Before, During, and After the Vietnam War essays

Before, During, and After the Vietnam War essays The Vietnam War as we all know has devastating effects on the country and its people. Lives are forever changed because of it. All wars start out when two sides have differences and Vietnam was no different. It started because of France and a Vietnam leader, Ho Chi Minh, had a difference of opinion about the type of government Vietnam should have. Vietnam wasn't as different as it was to Vietnam today. Before the war, the French conquered Vietnam for over 200 years with peace. During the war, there was chaos everywhere. As one soldier recalls, "...getting from base to base was already a challenge considering the fact that you had VCs hiding in bushes just waiting for you to come out. It was as close as you can get to hell" (Baker 75). The war divided the country from the 1950's all the way till April of 1975. By the time the war ended, over 1.8 million people had died. The country now had a communist government and was starting over. French's conquest was over, and the Vietnamese peo ple now have their system of government. Vietnam before the war was ruled by France. They had invaded in the middle 1700s, and by 1750, they had complete control of Vietnam. The French conquered and ruled with complete domination of the Vietnam people. To win over the French, nationalism led to a revolution. The war developed as a sequel to the struggle between the French, who were the rulers of Indochina before World War II, and the Communist-led Vietminh, founded and headed by the revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh came to power when Vietminh guerrillas seized the capital city of Hanoi and overthrew Emperor Bao Dai. "Vietnam regained full independence at the time of the Geneva Agreements of 1954, which ended France's8 year struggle to reinsert colonial control" (Bain 3). Two important people in recent Vietnam history are Ho Chi Minh, and Ngo Dinh Diem Ho Chi Minh was a communist leader that declared Vietnam's independence from France. He had...

Quo Vadis -- Christian Persecution essays

Quo Vadis Christian Persecution essays On July 28, 2004, we were assigned to watch a movie called, Quo Vadis, which re-enacted the happenings in the time of Nero and the persecutions of Christians. On this, we were assigned to comment on three different aspects of the film: (1) the portrayal of Nero, (2) the portrayal of Christians or Christianity, and lastly, (3) the portrayal of the persecutions. In the movie, we see Nero as that person who may never have known anything except how to sing off-key tunes. He is seen as the vain, whiny, ignorant monster of an emperor who would do anything, even burn the whole city, to have what he wants. While this may be true, I believe that the film portrayed only the bad qualities he has because Nero was also a great emperor in his early years. Two of Neros qualities include modesty and sophistication. Brought up in an environment where people kill and deceive each other to get what they want, Nero behaved quite otherwise. In fact, early in his reign, Nero hated signing death sentences and had forbidden contests that included bloodshed. He also granted the Senate more control than they originally had. When the Senate returned thanks to him, he replied, When I shall have deserved them . More of his contributions to Rome include the following: (1) he started competitions in poetry and theatre, (2) he allowed slaves to pursue charges against unjust masters , and (3) he devised new forms for the buildings of the city after the fire . Later on, he still formulated great plans for his empire, but that did not hide the fact that most of what he was doing was done for his own wants or pleasures. When he realized that he could do anything without instituting fear of retribution, Nero began to give rein to extreme artistic pretensions. This, I believe, is his greatest downfall. His vanity as a poet, as a singer, as a lyre player and as an actor led him to do unnecessary actions like the burning of t...

Overview of Perry Street Restaurant Found in New York Essay

Overview of Perry Street Restaurant Found in New York - Essay Example The paper will give the restaurants URLs date and time of our reservation, people we will be dining with, our dining experience expectation and other pertinent information about Perry Street restaurants. Going through different reviews, I could only find a few negatives and so many positives. Additionally, the restaurant was crowded even though their prices were a bit higher than expected. This is usually an indication of quality services and or good food. Most Jean Georges establishment has a reputation for quality service and good food. This made me feel that Perry Street would not disappoint. Also, the ambience and atmosphere at Perry Street were more than I expected; even though the restaurant was crowded, you could see that the place was neat and well arranged. This usually signals a good restaurant. The servers at the restaurant knew what was in their menu, they were not mealy doing recitals about the food they are serving. Also, the servers were formally dressed and clean, a clear indication that the restaurant cared about how its people looked like. These factors and others made me decide on Perry Street. Perry Street is located in the Richard Meir Towers on 176 Perry Street New York. It is a fairly new restaurant and was opened in 2005. Their URLs are www.perrystreetrestaurant.com and www.jean-georges.com. The websites employ an easy to use, fun, clear and informative interface. Perry Street is a bit casual dining restaurant with a mix of fine dining. Its head chef is Jean Georges Vongerichten and the restaurant belongs to the Jean Georges establishments. Jean Georges establishments are three and four-star restaurants of savvy restaurateur and businessman Jean Georges Vongerichten.

Is It Ever Ok to Lie, Steals or Break One's Promises Essay

Is It Ever Ok to Lie, Steals or Break One's Promises - Essay Example Kantian ethics is in concordance with the deontological moral theory. Deontological theories propose that whether an action is right or wrong is not determined by the consequences of the action, but rather on whether the action is a fulfillment of one’s duty. There are two questions that guide Kantian ethics one is whether one can propose that everyone acts as he or she has acted and whether one’s actions respect the goals of human beings apart from serving personal interests. Agreement with both questionsis interpreted as moral correctness according toKantian ethics (Rachaels & Rachaels, 2011). According to Kant, the categorical imperative is the principle that determines the morality of an action. A categorical imperative refers to an unconditional command. The categorical imperative that one cannot lie, steal, or break a promise means that one cannot do any of these things if they serve personal interests. Kant uses categorical imperatives as the guiding principles because they are commands that one cannot opt out of or claim that they do not apply to them. Kant proposes that the first formula of universal law is that one should only act on that maxim of which he or she would will that it becomes a universal law(Rachaels & Rachaels, 2011). According to Kant, it is not permissible to lie, steal, or break a promise because these acts fail to fulfill the first formula, of universal law since this would be self-defeating. Since these acts are only beneficial to the individual when they are made an exception to the individual,then they cannot be made universal laws (Rachaels & Rachaels, 2011). If breaking of promises were made a universal law, then no one would make promises anymore since it would be common knowledge that promises do not mean anything. Since one benefits from breaking promises which would no longer be made, then it means that breaking a promise is wrong. Kantian ethics differs from utilitarianism in

Chapman Brothers and Robert Gober Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chapman Brothers and Robert Gober - Essay Example To make the sculpture Gober inserted his own created pictures into layouts based on different newspapers. The photograph is of a bride with a story about the Vatican discriminating against homosexuals. The main message of this artwork is the right of homosexuals to get married. The next artist I am going to analyze are the Chapman Brothers. Chapman Brothers consist of two Brothers; Jake Chapman and Dinos Chapman who work in collaboration. Their artwork I shall analyze is â€Å"Death.† This is a controversial piece of work looks like blow-up sex dolls positioned in a very compromising manner. In truth, the sculptures are made of bronze and painted to appear as though they are made of plastic. The Chapman Brothers use the theme of anatomical and pornographic grotesque with a sequence of dummies, joined together, with reproductive organs in place of facial attributes. The Chapman Brothers work is normally interpreted to be extremely offensive, but they normally have a message behind it. The message of how Nazis killed and mutilated each other during the Second World War is the message passed

Colgate Palmolive Industry Position

Colgate Palmolive Industry Position Colgate-Palmolive is recognized as the worlds leader in personal care sales which included oral hygiene products like toothbrushes and toothpastes. In 1991, its sales topped at $6 billion and profits at $2.76 billion as it cornered 43% of the worlds toothpaste market and 16% of the worlds toothbrush market. In the United States, the worlds largest market, Colgate-Palmolive holds the number one spot in toothbrush sales with a market share of 23%. From these statistics, one of Colgate-Palmolives main strengths is being the market leader in oral care products. Colgate-Palmolives extensive overseas reach is another main strength. Based on the data in the case study, Colgate-Palmolive introduced 275 new products worldwide and setup manufacturing facilities in China and Eastern Europe breaching the emerging economies of the 21st century. On top of that, international sales accounted for 64% of total sales and 67% of the total profits for Colgate-Palmolive. Colgate-Palmolive has an extensive Research and Development department boasting 170 employees worldwide. Though having a large RD department does not directly contribute to increased profits, Colgate-Palmolives history of innovation  [1]  in the toothbrush market is linked to its current position as the market leader in the toothbrush industry. Therefore Colgate-Palmolives strong commitment to innovation through investment in RD is a prominent strength. With an energetic and visionary leader like Reuben Mark at the helm of Colgate-Palmolive, the company has transformed itself into a lean and profitable machine, leading to increased profit margins and volume growth.  [2]  Clearly, having a visionary CEO is a strength. Colgate-Palmolives positioning strategy for its toothbrush line in food stores has aided in capturing their current dominant market share. Its in-store displays, combining toothbrushes with toothpaste packs and locating the Colgate-Palmolive line of toothbrushes in the middle of the stores shelves have contributed to this dominance. This strategy has been successful, as sales through food stores, drug stores and mass merchandising channels have produced the greatest volume and dollar sales historically.  [3]   Colgate-Palmolive has a large number of stock keeping units for their toothbrush line.  [4]  Multitudes of SKUs indicate that Colgate-Palmolive is targeting a broad spectrum of market segments in the toothbrush market, which spreads the risk inherent to carrying any product. Diversification of product types within the toothbrush market is another strength factor Colgate-Palmolive holds. Colgate-Palmolives secret weapon in the war for supremacy in the super-premium market, Colgate Precision, is proven to be very effective in removing plaque 35% more effective than existing brands and in preventing gum disease. This advantage can be attributed to the innovative design, high-tech research using CAD and infrared scanning, consumer research and extensive product testing. Although this technology is a strong argument for positioning Precision in the super-premium category, Colgate-Palmolive could also use its design aspects to improve Colgate-Palmolives existing professional and value toothbrush lines to increase their respective market shares. Colgate-Palmolives patented  [5]  innovation for Precision also stands as a strength upon which Colgate-Palmolive can lean for other market differentiating advancements. Colgate-Palmolives recent infusion of new capital into its manufacturing facilities will bode well as it prepares to battle for market share in the new super-premium market segment. Colgate-Palmolive will be able to leverage its existing relationship with its manufacturing partner, Anchor toothbrush, to quickly and cost-effectively product its newest product. Weaknesses The impending release of Colgate-Palmolives new toothbrush, Precision, may affect sales of its existing toothbrush lines. This may lead to a cannibalization of the Colgate Plus and Colgate Classic market of up to 60%.  [6]  Since the existing toothbrush lines are the cash cows  [7]  of the companys oral care division, a dismal performance by the new Colgate-Palmolive Precision might drain the cash cows of their resources altogether. Colgate-Palmolives media expenditure layout is very small compared to its rivals.  [8]  It has spent only $7 million dollars on its Colgate-Palmolive Plus marketing efforts and has only 19% of the share voice. Since media exposure fuels consumer demand  [9]  for a new product, this is one area where Colgate-Palmolive needs to have its expenditures equivalent to that of its rivals. Another marketing weakness that Colgate-Palmolive faces is its lack of professional dental endorsements, with less than half that in market share and dollar sales than that of their largest competitor, Oral-B. Similar to Colgate-Palmolives lack of professional endorsement, the Precision toothbrush does not have the fullest endorsement from the American Dental Associations (ADA). Although the ADA issued its seal to the product, the seal alone stands for little more than recognition that the toothbrush works. In fact, only when the ADA issues its seal and an official quote stating that a product is superior to similar product types, does a product receive the fullest support possible. Not having the full backing of the ADA is a weakness which Colgate-Palmolive may have to overcome to gain the professional endorsement they seek.  [10]   Opportunities Macroeconomic The emergence of the niche super-premium category presents a golden opportunity for Colgate-Palmolive to increase market share for several reasons. First, although its competitors, i.e. Oral-B, Johnson Johnson and Procter Gamble, have gained a foot-hold in this niche market already, Colgate-Palmolive can still make a dent with its new Precision toothbrush, thus enabling them to enter a new and potentially highly profitable market segment. Since the super-premium category accounts for 35% of the volume and 46% of the dollar sales of toothbrushes  [11]  this niche category may in turn result in a substantial profit margin. Secondly, with the baby boomers and younger generations becoming more concerned with the health of their gums, they will be willing to pay the above mentioned premium for a toothbrush  [12]  which is optimized for better gum care. Colgate-Palmolive can capitalize upon this demographic segment to ensure a successful release of their super-premium Precision toothbrush. Finally, since 82% of toothbrush purchases are unplanned and many consumers are unaware of the technological and cost variation among toothbrush brands,  [13]  Colgate-Palmolive could establish a media blitz with educational ads depicting Precision toothbrushes as technologically superior to its rivals at an equivalent cost. The ads can also serve to educate consumers about proper toothbrush replacement schedules to ensure effective plaque removal and gum disease prevention. Ultimately, Colgate-Palmolive could leverage their advertising campaign to boost sales and revenues. Microeconomic One of Colgate-Palmolives competitors, Johnson Johnson,  [14]  ranked third in toothbrush sales, was phasing out one of its toothbrush lines at the time of the Precision introduction. As the toothbrush market remains rather constant, courting customer from other brands, particularly ones being phased out, is a tremendous opportunity to gain market share.  [15]  Another competitor, Smithkline Beecham, was predicting an operating loss in its toothbrush business.  [16]  If the losses are sustained, it might cause Smithkline Beecham to move out of the toothbrush business all together, yet again opening the door for further gain of market share. Colgate-Palmolives constant innovation also provides an opportunity to convert consumers away from less advanced toothbrushes, such as those offered by Lever. Threats Threat of intense segment rivalry The super-premium toothbrush market is highly competitive, hosting many brands and private label toothbrushes. If any of these rivals creates a toothbrush which tops or even equals the technology of Precision, specifically if done at a lower production cost, Colgate-Palmolive may lose market share. Threat of new entrants Along with intense rivalry from existing competitors, Colgate-Palmolive has to deal with new competitors. In 1991, the toothbrush market exploded with a dramatic increase in new entrants. Proctor and Gamble introduced Crest Complete, their first toothbrush  [17]  . Smithkline Beecham entered the market with Aquafresh Flex and a 9% market share volume for 1991. Levre, Pfizer and Sunstar all entered the market in 1991 and earned a total 11% market share. These numbers reinforce the seriousness of the threat of new entrants that Colgate-Palmolive will have to contend with when they launch Colgate Precision. Threat of substitute products Similar to many industries, oral care technology has advanced tremendously since its inception in approximately 3000 B.C. The introduction of the nylon bristled toothbrush in 1938  [18]  represents one of the latest quantum improvements for the industry, however it was not the last. The introduction of electronic toothbrushes and water picks are threatening to usurp traditional oral care products market share. This is a threat which Colgate-Palmolive needs to heed, despite its confidence in the technology of Precision. Threat of suppliers growing bargaining power Colgate-Palmolive depends on Anchor toothbrush for its outsourced manufacturing. Hence, Anchor toothbrush has a decided supplier advantage in the relationship with Colgate-Palmolive. If Anchor toothbrush were to increase its supply cost, it would affect Colgate-Palmolives production costs which in turn would impact Precisions market share by potentially pricing it above even the super-premium segment. Colgate-Palmolive needs to maintain a healthy relationship with Anchor toothbrush to reduce the risk of a costly supplier switching process. Threat of buyers growing bargaining power One of the factors which can cause buyers bargaining power to grow is when the switching costs for buyers are low. Even if Colgate-Palmolive were to position Precision as the most expensive toothbrush on the market, it is still a relatively inexpensive product, compared to many daily purchases (i.e. lunch in NYC or a cup of coffee at Starbucks). Therefore, buyers can easily switch between toothbrush brands without giving the decision much thought. To combat this threat, Colgate-Palmolive could position Precision as a superior toothbrush that customers can not afford to be without. PROBLEM STATEMENT In 1992, after evaluating the current market condition and completing its research and development, Colgate-Palmolive was ready to begin marketing its newest toothbrush, Colgate Precision. Of major concern to Colgate-Palmolive was how to position, brand and communicate this new product to the general population. Colgate-Palmolive also had to develop budget constraints and generate a marketing mix that would maximize the sales and revenues of the new product. Colgate-Palmolive was faced with the decision of whether to promote the new product as a high quality niche product marketed mainly towards individuals concerned about gum disease, or as a mainstream toothbrush that would be marketed as the best toothbrush available. If marketed as a niche product, Colgate-Palmolive would target a smaller market segment without as many competitors vying for market share. A niche market segment would also be willing to pay a premium for the new toothbrush. If, however, the toothbrush were marketed as a high quality mainstream toothbrush, Colgate-Palmolive would realize revenues from larger volumes of sales despite a lower price and more competition. To reach its verdict, Colgate-Palmolive analyzed forecasted data with regard to potential sales volumes and prices, advertising, packaging, and manufacturing costs, among other factors. A summary of this analysis, and a marketing strategy recommendation follows. EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES In August 1992, Colgate-Palmolive had two options regarding the positioning strategy for their new toothbrush titled Colgate Precision. Their choice was to position the product as a mainstream offering or target the Precision toothbrush to a niche market. The positioning of the product would have little to do with any modifications to the actual design of this toothbrush, but would effect the perception of the toothbrush within the market. Mainstream or mass marketing refers to the mass production, distribution and promotion of a single product to all potential buyers.  [19]  Contrarily, niche marketing is a form of micro-marketing. It refers to a specifically defined group of consumers with a need that is not currently well served. A niche is created from a subdivision of a market segment.  [20]  Due to the diversity of these two market types, the decision to market the Precision toothbrush as a mass-market product or as a niche product involves analysis of the advantages and disadvantages for each. Mainstream Marketing Advantages The primary reasons to use a mainstream marketing approach is that the product is made accessible to a larger market. Marketing to a more diverse audience would enable Colgate-Palmolive to construct a more simple and direct campaign that would address the common concerns of all toothbrush buyers. Consequently, the use of television and radio would be more cost effective as it would reach this larger audience. The obvious goal of such a position would be to capture a greater return on the investment Colgate-Palmolive made on this products research and development effort. It is estimated that within twelve months this product could secure 10% of the market and a volume share of 14.7% by its second year. This would equate to 27 million retail unit sales in year one and 44 million in the second year, if positioned as a mainstream product.  [21]   Disadvantages There are also many problems with marketing Precision to the masses. In the mainstream market a higher price makes a product less attractive to the average consumer. This means that Colgate will have to price their product within reasonable alignment of other similar products in order to be a serious competitor inside this market, ultimately diminishing their potential profit margin and return on investment. There is a variance amongst consumers in relation to oral hygiene. They are classified into three groups: Involved oral health consumers Therapeutic brushers Involved oral health consumers Cosmetic brushers Uninvolved oral health consumers These segments are divided into relative percentages of adult toothbrush users. They are 46%, 21% and 33% respectively.  [22]  This illustrates that one third of the toothbrush using adult population has only little interest in oral hygiene and are probably not a worthwhile audience to which to pitch the Precision toothbrush. The expense of including these consumers in the target market would not be advisable. In the design and testing phase of the Precision toothbrush, Colgate-Palmolive accrued significant clinical data concerning the product. This information would not be relevant to the mainstream market that most likely would view it as too scientific. The Precision toothbrush was originally conceived to be a top-of the-range, super-premium product  [23]  indicating that production schedules had been developed in line with a niche marketing strategy. Mainstream marketing would require a greater volume production of the toothbrush with an estimated ten month lead time to achieve sufficient quantities of the product. This could result in an inadequate supply of the product at the outset.  [24]   The objective of the research and development group working on the product was to develop a superior, technical, plaque-removing device.  [25]  It was produced to be the best toothbrush possible and become the top-of the-range, super-premium product.  [26]  All of these phrases are heavily skewed towards niche merchandising. A mainstream product should aim to serve all of the people, all the time. This product clearly was created with niche-oriented goals. The greatest issue facing Colgate-Palmolive if they were to promote this product in the mainstream market is that it would be distributed through the same channels as an existing Colgate-Palmolive toothbrush called Colgate Plus.  [27]  Colgate Classic was the companys original entry in the toothbrush sector and was positioned as a value segment. The Colgate Plus came later and was placed in the professional segment as a higher quality product.  [28]  Including Precision as a high-end, mainstream product could potentially cannibalize Colgate Plus sales. Finally, Susan Steinberg, the product manager of Precision, felt that incorporating the new product into the mass market would require the company to delete one or more of the seven existing SKUs (stock keeping units) that Colgate-Palmolive produced.  [29]  This strategy could result in a loss of market share in the value or high-end segments. Niche Marketing Advantages Advertising companies have access to audience profiles through a wide variety of media products, such as television, radio and print media. This is the fundamental basis for successful niche marketing. A great advantage of offering any eligible product to a niche market is that it allows for a concentrated, specific advertising campaign, targeted to a specific demographic, psychographic, behavioral or geographic segment through whichever medium is most effective at reaching the specific population.  [30]  This allows efficient use of advertising budgets. Precision falls within the class of goods that could tender itself as a niche product. Developed to be the best toothbrush possible and placed in the super-premium category, this toothbrush is inherently a niche product. Members of the public most interested in this toothbrush would be those in the Involved oral health consumers groups; therapeutic and cosmetic brushers. Therapeutic brushers are interested in functionally effective products and differentiate between brands.  [31]  Both segments of customers would appreciate the scientific data Colgate-Palmolive has complied on this toothbrush. The facts that the initial clinical trials removed an average of 35% more plaque over that of Reach and Oral-B, and that it assists in the reduction of the likelihood of gum disease, would be effective information for this group.  [32]  Unlike the mass market, these are issues which a niche market segment would comprehend and about which they would care. Niche market participants are also more likely to pay a premium for this product due to the fact that Precision caters to a distinct set of needs they have. With this type of positioning, a 15% increase in price above Oral-B regular would be anticipated, bringing the cost to consumers to $2.13 per unit (more aligned with Oral-B Indicator). A mainstream market could only be anticipated to pay $1.85, in accordance with the Oral-B regular line.  [33]   As Precision was conceived more as a niche-type product, initial production was set for the lower demands of the smaller market segment. As discussed previously, to change the natural emphasis of the toothbrush to mainstream distribution would require a major overhaul of projected production schedule and costs due to the increase number of units required. Additionally, to keep Precision as a specialized product means that the new product is less likely to invade the market share of other Colgate-Palmolive products, like the Colgate Plus. This would also preserve the number of SKU that Colgate-Palmolive currently produces in the toothbrush sector. Niche markets historically attract fewer competitors.  [34]  This gives time and room for a new product such as Precision to establish itself and build up a market share before it may have to fight against a new contender. Disadvantages Marketing the Precision product to a niche market would generate less revenue for Colgate-Palmolive than a mainstream approach. Working with the estimated figures for the first two years of release generates the following table. Niche marketing Mainstream marketing Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 No. units sold 8MM 15MM 27MM 44MM Factory list price $2.13 $1.85 Total revenue generated $17,040,000 $31,950,000 $49,950,000 $81,400,000 Obviously, the niche market revenue is significantly less than the mainstream market revenue, despite the 13% higher price. Conclusion Developing and communicating a positioning strategy for a product is necessary and critical. Differentiating a product, and the degree to which that product is differentiated, can be guided by quantifying the following criteria: Importance Distinctiveness Superiority Preemptiveness Affordability Profitability Using these parameters, a company can provide the public with a reason to buy their product.  [35]   Another tool used in solving the marketing mix problem companies face when launching a new product is a perceptual map.  [36]  This is a graphic representation of two or more features against which similar products can be ranked. When graphed, the resulting map displays areas to which the product types cater, revealing both areas of over population and areas of potential opportunity. Clusters of products exist when similar products appeal to the same consumer market participants. In these areas, competition is intense, therefore, they are not as attractive when positioning a new product. An optimal plan is to create a space within the product market that is relatively free of rivals and can enable a new product to develop and dominate. A perceptual map for Precision was created from the following data: Toothbrush Price Benefits Class Colgate Precision 0.8 0.9 Super Premium Oral-B Indicator 0.8 0.8 Super Premium Oral-B Regular 0.7 0.6 Super Premium Crest Complete 0.5 0.6 Super Premium Reach Advanced 0.6 0.5 Super Premium Aquafresh Flex 0.7 0.7 Super Premium Colgate Plus 0.4 0.4 Professional Reach Regular 0.3 0.4 Professional Pepsodent Professional 0.2 0.4 Professional Colgate Classic -0.4 -0.1 Value Pepsodent Regular -0.3 -0.1 Value Butter GUM Microtip 0.3 -0.1 Value Butter GUM Supertip 0.4 0.1 Value Menedent Pro-Core 0.7 0.7 Professional Oral-B cross action 1 0.8 Super Premium Generic Eckerd Interdental -0.5 -0.2 Value Generic Eckerd Angle -0.7 -0.2 Value Crest Advantage 1 0.8 Super Premium Recommendation Using these evaluative criteria in relation to the advantages and disadvantages of niche and mainstream marketing, we believe that Colgate-Palmolive should position the Precision toothbrush as a niche product. This would establish Precision as the leading toothbrush on the market at a competitive price. It would be a superior and distinctive oral care product. However, we believe this product would also work in the mainstream market and we envision it moving towards the mass market in the future. Once the toothbrush has established itself as a high quality product with specialty features, we believe that Colgate-Palmolive could transition the product to a wider audience. This will also allow time for Colgate to reconcile the position that the Colgate Plus product will hold relative to the Precision line. Further, we anticipate no significantly negative issues will be encountered by initially marketing Precision as a niche product and then moving it into the mainstream market. We do not believe the opposite would be true, as a niche market will most likely not accept a product that has been offered to the masses as the best value, and then marketed as a specialty item. The anticipated cyclical nature of the product on the market is well illustrated by the Boston Consulting Groups Growth-Share matrix.  [37]  The Precision toothbrush will begin as a question mark. This means the company will spend money developing and establishing the product in anticipation of increasing its market share. Subsequently, the hope would be for Precision to become a star, meaning it has been successful by obtaining a high market share and growth rate. If the product evolves into a mainstream offering by this time, the company will reap higher rewards. Going even further into the future, the toothbrush will most likely decrease its market growth rate while maintaining its high market share. At this phase the product will be a cash cow. Revenues produced from Precision at this phase can be used to establish other question marks and/or subsidize other stars if required. The final phase in this products life cycle will be a decline into dog status. This refers to the product when it has weak market share and low growth. At that point, Precision would need to be removed from the companys product line, allowed to decline further or all together repositioned in the market. At this point, the research and development phase for Precision has been completed, a thorough analysis has been performed on the current market situation, and a marketing strategy has been recommended. The final aspects of launching a new product must now be investigated product, price, place and promotion. PRODUCT Colgate-Palmolive has many important decisions to make regarding the new toothbrush before it becomes available on store shelves for customers to purchase, including the positioning strategy for the new toothbrush. To reach a conclusion, the new toothbrush must be analyzed on three product levels the core product, the actual product, and the augmented product so that customers needs are fully understood and the Precision toothbrush is correctly marketed to meet those needs. Since we are recommending that Colgate-Palmolive choose a niche market for Precision, the core benefit that the toothbrush will deliver to its users is plaque removal. Less plaque in turn leads to the added benefit of a reduction of the lik

Why The Russians Were Right :: Essays Papers

Why The Russians Were Right Zubok and Pleshakov wrote this book â€Å"in order [for westerners] to understand the Cold War from the Soviet perspective, one must understand the importance of that moment and the larger historic legacy of Russia and the Russian Revolution, vindicated by the victory of 1945† (2). These men wanted the western world to be able to read this book and understand the different personalities that made up the Kremlin, their personal experiences and how this affected their political leadership. To reveal the Kremlin, in a humanistic way, the authors used the newly declassified documents from the Russian side, to explore the background, psychology, motives, and behavior of Soviet rulers from Stalin to those who replaced him, and to better understand the world that they helped create (xii) The main thesis of the novel is â€Å"It was this group [the Kremlin] that had replaced the Communist politburo during the four years of the most devastating war in the world’s history. Leading the others, walking at some distance from them was Joseph Stalin, the head of the USSR† (1). Zubok and Pleshakov start out explaining the basic views of the Kremlin around 1945, before Stalin comes to power. They then move to the revolutionary world of Stalin and the expansions of the empire that were gained by Molotov. At this point in the book the emphasis shifts to war, nuclear bombs and geopolitics. Contained in these sections are chapters on Zhdanov; Beria and Malenkov; and Kennedy and Khrushchev. The formation of these chapters and subjects in this particular line-up progresses in the order that they historically happened. In order to understand why the USSR made some of the political choices, trying to remove some of the biases in place throughout the world, the authors give personal background information on the USSR’s major leaders of the Cold War time. At one extreme in the USSR government they experienced, Stalin, who lived through war, which made him a ruthless and hardened man. While on the other extreme is Khrushchev, who lived through the revolut ion, which made him a gambler and outstanding bluffer. These two men compromise most of the focus of the book because both brought the world close to war again with their personalities running the Kremlin, Krushchev just brought it closer to nuclear war. The authors use the idea that Westerners do not have a clear understanding of the culture of communist Russia.

Film Editing Essay

The 1972 film The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppolla based on the novel by Mario Puzo that takes one inside the world of the Mafia as shown in the Corleone family where its patriarch, Don Vito is the â€Å"Godfather† but later, the focus of the film would later on shift to his son Michael who at first was not part of the Mafia family, but later on gradually joined it until he became the Godfather. The rise of Michael Corleone from being a â€Å"civilian† to Godfather is made possible by a well-coordinated cinematography which also involves editing. Editing is a film technique where reels of film are subjected to â€Å"cut and paste† in order to weave the scenes into a seamless sequences of events that unfold the moment it hits the silver screen. In this film, the producers make use the continuous editing technique. This approach is employed for the purpose of maintaining continuous or clear narrative action. It begins with the scene when Michael arrives at his sister Connie’s wedding reception which is presided by their father Don Vito. This scene shows that Michael is not part of the other â€Å"family† his father leads as depicted by him dressed in a military uniform which showed he came from the war. The next scene would be the attempted â€Å"hit† (murder) of Don Vito in the market and a separate scene where Michael’s older brother Sonny was killed. This is followed by the scene where he was mauled by corrupt police officers and another where he is handed a gun by his father’s mafiosi which he would use in a later scene to kill McCluskey, one of the corrupt cops and his father’s rival Sollozzo. His brother’s death and later his father, has thrust him into becoming the head of the â€Å"Family† which is underscored by scenes showing the â€Å"hits† on rival mafia leaders while serving as the godfather of his sister’s son. This is capped with the final scene where he closed the door to his study as he is about to preside over a â€Å"family† meeting with his second wife Kay standing by the doorway. These shots were cut and pasted in a way that it follows a progressive sequence. The seamlessness of the scenes shows rhythm in the editing and the intervals were either minimal or eliminated thereby preserving the momentum on focusing on Michael. The film also makes use of eye-line matches where the audience sees things initially from Don Vito’s perspective, at the beginning and switching to Michael, as it is shown in numerous scenes especially his confrontation with Sollozzo and switches to his wife as shown in the final scene when the door to Michael’s office closes with her looking on which underscored that Michael chose his other â€Å"family† thereby sealing his fate. The baptism scene shows the application of the temporal relationships as it is interspersed with the deaths of rival mafiosi, indicating what was happening at the same time. In conclusion, the use of (continuous) editing helped make the story of The Godfather easy to understand and to appreciate totally as it shows a seamless stringing of scenes that show the rise of Michael Corleone to power. Reference Coppolla, F. F. (Director). (1972). The Godfather [Motion Picture].

Free Essays on True Tragic Figure

Agamemnon is the first part of the trilogy Oresteia. It was written by Aeschylus who is often called â€Å"Father of Tragedy† in literature. Aeschylus is one of the greatest Greek writers in history. He presented audiences with the â€Å"second actor† for more complex stories. He is also known for his tragic characters and Agamemnon is no exception. He possesses all the characteristics and ultimately the fate of the majority of tragic characters, death. Agamemnon is the King of Argos who is coming back from a ten year battle with Troy. This in itself is a trait of a tragic person. The character must be a dignified person in society. In this case, it is a King who is tragic. In the battle against Troy, he was the leader of the Greek army that went because Helen, wife of Agamemnon’s younger brother Menelaus, was taken there. He is an arrogant person that only sees what is best for him and does not care for others. When Agamemnon gets back to the castle and meets his wife Clytaemnestra for the first time in ten years, she praises and welcomes him back. Although Agamemnon says he does not deserve this, he allows her to complete this long introduction to his post Troy life. That is a flaw, but it is not the one to doom him. During the journey to Troy, in order for the Greeks to have favorable wind push their ships onward, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to the god Artemis. Who would kill their daughter for own selfish victories? By his decision, it is clearly visible that he is proud and wants nothing more than victory. This tragic hubris ultimately results in his murder by the hands of his wife, Clytaemnestra. The devious spouse had been plotting his death because of the sacrifice he made of Iphigenia. When he returns, she says, â€Å"Zeus, Zeus/now fulfill our prayers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (646). The Greek god fulfills her prayer and Agamemnon’s life is taken. It is possible that Hera’s husband allowed the murder of the great leader ... Free Essays on True Tragic Figure Free Essays on True Tragic Figure Agamemnon is the first part of the trilogy Oresteia. It was written by Aeschylus who is often called â€Å"Father of Tragedy† in literature. Aeschylus is one of the greatest Greek writers in history. He presented audiences with the â€Å"second actor† for more complex stories. He is also known for his tragic characters and Agamemnon is no exception. He possesses all the characteristics and ultimately the fate of the majority of tragic characters, death. Agamemnon is the King of Argos who is coming back from a ten year battle with Troy. This in itself is a trait of a tragic person. The character must be a dignified person in society. In this case, it is a King who is tragic. In the battle against Troy, he was the leader of the Greek army that went because Helen, wife of Agamemnon’s younger brother Menelaus, was taken there. He is an arrogant person that only sees what is best for him and does not care for others. When Agamemnon gets back to the castle and meets his wife Clytaemnestra for the first time in ten years, she praises and welcomes him back. Although Agamemnon says he does not deserve this, he allows her to complete this long introduction to his post Troy life. That is a flaw, but it is not the one to doom him. During the journey to Troy, in order for the Greeks to have favorable wind push their ships onward, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to the god Artemis. Who would kill their daughter for own selfish victories? By his decision, it is clearly visible that he is proud and wants nothing more than victory. This tragic hubris ultimately results in his murder by the hands of his wife, Clytaemnestra. The devious spouse had been plotting his death because of the sacrifice he made of Iphigenia. When he returns, she says, â€Å"Zeus, Zeus/now fulfill our prayers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (646). The Greek god fulfills her prayer and Agamemnon’s life is taken. It is possible that Hera’s husband allowed the murder of the great leader ...

The Misinformation Effect Essay Example

The Misinformation Effect Essay Example The Misinformation Effect Paper The Misinformation Effect Paper The misinformation effect is a memory bias that occurs when misinformation influences peoples reports of their own memory; this reveals the pliability of memory. There is a general acceptance, supported by research, for the misinformation effect: The introduction of misleading post event information will impair the memory of an original event (Toland, Hoffman Loftus, 1991). In exploring the factors that enhance susceptibility to misinformation, it was discovered that allowing time to pass after the event, so that the original memory can fade, makes a person particularly vulnerable to suggestion ( Loftus, Miller, Burns, 1978 ). People are particularly prone to misinformation when the passage of time allows the original memory to fade. This finding leads to the discrepancy detection principle, which states that recollections are more likely to change if a person does not immediately detect discrepancies between post event information and memory for the original event. The Human memory process involves acquisition, retention and retrieval. During the acquisition stage event variables [like exposure time, frequency, detail salience, violence of the event] and witness variables [like stress, expectancies, and perceptual activity] affect the witness’s ability to perceive an event. There have also been studies that show how an individual’s personality could affect the occurrence of false memory or misinformation. Porter, Birt, Yuille, and Lehman (2000) found that subjects scoring low on extraversion were more susceptible to creating false childhood memories. Liebman et al. (2002) found that false memory from misinformation/suggestibility was positively associated with three subscales of the NEO Personality Inventory; values of the Openness dimension, and modesty and altruism of the Agreeableness dimension. Two systems which have been presented to elucidate the misinformation effect are: the alteration hypothesis and the coexistence hypothesis (Toland et al. , 1991). Both theories concur that the presentation of misinformation interferes with the original memory, creating the incorrect accounts of events. The Alteration Hypothesis This hypothesis takes the view that the misleading information really changes the original memory traces. Support for this hypothesis comes from the inability to recover original memories after being presented with misleading post event information. Not only is it possible to change details of memories for previously experienced events, but one can sometimes also plant entirely false memories into the minds of unsuspecting individuals, even if the events would be highly implausible or even impossible. False memories might differ statistically from true ones, in terms of certain characteristics such as confidence or vividness, but some false memories are held with a great degree of confidence and expressed with much emotion (Loftus, 2004). The misleading information destroys and substitutes the original information. This makes the suggested information become an element of the original event memory. The Coexistence Hypothesis This hypothesis proposes that the original and suggested information coexist in memory The original information is still stored but has become inaccessible. Support for this hypothesis comes from successful attempts to recover the original information after exposure to misinformation have presumably altered that information in memory (Toland et al. , 1991). References: Liebman, J. I. et al. (2002). Cognitive and psychosocial correlates of adults’ eyewitness accuracy and suggestibility. Personality and Individual Differences, 33, 49–66. Loftus, Elizabeth F. (2004), Memories of Things Unseen Current Directions in Psychological Science. Volume 13 Issue 4, Pages 145 – 147. University of California, Irvine. Loftus, E. F. , Miller, D. G. Burns, H. J. (1978). Semantic integration of verbal information into a visual memory. Human Learning and Memory, 4, 19-31. Porter, S. , Birt, A. R. , Yuille, J. C. , Lehman, D. (2000). Negotiating of false memories: Interviewer and remember characteristics relate to memory distortion. Psychological Science, 11, 513–516. Toland, K. , Hoffman, H. , Loftus, E. F. (1991). How suggestion plays tricks with memory. In J. F. Schumaker (Ed. ), Human suggestibility. Advances in theory, research, and application (pp. 235-252). New York: Routledge.

Three different artists as examples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Three different artists as examples - Essay Example This is to mean that a piece of art is able to penetrate to the heart and soul. The attainment capacity to which these thoughts and feelings can reach cannot measure, as it tends to vary within individuals. The sinking of the message in an art form is of a silent nature where understanding is in-born. In essence, art is an artist’s ideas conveyed in a standard medium that establishes ripples in the mind of the viewer or to the one set to enjoy the piece of art. In the twentieth century, art evolved in the minds and hearts of many in a manner related to intriguing fashion concepts. Therefore, there was a rise in the making of sculptures, wall paintings, murals, and canvas paintings that depicted advanced beauty and sophistication. Subsequently, it emerges that all art forms have the immeasurable capacity to modify and influence the creative power within an individual. Art wise, change in the twentieth century was the adoption of modernism as a way of artists expressing themselv es. The innovations made during this period majorly influenced many artists that led this in to being the subject of their artworks. Moreover, cubism had also found its way in to the artistic expressions of that time. This form of art involved the use of ovoid shapes and many colors on oil and canvas to bring out beautiful paintings. On the other hand, modernism was an art form in which the traditional art forms had paved way for developed and modernized aspects of art. They ventured in the use of new mediums of displaying art and fresh ideas about the functions of art. For instance, the artists responsible for the revolution of art in the beginning of the twentieth century include Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Raoul Dufy. In addition, the twentieth century witnessed the birth of fauvism that involved the use of many colors, impressive landscape figures to create expressions, and figured paintings to depict the actual scenario. These various growths in the art world were effecti ve in the development of art in to the forms visible today. On the other hand, the artist reception of these new ideas was overwhelming as most of them blended them perfectly in to their operations. As a result, they gave birth to impressions used in the explaining of the history of a nation. Ideally, these artworks portrayed the economic and cultural status of the people that existed in the time of their making. They documented history. In this regard, the objective of this paper will be to explain the valuable role of artists in contemporary life and society in general. Additionally, it will highlight three artists and three artworks then give their relevance in the art world. This will be through arguments, quotes, examples, and documented evidence to support as to why their roles were significant. Ways in which art plays a valuable role in modern life and society Family of Saltimbanques, 1905, oil on canvas by Pablo Picasso In Picasso’s Family of Saltimbanques oil on canv as painting, the theme is on entertainment as the painted family is that of those who work in a circus. The different characters depict the state in which the family finds itself in. As much as the family tends to make a living through its work, there is also loneliness portrayed in the way the woman sits in solicitude (Fichner-Rathus 81). Picasso pulled her away from the group to emphasize on how lonely she gets. The circus figures stand silent within the picture to show the technique of

Close Reading of the Feminine Mystique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Close Reading of the Feminine Mystique - Essay Example Betty Freidan studied and interviewed women that were suburban wives living in good houses with their administrative husbands who made lots of money before writing the book. These homemakers had done all things right. They had wedded when they were young, and some hardly finished or did not finish high school at all, while others were college dropouts, all for the target of marrying their darling and gratifying the perfect illustration of the feminine mystique. After marriage, these women had had large numbers babies by normal childbirth. Furthermore, they stitched all their clothing and cleaned all their dishes by use of hands. They also took the initiative to breastfed all of their children, and they concentrated on their husbands and children’s goals and interests so much that they lost focus of their own. Despite the fact that these women were dwelling by the ideal standards placed by the womanly mystique, they were terribly unhappy. A lot of them were visiting psychoanalysts without helpful results, thus many were anchoring depressing thoughts, resentful and considering all from an extramarital affair to self-murder. The psychoanalysts identified chronic fatigue syndrome to be the most ordinary problem of all (Coontz 19). The women that had this problem had listlessness as well as restlessness. They were at all times tired despite of how much they laid in bed. Their bones and joints always ached. They could never remain interested in or focused on one topic for a long period. They were bodily with their children all the time, although never present in spirit. Betty Frieden had extremely fine thought out ideas, and the American homemakers of the sixties, and later years, really required these ideas. For example, Friedan makes a comment on how the work of the house expands to suit the time available. She clearly noted that the houses of the women who were working were at