Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research - Essay Example Based on the data from World health organization cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco use kill more than 4 million people worldwide every year, with about 1.25 billion active smokers worldwide. With the same trends of tobacco use it is estimated that tobacco smoking will kill 8.4 million people a year by year 2020 (WHO 2000). Now even though these numbers are alarming the advertising of tobacco smoking is increasing in volume and specificity. It is estimated that in year 2006 in United States, the 5 largest tobacco companies spend 12.50 billion dollars on advertising, or more accurately more that 34 million dollar per day in advertising and promoting cigarette smoking. What is most important is that the as the cigarette smoking declines, the amount of money spend on advertising is drastically increasing (Slater et al 2007). Also some new price strategies that are designed by the tobacco companies, like price discounts that are paid to wholesaler and large distributors to lowe r the price of the cigarettes, actually lead to increased number of smokers among youth and adolescents in United States (Federal Trade Commission 2006). The advertising in tobacco industry goes as far as designing cigarettes that are specially attractive and appealing to women, where the targeting of women as smokers goes beyond marketing because the companies try to find specific factors of motivation, patterns of social activities associated with smoking, specific product preferences etc. in order to produce gender or age specific products (Carpenter et al 2005). As we can see the tobacco industry is a strong factor that is promoting the use of tobacco neglecting the negative effects of smoking in the process. Since tobacco smoking is a major health problem, the health system has very important role in promoting the negative effect of smoking and its participants: doctors, nurses, public health workers and other medical personnel. As stated by World health organization the public health community and health professionals should lead the way in solving the problem of tobacco use (WHO 2000). The role of health professionals is important because there are studies that show that the chances of smoking cessation increases after a patient receives advice from a health care professional (Fiore et al. 2000). There are many programs in the world designed to reduce the incidence tobacco use among physicians and other health care professionals around the world. There are information’s that indicate that maximum 10 percents of physicians in Australia, Norway, Canada, United States, United Kingdom and other developed countries smoke tobacco. This incidence is much higher among the countries in Europe. As opposite of this up to 40 percent or more of the physicians smoke in France, Italy, Spain, Turkey and other countries in Europe (WHO 1993). This is interesting because the study conducted by Emanuela and Anna 2009 also showed that incidence of tobacco use

Analyzing Fed Policymaking 1996-1998 Term Paper

Analyzing Fed Policymaking 1996-1998 - Term Paper Example With upward rising of the aggregate, there are favorable conditions to drive economic growth such as high job creation, high production, and business expansion. The Federal Reserve policies between 1996 and 1998 were aimed at stimulating growth in ensuring increased productivity, which resulted in increased employment and reduced inflationary rates through control of interest rates. A report by Federal Reserve Board (1999) showed that, economic growth between 1996 and 1998 was remarkable and stronger than many had expected. The economy growth was more than 3.5% in 1997 and between 2.5 and 3.0 % in 1998. By 1998 the real GDP growth was at 3.5%, and was expected to rise further in the following years (Lewis, 1998). According to Lewis, at the start of October 1998, the S& P was abnormally high having risen from about 1000 in earlier years to about 1400 by July 1999. The Fed had to impose a 40% increase in the S &P by hiking interest rates from 4.75 to about 6.5 in the following years. T his rise resulted from an â€Å"irrational exuberance’ where too much money was being injected into the booming internet and technology industries (Lewis, 1998). Figure 1 portrays the general trend of interest rates during this period, Figure 2 portrays the relations between money supply and price levels between 1950 and 2008, while figure 3 shows the dollar performance compared to German’s in 1998. The major driver of the U.S economy that resulted in a high economic growth between 1996 and 1998 was capital spending. Many organizations continued to invest heavily in information technology and modernizing communication equipment to improve their productivity (Lewis, 1998). The market interest rates affect borrowing and lending policies, which affect the production and consumption of goods, products and services. The Federal Reserve Board (1999) explains that, these factors largely influence employment and job creation; high interest rates will discourage investors henc e low job creation opportunities. For example, during this period, Fed decided not to hike the interest rates to control the exponential market growth in preventing the economy from tending to inflation. This is observed in graph 1. In the year 1996, it was expected that inflation and interest rates would be on the rise towards the end of that year, but it turned otherwise (Federal Reserve Board, 1999). As Mishkin (115) explains, the demand for money and interest rates are inversely related using the opportunity cost aspect. This is the expected return sacrificed by an investor by not holding the alternative asset, which refers to a bond in this case. Moreover, demand for money is determined by the wealth or income and the price levels in the market (Mishkin, 116). The federal authority polices during this period were aimed at robust growth in employment, recovery and strengthening of the dollar, and regulated interest rates, which increased wealth and lowered the interest rates mak ing the demand of money to increase. There was a general fall of the domestic interest rates and national debts over this period (Mishkin, 11). In the third quarter of 1998, uproar in financial market globally resulted in a sharp drop in value of the dollar, having dropped from DM 1.7993 to DM 1.6718, which could have shifted the economic growth as well as interest rate policies towards encouraging more borrowing. Low interest rates contributed

Warring States assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Warring States - Assignment Example Xunzi According to Xunzi, otherwise known as Xu Qing, education was the key to growing a nation politically, socially and economically. He argues that for a person to be morally upright he/she must first understand the Way, approve of it and abide by it. The Way in this case being a path that leads from personal obsessions and inclinations. As a result of adhering to the set of laws bound in the Way, the person would then both morally and intellectually stable. From most of his writings Xunzi is seen to promote learning through borrowing from his personal experiences and generally nature. It is during the Zhou Dynasty that the kingdoms realized a dramatic shift in weaponry with the introduction of iron-ware in the form of helmets, arrows and spears. Politically this was a game changer for the kingdoms that embraced this new technology as opposed to the traditional wooden weaponry. This in turn led to a more skilled infantry and advanced kingdoms and warfare (Hobson, 2004). Xunzi thro ugh his scholarly exploits inclined towards educating the ordinary population as well as nobles through his odes and poems on the importance of embracing education without compromising governance. Through his teachings and promotion for education, Xunzi apparently became one of the most sort after philosophers of his time and was soon elevated to the position of magistrate by Lord Chunshen of Chu the prime minister of Lanling. Confucius Confucius was regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of his time and his wise teachings still echo up to this day. It is from Confucius that great minds such as Xunzi and Mencius arose and the great Chinese revolution after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty. In his philosophy, he is accredited for promoting personal and social morality as well as justice and honesty within the society and the government at large. Through his teachings the Zhou Dynasty was able to remain as one of the biggest ruling dynasties in the history of China. His fundamental teachings led people to value life more than property as opposed to that time when ordinary people were more inclined into acquiring personal property. As a result of his teachings, the Zhou emerged as undoubtedly one of the best political civilizations of its time (Creel, 1949). It is from his idealistic principle of loving one another that most of the Warring States managed to coexist with each other in spite of their differences and moreso noticeable economic growth between the kingdoms. Mencius Although both Xunzi and Mencius shared the same teacher they ultimately did not share the same sentiments on how people were to live. Apart from defending the Confucian principles and teachings, Mencius fostered four main ethical themes in his teachings; humaneness, wisdom, propriety and observance of rites. Mencius combed the land moving from one kingdom to another pleading for the lives of prisoners and smaller kingdoms based on his ideal teaching ‘human nature is good’ whi ch was strongly refuted by Xunzi. However, it is from his teachings that most kingdoms were seen to be united through a common political point of view. Contrary to Xunzi’s teachings which promoted people to learn new ways, Mencius teachings promoted a much stable way of political governance of the kingdoms by holding fast to the basic of life’

Role of marketing in a consumer society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Role of marketing in a consumer society - Essay Example Marketing can be said to have both positive and negative effects on society and hence the study of marketing strategies must include both effects if one were to take an objective and reasoned approach to it.Marketing plays a vital role in mediating between the producers and the consumers of goods and services. Without marketing, the consumers would not be able to get information regarding the products that the producers are producing and hence be bereft of the information needed to make informed purchases. Without marketing, the producers of goods and services would be unable to communicate the benefits of owning products and hence they would not be in a position to relay the necessary information to the consumers. Ever since the advent of the mass produced modes of production and patterns of mass consumption, marketing has been regarded as the indispensable medium through which the â€Å"conversation† between the producers and consumers happens. This is the reason for the hug e marketing budgets that producers have and the way in which the media is used to broadcast images and advertisements is another facet of the consumer society that we live in (Mooij, 1998, 15). This paper addresses the question, â€Å"what is the role of marketing in a consumer society?† by analyzing the case of Apple Inc., which is renowned for its innovative and sophisticated approach to marketing. The readings assigned for the course as well as the textbooks that are prescribed are referred to for this paper as well as external research into the marketing methods of Apple and the way in which it has established a position for itself in the contemporary hi-tech marketplace. Marketing can be said to have both positive and negative effects on society and hence the study of marketing strategies must include both effects if one were to take an objective and reasoned approach to it. As the readings make it clear, the era of mass produced goods and the consumer society we live in has seen marketing as a force for good as well as something that has negative connotations. The focus of this paper is on a critical examination of how marketing is practiced in a consumer society with an emphasis on how Apple has used marketing to further its interests. Segmentation Apple focuses mainly on users who are 30 years or younger and as a study by Rubicon (2008) found out, 50% of the users who use Apple’s products fall into this segment. Hence, it makes sense for Apple to orient its marketing strategies towards this segment and as can be seen from the branding and marketing strategies that Apple employs to target its core customer base. Further, it has been found that Apple has one of the highest return customers or customers who buy another Apple product and hence can be considered as giving repeat business to the company. The typical strategy followed by Apple is not horizontal marketing like making a special type of peanut butter for every customer but in engag ing in vertical marketing where it produces a specific product for each type of use. This can be seen in the way that Apple has produced an IPod for listening, IPad for reading and IPhone for apps. The point here is that Apple does not add features to target individual customers in each segment. Rather, they target specific user experiences and build the product around that user experience accordingly. This approach of Apple towards market segmentation makes for a study by itself. Apple’s approach of targeting a specific market and then producing high quality products for that market segment is novel and something that has been successful for the company. As the following quote about market segmentation shows it is the conventional theories of segmentation that usually dictate the strategies of the companies, â€Å"In the real world of building products and attacking market opportunities, market segmentation is the process of defining and sub-dividing the aggregate, homogene ous market into addressable, targeted needs and aspirations buckets, which are in turn, defined by thresholds according to demographic, psychographic and/or budgetary constraints. Market segmentation strategy enables a company to drive complete, unified product solutions that are harmonious with messaging,

How organised is Organised Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

How organised is Organised Crime - Essay Example ?How organized is Organized Crime?†, it is difficult to provide a straightforward answer, given the complexities and flexibility that signify these groups. Hence, this essay will try to present to the reader those aspects of Organized Crime groups that is well organized and also point to those elements in it that is more fluid. One of the notorious crime groups of the twentieth century is the Medellin Cartel of Columbia. The perennial political instability of Columbia is a key factor for the evolution of this group. The civil war of 1948-1958 had the harshest impact on the country and its surrounding areas. The civil war was essentially one of struggle between poor campesinos and the rich landowners. It is no coincidence that most of the populace of Medellin are poor and are à ©migrà ©s from the countryside. The industrial city of Medellin served as the operating base for the Medellin Cartel, whose founders include Pablo Escobar, the Ochoa clan, and Carlos Lehder-Rivas. The city is also notorious for smuggling and picks pocketing (Griswold 2005). Some of the leaders of the Medellin cartel were even involved in active politics, which ironically gave the cartel an air of legitimacy. In 1982, Escobar was elected as an alternate Colombian representative in Envigado, a region nearby Medellà ­n. There he established himself as a saviour of the underprivileged by implementing construction projects for slum dwellers and soccer fields for the youth. He even had his own newspaper, which acted as his public relations equipment. It portrayed him as an up-from-the-slums statesman. Escobar enjoyed immunity from arrest as long as he was a public representative. Hence, in this Columbian example, organized crime was part and parcel of mainstream politics. In this sense, we can call the cartel a sophisticated, powerful and well organized group. (Griswold 2005) Having said so, not all underworld groups achieve popular recognition the way Medellin cartel did. For most

Role of marketing in a consumer society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Role of marketing in a consumer society - Essay Example Marketing can be said to have both positive and negative effects on society and hence the study of marketing strategies must include both effects if one were to take an objective and reasoned approach to it.Marketing plays a vital role in mediating between the producers and the consumers of goods and services. Without marketing, the consumers would not be able to get information regarding the products that the producers are producing and hence be bereft of the information needed to make informed purchases. Without marketing, the producers of goods and services would be unable to communicate the benefits of owning products and hence they would not be in a position to relay the necessary information to the consumers. Ever since the advent of the mass produced modes of production and patterns of mass consumption, marketing has been regarded as the indispensable medium through which the â€Å"conversation† between the producers and consumers happens. This is the reason for the hug e marketing budgets that producers have and the way in which the media is used to broadcast images and advertisements is another facet of the consumer society that we live in (Mooij, 1998, 15). This paper addresses the question, â€Å"what is the role of marketing in a consumer society?† by analyzing the case of Apple Inc., which is renowned for its innovative and sophisticated approach to marketing. The readings assigned for the course as well as the textbooks that are prescribed are referred to for this paper as well as external research into the marketing methods of Apple and the way in which it has established a position for itself in the contemporary hi-tech marketplace. Marketing can be said to have both positive and negative effects on society and hence the study of marketing strategies must include both effects if one were to take an objective and reasoned approach to it. As the readings make it clear, the era of mass produced goods and the consumer society we live in has seen marketing as a force for good as well as something that has negative connotations. The focus of this paper is on a critical examination of how marketing is practiced in a consumer society with an emphasis on how Apple has used marketing to further its interests. Segmentation Apple focuses mainly on users who are 30 years or younger and as a study by Rubicon (2008) found out, 50% of the users who use Apple’s products fall into this segment. Hence, it makes sense for Apple to orient its marketing strategies towards this segment and as can be seen from the branding and marketing strategies that Apple employs to target its core customer base. Further, it has been found that Apple has one of the highest return customers or customers who buy another Apple product and hence can be considered as giving repeat business to the company. The typical strategy followed by Apple is not horizontal marketing like making a special type of peanut butter for every customer but in engag ing in vertical marketing where it produces a specific product for each type of use. This can be seen in the way that Apple has produced an IPod for listening, IPad for reading and IPhone for apps. The point here is that Apple does not add features to target individual customers in each segment. Rather, they target specific user experiences and build the product around that user experience accordingly. This approach of Apple towards market segmentation makes for a study by itself. Apple’s approach of targeting a specific market and then producing high quality products for that market segment is novel and something that has been successful for the company. As the following quote about market segmentation shows it is the conventional theories of segmentation that usually dictate the strategies of the companies, â€Å"In the real world of building products and attacking market opportunities, market segmentation is the process of defining and sub-dividing the aggregate, homogene ous market into addressable, targeted needs and aspirations buckets, which are in turn, defined by thresholds according to demographic, psychographic and/or budgetary constraints. Market segmentation strategy enables a company to drive complete, unified product solutions that are harmonious with messaging,

Apple Inc. in 2010 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple Inc. in 2010 - Essay Example As such, Jobs turned the focus of Apple towards producing and developing non-PC compliments and applications. This was so unbelievably effective that by 2010, over 60% of all of Apple’s revenue was derived from non-PC devices; such as the iPad and the wildly successful iPhone (Bland 58). Ultimately, the Apple brand has a litany of different competitive advantages. One of the first of these is with respect to the seamless level of integration that exists between the hardware and software that Apple provides to its consumers. Taking same song and/4 Microsoft as an example, it can quickly be seen that the designer of the hardware and the designer of the software are oftentimes two different entities; oftentimes creating a situation in which the level of integration between these two leaves something to be desired. However, due to the fact that iOS operates on a native platform utilizing hardware that was designed for no other function but to perform iOS, this represents a noted strength with respect to the degree and extent Apple continue to exert a competitive advantage on the market (Beech 47). Another noted competitive advantage is with respect to Apple’s youth and simplicity of use. Although it is true that competitors have come a long way in recent years in seeking to simplify and improve their interface, Apple has long represented an intuitive design that leaves hardly any room for confusion on the part of the user. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, it should be noted that Apple’s sleek and appealing design is one of the competitive advantages that has driven the firm to the level of success that had experienced over the past decade. Ultimately, if it were not for the fact that Apple’s products were sleek, appealing, and even â€Å"sexy†, it is doubtful that the company could experience anywhere near the degree of success that it has currently enjoy. Finally, another competitive advantage that Apple