic marketing objectives Goals are specific, measurable, time-sensitive statement of what should be achieved and when it will be achieved. Milestones along the road to achieving your goals. Examples of the companys goals are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ at least a 20% after-tax rate of return on our investment in equity to earn during the next fiscal year à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the market share of 10 per cent increase over the next three years. Reduce operating costs by 15 percent over the next two years, improving the efficiency of the production process. The time of the call-back to reduce the investigation of the client and not more than four hours. The goals must meet the following criteria: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Measurable: What will happen and when? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Appropriate: apply it as a measure to reach the goal? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Feasible: It is possible to achieve? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Commitment: People are committed to achieving this goal? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Properties are the people responsible for achieving the objective included in the definition of the target. 2.4: Demonstrate how marketing strategies contribute to sustainable competitive advantages. This study examines the impact of the six dimensions of corporate social responsibility, sustainability marketing strategy the mediation influences of marketing image, customer satisfaction, stakeholder acceptance and marketing performance. CSR consists of human development, environmental considerations, community involvement, product and service innovation trend, the attention of consumers, and the competition is an important strategy that will help companies get image enhanced marketing, customer satisfaction, stakeholder acceptance marketing performance and sustainability marketing. Here ISO 14000 106 companies in Thailand, was selected as the sample of the study. The results showed that some dimensions of corporate social responsibility has a significant impact on the marketing strategy, customer satisfaction, stakeholder acceptance and sustainability marketing. Furthermore, the performance of marketing a potential positive effect on the sustainability of marketing. Moreover, the ethical vision and competitive intensity has a moderating influence on the partial corporate responsibility strategy social relationships, marketing image, customer satisfaction, stakeholder acceptance, marketing performance and sustainability marketing. Potential conversation with the results of the research is actually applied in the study Apply the main steps of marketing planning in practical business situations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ mission statement (or define the mission of the company) has an impact on all the planning throughout the organization, because it is a statement of the companys overall business philosophy. Normally, a set of guidelines, rather than something that is expressed in quantitative terms hard and fast. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Situation analysis involves assessing the internal and external factors that influence the planning process and asks the question: Where are we?. This means that the research and analysis of all the information that has an impact on the organization and its operations, internal factors such as individual departmental corporate resources, external factors such as the current political events may interfere with the activities of the company. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ organizational goals requires a management company to offer guidance on how the company to fulfill its mission, and it makes it clear that the company wants to be. This, in contrast to the mission, should be expressed in quantitative terms available. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ strategies to achieve these objectives, concrete ideas on the achievement of corporate goals and relate to choose the way in which the mission is accomplished. 2.1 Analyze critically how strategic market analysis, marketing goals and marketing actions influence marketing strategy 2.1.1 Evaluate the key influences on strategic marketing planning, e.g. analysing competitors; identifying strategic marketing goals. The creation of a marketing strategy inevitably takes place in a strategic context which is a mixture of internal and external factors. Because of this, it is essential to have a clear understanding of that context before the marketing strategy is constructed. A systematic approach to acquiring that understanding helps to ensure that it is well informed and covers all the relevant factors. 2.2 Demonstrate how an over-all view on the strategic position of businesses and the understanding of their competitors impact on their marketing strategy 2.2.1 Explain the importance of competitors, e.g. key issues when analyzing a businesss competitors Competitive analysis and strategic evaluation of the strongly corrugated and corrugated SWAK of current and potential competitors. This analysis provides both an offensive and defensive strategic context to identify opportunities and threats. Profiling an average of all relevant sources of competitor analysis in a framework in support of the efficient and effective strategy formulation, implementation, monitoring and adjustment. analysis is an essential part of the corporate strategy. It is argued that most companies are not this type of analysis systematically enough to carry. On the contrary, many companies are working on what is called informal impressions, assumptions and intuition by goodies information about competitors every manager continually receive. As a result, the traditional sites of the area scanned many companies to the risk of dangerous competitive blind areas due to a lack of robust competitor analysis. Demonstrating the value of information about competitors, such examples of business use to answer questions which provides information on five main competitors Management for Impact means that that is what is needed to respond to changing conditions and greater understanding by the adaptation of the project so it will be more likely to achieve its expected impact such changes may result in minor changes to the assets or major strategic reviews .. Each project is managed to be impacted by its own set of limitations. hold the internal and external constraints will help you to have realistic expectations of what can be achieved and set. 2.3 Analyze critically the links between growth strategies and the main types of strategic marketing objectives 2.3.1 Explain the main types of strategic marketing objective, e.g. niche, hold, harvesting and divest objectives The purpose of strategic marketing analysis is to help managers understand the nature of the industry, the way firms behave competitively within the industry, and how competition is generally undertaken. From this information it becomes easier to determinate exactly what the marketing goals should be. There are several types of strategic objective but four main ones are considered here. These are niche, hold, harvest, and divest goals and are considerable briefly. However the section that follows considers a further objective, namely growth. 2.3.2 Demonstrate the links between growth as an objective and other key strategic marketing objectives, e.g. examine types of growth (intensive, integrative, diversified) in relation to other to strategic marketing objectives When an organization adopts a diversification strategy they are essentially moving outside current, known areas of expertise. Through diversification they begin to work with new products, in new markets, and this brings new risks. Diversification for single-product organizations is an important development for two main reasons. First, risk becomes spread across two or more markets, and secondly, organizational resources such as management, marketing, finance, production, and operations can be used more effectively and efficiently when deployed across more than one product or market. Horizontal diversification occurs when products that are technologically unrelated to The established product range are introduced to the same market. Concentric diversification occurs when products that are technologically related to the Current portfolio is introduced to new markets. Conglomerate diversification occurs when products that is technologically unrelated To the current portfolio are introduced to new markets. 2.4 Demonstrate how marketing strategies contribute to sustainable competitive advantage 2.4.1 Identify the conditions necessary for sustained competitive advantage, e.g. Porters ideas for sustainability He described a category scheme consisting of three general types of strategies that are commonly used by companies to achieve competitive advantage and maintain. These three generic strategies are defined along two dimensions: strategic scope and strategic strength. Strategic scope is a demand-side dimension (Michael E. Porter was originally an engineer, then an economist before he specialized in strategy) and look at the size and composition of the market you intend to target. Strategic strength is a supply-side dimension and look at the strength or core competency of the company. In particular, he has two powers which he felt was most important: product differentiation and product cost (effectiveness) identified. 2.4.2 Assess how different strategies contribute to competitive advantage, e.g. key positions that a business can adopt (cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategies) and their impact in achieving competitive advantage Differentiate their products in a way to compete successfully. Examples of successful use of a differentiation strategy are Hero Honda, Asian Paints, HLL, Nike Sneakers, By-Pastor, Apple Computer, and Mercedes-Benz. Differentiation that is tuned when the target segment is not sensitive to price, the market is competitive or saturated, customers have very specific requirements that may be under-served, and the company has resources and unique features that allow you to these needs in a response mode that are difficult to copy. These include patents or other rights of intellectual property (IP), the only technical expertise (eg Apples ability to design or animation prowess PEER), talented employees (for example, a champion sports team or a company of merchants Star brokerage), or innovative processes. Successful brand management is only observed even when the physical product is the same competitors. In this way, Chiquita was able to banana brand Starbucks coffee could be seen, and cou ld sneakers Nike brand. Fashion designers are heavily dependent on this form of image difference. 2.5 Apply the main steps of marketing planning in practical business situations 2.5.1 Demonstrate the process of marketing planning in a business context, e.g. devise outline marketing plans to meet the needs of different sizes and types of business The assignment gives few guidelines, examples, methods, tools, and the procedure to write a business plan that generates effluent outcomes. There is also online guidance available which are not chargeable and which demonstrates ways in which marketing strategy can be generated or a company to write a basic business plan or a plan related to sales by making use of freely available templates, examples and tools of how specific the statement separately and theories and techniques for marketing strategy and marketing planning, consisting of tools and guidelines for advertising, press, public relations (PR), and media relations, generation of sales through inquiries , advertising copywriting, internet and web marketing, offers, and so on. There is an in-depth information available about sales planning and selling based on current market situations. Outcome 03: Understand the concept and role of market segmentation and positioning Differentiate between market segmentation and product differentiation A small business can differentiate its product using marketing techniques, by physically changing the product or by changing the price. Using marketing, you can create a brand or image in the mind of consumers by pointing out the difference between your product and those of your competitors. For example, your advertising can show that while your product may cost the same as your competitors, it lasts longer, making it less expensive to use. If you sell tennis shoes, you can reinforce the toes, making it a longer-lasting shoe that appeals to frequent players who wear out their shoes. Lowering or raising the price of a product differentiates you from your competition. Because consumers have different needs, even when shopping for the same product, its important to know who is buying your product. This will help you plan your marketing, product development and pricing. You can sell a higher-priced version of your product with extra features in specialty stores to attract young, affluent singles, and sell another version with fewer features at a lower cost to young families or seniors. You can sell one version of your product to consumers, and another to businesses. 3.2 Compare and contrast different targeting approaches Business plans come in all shapes and sizes. Pragmatism is essential. Ensure your plan shows what your business needs it to show. Essentially your plan is a spreadsheet of numbers with supporting narrative, explaining how the numbers are to be achieved. A plan should show all the activities and resources in terms of revenues and costs, which together hopefully produce a profit at the end of the trading year. The level of detail and complexity depends on the size and part of the business that the plan concerns. Your business plan, which deals with all aspects of the resource and management of the business (or your part of the business), will include many decisions and factors fed in from the marketing process. It will state sales and profitability targets by activity. In a marketing plan there may also be references to image and reputation, and to public relations. All of these issues require thought and planning if they are to result in improvement, and particularly increasing number s of customers and revenue growth. You would normally describe and provide financial justification for the means of achieving these things, together with customer satisfaction improvement. Above all a plan needs to be based on actions cost-effective and profitable cause and effect; inputs required to achieved required outputs, analyses, identifie