Media Convergance Essay Example for Free

Media Convergance Essay What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to technology, and how has it affected everyday life? Media convergence is using the progression of technology to take all the different forms of media and combing them into one single form of media. There are many different forms being combined together such as television, internet, radio, newspapers and magazines. The convergence of media has greatly affected everyday life in both positive and negative ways. Media convergence has given us the opportunity to get immediate and up to date information on news and media that is happening in the world. This gives us the opportunity to keep up to date with what is going on with the world. Another positive affect of media convergence is giving us one main outlet to get many different views and opinions on the information and news provided around the world. Media convergence also has negative results affecting our everyday lives. A negative effect of media convergence is the possibility of getting biased or incorrect information from the internet. On the internet anyone who has the means to pay for a web domain can publish information on the internet, so it is important to check your sources of information and ensure the reliable and correct. With the progression of technology the convergence of media will continue to grow and progress. What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to business, and how has it affected everyday life? What are some of the issues that result from dependency on modern media? Describe at least three issues. How does media literacy help with responsible media consumption?

Integrated Marketing Communication Plan For Costa Coffee Marketing Essay

Integrated Marketing Communication Plan For Costa Coffee Marketing Essay The objective of this research is to provide an integrated marketing communications plan for Costa coffee. The strategic plan strives to boost the sales of the business and expand the market share of the business. The IMC plan for the products of Costa coffee target college students. The marketing objectives of the plan are to increase the purchases and uptake of Costa coffee products among college students. The strategy of providing discounts to college students ensures that these objectives are attainable. The business should also increase its market share and expand its business outlets by utilizing the marketing, advertising and promotions set out in this plan. Conversely, the structure of the communication objectives contained in this plan aims to reach the desired audience in an effective and cost effective manner. The access to information regarding the business should be made readily available to the target audience. The objectives of the plan, therefore, would be to provide as much information as required for customers in order to increase sales, build the business brand and increase its market share. Putting into consideration the fact that the target audiences are usually the hardest to reach, it is critical to align the strategies developed with realistic objectives in order to attain the desired goals. The objectives of the integrated marketing communications plan developed, therefore, connects both the desired objectives to the development strategies in order to arrive at the objectives set out. The achievement of the integrated marketing communications plan becomes attainable through the combination of various communication vehicles such as the internet, personal sales, advertisements and sales promotion. The selection of these vehicles is based on the target audiences and, therefore, identified as the most appropriate methods of communication to attain the planned objectives. It is noteworthy that the current approach adopted by the business in this respect does not comprehensively provide for the needs of the target population. The incentives adopted to achieve this approach work to enhance the current strategies in order to come up with strategies aimed at college students. It is, therefore, conclusive that the situations call for a strategic approach aimed at both marketing and communications. Bringing into the picture the fact that the target audiences are the most difficult to reach, the strategies adopted must be within the realm of the target audience. The communication strategies must also fall within the setup of this population in order to achieve effectiveness. Background Two brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa established costa coffee in 1971. The coffee was initially sold to the locals and subsequently they went ahead to open a coffee shop. Currently Costa coffee is among the fastest growing chain of coffee shops with numerous shops within the United Kingdom and a couple of other shops across the globe. The company went international in 1999 with an establishment in Dubai. In 1995, the business became a fully owned subsidiary after it was acquired by White bread and in 2009, the business acquired coffee heaven increasing its business operations by an additional 79 stores. Situational overview Marketing analysis Coffee is among the most preferred beverage among a large percentage of the inhabitants in the UK, and the preference extends globally. The rapid growth in the industry shows that the preference for coffee is ever growing and the market for the business increasing, as well. By the close of 2010, Costa coffee was the market leader in the business with the principal market share in the industry. Market environment Costa coffee will experience higher commodity prices in the future. Some factors affecting all the key market players include the prices of coffee and other commodities used by the businesses, technological advancement, and expansion and development techniques. The impact of these issues in the communications planning is eminent as it offers the Costa coffee customers products as well as valuable information regarding the products and promotional offers. Consumer analysis The primary consumers of the products of the business enterprise are coffee lovers of all ages. The products of Costa coffee have been developed to maintain the traditional taste to retain its current customers as well as attract more customers through the constant good quality coffee. The current market comprises of both local and international customers with a passion for the traditionally brewed coffee and exceptional services offered by Costa coffee. Competitor analysis Starbucks coffee is the strongest competitor to Costa coffee with a substantial share of the market. Even though, Costa coffee has a larger share of the market compared to Starbucks the difference in this market share is marginal and; therefore, the determination of the price of the products and consumer influence among the competitors is not set by any of the players but set by market forces. SWOT analysis Strengths The main strengths of the business include its brand and custom products. The business brand has a strong reputation for providing excellent products, and the brands association with the traditional coffee brewing methods by using good quality coffee contributes to the strength of the business. This gives the business an edge among its competitors. Weaknesses The most significant weaknesses of the business are the procedures required in opening a new outlet. Although these procedures act to maintain the brand quality, they hinder the rapid expansion of their business through the numerous procedural requirements. The complex procedures always deter the expansion process. Opportunities The business has operational opportunities in the international market, and this venture will see the business increase its revenue and market share. The presence of the business in the international arena is still lacking and, with investment in the international emerging markets through franchise, this becomes a viable option in ensuring global presence. Threats Potential threats to the business are the vulnerabilities to economics shifts such as the change in the price of coffee beans and legal issues. Target audience The target market for the integrated market and communications plan is the young population and more so the college student population. The populace makes up a considerable portion of the economy, and the disposable incomes of the target population fit the products offered by the business. Overview The brand building by the company has ensured that the business has stayed afloat and further facilitated the expansion of the business. The use of the business brand in marketing helps to attract customers into the business. The college students targeted by the plan will likely be attracted to Costa coffee by its brand and its products quality The adoption of a strategy to focus on the younger generation and especially the college students founded on the notion that since most of the stores are situated next to bookshops and colleges, the business is strategically positioned for the target audiences. The media vehicles used to reach this population, therefore, inclines towards the employment of technological approaches to communication and in this regard, the use of the internet preferred. The existing communications strategy used by the company involves the use of the internet, where the business has a website on its products but apart from that, the business does not have other marketing plans. The business website is not interactive and does not have a vibrant outlay, although the website provides links to the companies social networks the relationship between the social media and website are not well interlinked. Another development in the business is that, in 2006, the business sponsored the Costa book awards meant to celebrate storytelling and literary works, which further informs the modalities of choosing the target population and the strategies developed. Objectives The integrated marketing plan will achieve many marketing communications objectives that will act as a basis for the enhancement of the business activities of Costa coffee. The objectives of the plan are ascertainable and based on the SWOT analysis of the business. The general objective of the plan is to improve the brand name of Costa coffee. This becomes attainable through increasing the brand image, which will improve sales and increase the organizations market share. The objectives of the plan will vary in degree but in order to arrive at the primary objective of the plan, it is necessary to put into consideration objectives aimed at making fundamental and implementation decisions. The goals of the plan, therefore, include providing awareness to the target population through advertisement, facilitate the introduction, and build sales of new products such as the Costa gift card and the book awards, gain consumer trust and loyalty and offer excellent products to the customers. The objectives of the marketing communications would be to inform the customers by creating and stimulating interest and awareness. This will make the target customers know about the products offered and the availability of these products. In this regard and respect to the target population, therefore, the strategies employed must be trendy and appealing. Persuading the customers that the products of Costa coffee are the best value for them compared to the competitors also forms the objectives of marketing communications. Giving offers and providing a reward program for loyal customers should inform the strategy used in this achievement. Additionally reminding the existing customers of the products and the quality of the products of Costa coffee assists the business improve its sales, as the customers are informed of it presence. Messages PROBLEM HOW TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM MESSAGE None of the Costa coffee products are meant for the college students Provide students a discount on the Costa products Costa coffee values all its customers, especially the young generation Costa coffee does not give back to the society Provide scholarships and events such as book awards Costa coffee supports education. Major message to the customers MESSAGE NAME AND CORE MESSAGE MESSAGE SUBSTANTIATION Costa coffee values the contribution of the students to its business Costa coffee will introduce discounts to its customers especially to the college students in order to appeal to the younger generation. Costa coffee values education Costa coffee will establish a scholarship program for college students and provide other educational support such as book awards to students. Communications strategy The communication strategy employed aims at the development and implementation of communication plans to enhance the visibility of Costa coffee. The strategy works to generate positive media coverage through the interaction through the social media. This will in turn generate support from customers on the improvements to tailor the Costa coffee to the needs of its customers. The communication strategy also facilitates the encouragement of the business customers to support Costa coffee. Branding Branding promotes the recognition of a product or service of a provider and where the provider provides quality services the brand is remembered and serves to provide repeat customers for the brand. The tendency of individuals to adhere to familiarity is a common factor in the consumption habits and, therefore, the use of a familiar brand translates top positive reception of services and products even where the products are new. When a customer recognizes a brand that they have used previously they tend to choose that product over the others. Marketing communications mix To position the products of Costa coffee strategically, the approach used focuses on the emphasis on the quality of its products instead of the prices. It is evident that the quality of the products of Costa coffee remains at a high standard throughout the market. The mix adopted in the attainment of this includes the use of advertisements, sales promotion, personal selling, and public relations. Advertisement involves the use of paid and non-personal form of media communication. The use of advertisement achieves many objectives in this endeavor such as building the brand image of the business, and passing the relevant information to the target audience. The downside of this form of communication is the expenses attached to an advertisement, which are usually high. Comparatively material is the use of personal selling which uses personal interactions with the aim of fostering a good relationship with the customers. This method makes a representation of the long-term commitment of the business to its customers and facilitates the use of feedback. However, this method is more expensive compared to the other methods. Paul et al. (1999) provides that sales promotion, on the other hand, use a variety of styles ranging from promotions coupons, discounts and contests. This method attracts customers as well as provides them with purchase-oriented incentives. The barrier to this metho d is that it does not aim at the long term objectives of marketing communications. Public relations support the credibility of the business as it is a more believable form of marketing communication and uses a variety of features in approach such as sponsorships, news stories and features as well as promotions. This approach is relatively inexpensive and achieves many desirable results. Creative strategies The creative strategy employed in the achievement of the objectives of the integrated marketing communications plan required for effective advertising. The creative strategies stem from the marketing strategy of Costa coffee, take into consideration the opinion of the customers, and integrate the component of honesty. The creative strategies should not promise what cannot be delivered and must be formulated on realistic expectations. The creative strategies aim at providing value to the customers and a solution to their problems. The focus of advertising is to show the customers that Costa coffee has a product that is of interest to them and that the product is of a good quality. The communication to the customer revolves around their tastes and preferences. Media strategy The target market segment of the plan will be individuals who are attending college and who have a regular access to the internet. In this regard, the preferred media for the attainment of the objectives of the plan will rely majorly on the internet. The same possess a structure aimed at attracting the initial consumption of Costa coffee and subsequently work to retain these customers while attracting more. Ajasafe et al. (2011) discusses that the availability of internet access to this fraction of the target population through their institutions further supports the preference for the internet. Measurement and brand equity concepts The success of the integrated marketing communications plan will be based on the improvement of sales by Costa coffee. The awareness of the target population shall also form a contributory factor in the assessment of the plans success. The return on marketing investment shall be based on these two factors as well as the attitude of the target audience to brand. The key objective of the plan being to improve on the sales, the change in the sale quantities of business shall be a direct indicator of the plans success. Putting into consideration the fact that the strategies adopted cannot yield immediate results a period of three months should be allowed in order to determine the efficiency of the plan (Malcolm and Wilson 2011). If, at the end of this period, the sales of the business do not increase then the plan should be reevaluated to ensure the set objectives are met. Brand awareness is also a crucial objective of the plan as a good brand wills attract customers to purchase a product. The ultimate goal, therefore, is to improve the brand awareness and ensure a positive attitude by the customers toward these products. Below the line communications This method of communication implies the use of channels that do not involve mass media. These methods focus on both brand building and sales promotions. It allows for engagement with the target audience in a more interactive and personal way. The communication needs are in turn tailored to fit the requirements and the expectations of the audience. Promotion Promotion plays the key role in the marketing plan with an estimate of half of the budget. Promotional activities and provision of discounts on the goods is a highly effective method of marketing as it is engaging to the intended target group. The concept will increase the brand awareness as well as boost sales with the use of practical marketing, which allows consumers to have an emotion; experience with the brand. The discount programs shall be applied to stores located around colleges and areas with a large population of the target group. Gifts and coupons The use of gifts and coupons for customers will improve the sales of the business as well as its brand name by giving the customers incentives to purchase from the store. These concepts give customers a reason to choose the brand over the rest because the customers are rewarded. Public relations This is also noteworthy as the target audiences are made aware of the presence of the brand and the foodstuff available for them. The concept also becomes practical where the audiences are reminded of the presence of the brand in the market. This concept fits the case of Costa coffee as the target audience can be reached both efficiently and effectively. This is true because of the huge concentration of the target audience in the selected areas. Direct and Digital Magazines By using magazines, especially those oriented towards the college students the target audience can be provided information as well as education on the products of Costa coffee. The essence of these advertisements is to drive the audience towards purchasing the advertised products. The target audiences in this case are more responsive to magazines that talk about contemporary issues and technology magazines, as well as educational magazines. This implies, therefore, that in order to reach the population it is imperative to advertise in these magazines. Internet The use of the internet is the most extensive form of communication aimed at achieving the objective of this plan. The reason the internet is the most efficient and practical vehicle for communication is that it has several modes of communication within it ranging from internet advertisements, social media, websites, and blogs. The internet is also comparatively cheaper than the other methods of communication such as promotions. The internet methods are also instant and the information is made available in a timely manner. It is also noteworthy that the target population is in constant touch with the internet world and as such a lo9t of emphasis should be placed on internet communication. The vast array of channels of internet communication also provides massive coverage of the target population. Integration The business brand will play a central role in the integration of various communication methods to be used in the plan. The brand will act as a signature for the business, and whichever method is applied in the communication strategy the contents of the communication must include the business brand of Costa coffee for identification of the business (Chris 2010). JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC PROMOTION GIFTS AND COUPONS PUBLIC RELATIONS MAGAZINES INTERNET Tactical calendar Budget The largest  portion  of the estimated budget is set for promotions  which results to 50% of the estimated budget. The decision to allocate this large percentage to promotion stems from the massive contributions of promotions towards the attainment of the planned objectives. The second budget estimate is set of advertisements and takes a percentage of 15% of the estimated budget (John 2007). The contribution of advertisements to the objective is also substantial, and the cost of putting up advertisements is higher than the other options, therefore, inflating the cost of advertisements. Other estimates in the budgeting process include public relations, which require 15% of the estimated budget. Public relations also provide a good platform in the marketing and communications strategy and, therefore, require a good budget portion. The emphasis on this vehicle culminates from the anticipated impact of this vehicle on the outcome of the integrated marketing communications plan. Gif t, coupons, and the use of the internet will both take an equal allocation of the remaining budget.

Social Interaction Activities In Public Spaces Cultural Studies Essay

Social Interaction Activities In Public Spaces Cultural Studies Essay These public spaces are used for various activities based on which the activities can be divided into necessary activities, optional activities, and social activities. Necessary activities include those, which are more or less compulsory going to school or work, shopping, going to supermarkets, waiting at bus stops or waiting for a person, running errands, distributing mails- in other words, all activities in which those involved are to a greater or lesser degree required to participate. In general, all everyday activities and pastimes are included in this group. The major activities included are most walking related ones. As these activities are necessary ones and will take place throughout the year, under nearly all conditions, and are more or less independent of the exterior environment. The participants have no choice. Optional activities this category includes such activities as taking a walk to get a breath of fresh air, standing around enjoying life, or sitting and sunbathing. These activities can only take place when the weather conditions are favorable. This relationship is particularly important in connection with physical planning because most of the recreational activities that are pleasant to pursue outdoors are found precisely in this category. These activities are especially dependent on exterior physical conditions. Social activities are those that depend on the presence of others in the public spaces. Social activities may include children at play, people greeting each other, a lot of communal activities. Simply seeing and talking to each other are also included in this category. Public spaces are of vital importance because they shape peoples experience about understanding the city and of the culture. They become the citys identity. Lawrence halprin describes this process: our collective perception of cities depends on the landscape of open spaces. In our imagination of cities it is these open spaces that we remember. They are the places where people congregate to walk and shop and picnic, to play and bicycle and drive. It is these places that we use and in which we encounter each other and participate in that communal life we call city. ( Halprin, 1981, p.4) This is a result of the way people use the city, the way they commute or travel around the city, the placement of major civic and public institutions, social and gathering spaces, ceremonial spaces, location of significant public events, and spaces for recreation and leisure. These places are an expression of the public culture of a city like the way pubic institutions are. They demonstrate the relationship between the state and the citizens and express the cultures urban values. Pubic space plays an important role in the citys social and environmental life. Public space is often mistaken as the space between two buildings or, merely the all the remaining spaces and street corners. Initially no thought was given to the planning of public spaces, buildings were considered more important. After placing all the structures and important buildings the remaining area was converted to public space. Buildings were considered as the life of cities and were made iconic. Lot of money, manpower and energy was spent in the make of an iconic structure. But an iconic building cant make a city iconic. What makes a city iconic are its public and open spaces and when these public spaces are actively used by people they add to the additional value. A public space is named public because of the people using it. It belongs to the public of that area or city. Everyone are free to use it and dont have to pay any entrance fee to use or access it. It is a place where people from all caste, culture, religion and age can come, sit or take advantage of. I believe that public space should be a place for everyone and that a place should not be defined by its designer, but by its user. Currently many public spaces are impersonal with little thought into the facilities offered for the people who use it. If local people do not feel connected to a place it decays and social interaction around the place is lost. The aim is to create engaging places; increases the enjoyment people have in those spaces; or add something to existing locations in order to encourage a positive response to that space where people interact with the environment and with each other. Elements of a public space. Any public space gets affected by a number of factors. There are reasons why a particular space is formed or you may say redesigned. Some spaces such as public squares or plazas were formed in the early 18th or early 19th century due to the revolution taking place. The main purpose behind creating these public spaces was that people could gather here during times of trouble or any event. Also these squares were centrally located so people could access them from anywhere plus they represented the citys history, culture and became iconic sites of the cities. They became one of the most visited tourist destinations. The centre square mostly contained important art or statues of the person responsible for the cities reform and formation. Some of them were formed due to the political scene of the city. During election times some party made some good public spaces. Some public spaces like street markets, parks, centre squares were formed or designed taken into account the citys social and cultural scene. While some of street markets were just formed by the local people or the community living there marking the culture of the space. Some spaces were just formed due to the citys demands and needs. Other factors which affect or make a public space are streets, climate, interaction, furniture, shopping, culture, playfulness, rallys, religions, money, demonstrations, events, material, health, legislation, policies, law and order, housing schemes, security, environment, crime scenes, government policies, art, architecture, construction details, local community and last but not the least people. In short the main factors which affect any public space are listed below: Political: mostly during countries reform or some election events and rallys Economic: the countries development affects its public space. Developed countries have different public spaces whereas developing ones have a different notion and atmosphere of public space. Cultural: the countries culture affects the public space the most. Its mostly reflected in the appearance of the public space. Social: the people living there are to ones which make their public spaces. Its said that people space their space and then in return the space shapes the people around. London as a cultural hub. From being home to many national treasures, museums, libraries, galleries and universities, London is also a centre for global and contemporary culture. London attracts many visitors for its popular and creative culture and also for its interactive informal exciting spaces. For example, you will see artists plating live music in most of the underground stations, theres live music going at Camden markets and other street markets. Also many stores and bookshops keep on holding any events and fares to attract customers. Its a city which makes peoples visit even more interesting, interactive, fun and makes every visit of theirs worthwhile. When compared to the other cities around the world, London leads with an impressive count. London is the largest city in Europe, with a dramatic variation of people from all ages and cultures offering a huge amount of design opportunities. Population of London is approximately 7 million. London has a diverse range of population, which comprises people from Asia, China, and Europe and also from the states. London also shows diversity in age of this population. You find young school going children, to university graduates, mid age office crowd and also a large number of old retired people. Also you will find a number of school, colleges, universities spread all around London. Because of which it has become a hub for students and learning. Also many international companies have their headquarters here, which make it business hub. The political scene in London appears to be quite stable. Thus all the above factors like, diverse culture, economic opportunities, age ratio, political stability, have made a huge impact on the public life and public places. Table 1.1 major cultural indicators (source: cultural audit, 2009) Indicator London New York Paris Shanghai Tokyo No. Of public galleries 92 N/A 59 6 40 No. Of specialist art HE institutions 12 7 3 15 N/A No. Of national museums 22 16 19 6 8 No. Of other museums 162 85 138 100 71 UNESCO world heritage sites 4 1 2 0 0 No. Of public libraries 395 255 303 248 369 Table 1.2 creative industries indicators ( source: cultural audit, 2009) Indicator London New York Paris Shanghai Tokyo No. Of music venues 400 151 122 148 132 Music performances per year 32.292 22,204 3612 11,736 7419 Theatrical performances per yr 17,295 12,045 15,598 3117 8281 No. Of theatres concert halls 215 111 158 137 132 No. Of cinemas 105 264 88 49 105 No. Of bookshops 927 498 1,076 300 N/A No. Of nightclubs, discos etc 306 279 277 N/A N/A No. O festivals. 200 81 40 22 N/A Social interaction: important element of public spaces. They are our streetscapes and promenades According to us gardens, parks, squares are all the spaces that make a public space. This belief is not incorrect but has to transform. We need to widen our views and think of the bigger picture. We conveniently forget about the streets, paths and the roads on which we travel everyday or rather use daily. We dont consider the above ones as public spaces, but if looked in detailed these are the ones, which are used publicly the most. We dont appreciate but these spaces offer a great deal to our lives than any other spaces. These streets and pathways is where maximum interaction takes place. Meeting people, talking to each other, greeting one another, flirting, talking over the phone while waiting for the bus, queuing at he bus stop, all these activities leads to interaction and takes place on the streets, pathway, and bus stops which we generally use for walking, travelling and to reach out to our final destination. All we expect from these connecting spaces is a flat paved area to walk on, a dustbin, sometimes a bench to sit to munch on a sandwich or sip coffee. A place where maximum interaction takes place offers us very little in terms of services and activities. All the attention is mostly given to the redesigning and improvement of parks, squares and the everyday active streets and pathways are always neglected. These spaces have always been overlooked and taken granted for. The streets and pathways become like a lunch place for those who dont have time to go to a restaurant and for those whos lunch just comprises of grabbing a sandwich and eating on the streets or the bus stops. Even with many coffee shops or restaurant options we still like to munch on the noisy streets or sip coffee looking at the people pass by. The main reason behind this is that we love people, we like to watch people, we like interaction. Even though we eat alone on the streets the sense of people being around makes us feel less lonely. Generally, these spaces whish are used daily have been neglected by the government and remain unimproved. Its the local community or some private organizations or simply the people residing in the nearby areas, which come ahead and make arrangements to make these spaces better. They make a sincere effort to convert these unpleasant under walks to cleaner, brighter and fresher places. Pleasant spaces that make our daily commuting journey memorable. Same way if the government looked into this matter and offered more to people using them, it would not only make our journey pleasant but also would make it healthier. For example, if the streets and pathways are made better by putting new paving, made wider, installed with street furniture where people can sit, talk with each other, munch a sandwich or sip coffee, it would encourage people to walk down the corner or use cycles instead of cars for shorter distance, in a way also helping in a healthier, greener environment. A small change ca n make a big impact on our lives. Same way making small changes on our everyday streets and pathways can have a huge impact on our lives. They would make our journeys memorable, pleasurable and healthier. Below are some case studies where streets and pathways are considered as public spaces and redesigned taking people into account and offering them what they demand for. People are better than no people The above saying is said by an old woman counting her last breaths at a hospital bed, surrounded by a few nurses and a doctor she said people are better than no people. Even during her last few hours she wished for people, she wished someone was there at her side during her last few hours. She wished her people were there beside her to make her feel secure and comfortable. Even though she couldnt talk much she longed to see her loved ones. Just the sight of a few nurses and the doctor made her comfortable and secure even during the most dreadful moment. She said even if we arent in talking terms with some of our loved ones just a sight of them is worth it than staying alone and dying a lonely death. It applies the same way to others also, to share our happiness, to exchange the bad news in the most dreadful of all moments, in loneliness, in life and death we need people around. Even if not to share, the visual sight of people being around or just a person around makes us breathe a sign of relief. More than the need or necessity its the psychological factor because of which we long to see people or just a person around and need some physical contact. Hence more than the need, necessity and longing its the psychology and human behavior that leads us to talk to other people and interact. Socializing, communicating or meeting other people has a lot of other advantages than just the psychological factor. Firstly the good part is that we interact and talk to people, talking to other people teaches us a lot of things. We express our thoughts, our feelings, and our views. We share our happiness and sadness; we share our griefs and beliefs. They say that our happiness multiplies when sha red with someone, while our grief minuses when told to someone. Great ideas come from others, same way, talking to others, sharing views leads to some new innovation everyday. Speaking to someone we acquire knowledge about a lot of things before unknown to us, like, we learn new things about the city, about the culture, history of the city. We understand new traditions and cultures. We get to know people from diverse cultures and their ideas about life, philosophy and lifestyle. We gain knowledge about the daily happenings, city status, country status, the latest news, political and social endeavors, weather updates, season changes, news about social events, sports activities, background information and many other things. Finding out new things or getting to know about the happenings increases excitement in us. A research also shows that talking to people reduces stress and tension. Refrence. Apart from acquiring knowledge a lot of other things are also learnt from interaction, like , we laugh, we inspire, we get inspired, we share, we learn, listen, we fight, we pray, we hope and the most important thing is we care. All these emotions are very important to lead a healthy, happy and normal life. http://www.wikihow.com/Relieve-Stress http://www.essortment.com/all/stressreliefte_psh.htm http://www.tipsforpanicattacks.net/waystorelievestress.html THE DESIGN It all started with giving something more to people than they actually deserved, especially at spaces which they used daily. These spaces were not parks or gardens but spaces like the streets, pathways which people used daily to travel, walk and reach their destination. Spaces were maximum interaction takes place unintentionally and which still have the capability to give more. Spaces where maximum people are already present, and all you have to do is give them some character, some urge, some environment, some force to interact. For the same I couldnt think of a place other than a local bus stop. A bus stop is one such place, which is accessed by one and all. Its a connecting or you may say a waiting point for people going to work, children travelling to school, people going to church, people going for grocery shopping or any other social activities. Its a waiting hub for a diverse range of people. You see people from different cultures, different age groups, different communities and religion waiting for a single purpose called commuting. Where you have so many people around and waiting, why not provide some interesting features and make their wait fun? Why not create an environment which forces people to interact, to talk to each other? Thinking on the same lines, it was possible to make peoples journey more fun, more interesting and more exciting. A wait in an environment where people interact with each other without realizing they are forced to do so. For the same, the bus stop chosen was a local one called Christchurch located near the ealing broadway tube station, west London. This bus stop is on the uxbridge road and is the closest to the mall, church, tube station, shopping stores, banks etc. Plus all the buses travelling towards uxbridge make a stop here. Its the centre of all the major activities, filled with people waiting for the bus almost at any time of the day. A live survey was done at the same bus stop al day long for three consecutive days. Busiest being the morning hours from 8.00 am to 10.00 am and the evenings from 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm. The mornings and evenings at the mentioned time above you usually see a lot of office crowd, and the rest of the day specially at noon hours you meet a lot of old people. After interviewing most of the people it was found that waiting at the bus stop had been one of their major and daily activities. Specially the older people, their routine considers of going to the bus stop, then grocery store, then back to bus stop and then back home. The main reason of having this routine is meeting people at the grocery store, having some kind of interaction with at least the sales person or even with come of them at the bus stop. Inteviews HOW DID YOU COME TO THE CONCUSION FURNITURE IS BEST FOR INTERACTION. WHY FURNITURE Examples of good public spaces Millennium Park Various designers Chicago, USA (2005) Millennium Park is a massive 10-hectare project based in Chicago at a central location is a combination of art, architecture and landscape design as a single public space design. It was a 450 million dollar budget, centrally located and can be used as a public event space or even as an informal space. Its a major destination for all recreational activities. The project was created with an initial idea to create a green park to block the unattractive railway lines and car parks, which had strewn the lakefront. These tracks and car parks were seen since the city had neglected the lake and its development. A simple project, which has turned out to be the most ambitious project in USA and one of the most successful public spaces in terms of aesthetics and the use by people. A perfect park with a blend of space, form and function, which bring people together for recreation, interaction and fun contributing to a healthier life. The park has different elements designed by great architects and artists. Like at the centre of the park is a pavilion designed by Frank Gehry, which is used as an outdoor space for events, concerts and other social gatherings. It consists of a proscenium surrounded by Gehrys trademark curves of stainless steel with a large steel trellis spanning the entire auditorium. Connected to the pavilion is the first bridge project which spans from Columbus drive, linking millennium park to daley bicentennial plaza and Chicago lakefront system. Connecting all the major points, and people can take a walk through all. Another interesting element is an elliptical jellybean shaped sculpture by Artist Anish Kapoor, a graduate from University of Arts London, and his first public project in USA.its called the bean because its shape is like a bean. The elliptical jelly is inspired by the liquid mercury, and made of steel, so it reflects the city, clouds and people. Its makes us look at our feel that w e are responsible for our city, our people, and the environment we live in. Its also a way to showcase the beautiful Chicago skyline and weather with people along. Another sculpture is a crown fountain designed by artist Laume Plensa, from Spain. The fountain comprises of black granite reflecting pool, placed between two glass block towers. The glass block towers are 15.24m high and at each end of the reflecting pool. They display graphic animation videos and photos, which are constantly changing with the help of LED lights. This was one of the most notable works done by artist Laume Plensa, and is highly successful. It took about 18 million dollars to build this fountain, but the good thing is that it encouraged physical interaction between people and water. Most of the pictures and videos displayed on the tower are mostly of people from Chicago. So most of the people come to see this fountain hoping to see themselves on the tower. Its a perfect public play area, an interaction space and also an area to beat the heat during summers. Another interesting element is the garden located near the pavilion designed by the team of Kathryn Gustafson, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel. The garden is a combination of architecture, planning and lighting. The garden contains a variety of spaces, which helps people enjoy and encourages interaction. It contains small and large spaces, pedestrian areas, pathways etc. that invites more and more people. The millennium park is a perfect blend of pavilions, bridges, parks, sculpture, and art designed by various and famous artists and architects from all around the globe. Its a park which has all activities going on, thanks to the different elements present in it, like the pavilion, the elliptical bean shaped sculpture, the fountain, garden, and the bridge. With elements all over it attracts people and encourages interaction, being a perfect communities space. Though it contains sculpture and structures been designed taking into account peoples need, citys demand, environment, atmosphere but also doesnt neglect aesthetics. USF SQUARE 3RW Architects Bergen, Norway This public space was designed by local architects called 3RW architects and is situated in the Norwegian city of Bergen. This space was initially a car park, which used to be dusty in summer, filled with puddles in rains and slippery in winter. It needed a practical solution and redesigning hence it was decided to cover the whole area with concrete surface. This plaza is used as an artist workshop and also as a restaurant. During the redesign the clients initially wanted a stepped plaza, but the architects convinced to have a sloping concrete surface. They made it as a concrete surface so that it would be rough enough and be less slippery especially during the wet icy weather. A special arrangement is made during winters, heating elements were laid under the concrete so the ice melts and can be used as a public area no matter any weather conditions. This plaza also leads to the cultural centre. Concrete was laid in a grid of 16ft X 16ft and fitted with corten steel strips to create dividers and make shallow gaps. To help make this place interesting at night fibre optics were put into two glass boxes in concrete. An architectural solution to help people use the public space any time they needed to enjoy the weather, have some recreation, interaction and fun. A space to near the water body, a calm restaurant invites many people and helps to promote social interaction. New public spaces The growth of community led projects is creating public space that has a very local and specific uses related to local needs and physical qualities and features of their local environment. Give the people something different Serpentine pavilion Kensington garden, London. Serpentine pavilion is a different kind of public space, situated in Kensington gardens in London. Kensington garden is a huge park with people visiting at all times. To make it more exciting and invite more people

Pygmalion and Educating Rita - Rita as a Modern Day Eliza :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Pygmalion and Educating Rita - Rita as a Modern Day Eliza Although Rita stands in contrast to Eliza, they share so many similarities that one could support the statement that "Rita is a modern day Eliza". Both Rita and Eliza rebel against the inflexible class system and have problems developing their potential. They suggest that everyone is capable of fulfilling his potential if he is only given the opportunity. And their teachers and other members of their class misunderstand them. Furthermore they reject the traditional role of women as well. Concerning their characters, Rita and Eliza are intelligent, quick to learn and with a strong individuality. In order to become educated, the have to make sacrifices: Eliza has to give up her accent and Rita loses her spontaneity and originality. They also become alienated from their working class backgrounds, for they advance socially through acquiring education. Unlike Rita, Eliza didn't want to change her character. Rita, on the other hand, had dreamed of becoming a completely different person. Consequently, when Rita is happy after passing her exam, whereas Eliza is feels lost between two worlds, neither belonging to the working class nor the middle class. As to the relationship with their teachers, both students become more self-confident and their teachers become dependent on them, be it in a materialistic or personal way. Yet it is Eliza who complains about Higgins ignorance and carelessness whereas Frank reproaches Rita for her superficiality. At the end Eliza has regained her pride and improved her standard of living although Eliza remaining a social misfit.

The Model Theory Of Dedekind Algebras :: Algebra Mathematics Essays

The Model Theory Of Dedekind Algebras ABSTRACT: A Dedekind algebra is an ordered pair (B, h) where B is a non-empty set and h is a "similarity transformation" on B. Among the Dedekind algebras is the sequence of positive integers. Each Dedekind algebra can be decomposed into a family of disjointed, countable subalgebras which are called the configurations of the algebra. There are many isomorphic types of configurations. Each Dedekind algebra is associated with a cardinal value function called the confirmation signature which counts the number of configurations in each isomorphism type occurring in the decomposition of the algebra. Two Dedekind algebras are isomorphic if their configuration signatures are identical. I introduce conditions on configuration signatures that are sufficient for characterizing Dedekind algebras uniquely up to isomorphisms in second order logic. I show Dedekind's characterization of the sequence of positive integers to be a consequence of these more general results, and use configuration signat ures to delineate homogeneous, universal and homogeneous-universal Dedekind algebras. These delineations establish various results about these classes of Dedekind algebras including existence and uniqueness. 1. INTRODUCTION One of the more striking accomplishments of foundational studies prior to 1930 was the characterization of various mathematical systems uniquely up to isomorphism (see Corcoran [1980]). Among the first systems to receive such a characterization is the sequence of the positive integers. Both Dedekind and Peano provided characterizations of this system in the late 1880's. Dedekind's characterization commenced by considering B, a non-empty set, and h, a "similar transformation" on B (i.e. an injective unary function on B). In deference to Dedekind, the ordered pair B = (B,h) is called a Dedekind algebra. While the study of Dedekind algebras can naturally be viewed as a continuation of Dedekind's work, the focus here is different. Rather than investigating whether a particular Dedekind algebra (the sequence of the positive integers) is characterizable, we proceed by investigating conditions on Dedekind algebras which imply that they are characterizable. In the following we review some of the results obtained in the model theory of Dedekind algebras and discuss some of their consequences. These results are stated without proofs. Weaver [1997a] and [1997b] provide the details of these proofs. Attention is restricted here to the model theory of the second order theories of Dedekind algebras. Weaver [1998] focuses on the model theory of the first order theories of these algebras. 2. CONFIGURATIONS Given a Dedekind algebra B = (B,hB), AB is the transitive closure of hB.

B & Q Marketing Environment

As competition increases in the retail consumer markets, it becomes increasingly necessary for businesses to examine the marketing environment.The following explores B & Q brand, which is a home improvement retailer in the UK. The company functions as a subsidiary of the larger Kingfisher Plc. The report covers the history of B & Q as a company. A macroenvironment analysis and a microenvironment analysis follow this. The analysis models are critiqued based on their application to the market needs, with recommendations for improvement.B & Q CompanyBack in 1960s, home improvement was a pastime for the minority. Professional building supplies were mostly located at builder’s merchants and service provided by large stores was intimidating to the average DIY’er. The first B&Q was opened by Richard Block and David Quayle (whose surname initials later provided the company name) in Portswood Road, Southampton, in Hampshire in 1969. Its mission was to bring value, longer opening hours and a broader product range to everyone (B & Q PLC 2007). By 1979, B&Q had a total of 26 stores (B & Q PLC 2007).Through the early 1980s, B&Q grew rapidly and became part of the Kingfisher Group (B&Q’s parenting company), and by the end of the decade B&Q had expanded to 280 stores and offered customers larger stores and even greater product range (B & Q PLC 2007). In 1995, the first larger format B&Q warehouse store opened and B&Q began opening for business on Sundays (B & Q PLC 2007).The first store outside the UK was opened January 1996, in Taiwan. In 1998, B&Q merged with France’s leading home improvement retailer, Castorama, to become the largest home improvement retailer in Europe (B & Q PLC 2007).B&Q adapted a click-and-mortar approach to stay up to date with technological changes. B&Q’s Web site, www.diy.com, has been transactional since early 2001, providing access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offering products, expert advice, inspirational room ideas and ‘how to’ guides, as well as general information on stores (B & Q PLC 2007).The average visiting number on the site has increased tenfold since that date. Their research shows 60,000 to 600,000 visitors a week, 90% of whom visit a store, and 12% of store visitors have already used the site for research prior to their visit (B & Q PLC 2007). This demonstrates a good cross over between the virtual and physical stores (B & Q PLC 2007).B&Q is continuing to evolve its product offer, providing the broader range of products needed to complete home improvement projects and the associated finishing touches, along with existing core DIY products. A wider range of products are available through special order, where goods can be ordered in-store, from a catalogue or online and delivered directly to the consumers home.Macro-Environment (PEST)The marketing macro-environment (Kotler and Keller p 77 2003) is understood as the major forces that exist outside the business domai n. These are the forces that the company must function within, but may have little control over. Kotler and Keller (2003) identify the macro-economic forces as the PEST analysis, which is compromised of political, economical, social and technological forces that place pressure on the business.PoliticalOrganizations today are subject to an increasing number of regulations that entail compliance. Government regulations are sometimes threatening mechanisms for value representation and virtually no support to communication processes that create win/win situations where multiple stakeholder and shareholders can successfully pursue their mutual interests (Deetz, 1995).In addition to various national and international regulations, there are many more rules that stem either from regional or local governments or industry oversight committees. A recent major local political-legal struggle for B & Q is the â€Å"government planning policy that allowed bulky goods retailers to plant themselves in out-of-town parks is being abused by the clothing brands, whose consumers have plenty of space on the high street to swing carrier bags† (Cockram p 58 2003).This resulted in an increase of â€Å"more than  £1m in rent to the cost of a large store† (Cockram p 58 2003). This exemplifies Deetz (1995) contention that government regulations can behave as a threatening mechanism for business.Economical The DIY Industry has maintained high, positive international growth over several decades. In 2006, however, the UK DIY market suffered a profit decline (Horne 2006). This resulted in disappointing financial performance of B&Q and the decline in parent company Kingfisher's profits[1] to  £208 million (Horne p 3 2006).The force of economics has impacted the trends in the do-it-yourself market and increased the cost of building materials industry in the country (Horne 2006). This profit decrease is a direct result of 2005 cost increases, where competition rivalries were co mpeting for a smaller home owners market (Wilkinson p 9 2005). The impact of the housing market is significant because the DIY market caters to homeowners, thus higher cost of living expenses combined with increases in interest rates have a constricting impact on the market, which in turn creates a customer shortage for the UK DIY market (Wilkinson 2005).See Appendices A, B and C for an overview of Housing Market and Kingfisher Stock Value

Marketing Strategy Vitasoy Soybean Drink Essay

Background Soybean milk was first introduced in Hong Kong by Dr. K.S. Lo under the brand name â€Å"Vitasoy† in 1940, with an intention to provide consumers with an affordable nutritious and high-protein soymilk drink. Since then, Vitasoy became a well-known household name and is now the flagship product of Vitasoy International Holdings Limited (VIHL), contributing 48% of the company total revenue by categories in fiscal year 2013/2014. With the priority to promote quality of life through a wide range of great-tasting and nutritional products, the company expanded beyond the soy beverage with a wide variety of food & beverages, under the derivative brand name â€Å"Vita†. Vitasoy Soybean Milk (Regular) – Marketing Mix Product Vitasoy soybean milk is the preferred brand among local consumers, but it is fast losing its attractiveness. Consumers are becoming more sophisticated and health conscious where many are switching out to â€Å"Fresh/ Organic† soymilk which are fiercely competed by many rivals. The launched of Low Sugar variant may have helped to slow down its eroding share, but the product has passed the maturity stage. Instead of rationalizing the existing product line (multiple pack formats, photo below), the company continue to stretch the product line with different pack formats (of recent, the PET packaging). This initiative may potentially lead to cannibalization and causing diseconomies of scales in production. Price Targeting the masses with price positioned below most of the â€Å"organic† and â€Å"non-organic† soymilk products across most channels. With exception to chain convenient stores, its pricing is much higher than most of the â€Å"organic† soymilk products. This conflicting price positioning in chain convenient stores may lead to consumers switching out to â€Å"organic† soymilk, which is cheaper, fresher & healthier. As observed (photo below) in 7-Eleven, pack of Vitasoy soybean milk 250ml cost HK$6.90 while pack of Pak Fook 236ml â€Å"fresh organic† cost HK$5.80, both at non-promotion price. Promotion Actively engage in promoting its product through several advertising platforms (eg. TV commercial, social media, magazine/ newspapers, billboards & event sponsorships) and conducted many consumer communication campaigns. Noteworthy is their in-store execution particularly in chain supermarket which dominates majority of the shelf-space with prominent product displays and conducted tactical bundle sales regularly. The recent campaign â€Å"Anytime, Anywhere† is seen as a desperate attempt to disassociate itself as â€Å"breakfast-only† beverage. The campaign was supported with the launch of PET packaging which is a better proposition for an â€Å"all-occasion† beverage. But again, pricing may not be appealing to the target consumers particularly in chain convenient stores which is much costly comparing to other channels. Place The product is widely available through their extensive geographical coverage built over the years, reaching out to over 10,000 customers (eg. chain supermarkets & convenience stores, restaurants, bakeries, offices and independent grocery stores) serviced by 300 sales force and 100 delivery trucks. Also leveraging on the company subsidiary – Vitaland, specializing in operation and management of school tuck shops and canteen business, has made the product more accessible particularly among younger consumers. These are the key factors that have helped to strengthen the company leadership in Hong Kong. Recommendation In view of the competitive environment and evaluation of the product marketing mix, the recommended growth strategies would be Marketing Penetration & Product Development. Both strategies are least risky and are capable to generate further business growth for Vitasoy in this mature market (Hong Kong) Market Penetration Vitasoy soybean milk needs to drive off competition and sustain their share in the non-organic soymilk segment via enlarge distribution reach, conduct tactical/ aggressive sales promotions (eg. Discount or bundle sales) and  increase share of shelf-space. They need to reinforce barriers to entry in their key strategic channels (ie. chain supermarkets and chain convenient stores), as those are the key market entry channels and key breeding ground for competition. It is also crucial to rationalize their existing product line (multiple pack formats) to achieve economies of scale or prevent production complexity but most critically is to avoid cannibalization. In addition, to ensure the success of the product in PET packaging, it has to be nurtured with more effective marketing efforts with a pricing strategy that will appeal to the masses, specifically in chain convenient stores due to its geographical spread and 24/7. Product Development Vitasoy soybean milk has passed its maturity stage, as consumers continue to be inclined towards beverages with higher nutritional benefits (eg. Organic, high calcium, low sugar & low fat). Nonetheless, the company must continue to protect its leadership in this category as it contributes 48% of the company total revenue. This can be done by leveraging on its reputation as â€Å"Soy Expert† and making the competition irrelevant. The company must aggressively take the lead in developing new innovative product with clear product differential verses its rivals, through product line extension of their strategic growth brands (ie. Calci-Plus & Sansui). The new product line has to be innovative nutritious product with relevance to the health trends, this will eventually help to enhance consumer loyalty, gain more shares and potentially attract more switch-in from non-users. References 1) Soyinfo center, website www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/ks_lo_and_vitasoy.php 2) Vitasoy International Holdings, website www.vitasoy.com , www.vitasoy.com/pdf/pressRelease/EN 3) Vitaland Services Limited, website www.vitaland.com.hk 4) Facebook – VitaVitasoy 5) Blog – childhoodsnacks.blogspot.hk 6) EuroMonitor International, website www.euromonitor.com/soft-drinks-in-hong-kong-china/report 7) Blue Ocean Strategy, W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne, 2006 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp