...those same people chose a one-size-fits-all fad diet and flunk out with in just a few short months, with some calling it quits within weeks. The truth is there is no such thing as the perfect diet for all consumers, yet we still follow the media, celebrities, and coworkers down the road of the most popular fad diet that promises the quickest gains. In the end we spend billions of dollars on these diets and all the accessories that come with them, such as expensive gym memberships and hyped up supplements, and the results are minimal at best. Dieting in America has become a mainstream, profit generating habit that can be unhealthy and costly; educating the public on alternative eating habits and supplemental lifestyle choices can lead to healthier individuals and outweigh the marginal benefits of dieting alone. American’s are competitive by nature, and never want to be left behind. Mainstream dieting has been around for decades, growing more and more popular as our ways to reach out to more consumers grow. I can remember being a child, listening to my mother and aunts discuss New Year’s resolutions that always included dieting. Back then we only had the evening news, newspapers, and telephones. Today we cannot escape the onslaught of social media, and one would be lucky to maneuver the checkout line at CVS without picking up a magazine listing the hottest diet, offered by the hottest model. A current website dedicated to tracking popular fad diets carries the slogan “30...
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...By only showing size zero models, they are throwing indirect messages at people on how other bigger sizes and body types are not good enough. Studies have shown how, during the teenage years, self-esteem declines sharply in girls. These coincides with the years in which girls gain contact with the media and its influences. When this contact is created, many young girls come to realize they do not fit with what society is asking for, which is portrayed in the media, and they feel fat and uncomfortable with themselves. Other studies measuring the likeability of girls in high school and college, presented a reality in which overweight girls had way less favorability (Smith). These results may come from personal opinions, but where do these opinions come from? It was never a part of culture to teach who to...
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...Caledonia Products Integrative Problem Adam Pugh, Estee Vargas-Nichols, Jenny Clark University of Phoenix FIN 370 Cassandra Ryder April 26, 2012 Caledonia Products Integrative Problem When companies are determining whether an investment must be undertaken, they decide if the investment will add to or detract from the value of the firm. There are several determining factors in evaluating an investment. These include project free cash flow versus accounting profits, incremental cash flows, net present value, and internal rate of return. Caledonia Products is deciding whether to undertake a new investment project. The firm must determine the cash flows for the life of the project, calculate the net present value and the internal rate of return, and decide whether the project is a sound investment. Caledonia must focus on free cash flow somewhat than accounting earnings because the free cash flow profits the society obtains, which can invested. Through examining the free cash flow, Caledonia would be competent to decide the definite advantage or the cost complicated. The association mainly should focus on the incremental cash flow since the incremental cash flow grips a peripheral advantage from the development. Decrease is measured to be expenditure item that means that the superior the devaluation, the superior the expenditure motivation be to the association. Consequently, if Caledonia perceived at the development from an office profit view, the profit would be much...
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...Becoming a National Brand Bettina Chen Lisa Yee Eythan Familier Robbie Paolini 1 Memo to the CEO: Executive Summary • Pinkberry needs to take advantage of its first mover status • Expansion of the firm is possible due to the product’s higher quality • Can use the following strategies • Establish Pinkberry as a national brand by controlled franchising • Advertise with a focus on health and flavor • Target health-conscious individuals as well as young crowds • Maintain simplicity of menu choices • Maintain upscale status of locations • Hire young motivated people • Provide opportunities of advancement to employees of the company Market and Competitive Analysis The overall market The current level of health awareness in the United States has led to a steady increase in the number of yogurt restaurants in Southern California. This has occurred despite the fact that Southern California already experienced one frozen yogurt boom-and-bust cycle in the 1980s and '90s. With consumers seeking healthy alternatives for frozen dessert, frozen yogurt sales grew 12 percent in 2007 alone1. According to the U.S. Market for Ice Cream and Related Frozen Desserts, the U.S. market for frozen desserts is set to grow by more than $4 billion by 2012, with frozen yogurts attaining the 2 strongest growth. This represents an 18 percent increase over the next five years, from the market's 2007 value of $23.3 billion across...
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..."The perfect body." What defines the perfect body? Through the mass media's consecutive collaborations with the fashion industry, they've undoubtedly justified that answer for you by instituting a society, which possesses the discouragement of one's self-confidence and reciprocated it into unrealistic standards. The media's concept of the ideal women's body isn't immovable. Over centuries women internationally have worshiped a variety of body types determined by societies morals of beauty. Each decade represents a new era of shockingly dramatic fluctuations from the hourglass figure of the 1950's to the meagre frame of the 1960's, encouraged by fashion icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Twiggy. Becoming a "size zero" has gone from a fad to an...
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...Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM is a philosophy that encourages companies and their employees to focus on finding ways to continuously improve the quality of their business practices and products. Six Sigma at many organizations simply means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving towards six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process -- from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service. The statistical representation of Six Sigma describes quantitatively how a process is performing. To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications. A Six Sigma opportunity is then the total quantity of chances for a defect. Process sigma can easily be calculated using a Six Sigma calculator. The fundamental objective of the Six Sigma methodology is the implementation of a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction through the application of Six Sigma improvement projects. This is accomplished through the use of two Six Sigma sub-methodologies: DMAIC and DMADV. The Six Sigma DMAIC process (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) is an improvement system for existing processes falling below specification and looking for incremental improvement. The...
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...besa44438_ch03.qxd 10/12/04 5:45 PM Page 68 3 3.1 3.2 C H A P T E R CONSUMER PREFERENCES AND THE CONCEPT OF UTILITY R E P R E S E N TAT I O N S OF PREFERENCES UTILITY FUNCTIONS APPLICATION 3.1 APPLICATION 3.2 APPLICATION 3.3 APPLICATION 3.4 Influencing Your Preferences How People Buy Cars: The Importance of Attributes Taste Tests Hula Hoops and Pet Rocks Why Do You Like What You Like? If you are thinking about buying a car, your choices can be overwhelming: Should you buy or lease? New car or used? A sport utility vehicle, a sedan, a sports car, or a minivan? Should you get a sunroof or four-wheel drive? How much extra would you pay for a vehicle that will have a high resale value in the future? What are the expected operating expenses for each model—insurance, repairs, gasoline, and so on? Finally, what opportunities will you forgo if you buy a car? How else could you spend your money, either today or in the future? Making decisions about a product with many options is not easy. Before buying a car, for example, you might draw on the experiences of friends and family, read advertisements, visit dealers, and test-drive vehicles. You might also research different models and financing options on the Web, read Consumer Reports, price insurance rates for favorite models, or even visit chat rooms frequented by car buffs. As a consumer, you make choices every day of your life. Besides choosing among automobiles, you must decide what kind of housing to rent...
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...short questions and only choose TWO (2) to answer, 40 marks; recommended time: 70 minutes Section B - Long Essay Question and Answer: 1. Discuss with example the four major sets of variables that might be used in segmenting consumer markets and the factors marketers consider when choosing a targeting strategy. (40 Marks) Answer for first section: Consumer markets are typically segmented using four major variables: geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral variables. Geographic segmentation calls for dividing the market into different geographical units such as nations, regions, states, counties, cities, or even neighborhoods. Demographic segmentation divides the market into groups based on variables such as age, gender, family size, family life cycle, income, occupation, education, religion, race, generation, and nationality. Psychographic segmentation divides buyers into different groups based on social class, lifestyle, or personality characteristics. People in the same demographic group can have very different psychographic makeups. Behavioral segmentation divides buyers into groups based on their knowledge, attitudes, uses, or responses to a product. Buyers can be grouped according to (1) occasions when they get the idea to buy, actually make their purchase, or use the purchased item, (2) the benefits people look for in the product class, (3) user status (nonusers, ex-users, potential users, first-time users, and regular users of a product), (4) usage rate (light...
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...Entrepreneurship Health Care Product and Services Marketing Techniques Wali K Shakoor-Luqman I BSN, RN HCS/567 Marketing for Health Care 11/24/2014 Facilitator: Jackie Lucas FACHE Health Care Entrepreneurship Marketing Techniques Today’s health environment is governed by the concept of efficient deliverance of care, with the main objective of managing the transactions made between the patient and their providers using cost effective methods. The makeup also consists of consumer involvement in making wiser choices from the various marketing strategies used by the health care industry. The Unites States Health Care System is designed to plan and have control as to how resources are distributed. Due to harsh economic and changing times, health care has not been regulated closely enough to make sure United States citizens receive adequate resources for quality health care at an affordable cost (Getzen, 2007). The health care industry has so much opportunity for developing new businesses, but the entrepreneur has to be equipped with the necessary tools to meet the demands of the health care market. Health care organizations are serious about protecting the general public against the unscrupulous individuals using the get rich quick scams to exploit the consumer out of millions of dollars, based on trends or cosmetic related goods. As we know, obesity in the United States is an area of great concern. Health care consumers who suffer...
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...Oceanography Final 11/4/2015: Bob Howarth, Nutrient Pollution in Coastal Marine Ecosystem Oceans impacted by: Overfishing, Pollution, Climate Change 2010- World’s largest oil spill in Gulf of Mexico Diffuse population=Biggest problem Increase in global dead zone… too much algae -> too little oxygen Nutrient pollution is bad -> less marine diversity, currently not regulated, Eutrophication= Algae Growth, runs oxygen levels to 0 in deep ocean Increased vertical density stratification prohibits the warmer oxygen rich top layer from mixing with Deep Ocean Phosphorus and Nitrogen are crucial to the growth of Algae Phytoplankton need a 16:1-N:P Redfield ration Phosphorus: Bigger problem in fresh lakes, originally thought not to be the problem since scientific studies with phosphorous in small flasks showed that it wasn’t. But then, they tested it in a big lake in Canada and it proved to be the cause of algae growth. Nitrogen: Comes mostly from agriculture (synthetic fertilizer), main problem in coastal waters (nitro-fixation is not common in coasts because of high salinity), proved through tests in tube like pools. Wetter coastal climates deliver more nitrogen pollution to sea because of rain run-off. Gold of Mexico now warmer so there is a higher likelihood of it turning into a dead zone even with the same nitrogen input. Hudson River flows slowly now -> less freshwater discharge -> Eutrophication Gulf of St. Lawrence- climate change altered...
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...FINANCIAL DERIVATIVES (A Future of Indian Financial Market) Dr. Ritu Kothiwal, Associate Professor, BIET, Hyderabad Contact No: 09246193330 Email Id: kothiwal55@gmail.com Mr. Ankur Goel, Research Scholar (Management), Mewar University, GZB. Contact No: 9917745990 Email Id: mrankurgoel@gmail.com. ABSTRACT Among all the innovations that have flooded the international financial markets, financial derivatives occupy the driver's seat. These specialized instruments facilitate the shuffling and redistribution of the risks that an investor faces. Thus aids in the process of diversifying ones portfolio. The volatility in the equity markets over the past years has resulted in greater use of equity derivatives. The volume of the exchange traded equity futures and options in most of the mature markets have seen a significant growth. It goes beyond that the local derivative in the emerging markets have witnessed widespread use of the derivative instrument for a variety of reasons. This continuous growth and development by the emerging market participants has resulted in capital inflows as well as helped the investors in risk protection through hedging. INTRODUCTION AND CONCEPT OF DERIVATIVES: Derivatives are financial contracts whose values are derived from the value of an underlying primary financial instrument, commodity or index, such as: interest rates, exchange rates, commodities, and equities. The International Monetary Fund defines derivatives as "financial...
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...Assignment Asahi Breweries Case Analysis Anonymous Asahi Breweries (Dry Beer Implementation) Introduction Asahi Breweries, Ltd. has been in the Japanese beer market since its inception in 1949 where it originated through the post-war breakup of beer conglomerate Dai Nippon, which at the time had a 75% market share. The only other existing Japanese beer company prior to the post-war era was Kirin, holding the remaining 25% market share. Asahi is one of four main beer manufacturers along with its competitors; Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory companies. Kirin, being the oldest and largest company of beer producers has historically been the leader in production, sales, and market share at ~ 60%; primarily through its experience enabling the company to identify market trends and develop expansive distribution centers. The Asahi, Sapporo, and Suntory companies have generally remained competitive for the remaining 40% market share. Traditionally, lager beer as been the choice of Japanese beer drinkers and Kirin has capitalized on that tradition for decades by producing lager as its primary beer product. However, by the early 1980’s consumer tastes began to change and they desired more variety in beer choices. To meet the demand, the three smaller companies developed and marketed their own brands of draft beer which in turn enabled the market share for that specific product segment to even out. Karin...
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...needs and is known to develop a new product or design and have it on store shelves in less than a month. Competition will generally do this same task in about 6 to 9 months. This competitive advantage has helped Zara to become a fashion leader and always stay a step ahead of competition. This also allows Zara to copy competitor new designs and come out with a slightly deviated version in just a couple weeks. This has competitors distraught as they spend enormous amounts of money on research and design just to have it instantly copied without costing Zara anything in research costs. This business model has allowed Zara to recently produce 11,000 distinct items in a recent year and several hundred SKUs given variation in color, fabric and sizes. This is compared with 2,000-4,000 items for key competitors. They were able to achieve this by shipping products directly from their central distribution center to well-located, attractive stores twice a week, eliminating the need for warehouses and keeping inventories low as possible. Zara has a policy of not keeping any items in...
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...Just in Time for the Holidays * Eric J. McNulty FROM THE DECEMBER 2005 ISSUE * SAVE * SHARE * COMMENT * TEXT SIZE * PRINT * 8.95 BUY COPIES Just in Time for the Holidays VIEW MORE FROM THE December 2005 Issue EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE RECOMMENDED * ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Just in Time for the Holidays (HBR Case Study and Commentary) ------------------------------------------------- TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONSHBR CASE AND COMMENTARY * ------------------------------------------------- Eric McNulty, M. Eric Johnson, Horst Brandstatter, Warren H. Hausman, Anne Omrod ------------------------------------------------- 8.95 ADD TO CART * ------------------------------------------------- SAVE ------------------------------------------------- * ------------------------------------------------- SHARE * ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Just in Time for the Holidays (HBR Case Study) ------------------------------------------------- STRATEGY & EXECUTION HBR CASE * ------------------------------------------------- Eric McNulty ------------------------------------------------- 8.95 ADD TO CART * ------------------------------------------------- SAVE ------------------------------------------------- * ------------------------------------------------- ...
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...Murdoch Business School Working Papers Factors Affecting the GRI Disclosures in the Annual Reports of Australian State Government Departments Dr Maria Mucciarone Murdoch Business School Professor Greg Tower - Curtin University Professor Mike Garner - Salisbury University Working Paper No.3 February 2012 The views presented in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Murdoch Business School or Murdoch University. Working papers are considered draft publications for critical comments by colleagues and will generally be expected to be published elsewhere in a more polished form after a period of critical engagement and revision. Comments on this paper should be directed to the authors at m.mucciarone@murdoch.edu.au; Greg.Tower@cbs.curtin.edu.au; rmgarner@salisbury.edu.au © Copyright is held by the author(s) of each working paper: No part of this publication may be republished, reprinted or reproduced in any form without the permission of the paper’s author(s). National Library of Australia. ISSN: 1837-6371 Factors Affecting the GRI Disclosures in the Annual Reports of Australian State Government Departments Abstract Purpose: Growing concern over the environmental impact of climate change and carbon tax has increased demand for public disclosure on how government departments are fulfilling their social and environmental obligations. The purpose of this study is to identify what factors influence Australian State government...
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