International managers

Introduction Complex cultural realities are a common phenomenon for global business systems. The paradigm shift of the business world as a result of globalization has resulted in a mixture of cultures that make up a society. For example, the numbers of employees working in international companies has risen in the recent past, bringing the totals to an approximate 73 million people working in foreign companies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International managers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is worth noting that in all these business ventures, humans and all that is encompassed in humanity form the bedrock of discourses handling corporate social responsibility, human resource management, corporate governance, and sustainability (Palthe, 2008). Recognizing the importance of the person as a driving force in any organization is very essential. Culture is one of the parameters that define a human person. Ther efore, understanding the different cultures that define the different classes of people has become a rising concern for managers because they need to be aware of the different beliefs, preferences, and values of the different people. This is important for the successful running of any organization and this paper will focus on culture at an international level in the business context. Understanding Culture The definition of culture is very complex as is evident from the various definitions by different scholars. Engelen (2010) denotes that Kluckhohn’s (1951) definition of culture is the most renowned and consists â€Å"in patterned ways of thinking, feeling and reacting, acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols, making up the discrete achievements of human groups, including their embodiment in artefacts’†. The question whether a society is made up of one culture is very relative because different traditional ideas and their attached values are the fundamental p rinciples of culture. Practically, there is no single society consisting of a single culture in the contemporary society. However, such a society ideally exists, and may have existed, when people lived and were restricted to their specific cultures centuries ago, probably before colonization. In the contemporary world where globalization is the order of the day, a society is made up of numerous cultures and an example is the United States where people from all walks of life with different cultures are found. Hofstede’s Dimensions Hofstede’s dimensions have been at the forefront in describing culture and these have been extensively accepted by management and entrepreneurship scholars for application in the business world (Marino, Strandholm, Steensma Weaver, 2002).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Different cultures are defined on the basis of these dimensions a nd are used to govern management of international businesses. These dimensions are four and they are used to define different cultures. They are power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity vs. femininity (Hofstede, 1980). Importance of understanding cultural variation in International ventures It is important that international managers effectively manage their human resources because this is regarded as the key to competitive success (Rodrigues, 2009). The human resources are essential factors that keep an organization running, and if poorly managed, the involved organization would be headed for a downfall. The human resources however are influenced by traditional values and norms stemming from the cultural background, which is responsible for shaping the character, beliefs, personality, and behaviour of the human resource fraternity. Decision making is very important in companies and this is greatly affected by poor management of organiza tional variant culture (Parboteeah Cullen, 2011). When effective management and appreciation of cultural variation is lacking in a company, the degree of centralization in that company is very high, and is an impediment to the success of the company. When the structure in an international company is decentralized, then every person in the organization is empowered enough to air out their views and opinions. In so doing, they will be bringing in innovative ideas into the company since idea generation is likely to happen at lower hierarchical levels as indicated by Henard Szymanski (2001). Appreciation of cultural variation leads to cross-functional integration, which is the â€Å"interaction, communication, information-sharing, and coordination across departments in an organization† (Engelen, 2010). Cross-functional integration is very essential during the launch of a new product when all the staff within an organization need to come together and give their views, ideas and opinions on how to bolster the new product. When cultural variation is not accorded the attention it deserves, there is a lot of potential from the employees that goes unrecognized hence untapped due to lack of harmony and poor interpersonal relations within the organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International managers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Cultural variation also affects the manner in which a company/organization is run. When a manager goes to a foreign land, he or she is expected to run the company in a way that is culturally sensitive to the lives of the local people in the foreign land (Mead Andrew, 2009). This is because issues like culture shock may occur if the international manager just imposes his or her ideas and opinions as borrowed from his/her previous area of work/stay. Consequently, this negatively affects the daily operations of the company/organization. The figure below sh ows the various ways through which culture influences business contexts: Cross-cultural business contexts When international managers fail to address these parameters that are affected by cultural variation, the resultant are the marketing mistakes and communication blunders that define marketing folklore. An example is when Ford’s low-cost truck was marketed using the brand â€Å"Feira†, a Spanish name which apparently means ugly old woman. Caliente was used in Mexico to market the Ford Comet but apparently, this word is a local slang for prostitute (International Culture, 2008). Such misconception can gravely impede the performance and productivity of an organization, and consequently affect the general achievement of the organization’s objectives. Means to Understanding cultural variation by International Managers The first and most important means through which international managers can gain understanding on appreciating cultural variance when running over seas ventures is to learn the different cultures in the area where the venture is located. Hofstede’s dimensions are a means of enabling the managers to be aware of the different cultures that exist. These dimensions can be presented to the managers in form of a model during a workshop as a means to create awareness and show case examples of incidences where cultural variation has affected the success of companies if not handled effectively and professionally. Hofstede’s dimensions provide a means that can be used by international managers in cross-national comparison since national cultures are perceived as core entities that define organizational culture (Shimoni, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Language is another important means that can be used to understand culture in general. An example is that of Chinese and American cultures where differences in language are obvious. Language may be a barrier in such a situation since Chinese mainly speak in Chinese and have to go to class to learn English. The same case applies to the Americans in as far as the Chinese language is concerned. International managers should ensure that a formal language, one that is understood by everyone, is adopted in the organization. This is because speaking the same language by a people with a similar cultural orientation hides the cultural differences that prevail and these differences may gradually accrue to culminate in detrimental effect to the organization. In addition, the use of a common language within an organization facilitates good interpersonal relations (Voigt, 2001). International managers can ensure that cultural variation does not become a threat to the overall productivity of an o rganization through effective management, as well as establishing standards to govern corporate social behaviour (Palthe, 2008). Effective management of human resources within international organizations is achieved by engagement in ethically acceptable activities. A company that upholds such ethical norms is perceived to be socially responsible and is associated with success like high returns due to its ability to attract customers, and recruit great talent and investors (Vance Paik, 2011). The impact of corporate social responsibility is a means through which managers can understand the essence of international cultural variation. Such impact include profitability as indicated in a 2007 Grant Thornton survey of U. S. Business Leaders and Fortune companies, which showed a comparative $2.5 million increased annual revenue in companies with CSR reputation as opposed to those without CSR reputation (Palthe, 2008). When managers witness such impacts, their understanding of cultural va riation and why it should be appreciated is enhanced. The pressure from stakeholders and the general public alike is an impetus drive for international managers to understand the importance of cultural variation. This is because these two groups of people have a heavy input to the success of the business since the public are the customers whereas the stakeholders are the resources that shape up an organization. The success of any international company is dependent of the ability of the international managers to understand their employees in relation to culture. According to Thomas (2000), it was not until two pharmaceutical companies from the same advanced and industrialized world merged, that the involved managers realized the essence of cultural variation in determining the success of international companies. Management cultures are used by international managers as a guide to gain understanding and act in companies in stated time and space. The means by which international manage rs manage the existing cultures within their companies is very important. In an example of Swedish and American companies in Thailand and Israeli, the manner in which the different cultures within the organizations are managed determines the success of the organization. In this example, Thai and Israeli managers review and appraise the management cultures within these multi-national companies instead of simply absorbing them (Cohen 1991; Frenkel Shenhav, 2003). This way, the managers are able to embrace those cultures that are congruent to the companies’ goals and sideline those that appear not to augur with these goals. The result is a hybridization of management, which is not a complete hybrid form, but one which is characterized by temporal and not clearly demarcated boundaries. The Thai offices are governed by local practices that are characterized by harmonious personal relations and maintenance of healthy interpersonal relations. In addition, the corporations’ p ractices are defined as active, assertive and involving every person in the organization. Conclusion The increase in global activity has resulted in the need for international managers to have a clear understanding of culture. This is due to the cultural influence on people’s work and interactions with others. International mergers should develop structures and procedures that are accommodative to both the local and foreign cultures within the organization. The success of any international business venture is dependent on the ability of the involved managers to balance the effect of involved cultures without highly regarding one over another. The human resource workforce in the organization is imperative regardless of hierarchy. International managers should learn to adopt a neutral approach that is not influenced by their own cultural standing when running multi-national organizations. References Cohen, E., (1991). Thai Society in Comparative Perspective. (Collected Essays). Bangkok: White Lotus. Engelen, A. (2010). Entrepreneurial orientation as a function of national cultural variations in two countries. Journal of International Management, 16, 354-368. Frenkel, M., Shenhav, Y. (2003). From Americanization to colonization: the diffusion of productivity models revisited. Organization Studies, 24, 1537– 1561. Henard, D., Szymanski, D. (2001). Why some new products are more successful than others. Journal of Marketing Research, 38 (3), 362–375. Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work Related Values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. International Culture. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.unice.fr/crookall-cours/iup_cult/_docs/_RUGM_Chapter-05.pdf Kluckhohn, C. (1951). The Study of Culture. In Lerner, D., Lasswell, H. Eds. The Policy Standard, pp. 393–404. Stanford. Marino, L., Strandholm, K., Steensma, K., Weaver, M. (2002). The moderating effect of national culture on the relationship betwe en entrepreneurial orientation and strategic alliance portfolio extensiveness. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 26 (4), 145–160. Mead, R., Andrew, T. G. (2009). International Management: Culture and Beyond. 4th ed. Chichester: John Wiley Sons. Palthe, J. (2008). Managing Human Rights and Human Resources: The Dual Responsibility of Global Corporations. Forum on Public Policy. Parboteeah, P., Cullen, J. B. (2011). Strategic International Management. 5th ed. Australia: South-Western Cengage Learning. Rodrigues, C. (2009) International Management: A Cultural Approach. 3rd ed. LA: Sage. Shimoni, B. (2011). The representation of cultures in international and cross cultural management: Hybridizations of management cultures in Thailand and Israel. Journal of International Management, 17, 30-41. Thomas, R. J. (2000). Irreconcilable Differences. Accenture Outlook, vol. 1. Vance, C. M., Paik, Y. (2011). Managing a Global Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities in International H uman Resources Management. 2nd ed. New York: Sharpe Incorporated. Voigt, K. (2001). Japanese Firms Want English Competency. Wall Street Journal, B7B. 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Morality of the Law essays

Morality of the Law essays Civil disobedience is the resistance to unjust laws. Henry David Thoreau sparked this revelation when he wrote Civil Disobedience. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used many of the ideas of Thoreau to expand on the ideas of civil disobedience when he wrote Letter From Birmingham City Jail. Henry David Thoreau and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. both used civil disobedience as a way to improve the law and require society to abide by higher morals, but in todays society civil disobedience is used solely to change unjust laws while society lowers their moral standards to that of the law. Thoreau wrote Civil Disobedience in response to the American involvement in the Mexican War as well as the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act. He viewed them both as immoral and wrong and he believed that if the law is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law (Thoreau). Thoreau felt this agent of injustice to be America against Mexico in the Mexican War, as well as the slaveholder against his or her slaves by the Fugitive Slave Act. He went so far as to reject the United States government as his government by saying I cannot for an instance recognize that political organization as my government which is the slaves government also (Thoreau). Thoreau also said under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also in prison (Thoreau). This belief that one must break an unjust law and accept the punishment is the main tenet of civil disobedience. Thoreau also said that one must take direct action for change to take place. One must cast [their] whole vote, not just a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence (Thoreau). Thoreau is saying that one cannot just think of doing right, or even believe it. They must take direct action. Only through direct act...

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Stakeholder Approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

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Business Plan For The Mead Johnson Nutritional Company Marketing Essay

Business Plan For The Mead Johnson Nutritional Company Marketing Essay An action research was sponsored by Mead Johnson in collaboration with NGO to access its efficacy in terms of increasing weight of infants of weaning age in urban slums of Dhaka city capital of Bangladesh. The findings of the study states that Infants weaned on ENFAMIL had more weight and length gained compared to control group Mothers attitude and infants acceptance of ENFAMIL was satisfactory. Storage pests (insects) were found on in one batch of weaning packets. Now Mead Johnson wants to access the acceptance of ENFAMIL in terms of its price, packaging, taste/quality among middle and lower middle class families. In the context of the current maturity of the market and the strategic options available, it is first necessary to assess whether the company is marketing the right product form the point of view of the consumers. Hence evaluation of the product is necessary. The specific objectives of the research are to assess consumer evaluation in the broad areas of: Packaging Product Price The end objective is to identify areas that need to be strengthened and also the existing strength areas that can be exploited. Start up summary Start-up costs of Mead Johnson consist of legal costs, research, Manpower, marketing/promotion product is to fund start-up expenses with Companys reserved fund, owner investments and a long-term business loan. Product Testing- ENFAMIL Research Budget Item Unit Cost Total (Taka) Sample product 818 150.00 122,700.00 Consultancy fee 2 8,500.00 17,000.00 Team leader and key members 8 8,000.00 64,000.00 Field Work Supervisor cum Data Quality Controllers 16 5,000.00 80,000.00 Data Collectors 40 3,000.00 120,000.00 Study Coordinator 2 7,000.00 14,000.00 Controller of Field Operation 4 6,000.00 24,000.00 Focus group discussion 64 300.00 19,200.00 In-depth interview 20 500.00 10,000.00 Data Analyst 2 9,000.00 18,000.00 Daily allowance 40 120.00 4,800.00 Particulars 2,000.00 2,000.00 Printing of Data Collection Instrument 5,000.00 5,000.00 Stationary 4,550.00 4,550.00 Photocopying and binding of reports 2,750.00 2,750.00 Pre-testing of Data Collection instrument 3,000.00 3,000.00 Total expenditure 511,000.00 Source of Capital : The source of capital is as follows: Funded by company 45% 270000.00 Owners investment- 20% 120000.00 Loan from Bank- 35% 210000.00 Total Capital: 600000.00 RESOURCES REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATION: Physical resources: The physical resources of this project will be include all essentials office equipments such as, computers, phone and fax, internet connection for data transfer, data collecting equipment. The costs of the physical resources Taka 140,000.00 (  £1320.00) PHYSICAL RESOURCES UNIT TOTAL COSTS Sample product 818 122700.00 Printing of Data Collection Instrument 2 5000.00 Particular 10 2000.00 Pre-testing of Data Collection instrument 5 3000.00 Stationary 7300.00 Total 140,000.00   Human Resources: POSITIONS NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES Administrative Assistant 1 Team Leader and key members 8 Supervisors cum Quality controllers 16 Data collector 40 Study Coordinator 2 Controller of Field Operation 4 TOTAL 71 Initially there will be a Team Leader who is responsible for the operational work. One will be an administrative assistant who will deal with all the paper work and who will take care of the administration duties. The remaining people will be divided into few groups. After taking all the necessary information members of the each group will forward these information to team leader to processing the activities. Financial Resources: The funding and investments for this project will be received from the companys own fund, owners personal investment and loan from the Banks. Research budget with sample products initial expenses is taka 511,000.00 (  £4820.00) RESEARCH DESIGN The research design is essentially a concept cum usage test. The details are discussed in turn. New product development: The development of original products, product improvements, product modifications, and new brands through the firms own RD efforts. The major criteria of new development are written below with a short description: Idea generation:The systematic search for new product ideas- Idea screening:Screening new product ideas in order to spot good ideas and drop poor ones as soon as possible. Product concept:A detailed version of the new product idea started in meaningful consumer terms. Concept testing:Testing new product concepts with group of target consumers to find out if the concepts have strong consumer appeal. Product development is a major part on marketing. The RD of any company does the mainly product development. In Bangladesh Mead Johnson havent have any RD departments. Mother company of Mead Johnson well known non-government social organization have innovated the product according to the consumer need, and analyzing the segment, culture and the other part of marketing. Study Design We have conducted a house-to-house random survey using structured questionnaires through personal interview. In our case Monadic test design as followed i.e. each respondent would tried one test product only. Prior to the main quantitative survey qualitative exploration was done through Focus Group Discussions (FGD). The opinions were collected in following sequence in the main survey: Selection of Respondents Discussion on need need gaps on weaning food Introduction to concept reactions thereof Product placement Reactions to product Reaction to price METHODOLOGY The agency proposed a house-to-house random survey to be conducted using a structured questionnaire through personal interview. In this case Monadic test design would be followed i.e. each respondent would try one test product only. Hence, we propose to place the product to the respondents for a period of 15 days after which their opinion on the product will be gathered. During this period they will use the product as suggested. Prior to doing the quantitative product test 8 Focus Group Discussion (FGD) will be conducted to have an in-depth understanding of the choice factors and to generate consumer vocabulary for the same.  ­Ã‚ ­ Measuring tools to used For rating on choice factors an 11-point scale (0-10) was used. Consumers will give mark out of ten. This scale has equality of interval properly and is reliable. This is also closest to reality because consumers are familiar with this scale and can easily rate on any factor. Sampling Universe Considering the geographic spread the Company has proposed that the following towns would be covered in the study. Dhaka( Capital city ) Chittagong Rangpur Syhlett In sum, the sampling universe for this study is all households having infants aged 4 to 10 months belonging to socio-economic classes B and C (appendix) in the selected towns. Sample Size Qualitative (FGD) Quantitative Metro: Dhaka 2 156 Large: Chittagong 2 85 Medium:Rajshahi 2 84 Small: Syhlett 2 84 Total 8 409 The allocation of sample size across the selected towns was done on the basis of sampling error ranges and also of heterogeneity of households within the town classes. For larger towns higher numbers of samples were covered to capture its diversity/ heterogeneity. In all there were a total of 8 FGDs and subsequently 409 respondents for quantitative study. Standard error ranges for different percentage estimates at the 95 % level of confidence based on simple random sample size. Sampling Technique We followed a multi stage, stratified sampling method to ensure representative samples. Within a town, households were selected by the Random Route technique (Cluster sampling). In each cluster/ area (smallest urban unit) 5 households were covered. Thus a total of 17-31 clusters/ areas were covered in each town, depending on sampling size. Target Group As mentioned, ENFAMIL targets the middle class and lower middle class consumers. Middle and lower middle class consumers are more concentrated in the urban towns than in the semi-urban towns or rural villages and hence urban target consumers are more accessible to the marketers for a new brand. Therefore, this study would be limited to urban towns only. Hence, primary target segment for ENFAMIL is all the households of the urban towns having at least one child between 5 to 10 months age and belonging to the middle and lower middle class. Time Plan for the Study Weeks Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sample Survey Preparatory Work for Sample Survey Instrumental Development Field Briefing, Training Field Work For Sampling Survey Data Entry Analysis for Sample Survey Reporting Focus Group Discussion Desk Research for the program Training Module Preparatory Work Collection of Reports, documents and historical Data Reporting Draft Report Final Report Head of the household The analysis of the respondents is given center-wise and on the basis of socio-economic classification. Standard market research classification of income is provided below. Center SEC Age of the Child (In Month) Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Syhlett SEC B SEC C 5-8 Months 8+ Month Total Total 156 85 84 84 188 221 218 191 409 1. Less than Tk 3000 15% 9% 13% 4% 4% 17% 12% 10% 11% 2. Tk 3001-4000 21% 20% 35% 14% 12% 30% 23% 21% 22% 3. Tk 4001-5000 18% 26% 31% 26% 20% 27% 22% 26% 24% 4. Tk 5001-6000 11% 14% 6% 19% 13% 11% 10% 15% 12% 5. Tk 6001-7000 10% 8% 6% 13% 14% 5% 9% 10% 10% 6. Tk 7001-8000 6% 5% 6% 4% 9% 2% 5% 6% 5% 7. Above Tk 8000 19% 18% 4% 20% 27% 6% 20% 11% 16% Mean Score (In Taka) 7199 6682.9 48649.4 6567.9 8422.5 4834.4 6968.5 5930.4 6483.7 Table : Monthly disposable income In majority of the market research projects we consider disposable monthly family income (DMFI). This is the amount of total earning of the family left after paying house rent, if any. This is a very good indicator of purchasing power. Needless to mention, average DMFI of the residents of Dhaka is more. And, quite obviously respondents belonging to SEC B had higher DMFI than their SEC C counterparts. However in all the centers, barring Dhaka, majority of respondents live in own houses especially at Chittagong and Syhlett (around 76-87%). In Dhaka 77% of the respondents live in rented houses paying an average house rent of Taka 574 per month. Family Size Number of Children The respondents had standard family size in most cases ranging from 4.7 to 6.2. In other words the average family size was 5.3. The following table will give an idea about the number of children the respondents have. Table: Family Size Center SEC Age of the Child (In Month) Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Syhlett SEC B SEC C 5-8 Months 8+ Month Total Total 156 85 84 84 188 221 218 191 409 Mean Score 4.7 5.9 5 6.2 5.6 5.1 5.4 5.3 5.3 List of Children Boy Girl List of Children Boy Girl 05 Months 16% 10% 08 Years 12% 12% 06 Months 13% 17% 09 Years 8% 7% 07 Months 12% 13% 10 Years 6% 8% 08 Months 10% 15% 11 Years 3% 6 09 Months 18% 17% 12 Years 6% 4% 10 Months 30% 28% 13 Years 2% 1% 01 Year *% *% 14 Years 1% 3% 02 Years 4% 3% 15 Years 2% 1% 03 Years 6% 9% 16 Years 1% -% 04 Years 11% 9% 17 Years -% *% 05 Years 12% 16% 18 Years *% -% 06 Years 11% 13% 07 Years 4% 6% Total 207 202 On an average the respondents have two children. Among the 409 respondents interviewed 298 had children below 8 months and 191 had children above 8 months on the basis of which they were selected. The Respondent 99% of the respondents were housewives. The respondents were primarily young and 65% of them belong to the age group of 18 to 25 years whereas rests are between 26 to 35 years. able: Occupation of the Respondent Center SEC Age of the Child (In Month) Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Syhlett SEC B SEC C 5-8 Months 8+ Month Total Total 156 85 84 84 188 221 218 191 409 1. Housewife 99% 100% 98% 100% 98% 100% 99% 99% 99% 2. Student -% 1% -% 2% 2% -% -% 2% 1% 3. Part time job -% 1% 2% 1% 2% *% 1% 1% 1% 4. Full time job 1% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 2% 5. Others 1% 1% 1% 1% 2% *% *% 2% 1% INFORMATION AREA CONCEPT PACKAGING PRODUCT status motive needs. overall measures -Likeability Uniqueness -Nutrition -Modernity -Overall rating -Attractiveness Attractiveness -Physical appearance (looks, granularity, etc.) -Dynamism -Intention to try -Uniqueness Pack size -Preparation convenience (easy to mix with water, does not form lump, etc.) -Friendliness -Intention to use regularly -Credibility Packshape/Graphics/Design/ color -Taste, aroma, etc -Age Information Literature/information -Storage convenience -Trustworthiness Overall acceptability Ability to preserve content -Longevity, not forming lump -Premium Usefulness of information given on the pack Insect growth, etc. -Sophisticated Credibility of information Can be mixed with milk, soup, etc. -Natural/fresh Usage Experience Majority of the respondents (61%) had consumed almost both the packets given for usage. Some 27% had consumed at least one packet in the 15 days, the time given to them to try the product. During this time phase, on average the product was given two times daily to the child mixed with only water (about average of 253ml) in most cases (69%). About 26% of the mothers had also mixed sugar or other items with ENFAMIL. Hot water was preferred most by the respondents (79%), whereas 14% used tepid water. DIAGNOSTIC OF PERFORMANCE: It is clear that the respondents had adequate product experience. Their views on the product therefore are meaningful. We first examine the overall performance indicators of the product. For this we shall consider three indicators- Intention to regular use, Intention to try, and overall rating. Of these three, intention to regular use is the strongest indicator as it expresses the probability of buying and using the product. Intention to try comes next. And overall rating is the third most important indicator as it signifies how much the product is liked Spontaneous Reaction On exposure to the concept the respondents were asked to express their feeling about good or bad. The major reactions are shown below: Center SEC % Reactions Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Syhlett SEC B SEC C TOTAL Childs health will remain good if fed along with breast milk 41 45 42 7 36 34 35 Liked the literature which states this is necessary along with breast milk 25 12 13 8 11 21 16 Child will get nutrition 29 6 6 7 13 17 15 Has Vitamin 17 12 15 8 14 14 14 Literature gives Impression that it will be a quality product 3 22 4 17 12 9 10 Balanced diet 13 7 8 4 9 10 9 Helps in rapid 10 16 6 4 9 10 9 Base: 156 85 84 84 188 221 409 At a top of mind level, childs health has registered most. It is understood that if fed along side continued breast-feeding ENFAMIL would ensure good health. It nutrition, being balanced diet, and helping in babys growth have also registered moderately. Likes and dislikes of the concept The respondents were also asked to describe what they liked and disliked of the concept. Only about 2% had any dislike while all had one or more likes of the concept. The major likings are picture of the baby (70%), literature on childs food requirement (26%), the packet (21%). MARKETING MIX Attempting to target relatively high-priced offerings to rural families on the margins of the cash economy, or to the poorest of the urban poor, is simply bad marketing. But Mead Johnson developed this new brand of ENFAMIL so that middle class families can purchase this product at a lower price but meet nutritional demands for infants. The next section will emphasize the 4Ps of ENFAMIL: Product: Nature of product: ENFAMIL milk-based, lactose-free, iron fortified infant formula for first 12 months. Product Features: The only lactose-free, milk-based formula, which includes LIPIL, a unique blend of DHA and ARA à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lactose-free and sucrose-free No sucrose (table sugar) Nutrition value: NUTRIENTS (Normal Dilution) Per 100 Calories (5 fl oz)   Protein, g 2.1   Fat, g 5.3   Carbohydrate, g 10.9   Water, g 134   Linoleic acid, mg 860 Vitamins   Ã‚  Vitamin A, IU 300   Ã‚  Vitamin D, IU 60   Ã‚  Vitamin E, IU 2   Ã‚  Vitamin K,  µg 8   Ã‚  Thiamin (Vitamin B1),  µg 80   Ã‚  Riboflavin (Vitamin B2),  µg 140   Ã‚  Vitamin B6,  µg 60   Ã‚  Vitamin B12,  µg 0.3   Ã‚  Niacin,  µg 1000   Ã‚  Folic acid (Folacin),  µg 16   Ã‚  Pantothenic acid,  µg 500   Ã‚  Biotin,  µg 3   Ã‚  Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid), mg 12   Ã‚  Choline, mg 12   Ã‚  Inositol, mg 6   Minerals   Ã‚  Calcium, mg 82   Ã‚  Phosphorus, mg 55   Ã‚  Magnesium, mg 8   Ã‚  Iron, mg 1.8   Ã‚  Zinc, mg 1   Ã‚  Manganese,  µg 15   Ã‚  Copper,  µg 75   Ã‚  Iodine,  µg 15   Ã‚  Selenium,  µg 2.8   Ã‚  Sodium, mg 30   Ã‚  Potassium, mg 110   Ã‚  Chloride, mg 67   Core value the product is giving to its customer: Enfamil the first infant formula in all over the globe, which contains the nutrients DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid). Also naturally found in breast milk, DHA and ARA have been clinically shown to support infant brain and eye development. Performance of the Pack Likes and dislikes, attribute rating, and overall rating of the pack are examined below to assess the packs acceptability. Overall rating: The rating on the pack on overall was collected on a 7.0-point scale. The ratings are as below. %all Very Poor to moderate 1 Good 2 Very Good 36 Excellent 1 Mean Score (1-7) 6.6 The pack is excellent on overall consideration. Hence it is quite obvious that it would have few dislikes. Price: Prior to exposure to the stipulated price, an effort was made to identify the price most suitable for the brand, via Psychological Monetary Demand (PMD) technique. The respondents were offered a range of price from Tk. 100 to 200 with and increment of Tk. 5, and asked above which price, and at which price or below they would not purchase the brand. The analysis provides the proportion of the target group willing to purchase ENFAMIL at each price level and corresponding monetary demand. For a marketer profit maximization is likely to occur at the highest level of monetary demand. The analysis depicts that maximum monetary gain can be ensured if the price of ENFAMIL is at Tk. 75. Above this price proportion of buyers and monetary value of sales fall drastically. On the other hand, if the objective is to maximize number of users, one can reduce the price down to the level of Tk. 60. Beyond this, interested buyers will be fewer. Price Market price line ENFAMIL @ TK 75 TIME Figure: market penetration strategy Demand pattern According to the market dynamics, the demand for consumable products depends on the price factor along with other related factors i.e. test and preferences, nature of the product, and economic condition of the target customers. After analyzing the market pattern and relationship of price to quantity through sample survey questionnaire the following demand pattern was observed. The analysis provides the proportion of the target group willing to purchase ENFAMIL at each price level and corresponding monetary demand. For a marketer profit maximization is likely to occur at the highest level of monetary demand. Proportion of consumers Monetary Demand Price (%)willing to buy (Assuming pop=100) Tk.50 67 3337 Tk.55 76 4135 Tk.60 83 4958 Tk.65 83 5419 Tk.70 82 5716 Tk.75 82 6125 Tk.80 69 5535 Tk.85 60 5071 Tk.90 46 4137 Tk.95 42 4018 Tk.100 17 1711 Tk.105 15 1540 Tk.110 10 1103 Tk.115 9 1012 Tk.120 0 0 The analysis depicts that maximum monetary gain can be ensured if the price of ENFAMIL is at Taka 75.00 Above this price proportion of buyers and monetary value of sales fall drastically. On the other hand, if the objective is to maximize number of users, one can reduce the price down to the level of Taka. 60.00 Beyond this, interested buyers will be fewer. Thus it can be concluded that the demand for baby food ENFAMIL is elastic. Place : The nature of distribution of the product and the market accessibility also plays a major role after generating awareness of the product among the target customers. If the customers dont have the product at the right place at the right moment than there exists the possibility that those customers will switch to another brand and have bitter experience while purchasing the product . To reverse the effect of the above situation the company should use both direct marketing and indirect marketing channels to promote ENFAMIL. For distributing ENFAMIL the company should use following methods Manufacturer Wholesaler Retailers Customers Manufacturer Customers Manufacturer Pharmacy Customers 1) 2) 3) Figure: Distribution channels Promotion The range of promotional activities available to todays manufacturer or companies can be overwhelming. The promotional action plan for ENFAMIL is listed below. Advertising Newspaper, Billboard, Electronic media: Radio TV Public relation- Social activities, Sponsorship, Awareness campaign about the benefits of baby food product Direct marketing- Promoting via doctors through medical representatives ENFAMIL is very new in the market it requires specific events such as the launch of an advertising campaign or a press conference to announce the launching of the new product. In other cases promotional activities necessarily be required for the NGO to carry out in different local government and private hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and aware rural, urban middle to lower middle class families about the product. In other cases promotional activities involve putting various elements into place for the long term, such as training salespeople for directing marketing to promote this product via doctors through medical representatives. In all cases, it is important to integrate companys promotion efforts; doing so can decrease costs and increase communication effectiveness. SALES FORCAST The sales forecast has been done in three levels. First level depicts optimistic forecast if all other factors affecting sales are favorable. The second level of sales forecast is based on normal ongoing condition of the economy and the next level of forecast is done based on the pessimistic approach. YEARLY ESTIMATED DEMAND Price remains fixed as the product is price elastics Quantity demanded (units in hundreds) Economic condition Portion of Expected customer (assumption) Sales forecast (Units in hundreds ) TK 75.00 6125 Optimistic 90% 5512 TK 75.00 6125 Normal 75% 4593 TK 75.00

Pros and Cons of a Military School Essay

By Jenna Brooklyn There are many positive benefits for your teenager should they attend a military school. But, like most things in life, there can be a downside as well. Here is a report explaining what’s good and bad about study in a military high school. To start with if your teen is in trouble with serious health issues or a major attitude problem, they stand little or no chance of being accepted. Military schools today set very high academic standards. They are not therapy centers for kids with problems. Two of their major goals are to produce students able to enter prestigious colleges and/or join the military. If your child is a clever but lazy student, a military school has much to offer. There is a packed academic program with compulsory and supervised homework and extra study sessions. But if your child is not strong academically they may struggle to match the high expectations. Discipline is a major part of a military environment. If your teen is lazy and disrespectful they will get a serious jolt in a military school. They will be out of bed at 0600 hours, they will make their bed and tidy their possessions, and they will be on the parade ground and exercising before breakfast. This type of lifestyle could change your teen’s attitude to life. Of course a military school is a residential facility and while students are allowed to attend approved activities in the local town, things like taking a part-time job in the grocery store are simply not an option. There is a full extra-curricula program at a military school with plenty of time for artistic pursuits and outdoor education. This means your child is getting an all-round education and enjoying their schooling at the same time. Opportunities for leadership roles are many and varied in a military education. If your child requires a challenge and enjoys being a leader, they will develop their talents and be truly extended in such a school. It is ideal for developing the total person. If as a parent you are looking to a military school to mollycoddle your child, you will be disappointed. It’s much more a shape up or ship out approach from the school. If your child chooses to disobey and fails to complete tasks, the school will not spend a great deal of time and effort in whipping them into line. The student may be expelled. A military school wants excellent results from its students and those who won’t or can’t perform are likely to be shown the door. Those who do work hard are sure to be well rewarded and for life. College entrance is likely and if a career in the military is required, this type of secondary education is perfect for such a move. A military school is a community where teamwork and bonding is part of every day life. If this suits your child, fine. If your child is a loner and doesn’t like a regimented and disciplined lifestyle, then a military school is not for them. If you’re looking to find more information about military school and its environment, do check out Military Schools for Boys. Or if you need expert advice on what is the best program for your teen fill out this online form.